[tanshi]

Ok so im considering picking up a j20 and vitara gearbox for a good price,
i will be doing some research and figuring out if its viable. my question is what issues should i be aware of.

any links to previous builds that people know of who have done this?

[5ierra]

use deh serch function...

Fuck.

[tanshi]

pissant! hehe

i meant links to like other websites not auszookers.

[tanshi]

any one know where i can get a workshop manual/wiring diagram?

[Joe]

This thing has a J20 and auto it it the bloke who bulit it or owns it is on here but i can't remember his name he might be able to help ya out

[tanshi]

yeah thats one

im gonna rebuilt the sierra for a road car and it could do with a bit more poke.

[Rusho]

Joe wrote:

This thing has a J20 and auto it it the bloke who bulit it or owns it is on here but i can't remember his name he might be able to help ya out

Its a coily What a beast

[remydog05]

There is not a lot of info about the J20a

Ive been researching for a long long time!

The only 2 sierras I know of in Australia is the blue one in the above link with the auto and another with a sierra 5spd in it.

Im about to start this conversion in the coming months.

You can hit the serach button but there is not a lot around about the conversion in australia.

Try to search on Pirate4x4.
Theres is a link that has some good stuff but not so much about the conversion and doing it in australia. The author is Tdavis I think??
Also Trailtough have just put a J20a In there new project on there website.

[remydog05]

Found it!

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthre ... highlight=

[steak_knife]

http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab31 ... pd/006.jpg

His intake's on the wrong side..

i have a J18 in the shed with the intake on the other side.


Don't think, just act!!!

[appsie]

theres a 3rd one in the works also that runs and drives round his yard very close to here

tight fit.
Flxiie is one of the tidiest rigs ive ever seen under the bonnet and under the rest of the car too damn clean

[steak_knife]

appsie wrote:

theres a 3rd one in the works also that runs and drives round his yard very close to here

tight fit.
Flxiie is one of the tidiest rigs ive ever seen under the bonnet and under the rest of the car too damn clean

How tight, do you have pic's??

Cause when I put a measure stick across 1.3 & the J18 there's not a lot of difference.. water pipe out the back would have to be moved, but the vit eng shouldn't have that trouble.. I'd like to have a closer look at a J20 vit eng out of the car.
I've made other eng's fit, J should go in nicely..

[tanshi]

well, if i get it which i will decide this weekend, i'll be glad of your assistance STek

[mr.green]

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... ic&t=15473

couple of things to consider in there

[steak_knife]

mr.green wrote:

ive got the j20 in my project zook. running j20 box, vit steering box, sierra transfer j20 radiator. to say it is a close fit would be an understatement, but it is all in there without fouling each other.
the j20 uses a hydro clutch which is a bit of mucking around in itself. the bell housing pattern is the same as g16 but the bell housing depth is a lot deeper on the j20 box. no amount of mixmatching bell housings/clutch folks/throughout slides will see you using a cable clutch without making a new flywheel.
so mine is set up with the hydro clutch on a sierra pedal box. you could use the g13 box with adapters and machined flywheel but i steered away from this after reading from a guy up our way, has a j20 and g13 box and said it loved making black gear oil for that matter if you machined the flywheel you could use the g16 box and run a cable clutch. the hydro leaves no room for a bigger booster and is just plain fiddly but i was too tight to spend money on the flywheel
engine mounts where fabbed up from scratch. very time consuming to get it to sit in the right position ( booster,master cylinder. bonnet heights where all an issue. try sitting a motor in a car with no mounts and measure bonnet, firewall, diff clearances. not too much fun.
the original engine fan will never fit. my radiator is VERY close to the front of the motor and a electric fan will be put in front of a a/c condenser. not sure yet if i will have cooling dramas with the lack of room around the front of the motor for hot air to escape. the j20 rad is big.really too big for the sierra. there is no extra room between steering rack and lh chassis rail and bonnet/pitman arm and of course all mounts where a one off=more time.
extractors will have to be custom made.
the wiring on mine was good as i think it came from a 98 vit (not gv) which meant there was no transponder to worry about. my car is setup as spoa front using snake histeer and ruff which gave me room for the motor with no bodylift but you won't have a hope if your spua with no body lift unless you go remote or some getto fab sump.
that is all for now..... good looking thing once it it in there. 6 billion times more work than a g16 and have no idea how well it goes as i have never driven it over 5km/h

Thought I'd bring it across..

[Fatzook]

cool.. SO now I just need one for cammo

[tombutt]

you have one you just need a bigger engine for the vit

[tanshi]

well after reading this stuff, ones ive run it past the old man i think im gonna do it.

[steak_knife]

tanshi wrote:

well after reading this stuff, ones ive run it past the old man i think im gonna do it.

Don't think, just act...

[BlueSuzy]

steak_knife wrote:

http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab310/Tommy2spd/006.jpg

His intake's on the wrong side..

i have a J18 in the shed with the intake on the other side.


Don't think, just act!!!

Thats a Toyo motor, you can see the badge on the cam cover..

[steak_knife]

BlueSuzy wrote:

steak_knife wrote:

http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab310/Tommy2spd/006.jpg

His intake's on the wrong side..

i have a J18 in the shed with the intake on the other side.


Don't think, just act!!!

Thats a Toyo motor, you can see the badge on the cam cover..

You must have a bigger monitor..

[remydog05]

The biggest drama I can see so far with the J20a Is the cooling EG Radiator.
There is plenty of options but none that are simple or cheap that I have found so far.

[tanshi]

meh, i wonder if haveing a sierra rad modded to 4 core would be enough?

[Fatzook]

tanshi wrote:

meh, i wonder if haveing a sierra rad modded to 4 core would be enough?

It works for 4agze's. Should work for the 2.0L

[tanshi]

well im picking it up tuesday

[Flx11e]

Let me know if you want pictures of anything.

[tanshi]

um everything

[Flx11e]

I'll see what I have now and try to take some tomorrow as well.

[steak_knife]

tanshi wrote:

um everything

X2

[Flx11e]

Not sure if yours will be auto or manual. This one is auto.





Right side engine mount from underneath.



Rear of transmission.



Left side engine mount looking down. That is an aluminium spacer.



Left side engine mount from underneath.




As Jason said, there isn't a lot of room for the radiator. This one has a Volvo radiator (not sure what) and the original owner removed the bonnet latch to keep the radiator as far forward as possible so a thermo fan would fit between it and the engine. He was going to fit some Jeep style bonnet catches.