camerondownunder88

Hi RC, Been mucking around with my sprinter lately and been wanting to get back into tinkering with it since moving house. Now my suspension in my KE15 is mmmm seen better days front end bottoms out shocks dead etc. Rear I have standard leaf springs and TRD 8 way shocks set on about 3 atm. Now I was in at road and Track in Ipswich yesterday and started looking at a KE17 that is in the shop atm that is being prepped for circuit racing. Eventually I want to do some track days in the KE15 then just have it as weekend fun car. So I'm looking into doing suspension. Now Terry at road and track said for the KE17 circuit car they softened the rear leafs..... I was thinking of going harder... SO I am after RC's thoughts on suspension. Car will be mainly weekend fun car and some track days at QR. Front suspension as it probably should all be matched I just finished making a set of camber tops and Picked up some brand new KP61 TRD yellow inserts (as KP shocks fit KE1X struts) For get there rating off top of head I have it in a book so front will be stiff getting new coils made and remove the leaf spring and I have a white line sway bar to fit to the front also. So can use that as a rough guide. Also as a note to the rear end I am fitting an LSD centre to the diff so that will also affect how rear end handles. Cheers Cameron

Hi, Great write up with pics :) I did this mod to my KE15 a few years back now good investment. Id add a few points but. When I did mine I got the KE15 master cylinder re sleeved. Was about $60 And again Kickin 5K is correct KE10s is a different master cylinder I had this in the KE15 as it was disk front stock so re-sleeved and works awesome and when you run single circuit brakes I want to know all items are in good order. Next thing I did was new brake lines. I went braided lines front and one on rear old lines were so perished and dead again this was about $70 ish from memory for 3 lines all fittings made to my req. lengths. Shop did a good deal there so worth it to. Also an option for the owners of KE10's that want to keep 110 stud pattern can use KE20 hubs and bolt on the disk rotor to those hubs. Again I had disk front from factory so I got KE70 discs attached them to KE15 hub (pretty much same as KE20 hub) and put that on. This retained my 110 stud pattern and I just buy KE1X front wheel bearings. But for a while now I have just wound rear hand brake out mmmm a fair whack... To help stop rears locking and they still do. I've looked at some options like: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/WILWOOD-BRAKE-PROPORTIONING-BIAS-VALVE-WIL260-8419-/180718842764?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a13aeb38c Or Though about going to wrecker grabbing a hilux valve off diff and making a locking mechanism for the lever so it becomes an adjustable valve. Think the wilwood option would be the easiest. Has anyone else done this also or have ideas here as a KE1X when rears lock will spin ass around faster than you can imagine...... Cheers Cameron

A while back I threw Crow a call K motor roller rockers they still have the "data" on them will do a run again IF you ordered a min of 10 sets at $1100 + GST for each set so Crow will probably want the 11K mark NOT cheap...so yes those ebay ones will go high...

Hi, Nice build following this closely. As for roller rockers get the Crow ones if you can if not mini rockers fit. 1.5 rocker ratio small bit of machining and there in I'm doing this to a motor atm and mini roller rockers out of the UK $150 atm so easy cheap option there. But you also mention roller lifters. I was going to go down this path also as the ramp rate OI could grind on a cam then would be extremely fun and give me many more cam grind options. BUT......I didn't go this way as cost stopped me and I am making a bit more sedate motor. Reason cost stopped me is a normal flat bottom lifter spins in the bore it slides up and down in to prolong life and not wear on one spot. Roller lifters the roller must stay in the ONE spot the whole time it fly's up and down and not spin. To do this you can easily buy chev roller lifters cheap (I'm building 5K block 3/4K small lifter bores you would have to look at other roller lifters) After you get said lifters I was going to machine a key up and weld it down the entire length of the roller lifter then cut a slot/key way down the entire length of the lifter bore and lifters would slide in and then not spin keeping the bearing square on the cam lobe. The keys and the key ways would have had to been cut spot on and done right if not bearing would chew out cam.... Oh and also bearings on bottom of roller lifters are hardened steel. Your cam then needs to be billet, hardened etc etc a stock cast steel cam even hardened and nitride if you want won't last. So going roller lifters quite hard.......worth it for the better cam options that's up to you and cam grinder to decide.. As for roller rockers mini or Crow K motor ones easy job and not hard. Cheers Cameron

