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3.8 V6 into my bighorn

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3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby FORGE1 » Mon Jul 04, 2011 7:55 pm

Well as per the title. When my 3.2 gives up the ghost the plan is to buy a 3.8 holden motor (super charged if I can get one cheap enough). does anyone know if my gearbox will bolt straight up or will I need to make some minor adjustments. They do look like a very similar motor and I havent had a decent chance to look at one up close to see. but would like to know if anyone has done this before or something along those lines. Mine has done about 280kms and isnt blowing any smoke or has any issues so I wont be looking at this change for a while but I may as well start getting ready with the way my right foot is with the old girl lol. Last outing which was reasionable driving (around town) I put $20 of 95 in and got 21kms so something cheaper running would be nice :) :lol:
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:50 am

Adapter plates have been made but its more common to use the auto that comes with the 3.8 and mate either a transfer box from the bighorn auto or a hilux to this
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby jellis » Tue Jul 05, 2011 10:14 am

how hard is it to put the tansfercase onto the commy gearbox?
also is the mu auto the same as the bighorn one?
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Tue Jul 05, 2011 2:50 pm

Ive never done it but do a search as there are others here that have
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby slightlydodgy » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:30 pm

there was someone selling the commie trannie to bighorn transfercase adapters on trade me for about $300
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby FORGE1 » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:59 am

Ok sweet. I was probably wanting to keep my Manual gearbox as thats my preference. I wonder if the housing are similar being both v6. Surely they make a adaptor plate for the 3.8 to the 3.2 5 speed.
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:59 pm

If you get the early comadoor engine you will find that the manuals had a different crank. Find a wreck with a manual comadoor v6 and box and use that
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby ONO2HI » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:52 pm

if your doing it for fuel saving save your money for gas, not worth the hassel man
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby hms69r » Sun Nov 27, 2011 5:54 pm

going holden auto to isuzu trnas case is easy any 1 with a lil mechanacal and engineering no how can do it
i have done about 10 now
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby nb422 » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:01 pm

Actually the later isuzu 6ve1 manual box is identical bolt pattern to the 3.8 so bolts up. I am now trying to work out if this is still the case for the 3.2 6vd1 instead of an adapter plate
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:00 pm

All 3 Isuzu v6s have the same basic block so I would be very surprised if it didnt fit.
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby Dawsonsa » Fri Jun 24, 2016 9:18 pm

My dad put a 350 chevy v8 in a 93 isuzu bighorn
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Sat Jun 25, 2016 6:46 am

there was one of those for sale in Napier for a long time. To get the v8 in though they had removed the front diff etc. No other info and it might still be on trademe.
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby BUSHPIG » Sat Jun 25, 2016 12:40 pm

Dont waste your time with the commy v6 they are about the shitist v6 money can buy. If they het any hotter than half temp they crack heads and if your lucky enoughf to be able to repair the heads itll cost you at least $2000. Ive got a pile of 3.8v6 commy engines out back of my workshop only good as boat mooring blocks. Stick with the bighorn v6 much better engine and they go like a rocket with a supercharger
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:48 pm

I thought they were good engines?
What about aloytec 3.6 engines except the age and therefore cost.
Otherwise there is always the trusty Lexus of if you want something a little different BMW V12s are cheap as chips and do not break
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby BUSHPIG » Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:48 am

No its a common miss conception and the ally tech not much better. The main problem with them are the heads. The castings are so thin that you need bugger all heat for them to crack between the valve seats and up into the water jacket then your looking at least a $2000 repair bill if they can be saved buy welding and fitting new seats. And as soon as you get them a lill hot they go again. The best bet if you want to go holden motor is the old 304 injected v8 they handle alot of abuse and pretty much weigh the same as the 3.8 v6
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby geeves » Sun Jun 26, 2016 8:37 am

304? I thought that was a race engine only 305 is common and easy to get because no one wants them. Might just as well go to a LT or LS series engine
Sanding your knuckles before starting work can help. That way you cant skin them
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby BUSHPIG » Sun Jun 26, 2016 2:14 pm

304 the holden 5.0L v8 from late vl thro to vt commy came in a rare 5.7L stroker aswell. Ls1 aint a bad choce but there much bulker
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby stardog » Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:29 pm

I remember quiet a few years ago now someone dropped the old 253 or 308 in a mu and a auto box behind it in Queensland I think it was.
It would have been a bit of a beast to drive around I cant remember if it was road legal or not now or for just bush bashing.
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Re: 3.8 V6 into my bighorn

Postby isuzurob » Sun Jun 26, 2016 4:13 pm

Buick v6 or holden v6 are bullet proof, ive seen the heads glowing red when the cops had them, i had one turboed factory internals running 18psi in a vb commy, alloytec are junk dont touch them, mate has a lexus v8 swb ubs69 manual, cant keep cv's under it though, uses it to drive from his house to his workshop which is about 200meters
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