G'day i have a 88 vl calais n/a and looking to rebuild the engine to make it handle a turbo in about 12 months (wanting to build without turbo now + run it on straight lpg at the moment its duel fuel). I was speaking to my mechanic and he said i would be better off buying a rb30t block and getting that built. Would that be a much better idea? I have been researching and alot of people say maatouk, saf's are some of the best for the rb range. Im at east sydney anyone know anyother good engine builders & advanced lpg. Ive got a budget from $5-12k planing to make manual its auto at the moment Cheers in advance.

theyre the same block

how much power do you want, if you want say about 250kw than you can just get a 2nd hand non turbo engine and that will handle the power. Its a bad idea to get an engine built for turn than run it non turbo because it will have low compression, make **** power....

hmm thats no good cause i get off my p's in 12 months but the engine is really unreliable.

one how much power do u want if u looking for around 250 leave the thing alone, if anything put some new rings and bearings in it get the head sorted for lpg! spend the rest of your budget on a ecu, helteck, wolf, nistune, turbo cam injectors exhaust and gearbox!

Quote: Originally Posted by poohkies one how much power do u want if u looking for around 250 leave the thing alone, if anything put some new rings and bearings in it get the head sorted for lpg! spend the rest of your budget on a ecu, helteck, wolf, nistune, turbo cam injectors exhaust and gearbox! Yer i wouldnt be after anything more than 200rwkw once the turbo is on. The thing is i am unaware of the internals condition and its a worry. Looking to build a long lasting engine. Would you have a rough idea of the cost to recondition the internals? On the weekends ive been trying to get different peoples opinions but not sure where to start. And thank you, i appreciate the hand!

dude, i just bolted a na engine that was running out of a vl into my car used it untouched for a year and a burnout comp later i cooked it, changed the head etc, car made 200rwkw easy and ran a best of 12.3 i've put a comnetic head gasket on it with a reconed head (new valves etc) and head stud kit gt35/40 etc and car (still same standard bottom end) has made just shy of 240 rwkw's and ran a 12.8 117 mph this engine has done a year of racing with countless 1/4 passes, done a rejex rally (2 days of flogging the **** out of a car across about 500km's of the top end) and just did a powercruise as well as a couple of drag meet's engine still doesn't produce any blow bye as of yet! and has happy with 20psi NA all the way!

as soon as you put a turbo on a n/a motor it will blow up into 1,000,000 peices i swear it happened to a friend of a friend of mine

Quote: Originally Posted by High Rpm as soon as you put a turbo on a n/a motor it will blow up into 1,000,000 peices i swear it happened to a friend of a friend of mine yeap and i bet a gold fish was driving!

Quote: Originally Posted by poohkies yeap and i bet a gold fish was driving! I'm not letting a gold fish drive my car if its gonna do that.

Quote: Originally Posted by poohkies dude, i just bolted a na engine that was running out of a vl into my car used it untouched for a year and a burnout comp later i cooked it, changed the head etc, car made 200rwkw easy and ran a best of 12.3 i've put a comnetic head gasket on it with a reconed head (new valves etc) and head stud kit gt35/40 etc and car (still same standard bottom end) has made just shy of 240 rwkw's and ran a 12.8 117 mph this engine has done a year of racing with countless 1/4 passes, done a rejex rally (2 days of flogging the **** out of a car across about 500km's of the top end) and just did a powercruise as well as a couple of drag meet's engine still doesn't produce any blow bye as of yet! and has happy with 20psi NA all the way! Sounds like you bought a hell of a n/a engine. Theres so many people saying that the rb30 stock internals can heandle lot of beatings, nice time on the 1/4 one day i'd like to hit it too. I might leave it and get it ready for gas/turbo! One more question poohkies.... Is this true? Quote: Originally Posted by airbagsVL Its a bad idea to get an engine built for turn than run it non turbo because it will have low compression, make **** power.... Thanks again for your imput, your making this alot easier than working off my limited knowlegde.

i ran an na engine for 18 months on 15psi at all times and didnt have an issue at all ,you are grabbing at straws to have a problem,i had no issue at all and revved it to over 7k

Quote: Originally Posted by SLO.BT1 i ran an na engine for 18 months on 15psi at all times and didnt have an issue at all ,you are grabbing at straws to have a problem,i had no issue at all and revved it to over 7k yeap my limiter is set to 7k also a good tune and an engine will be safe that's all i'll say i don't make huge power with my setup, but what i make keeps me happy and the comment about getting and engine built for turbo, u can get the engine built fo hi comp, and still turbo it or low comp and still turbo it, really it's just has low compression than normal if u build it for turbo, nothing to stressful really

ok sounds good ill throw up some pics of this car after i get it painted and slap on some mods till then thanks SlO.BT1, poohkies and airbagsVL for the assistance Im waiting on 19" Lenso concept fives to arrive and for the paint job im keeping it stock bluey/green colour so semi sleeper xD

hey again guys i have another question for you i thought while getting this work done it would be a good idea to put in a lsd which spine type should i use i dont fully understand them, but i know theres like 25,28 and so on is it a big job? and would it be a good idea getting a r33 gear box and 4.11 gear looking for quick takeoffs

depends how u drive, many people on here dont have a problem with 25 spline axles other have heaps, i'm constantly snapping axles, i suppose it depends on your driving style! and what your doing with the car

just be safe and get a turbo motor

Quote: Originally Posted by High Rpm as soon as you put a turbo on a n/a motor it will blow up into 1,000,000 peices i swear it happened to a friend of a friend of mine iv got a n/a bottom end running 14 psi has been going strong for bout 2 years no issues at all i recomend doing it for sure

dont know why everyone wants to get a turbo block instead, they are the same as n/a but oil pump and pistons. If you wanted to put forgies in it will use the n/a one seeing as u will pull the pistons out anyway. Just rebuild a n/a go highcomp get a good tune and off you go or just grab a few n/a bottom ends and just see how you go. Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

NA compression 9.0:1, turbo compression 7.8:1. People have made huge power on stock bottom ends (ie 350rwkw). It's all in the tune, or it's all in the sump.