Feasibility of a z20let swap

[MikeCheck]

Hi guys,

I know the answer is always, always going to be "buy a turbo from the get go" but hear me out.

I love my car.

I love that it's 4-door, I love that I've got everything set up inside how I want, I've done the electrics and leathers etc.

The ONLY thing I don't like about my car is it's lack of oomph and I really, really want a manual (especially after booting around in my GF's Up!).

So to that end, what kind of work needs to be done for a total z20let swap?

Engine and gearbox obviously (with pedals), ECU and dash from the donor I'm imagine as well. So... in essence a front cut.

In terms of physically fitting it all, are they the same engine mounts and loom points etc? Like if you got a whole donor and had them one next to the other, could you literally 'drag and drop' as it were? Or do you need to cut new holes through the firewall etc. etc.

I know it's financially probably not the clever-est thing to do..... but I just really like my car :(

Failing all that!

Thoughts on turbo-ing my 1.8?

Cheers

M

[Elliot_O]

From what i hear, it's much better value to get a Z20LET to chuck in there rather than turbo your 1.8L.
the front cut sounds like the best option, i have no idea on the technical stuff though, i'm pretty useless on that front.

[guy 27]

if you really want to do it.

step 1) check with vic roads if you can put in a larger motor into your car and what is required
step 2) if step one is all good. Buy a complete car. if its had a crash. just make sure suspension and engine bay are undamaged.
step 3) swap everything over. you should just be left with most of your original interior, body and thats about it. everything electrical and mechanical needs to be swapped.

[mickos]

Buy Lonewolf s silver car it's a good combo

[MikeCheck]

if you really want to do it.

step 1) check with vic roads if you can put in a larger motor into your car and what is required
step 2) if step one is all good. Buy a complete car. if its had a crash. just make sure suspension and engine bay are undamaged.
step 3) swap everything over. you should just be left with most of your original interior, body and thats about it. everything electrical and mechanical needs to be swapped.

Ooooooofff that's a massive job then.

Gosh dang it.


Buy Lonewolf s silver car it's a good combo

I saw that and was suuuuuuuuuper tempted. Literally the furthest away from me it could be though :P Also I don't have that cash right now but jesus what a car.

Cheers

M

[glider]

Also I don't have that cash right now but jesus what a car.


when you consider how much the all the parts will cost and then combine it with the labor costs (even if you're doing it yourself, think of what else you could be spending this time on) you're better off buying one already turbo. Its like buying a broken calibra, someone needs to get you diagnosed for insanity asap.

[chris_r]

Being in the process of a Z20LET swap myself (albeit into a Corsa), it's not a cheap process and you really need to be committed to do it. I like the idea of a 4/5 door turbo, but for what you can get the whole car for these days, you may as well just get the SRi-T like everyone else seems to do these days.

Or you could be like me and have a fear of being considered sheep-like in behaviour and do something nuts like just going ahead with it, regardless of cost. But ultimately, if you're insane enough to do the swap, never add up the receipts.

BTW, I picked up Z20LET and F23 with wiring looms, ECU, etc. for $2000 + $200 for shipping from Ozwreck in Dandenong.

Also, if you're on your Ps still, you will also be ineligible to drive a car that's had an engine swap too.

[MikeCheck]

Being in the process of a Z20LET swap myself (albeit into a Corsa), it's not a cheap process and you really need to be committed to do it. I like the idea of a 4/5 door turbo, but for what you can get the whole car for these days, you may as well just get the SRi-T like everyone else seems to do these days.

Or you could be like me and have a fear of being considered sheep-like in behaviour and do something nuts like just going ahead with it, regardless of cost. But ultimately, if you're insane enough to do the swap, never add up the receipts.

BTW, I picked up Z20LET and F23 with wiring looms, ECU, etc. for $2000 + $200 for shipping from Ozwreck in Dandenong.

Also, if you're on your Ps still, you will also be ineligible to drive a car that's had an engine swap too.

Off my Ps for quite a while now, so all good on that front.

I think it's wishful thinking. Just getting a bit car restless as I'm sure all of you can understand :P

Looks like its just save for a standard turbo and swap what I can over from my TS!

Cheers guys!

M

[Wraith]

Hi guys,

I know the answer is always, always going to be "buy a turbo from the get go"

M

Yep in most if not all cases especially if it's going to be your daily driver just do the above or buy something else that fits your requirement/s.

Having been there and done this sort of thing in the past more than once and from long ago there was a time where it was much easier doing these types of conversions, these days it's a lot more hassle and grief than end benefits, these types of conversions suit vehicles that are not for daily usage so you don't have the hassle of compliance regulations and insurance...


if you really want to do it.

step 1) check with vic roads if you can put in a larger motor into your car and what is required
step 2) if step one is all good. Buy a complete car. if its had a crash. just make sure suspension and engine bay are undamaged.
step 3) swap everything over. you should just be left with most of your original interior, body and thats about it. everything electrical and mechanical needs to be swapped.

If you still must or want to do it, that above is the order to begin doing things - good luck !

[Shortstuff]

Shouldn't be a problem with Vicroads as it's an engine that came out in the car. I think you'd have to change brakes and suspension to keep them happy though. There was an Arden blue SRI-T on eBay recently for under $2k buy it now. Been hit in the front left but not too hard.

[chris_r]

Here in SA, for me to put the Z20LET into the Corsa, one of the requirements in the Statement of Requirements was the fitting a minimum of the 308mm Astra Turbo brakes to the front, whilst maintaining the correct brake bias. Mind you, I did put down on the Application to Modify form that I was fitting these brakes to the front too. However, If you got the complete SRi-T as a write off cheap, the swap would be very easy to do into another Astra. But that's the thing, getting the entire vehicle on the cheap and how much of the work can you do yourself?

I've attached a copy of the SOR I got from DPTI for the Corsa Z20LET conversion, but I'm sure that most of this would apply in Victoria too.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd145/chris_110980/001_zpsca98dd87.jpg
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd145/chris_110980/002_zpsf7efeda5.jpg

[MikeCheck]

Thanks for all the good info, hopefully if someone lands here from Google they can benefit from it all.

I've decided to leave my car as is for the foreseeable future; even going back to a stock exhaust system I think (getting sick of the CEL light and the noise). Might get a project on the side (Astra maybe, probably something along the lines of a Civic though) but for now my car's more or less staying untouched.

Cheers

M