NICE buy. can't help but notice the drivers seat..... It looks 100% the same as the TRD fixed back seats of the day. If I was you Id get it re-trimed if it is. Should have TRD in the fiber glass mould some where. Have a look. Cheers Cameron

there is less CC's ina 3K head so more compression so more go. That is why I recomend a face not a skim but meassure it work out your compression ration you might want to skim it.

use the 4K... Then remove the 3K's head get head faced valves cleaned up and slap it on 4K best combo. Will also know condition of engine to then. Head clean up on old 8 valve gear is dirt cheap to so ring around you should get a good deal pretty easily. As for the head to use id go 3K-H I think not sure they don't have the shit house exhaust ports (casting differs on K heads here one is crap other good) so compair them pick the best. Cheers Cameron

Hi, Heads up number is on here I have posted it before but off top of my head 5K valve springs are 9lbs more load than normal 3/4/1/2K springs. So if you have heaps of lift yes might die but wont be quick. And my stock 5K springs I run max lift a stock spring will take I got cam ground to .400" lift I have seen 7500+ and still going.......so id save the cash wait till you can get a good crow cam set done. Cameron

19914afc I agree with that. I buy parts from Toyotra and have scored a few throw out bargins. But it cost them to keep stock on the shelf so after two years BIN. But I scored a brand spanking new un used bearings not "final" ground yet 4K crank for $80 from Toyota they were about to launch it into the skip so I bought it. Its now being made up for my 5K so they do throw a lot out. Thats why I always ask when I'm in at Toyota for old K parts see if they found some on the shelf there about to tip. Cameron

Any KE1X can be stolen with 1 paper clipa nd a steel ruller thats from door unlocked to car running in minutes. So if Iever drive my KE15 anywhere I pull rotor button out the dizzy. Wont start then if they keep trying the flood it. Wont stop them towing it but a "broken down" car isnt tempting to most theifs also.. Cameron

^^^ Second that. A few verients of KE1X had front disc brakes a few different brands and specs to. In all the parts catalouge I have on KE1X there was a stock LSD for the small diff they had. Factory no TRD. So if it is LSD will jsut be a stock one. When I get time ill scan the page for you. Cheers Cameron

Solex are good carbs IF done right. I use a set there are different models only ONE 1 type suffered wiggleing lose parts. This is solved by design change of the venturies. As for parts etc wolf creek or RM will sort you out. Not cheap I spent well over 1K getting mine sorted but once set never had to touch them. It would have been cheaper for me to go webber or another brand but I used Solex for they come from Japan and suited my build better. But by the looks of your compression test engine might be out of steam. Note. If you were cranking on a battery doing compression test from cyclinder 1-4 by the time you got to 3 the battery might have been a little weak not cranking the motor as fast tus giving a lower reading. Make sure you have a good strong crank of the engine during the whole test. Test is useless if you don't as you jsut added another factor that will change results. So try again if not @T/3T motors seem to be all the go :) Cameron

:bash: I read front...you typed rear...so my info is useless but still handy. Hi Terry, can't tell you exact bolt spacing but the KE15 I run I removed the front discs and fitted KE70 discs with KE70 calipers on KE30 backing plates. All early corollas have the same square bolt pattern KE1X,2X,3X. 55 and up they changed. Only difference KE30 uses bigger bolts to hold plate on. Also when fitting brakes KE1X struts need drilling and re-tapping for the larger bolts. Cheers Cameron

Problem with a lot of gas turbine cars is A) a lot of gas turbine engines some how come from miltary applications thus when the military asked for their engines back the chrysler turbine car progress was halted other wise id be driving one. There are a few other reasons they are not put into cars in the main stream world but Id have one tomorrow if I could (on the road that is). The HP and Torque from them would make for such a nice drive. Cheers Cameron

Try smaller knees..... As for OEM mounts you should be able to buy KE70 items. Are they around the $100 mark? do you run trumpets on your carbies philbey?

