Eli's G180W

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 30 Dec 2005, 03:41

Hey all. This is the engine everyone's heard about - I've asked pretty much every question under the sun about it, on here and on OzGem. When I bought it, it was "an engine that would make the car go fast" - lol.

As mentioned, it is a G180W. I purchased it for $300 without the following:
-Plenum
-Throttle body
-Air in and filter
-Flywheel
-Clutch
-Clutch plate
-ECU

When I bought it I had no idea it needed anything besides the throttle body and plenum (aren't I a smart one), and I didn't realise how rare the engine is. It did come with a 4spd box, a tail shaft, exhaust header, midpipe, and a colony of redbacks, though. The latter scared the absolute f**k out of me, and due to the lack of flyspray and the cramped circumstance with stuff all over the floor, it took about four encounters to kill them all.

Now: I have taken the rocker cover off (

) inspected everything, taken the cams out, cleaned them up (some surface rust), cleaned the engine as a whole, and I'm waiting for the head torque settings before taking that off (I refuse to take it off until I have the settings).

I'm planning to change the rings, get a (copper maybe) head gasket made, inspect everything and make sure it's all ok, like the bores, valves, pistons, plugs (may as well change anyway), *bearings*, etc. I have to figure out how I'm going to do the ECU... Probably whatever Poida comes up with.

Then I'll put it back together and stick it in my Gem, hopefully with a 5spd behind it. Later, as finance permits, I'm planning on supercharging it with something like an old MR2 supercharger running about 9psi of boost, my target being 120rwkw with some other mods like lumpy cams, new exhaust, etc.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 04 Jan 2006, 12:50

Might be of some more assistance.

From what ive seen, the airbox and filter is identical to that used in the Piazza and i *think* TF Rodeos. Not to worry though, you could use something like a VL Airbox which fits perfectly in the battery tray area, or perhaps on the firewall recess. As for the actual inlet tract, use abit of imagination. Some silicon hose/bends, and some exhaust piping in a suitable size [id think 2/25" or 2.5"] and you can adapt your own to go upto the airbox from the throttle body.

Grab a pic off the back of the crank for me and tell me how many bolt holes there are, and ill tell you if the SOHC flywheel is the same.

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 05 Jan 2006, 03:11

*adds a whitetail to the list of spiders found in the G180*

Seven bolts. Three which are close together and four which are evenly spaced. The VL airbox seems good, I had a look at one of them recently. For the piping, I'm thinking of using that bendy air conditioner piping stuff, if it's heat proof. If not, yeah, any pipes I can find really. I'm sure I'll find a way.

Fingers crossed that the flywheel fits... Because then the clutch and plate should... And that will make life a lot easier

PF60ZZR · Post by **PF60ZZR** » 05 Jan 2006, 23:01

SOHC flywheel is different.

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 10 Jan 2006, 04:01

Ack! So it won't fit at all? Or is it just a different weight/etc?

wtb G180W flywheel...

PF60ZZR · Post by **PF60ZZR** » 16 Jan 2006, 19:49

sorry a G200 SOHC flywheel will fit. You have to buy a 215mm clutch to suit & a G200 pressure plate.

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 17 Jan 2006, 08:35

Thanks lots for that

saved me a lot of hassle.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 17 Jan 2006, 18:25

Told you i was pretty sure the crank bolt pattern was the same

Never doubt me again fark ya. lol

G161/180 clutch's are 200mm from memory, bolt pattern is the same as the G200 one so these should bolt on too. Go the G200, bigger flywheel = bigger clutch, bigger clutch =....well, you know.

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 21 Jan 2006, 02:04

Cheers Nick, and damn straight never doubt you

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 03 Feb 2006, 03:22

I've decided to take the step from ratchets to a breaker bar. It's manly. And thanks to it I have beaten up knuckles (hitting on allsorts of protruding metal on the engine) and, more importantly, removed the head.

Holy sheet, I've never seen a head gasket look that new. It's still silver, retains it's shape and came off pretty easily without cracking etc. Is it worth me getting the head faced + new gasket?

There's a lot of corrosion and shit on the cylinders, but it's just oozed in from the cams, the cylinders are fine. Scared me when I first saw it, though. Havn't inspected valves yet because it's nearly 3am. F**k this I'm going to bed - but I'm happy about this.

