thought you'd like it! although the landlord has threatened to clamp my shitty 306 if i break my own rule :)
thought you'd like it! although the landlord has threatened to clamp my shitty 306 if i break my own rule :)
:thumbsup:
thought id add the mk2 V6 conversion details here,seems to be a lot of people asking about it! so to save typing the same answers out this is much easier.....
So why go V6?
A question thats asked a lot and a good one too,the 3vz-fe is toyotas best kept engine secret.They tucked it away in the big cruiser of the range the toyota camry,if only they had the foresight to use this unit in the mk2 like we are doing today! It really doesnt serve its full purpose in the heavyweight camry and is further strangled to death on a horrible auto gearbox.Having said that it still hauls the camry to 60 fairly quickly.But its in the mk2 Mr2 where it comes into its own.The V6 in stock form,simply transplanted from camry to mr2 with no mods,will give you stock mr2 turbo performance but with big differences. (this performance claim is proven)
The differences being driveability,bottom end torque,silky smooth power delivery,an engine that purrs at idle and then roars like thunder on full throttle like only a v6 can.Quite simply the noise these things make is to die for but by far the best advantage is the throttle response....no lag with these fellas! The torque curve from 2000rpm to 2500rpm is practically vertical...
What are they like to drive?
The V6 in a mk2 totally transforms its behaviour on the road.Mr2 engines in general need plenty of revs to get them off the mark,this leads to clutches burning out quicker than in other cars,blame yamaha's engine design for that one! With the V6 you can drop the clutch in 2nd gear and still pull away with minimal revs.On the road its very civilised,will happily cruise all day without you even knowing its got an engine in there at all (Mr2 owners that have test driven our V6 demo car have commented they couldnt hear the engine running at junctions).But when opened up it will pick up from 4th gear at 20mph and launch hard as the revs rise,no need to change down to get power out of this engine,it throws you back hard and keeps you there.
On top of that theres total reliability,just look at any mr2 forum's mechanical section,littered with engine problems and in particular turbo engine problems.I love the 3s-gte but it does have its reliability issues,theres exceptions to every rule of course but they do seem to have problem areas.O2 sensors,AFM's, underboosting , overboosting , turbos blowing up,knock sensors failing the list goes on.....none of that nonsense with the 3vz-fe v6.What you get is a bulletproof (that word's used a lot for some engines but this one really is) engine that will go on for 300k no problem,no issues at all with cranks/rods/pistons or rings...indeed we have seen a 200k+ engine with perfect bores and still with the factory honing marks!
If theres a weak point with the V6 its head gaskets, they are known to fail from 100k+ but we replace these as routine on every conversion so its not an issue.
So thats a little insight into why people go v6,it transforms your mk2 into a silky smooth cruiser and into a snarling beast when opened up.Turbo performance with NA response and reliability.
Can my car be converted?
Yes,any mk2 mr2 either NA or Turbo, 5s-fe,3s-ge or 3s-gte can be converted,it will simply use your existing gearbox and driveshafts.Both NA and Turbo gearboxes will handle the power of the V6 easily.With each conversion a new clutch is also fitted.We are currently looking into wether the V6 can be fitted onto the mk2 auto gearbox too although this is a limited market and unlikely to be popular.
Can i keep my air con with the v6?
Yes,the camry v6 has an air con pump fitted as standard,but it will mean custom pipes being made to connect it up and will need recharging so it will add ?100 to the cost of the conversion if you want to keep it.Most v6 owners are opting to ditch the air con as it costs a few bhp.
Does anything need cutting? firewalls etc?
No,the V6 will fit in the mk2 bay without modifying any firewalls or chassis rails,apart from the drivers side engine mount on the engine that needs fabricating nothing is altered on the car itself.In fact once fitted they look like they belong in a mk2 engine bay...
What other supporting mods will i need ?
None really....but upgrading the brakes to late spec is always better with an engine upgrade.Also running wider tyres on the rear might be wise! I use 225's but 235 or 245 would be ideal.
Will my gauges and warning lights work as before?
Yes,all of your gauges and lights will work,even the check engine light.The tacho signal is getting a 6 pulse signal instead of 4 so it reads higher than normal but we swap the camry tacho circuit board into the mk2 clocks to rectify this.On turbo models having the conversion done your turbo boost gauge will no longer work for obvious reasons.
What is the cost of conversion ?
Cost wise we offer a few packages,i'll start with the most expensive and work down. For your conversion i need to buy a complete camry and then overhaul its engine with fresh head gaskets/timing belt etc.
How will it affect my insurance ?
