Lightest V6 @ about 200/200 in a RWD setup

I'm considering a new build and would appreciate the hive's input. What's the cheapest way to get a lightweight v6 setup for rwd with somewhere around 200hp/200ft.lbs? I would very much like to avoid an adapter plate between engine and trans.

3800 Series II from a 96-02 F-body is rear wheel drive, 205 hp/230 lb·ft and weighs about 392 lbs. Mates up to a T-5 manual, and if you shop right you could probably buy a wrecked/rusty car whole for $800 or less.

Ford V6 Duratec as used in SVT Contour etc. 3.0L upgrade easy with junk yard parts. All Duratec's share the same bell housing pattern and there are plenty of people using 4cyl Duratec's in RWD cars so I ASSUME that it would bolt up to a T5 or whatever 7 builders use.

Please note this post was created with information pulled straight from my you know where so I strongly recommend you do some fact checking.

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Ford V6 Duratec as used in SVT Contour etc. 3.0L upgrade easy with junk yard parts. All Duratec's share the same bell housing pattern and there are plenty of people using 4cyl Duratec's in RWD cars so I ASSUME that it would bolt up to a T5 or whatever 7 builders use. Please note this post was created with information pulled straight from my you know where so I strongly recommend you do some fact checking.

I had been looking into that as a likely option, but was hoping someone had a "yeah, we figured it out, bolt X duratec up to y trans".

Other option I started looking into was the mazda K series and potentially the suzuki or whatever that is very similar..

Which question? First you say lightest, then you say cheapest light V6.

VQ35 is pretty damn light.

In reply to bluej:

If I remember right, the 4 cylinder Duratecs and the V6 dont share a bell housing pattern. To answer your question though, there is a bell housing from Quads 4 rods that mates a V6 Duratec to a T5. The 4 cylinder motors have Miata and Ranger trans for RWD.

bluej wrote:

Adrian_Thompson wrote: Ford V6 Duratec as used in SVT Contour etc. 3.0L upgrade easy with junk yard parts. All Duratec's share the same bell housing pattern and there are plenty of people using 4cyl Duratec's in RWD cars so I ASSUME that it would bolt up to a T5 or whatever 7 builders use. Please note this post was created with information pulled straight from my you know where so I strongly recommend you do some fact checking.

I had been looking into that as a likely option, but was hoping someone had a "yeah, we figured it out, bolt X duratec up to y trans". Other option I started looking into was the mazda K series and potentially the suzuki or whatever that is very similar..

There's no bolt up RWD trans for the Mazda K-series, but the Suzuki J27 you're talking about is based on the K series, is available RWD and 5spd, and should be pretty light.

Someone on MiataTurbo was doing an.... Isuzu(?) V6 swap. I'll have to dig up the thread. I remember he had a compelling argument for it.

If you find one of the few Lincoln LS/Jag with the V6 and manual transmission, then you get a V6 Duratec in RWD form. From the interwebs, the trans probably wont take much hooning, however. The Quad4Rods T-5 bell sounds like a better option.

How light is the Cologne 2.8/2.9 V6 and how easy/difficult is it to get to 200hp/200tq?

In reply to RossD:

Different block I recall, the starter is on the wrong side or something.

Paging Alfa, where's Eric?

It's the Isuzu 6VD1 and 6VE1. Aluminum, light, bolts to damn near anything. 24" wide, has 6-bolt mains.

http://wiki.planetisuzoo.com/index.php/6VE1

could you give us an example of what it directly bolts to for manual trans?

Thanks!

Rob R.

Duratec 3.0L from a front drive taurus, pretty damn light and the lincoln trans should hold up well until about 275/275. That is perhaps the cheapest route with a quad cam engine, figure $500 for the trans, and whatever pull a part charges for a taurus/sable 24v engine, then your other basic stuff. You'd need the T-5 if you were envisioning boost.

IDK how much that duratec to t-5 bellhousing costs, but I want to know.

wvumtnbkr wrote: could you give us an example of what it directly bolts to for manual trans? Thanks! Rob R.

Sure, but here's some more fun in the meantime.

Lifted from the thread i found:

Another interesting tid-bit. The image below is a production powerplant for a plane using the Isuzu v6. It's supercharged and rated at 350hp. Weight (INCLUDING the prop reduction, supercharger, and alternator) is stated at 352.74lb. The reduction itself is stated 66.14lb. That leaves 286.6lb leaf for an impressively light 350hp supercharged v6.

But here's the deal. It's a 60 degree GM bolt pattern.

If you want to bolt it to a strong Toyota transmission, you get a 2.5 Dakota bellhousing. Using that lets you bolt to any Toyota "R" transmission. (R150, 154, etc)

If you want to bolt to a Toyota W transmission (W55, 56, 57, 58), you use a Jeep 2.5 bellhousing.

These will work, too: Jeep AX15 and NV3550
Isuzu AR5 (originally bolted to the Isuzu 3.2L and 3.5L v6s)
Jeep AX5

ProDarwin wrote: Which question? First you say lightest, then you say cheapest light V6. VQ35 is pretty damn light.

Light and cheap are both requirements.

Chevy 3400. Aluminum heads, very compact block, headers will have the engine over 200hp easily. RWD headers for a 2.8l/3.1l S-10 or Camaro will bolt to this.

The 3500/3900 is slightly different and you'd have to fabricate to put RWD headers on it.