EDIT: Cleaned the shit off of the pistons today, now the pistons and bores are clean as. The cam bearings feel really good, smooth, with no real scratches in them. Turned the engine on it's end, and realised how right my dad really is:

Dad: I don't think you should be putting this engine in the spare room of your rented flat. Oil will go everywhere.
Me: Ah relax, it'll be fine. I'm putting two tarps down.
Dad: Just drain the sump before you tip it upside down.
Me: Yeah yeah... It's been sitting there at that dude's house for a few years, everything that's gonna come out, already will have...

I tied draining but the plug was stuck pretty well, so I forgot about it and figured I'd do it later. Anyway so today I tipped the engine up on the rear end, with the head off... About three or four litres of mucky old oil oozed out of the oil hose near the flywheel. I had to race it with degreaser and a LOT of paper towel to stop it from going over the edge of the tarps... Quite funny in hindsight.

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 16 Apr 2006, 07:01

I've got a G200Z flywheel now, fits fine with some elbow grease on the bolts. Saving for the ECU has been set back a few weeks because some lowlife slashed all four of my tyres in town the other night, when I was parked outside my mate's place. Nevertheless, the G180 is to be taken to Chris Milton Engine Developments for a full balancing of the crank, flywheel, clutch assembly, rods, and pistons, when my finances have recovered (only $160 for that though so that's not too bad).

After that, and buying the Xtreme clutch, I'll only need a few bits and pieces, and I'll be ready to put her in. I'd give it a few months at least, though.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 17 Apr 2006, 00:54

So your finally getting somewhere. Tipping it upside down sounds like something id do lol If you need a standard exhaust manifold let me know, i have one here.

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 18 Apr 2006, 00:33

Thanks, came with an exhaust though. It's just the money factor now, I'm motivated and know what I want to do.

Anyone have a standard ECU lying around? Also to save me starting a new topic, will aftermarket injectors fit the twincam inlet? What sort of flow are the stock ones good for?

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 24 Apr 2006, 06:02

Took some pics the other day. Here is my G180W as it sits now, sadly gathering dust due to a distinct lack of funding. Oh well, it'll get there.

[pics now down, cbf putting up again]

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 15 Jul 2006, 01:12

PROGRESS!!!

Bought the MegaSquirt II ECU I finally, decided on (after changing my mind a few hundred times). I also ordered allsorts of goodies to get the most of it and to aid setting it up - including all new sensors besides O2, bungs for them, loom, etc etc.

I wonder if I will pass Vehicle Inspection with this ECU or if I will need to put in a different one just for that purpose. The Megasquirt II has no exterior controls, no paint on the case, just three lights and a plug (which goes to the computer, which is how I will tune it, so it's user-tunable).

Left on the list of goodies needed to make it run is...
-Xtreme Clutch, which comes with assembly, as I have no clutch assembly at all.. $140 or so
-EFI fuel pump, lines, and a surge tank, but I may run crappy stock pump and lines and save for this to speed up the process, if this would be safe
-Air filter and pipe - not much
-Custom made head gasket because it's cheaper than importing one - $150
-Piston rings - stock Gemini rings - 1.5mm or 2mm? ~$60
-Shotpeen the rods to toughen it up.. $80
-Complete lower end balancing, if I can get the crank to come out, $168

I'm toughening it up for some boosting down the track

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 15 Jul 2006, 18:14

You can use the standard pump to fill the surge tank, but you WILL need an EFI-high pressure pump. Grab one off a VL, you can get em for around 100 new.

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 18 Jul 2006, 01:40

Awesome, thanks again mate, I will do

Or maybe grab one from the wreckers hmmm..

Post by **IZU069** » 24 Jul 2006, 15:07

I note the '...get a (copper maybe) head gasket made...'.
Am out of touch? What makes copper gaskets useable, or isn't it pure copper?
I was looking at a Cu head gasket for my old Belletts so I could re-use them, but once I moved to the newer alloy head, that was not an option. (Okay for cast iron blocks & heads, but the iron, Cu & Aluminium combination sets up some nice electroplating etc.)
So does a Cu gasket really mean 'copper impregnated' rather than 'my' gasket cut from a copper sheet?