Not as much as you'd think,we have received quotes that are only ?50-?100 more than a 3s-ge NA mk2 model and actually cheaper than insuring a tubby as the engine isnt rated that high (200bhp/200lbs/ft).
All of the packages come with the following:
V6 engine degreased,block painted,engine detailed,both head gaskets replaced (wether they are gone or not),cam belt changed,new oils,filters,spark plugs,antifreeze etc.
A new clutch kit,either NA or turbo depending on what model mk2 you have,supplied and fitted,if you are happy with your current clutch then the job is cheaper by the cost of a clutch,but of course its always better to fit new on a job like this.
A custom flywheel supplied and fitted
A bespoke drivers engine mount supplied
Mk2 engine bay cleaned and repainted in stock colour or colour of your choice
Induction kit and AFM adapter ,or if you want to use your current one?
Exhaust downpipes modified to fit your current exhaust system or any other exhaust system you may wish to have installed.
Camry tacho head transplanted into mk2 clocks.
Now the pricing options:
For a turnkey V6 conversion,thats you dropping off your mk2 and picking it up a few weeks later as a mk2 v6,which involves me sourcing and buying a camry,stripping its engine out,stripping your engine and gearbox out,doing all of the work listed above and carrying out the conversion is ?2500 give or take ?100 depending on cost of camry donor car .
Next cheapest option is ?2000,for that you get all of the above but you would have to source and buy the camry donor car yourself and deliver both it and your mk2 to woodsport.
Next cheapest option is ?1800,for that you get all of the above but on top of sourcing/buying camry you would also be taking the engine/wiring harness and ecu and all parts needed off the camry and palleting them up to me,some people like to get hands dirty! ( i supply a comprehensive list of whats needed from the camry should you want to do this).Also you can break whats left of the camry to recoup some costs.
Last option is ?1500,for that you supply the engine and all camry parts,i do all of the above except replace head gaskets,you get the same conversion except no peace of mind that the gaskets have been done. This is really a basic install price but will have the same finish and quality of work as the most expensive option minus the head gasket change.
So i think ive pretty much covered all the options,as you can see by the pricing it isnt expensive,certainly it would cost more to have a turbo conversion done.The v6 isnt for everyone,its a special conversion and its guaranteed to put a smile on your face everytime it starts up. If you want big power then turbo is the route to go,the v6 option gives a smooth as silk power delivery and no lag plus superb reliability,these engines are known to go on for 300k plus. Of course you can always supercharge or turbocharge the v6 at a later date making it a monster.
How long does a conversion take?
Typically 2-3 weeks from dropping it off to driving it away as a v6....this time can vary depending on the availability of donor cars but once all parts are sourced we have a 2 week turnaround.The Woodsport v6 demo car was built in 4 days but has none of the detailing work done to the engine bay or engine that a customers car would recieve.
The Woodsport mk2 V6 demo car is now ready for test drives should anyone want to feel what its like before going ahead with a conversion.
Last edited by Paul Woods; 26-07-2006 at 19:14.
That's why I said BYBYE to the 3S series of engines matey - too weak for my right foot :)Originally Posted by Paul Woods
you cannot have creation, without first a little destruction
aye capn,but the 3s is a great engine in its own right,when it behaves itself! you know what i mean though....the v6 just takes it to a more reliable level,but then the downside of the v6 over 3s is tunability....you can get some trouser filling performance out of the 3s...now if only we could combine them both :)
Id love to get an old 3vz and go mental on it,lower the CR,forgies,rods,head port,cams,injectors,standalone,mahoosive turbo,etc....id think 500bhp and a massive wedge of torque would be entirely possible.
Does the above packages also apply to the Mk1 and is there any extras that may be required?
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars.
The rest I just squandered.
George Best
ah sadly no jasper mate,the mk1 needs a turbo or mk2na gearbox and shafts buying,plus starter motor,clutch slave,gearbox torque mounts,gear cable bracket and mech speedo drive if not rev1....all of those would be extra so maybe an extra ?500 in parts there that are needed for the mk1 v6.
Cheers P, knew there'd be extras but wasn't too sure what.
Last edited by jasper; 24-09-2006 at 16:53.
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars.
The rest I just squandered.
George Best
weighing up the 3sgte conversion or the v6 one at the moment each have their own merits. does the ceilca gt4 engine and box fit? if not what extras would i need would the loom be ok etc as gt4's go very cheap compared to mr2 turbos.
engine is the same, although i think the wiring is slightly different? believe the gearbox would be no good as it has a take off for the 4WD system.