Swank, that's HIGHLY promising. much-o grassy-ass!

okay, do you think the gear ratios in the 4x4 version manual trans are acceptable for sporting requirements? Also, do you think it is possible to use the manual trans without the transfer case from a 4x4 version?

wvumtnbkr wrote: okay, do you think the gear ratios in the 4x4 version manual trans are acceptable for sporting requirements? Also, do you think it is possible to use the manual trans without the transfer case from a 4x4 version?

Which 4x4? I'm not sure why you'd use a 4x4 trans in a sporting scenario when you have so many 2wd transmissions with decent gearing available. (ASSuming we're still talking the Isuzu.)

Related: http://youtu.be/c5tE55DAFKo

(Ended up doing 800rkw at one point, which is about... 1075whp.)

yamaha wrote: Duratec 3.0L from a front drive taurus, pretty damn light and the lincoln trans should hold up well until about 275/275. That is perhaps the cheapest route with a quad cam engine, figure $500 for the trans, and whatever pull a part charges for a taurus/sable 24v engine, then your other basic stuff. You'd need the T-5 if you were envisioning boost. IDK how much that duratec to t-5 bellhousing costs, but I want to know.

Pricey: $781

http://www.quad4rods.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=2&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=100041

Swank Force One wrote:

wvumtnbkr wrote: could you give us an example of what it directly bolts to for manual trans? Thanks! Rob R.

Sure, but here's some more fun in the meantime. Lifted from the thread i found:

Another interesting tid-bit. The image below is a production powerplant for a plane using the Isuzu v6. It's supercharged and rated at 350hp. Weight (INCLUDING the prop reduction, supercharger, and alternator) is stated at 352.74lb. The reduction itself is stated 66.14lb. That leaves 286.6lb leaf for an impressively light 350hp supercharged v6.

But here's the deal. It's a 60 degree GM bolt pattern. If you want to bolt it to a strong Toyota transmission, you get a 2.5 Dakota bellhousing. Using that lets you bolt to any Toyota "R" transmission. (R150, 154, etc) If you want to bolt to a Toyota W transmission (W55, 56, 57, 58), you use a Jeep 2.5 bellhousing. These will work, too: Jeep AX15 and NV3550 Isuzu AR5 (originally bolted to the Isuzu 3.2L and 3.5L v6s) Jeep AX5

The bolt pattern is most attractive since it allows for the T5 option.

The question then becomes what about the flywheel, pressure plate, disc and throwout mechanism?

Swank Force One wrote:

wvumtnbkr wrote: okay, do you think the gear ratios in the 4x4 version manual trans are acceptable for sporting requirements? Also, do you think it is possible to use the manual trans without the transfer case from a 4x4 version?

Which 4x4? I'm not sure why you'd use a 4x4 trans in a sporting scenario when you have so many 2wd transmissions with decent gearing available. (ASSuming we're still talking the Isuzu.) Related: http://youtu.be/c5tE55DAFKo (Ended up doing 800rkw at one point, which is about... 1075whp.)

I was asking because I can buy a whole running manual vehicle for about $900 - Rodeo with the 3.2.

Escape/Tribute 3.0... These cuvs were available with a Mazda G5M 5 speed.

Just not sure if the 3.0 had it or the others (2.0-2.3) were the only ones...

Gotta be a way to use a rwd trans right?

NOHOME wrote:

Swank Force One wrote:

wvumtnbkr wrote: could you give us an example of what it directly bolts to for manual trans? Thanks! Rob R.

Sure, but here's some more fun in the meantime. Lifted from the thread i found:

Another interesting tid-bit. The image below is a production powerplant for a plane using the Isuzu v6. It's supercharged and rated at 350hp. Weight (INCLUDING the prop reduction, supercharger, and alternator) is stated at 352.74lb. The reduction itself is stated 66.14lb. That leaves 286.6lb leaf for an impressively light 350hp supercharged v6.

But here's the deal. It's a 60 degree GM bolt pattern. If you want to bolt it to a strong Toyota transmission, you get a 2.5 Dakota bellhousing. Using that lets you bolt to any Toyota "R" transmission. (R150, 154, etc) If you want to bolt to a Toyota W transmission (W55, 56, 57, 58), you use a Jeep 2.5 bellhousing. These will work, too: Jeep AX15 and NV3550 Isuzu AR5 (originally bolted to the Isuzu 3.2L and 3.5L v6s) Jeep AX5

The bolt pattern is most attractive since it allows for the T5 option. The question then becomes what about the flywheel, pressure plate, disc and throwout mechanism?

Not sure....

But here's a long-ass thread about dumping that motor into an RX8.

http://www.rx8club.com/frankenstein-rx-8s-196/kickers-v6-swap-thread-241226/

I don't remember what he ended up doing.

singleslammer wrote:

yamaha wrote: Duratec 3.0L from a front drive taurus, pretty damn light and the lincoln trans should hold up well until about 275/275. That is perhaps the cheapest route with a quad cam engine, figure $500 for the trans, and whatever pull a part charges for a taurus/sable 24v engine, then your other basic stuff. You'd need the T-5 if you were envisioning boost. IDK how much that duratec to t-5 bellhousing costs, but I want to know.

Pricey: $781 http://www.quad4rods.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=2&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=100041

Ouch, but not that bad really considering what you'd then have behind it.

ebonyandivory wrote: Escape/Tribute 3.0... These cuvs were available with a Mazda G5M 5 speed. Just not sure if the 3.0 had it or the others (2.0-2.3) were the only ones... Gotta be a way to use a rwd trans right?

Those are the duratec but the escape/tribute are transverse mount