At least it seems easier (and cheaper) getting gaskets & pistons than it used to be! (I bought a 2L DOHC head gasket for $110 about 10 years ago just in case I needed it. 2L piston sets were close the $1,000 mark, tough they may have been forged. Oh so long ago!)

Cheers, Peter

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 26 Jul 2006, 02:58

No idea, it's just a "copper head gasket" as I've heard it. I havn't actually seen one. You need to get the block o-ringed to mount it etc. The whole process would stretch well into the hundreds though so I'll probably stick with a normal one, custom cut at $150, which is a pain because whenever I want to rip the head off and have a fiddle it's gonna cost me another $150... Oh well.

Oh guys I got my MegaSquirt II ECU. I can start soldering it together soon. I don't know how to mount the bungs for the sensors though, do you weld them or what? I will be running fuel-only for a while. I wonder if it will run with only narrow band o2, map, and cts? lol

I have no idea where to start tuning it though. Oh well, thats a job for later.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 26 Jul 2006, 09:04

Why fuel only, you already have the electronic distributor whats stopping you?

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 30 Jul 2006, 06:06

Nah, I don't actually

I just have the stock G180W dizzy - isn't this just a points arrangement? And everyone wants the G200W dizzy so they can run spark too?

I really want to run both, I have to buy an add on board for the MSII when I'm ready to run both - but my dizzy can't do it, can it?

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » 30 Jul 2006, 13:43

Take a photo of the dizzy and ill tell you what you can/cant do with it.

Nick-

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 04 Aug 2006, 01:49

This is as good as its gonna get without me having to get a mate to come round to take a new pic and rah rah rah etc...

The leads come out parallel, but on two different levels, if that makes sense, like this : :
There's the vacuum advance hose, but there's also a little funny square of plastic, and two prongs for a plug which I do not have, sticking out. I drew a nice diagram:

Hmm starting to sound less like a standard points to efi noob Eli... I better not get my hopes up though lol.

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 15 Nov 2006, 22:37

Bought myself some G180Z crank main bearings and conrod big end bearings.

Trying to sort out a head gasket atm.

Head is being ported, chemically cleaned, pressure tested, valves and bucket things adjusted...

Lots of other stuff going on but there's been progress.

archangel62 · Post by **archangel62** » 22 Dec 2006, 01:47

Got the head back awhile ago, it looks sweet as, looks very ported too.

I'm gonna get a 1mm copper head gasket made, and sell the one I bought, it'll just be easier that way. Also going to o-ring the block because it's cheap ($88-$148 depending on where I go).

Here's what's left:

-Head gasket
-Oring block
-Cut and glue sump gasket
-Clean up pistons and fit the new moly rings (yum)
-Fit and torque rods to crank
-Change crank bearings, fit crank and torque
-Fit sump gasket & sump
-Fit head, using hylomar or 3M copper head gasket sealant, torque up
-Shine up cam bearings with 800 wet&dry sandpaper
-Fit and torque cams
-Fit timing chain and set the timing right... Uh oh
-Make rocker cover gasket, fit, and fit rocker cover
-Buy and fit new oil filter
-Fit inlet, plenum, and throttle body
-Get ZZ/R close ratio 5spd off of one of two people
-Buy a H/D clutch for it (recommendations?)
-Fit flywheel, clutch, and gearbox with new oil
-Get engine up on a hoist... Put it in the car (possibly remove old G161Z first)
-Put in new oil (can't forget that)
-Wire up ECU and loom, do engine mounts and tailshaft, all that stuff
-Get some air intake tubing and fit to throttle body and pod filter
-Buy and fit Camira/VL turbo fuel press. regulator
-Buy and fit VLT fuel pump, surge tank and EFI lines
-Hope that the exhaust will bolt up
-Buy and fit a TPS
-Bolt on G161Z engine fan for the time being

Then tow the thing to a dyno tuning place, hope all is well, and try to get it to start and get a base tune happening...

Bed the rings in, break in engine, change oil, get it properly dyno tuned, then pull a hectik drift bro...

I've decided to just go with a standard size head gasket for the time being, so until I go turbo I still have decent compression. When I go turbo I'll just get a G180Z piston, send that off as a template and have forged pistons made - apparently SOHC pistons decomp. down to about 7.5:1?

If you read all that I owe you a cookie.