scooby_will

i am looking to change the engine in my 1997 uk turbo as its gettin high mileage and not sounding to great, now i am wanting to fit the engine from a v3-4 sti as these will both work with my wiring loom, i am also looking to fit an sti gearbox like an r or ra close ratio box, what i would like to clarify is that this will defo work with my car as i am also fitting an apexi fc ecu as obviously my uk turbo ecu wont work on the sti engine, and also like to ask how much an engine would cost roughly, i have been looking on ebay and you can get block and heads for around 700, is this a resonable price??

Thanks for any help and if anyone has a v3-4 engine complete with heads please let me know, looking for a nice vf turbo from 22-34. thanks

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

you seem to have covered everything

it will work with your loom.. the powerfc needs some pins swapped but best done by mapper when getting it mapped.

700 is a very good price but becareful as there are a number of people selling so called sti3/4 engine which are not. It is difficult to tell without removing the rocker cover and a cam and checking correct buckets lifters are in place for an sti engine.. obviously sti3/4 engiune is getting on a bit now so you might want to consider getting it rebuilt with fresh bearings before fitting.

Simon

scooby_will

i was thinking about the rebuilds, you can get a reconned sti engine for around 995+ but i was thinking about buying a cdb and fitting uprated bearings, pistons and rods and be done with it and just run the v3-4 heads as the heads are the main problem on my current engine, i am looking to run around 300-330hp and know that the vf22 up to 34 would sort this for me but will i need to uprate to 440cc injectors or more? currently running 380's on mine.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

yes you need 440cc injectors as a minimum for the vf22~34

if your heads are the main issue you could get the clearances done for the valve shims etc.. I presume you mean the heads are tappet sounding?
If when cold it is probably the usualy 97/98 piston slap

Simon

scooby_will

see thats the thing i been told soo many different things by different people but not had it officially diagnosed by a specialist, it is a loud clacking noise when cold which yes once warm does go away, i was told it was piston slap then told it was the lifters, only reason i thought of fitting sti engine is it runs higher hp to start with and cams and engine in general are better than the uk turbo ones, plus need a new box soon as mine wines and crunchs but will get there in the end, get an engine or rebuild one then get the box and diff then get the ecu, fit engine and box and trailer somewhere to get ecu fitted and mapped!!

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

if it is a clacking noise rather then a tap/tick then I would say it is piston slap.

both can go away once warm as they are a clearance issue.. pistons to bore and lifter clearnace and both expand when hot etc..

the uk heads actually have fairly good cams

Simon

scooby_will

ok thanks for your help mate, i have a video on my laptop so will upload that tommorow you can defo hear the noise as i reverse out of the drive, if you let me know what you think i can go from there, i suppose i can always just get my heads reconditioned for a fraction of the cost of v3-4 heads just out of piece of mind considering my car has 144k without a rebuild!! (touching wood!!)

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

you still have a bit to go.. I ran one engine to 186k and then did a head gasket only and ran it to 198k and then removed to replace but it still ran wihtout issue and that had not been rebuilt either.

Simon

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Was this an angine mapped by you? At what point in the engine's mileage did you take custody of it - was it mapped straight away, etc.?

scooby_will

well to be honest another reason to do it now is i have a baby girl on the way and can afford it now, dont know what i will be able to afford after she is born

I have put a video of the noise it makes in another thread you will hear it loud as anything when i reverse out the drive.

Let me know what you think.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

bought the car with 76k iirc.. wasn't mapped straight away.. but at about 100k..

was running 1.5bar for a while.. then the passenger head gasket started to pass a little water at about 170k so turned the boost down to 1.3bar..

the head gasket was then changed at 186k and boost turned back up for another 12k miles..
oh and it had the original factory colour 3bond sealant on the block so was untouched

Simon

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

That's seriously impressive - was the engine STILL fine after the HG change and those 12k added miles - from 186k to 198k, then?

Regardless, that's quite an inspiration!

So it's not all doom and gloom with these flat-4s!... You wouldn't think it though (as joz8968's car is currently in at Zen's for new HG's itself!) lol.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

yeah it was still fine when removed at 198k and was swapped with a friend for a lower mileage engine needing a belt change and check over (and he fitted the 198k one and used it and then sold the car on)..

Simon

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Terrific! And on top of all that, I bet you drove it like it's supposed to, too?