Depowering my Seven....

[Wynand]

As some may be aware I fitted a 3SGTE engine to my ride which goes like greased lightening. The problem I experienced was the fact that the engine is very temperamental and liked to be on the "boil" but that created BIG problems in the city I live. We have no traffic lights in our city and basically have a decent double lane traffic circle on every main corner - about something in the 40's on the last count if I remembered correctly. That said, if I kept the revs below boost, the car is dead and when its on boost a beast and very difficult to control in circles and sometimes the boost will kick in with a bang and all hell would break loose.
This is what happened to me three weeks ago which could have resulted in a fatal if things went a bit more askew and i there and then decided that this engine was an accident waiting to happens. Probably a fine engine for open roads and stretches I would agree but not for my use.

I unceremoniously ripped out the 3SGTE and put it up on ice and thought of going the 20 valve 4AGE blacktop way which is the preferred engine in SA but what I dislike about the 20 valve is the fact it makes full power only at around 8000rpm and its measly torque at around 7000rpm which to me is pointless meaning the car has to be driven hard to get it moving as a test ride in my buddies car proved. Not suiting my driving style and for the last 20 years Im driving diesel powered cars and is addicted on torque, which makes a car very drivable especially when you are like me retired and pensioned and takes live easily.

Then I remembered that one of my friends totaled his truck (110,000km on clock) and the engine was taken lying under a canvas outside and having spent some time in the bakkie (truck) in the past know the engine very well and he let me have it and supplied it complete with engine wiring harness still fitted and the OEM computer box that fuels cylinders sequentially and not batch fueling.
The engine is a bullet proof low tech 2.2l pushrod Toyota 4Y motor (hydraulic lifters) with fuel injection and electronic coil pack ignition. It only makes 85kw at 4200rpm but high torque of 195nm at only 2300rpm. I thought that since I got this basically free, why not try it and see what happens, and was I surprised with the result.
My car is now bigger than the sum of its parts....

The engine transformed my car in the best possible way for me in the way it goes about. It pulls like a steam train in any gear at any engine speed - I can easily pull a large twin axle caravan so to speak - and still hauls ass in a big way. I can accelerate cleanly from 1500rpm in top gear with great urgency that will still leave other cars in my wake from the same speed even if they gear down to 3rd or second. This has to be experienced to be believed. Going around a corner in 4th gear at about 1000rpm no problem, just prod the loud pedal and she accelerates away like no tomorrow.

As said, my car still hauls ass and done a few timed sprints with GPS for true speed runs and constantly do 0 - 100kph sprints in low to mid 5 seconds range which still is going fast in any language.
But it is the torque low down that transform this car in a beautiful relaxed daily with the bang when needed. The sound from my 63mm exhaust pipe with Cowley type free flow silencer is out of this world with a deep rumble many mistake for a V8 that changes to an angry bark when pushed. The 3SGTE never even sound at glorious like this.
I have this engine in my car now for about 3 weeks and done an average of 300km per week and averages about 10 - 12km to a liter of fuel depending on my mood and driving manners.

The car is now a "balanced" unit and I can explore the phenomenal handling and road holding of my car to my limits without fear of engine overpowering the fun.
In short, I discovered that there is such a thing as to much power for a Seven, an less power sometimes is better.

Any regrets? Yes, only one, I should have done this transplant sooner.

But, the biggest compliment I could have got is the fact that my wife now nags me to go for late afternoon drives with her for an ice ream or just to potter around and she uses the car regularly to do solo rides to the shop and town.
With the 3SGTE the refuses point blank to stepped into the car after just one ride with me....

Here are a few pics of the old 3SGTE and the now 4Y engine installations.

[Wynand]

and from another side





and her is my ride.
Chassis is a McSorley 442E with IRS and 3.7:1 Sierra diff fitted and gearbox a Toyota W58 unit. Car is a totally scratch built including all GRP panels.

[TheArf]

That is one ultra nice build, you have confirmed what I have said all along, you don't need massive engines for these cars they are lite and quick.
Lets have a quick survey here, how many of the younger members, and I mean <40 in years have experience of driving rear wheel drive, as most cars are either front or 4 wheel drive.
It's a totally different driving experience and if your to heavy with the noisy pedal in corners the rear goes around the corner before the front does.
So hands up who does have experience of rear wheel drive.
I will start it off :-
1 1972 Triumph Toledo
2 1977 Morris Marina
3 1980 Mk.V Ford Cortina
4 1984 Opel Manta 1.8
5 1996 Nissan Terrano
6 2008 Nissan Pathfinder

Arfon

[Talonmotorsport]

Mk3 Granada Scorpio 2.9 auto blew the over drive up drifting at 50mph
Mk2 Sierra hatch 2ltr Pinto
Mk2 Sierra 2ltr DOHC
Mk1 Escort 1300 crossflow locked rear diff NASA Auto grass class2
Mk2 Sierra fitted with nissan 200sx engine claimed 320bhp with locked rear diff
Nissan 300zx with locked rear diff
Transit 190 fitted 2.9 cologne engine yes that goes side ways too

Any body see a pattern here?

[Cropper]

1981Ford Capri
1983Ford Escort
1984 Opel Manta
1985 Lotus Europa, Kept for 11 years
1987 Dolomite Sprint
1988-95 Land rover & range rover V8's 4 wheel drive if that counts (working in Saudi)
Also had a fiat 130 saloon ( V6 Ferrari engine) & series 3 4.2 jag, during this time.
1995 opel manta
1996Merc 190, for 7 days, wrote it off!
1996 BMW520
2006 Porsche 944, restored.
2008 BMW 320D
2010 Lexus IS220D
2012 Bought Girlfriend a Merc SLK
Cant think of any more at the moment!

[MikeB]

My rear wheel drives were

1986 Volvo 360DL, worse car ever, dodgey in the wet
1990 Ford Sierra Saphire, pile of poo
1994 BMW 320 much nicer but not enough power to drive properly
2003 BMW 320 handles lovely still not enough power to exploit the chassis

Did all my limit handling driver training in a 1990 M5

[AshG]

Why didn't you just put a smaller turbo on it? Surely that would have been easier?

[rpjg1975]

I've only had a couple of rwd experiences

1987 Porsche 944
54 plate transit flatbed car transporter......yes it drift round roundabouts in York area and Cardiff/Bristol
1992 ford sierra 1.8 (donor car....drove from Sheffield to my driveway)

Russ

[jps]

I've only driven two rwd cars:
ford capri laser (aged 8 it was the car I learnt to drive in, puttering round my dads garage forecourt)
ford sierra , the donor car. drove it from bedford back to Colchester and probably did a hundred miles in it before the engine came out.

can't say the sierra handled differently to a fwd car but the 1.6 pinto is hardly over flowing with horses!

[thailoz]

1979 mk iv cortina
mk 3 cortina
mk 2 escort
vauxhall chevette
mazda 626 early model rwd fird transit
1991 Porsche 944S2

these were the ones I owned but have driven countless other rwd vehicles in my course of work