Hi, On my KE15 I had clearence issues with a set of cheap extractors once and I used a KE30/55/70 passenger side engine mount. Will bolt in and this uprioghts the motor a little so helps with carbie clearence etc and possibly turbo clearence in your case. As for mounts if you have a broken KE mount remove the rubber on the passenger one and the part that bolts to the engine has the flat metal area where rubber once was. Drill a hole through the centre or where you need it and fit a ford escort round rubber moun t. They are the right thickness and you can pick best position on mount to drill hole to align it and fits straight in. Cheers Cameron

Nice hear yes. But both those sets arent home made their the real deal. Plates would be easy as to make at home with a mill easy.

Hi, There is a listing for a K50 with twisted bell housing but NEVER seen one. When engine is up righted pushes gear stick towards drivers so jsut a matter of bending it away from driver. Up righting though puts gearbox drain up higher so if you need to remove gearbox oil easier to pull bottom plate. As for plate it is to do as said above give better inlet length and more bolts to hold it all together things get heavy adn carry a lot of load when they are so far away from the motor. Bit of insperation below: To give you an idea of length (photo makes them look small) from base plate to top of trumpet is 298mm. With no gaskets so with gaskets about 300mm so make inlet long and STRAIGHT :) Also for TRD motor improves oil drain back off the K motor head to sump a HEAP. Cameron

Hi, Just read this so ill add my 3cents. As a push bike rider (road and dirt) I know I can do 60km/hr (60.2 is record on speedo for flats) for a set period. And my bike not a cheap one but its brakes are more than adequate for pulling me up. And mtb you can get 4 piston hydraulic calipers with 180mm or bigger rotors and calipers run ceramic pistons to withstand heat so brakes on a bike no problem. Look at what pocket rockets have. In saying that in QLD I know there is a law for Kw in electric bikes. can't be over 200W or 0.2Kw. I looked into this as for very very cheap you can buy 2Kw in hub electric motors STACKS of torque good Lipo battery pack and zoom around for hours up to speeds exceeding 60km/h. Also I got busted for pocket bike on the road it was 49cc so mmm not sure for petrol but wont be allowed much I don't think. Cheers Cameron

SUMP oil pump mounts exhaust inlet head work Gear box mount Gear stick mod Pretty much it. Simple really

Hi, SU manifodls can be hard to get so go over old thread see what you find unsold. But my best score for my old SU's was went to a swap meet going througha mini restorers parts and he had UNKNOWN manifold $10....I knew what it was 3K :) So try mini guys or datto guys they usually want the carbies not the manifold and might find a good bargin I know I have that way a few times to...... As for gear drive TRD made one for cam apparently was known to strip teeth. Used oil mist for lube prob really needed oil jet lube but never had it so doubt you will find one if you did Id not use it ..lol Cameron

I have a similar story. Day I got ym KE15 on the road I took it straight to the original owner who I got it from. As he wanted to see it if... it ever got back on the road. At first I though one had past as in the phone book they were only listing the wife :( But get there and both alive. But I parked car where they couldnt see it from the front door and it took about 5min to get them to remember me and come out side and not fear for their lives. But as soon as they saw the car they pretty much zimmered as fast as they could to it and LOVED how I had got it back on the road when they thopugh it was to old and gone. They started telling me stories and then called their neighbour over also 70+ and started showing him the car that was from all the stories they told him etc.... Bout an hour later I left. They said it made there year so yeah I think some original owners like seeing their cars again when their old. Cameron

Hi, Iven Tigth cams In Brisbane told me once for the right money he could do a billet cam. What do you need billet for are you planning to use roller lifters or a wild race grind etc? Cheers Cameron

Found a second freak...... ME I am a fan of Solex's. Now the common man knows Solex that came on the 2T-G motor that fell apart :( Now if you do your reserch you will find not all Solex fall apart :) They updated the design adn you can get ones that were never OEM and were more designed for racing etc. Some types of Solex are: S5, S4, T, R, etc. I use solex. So far I have hit $1200. I have 2 fully rebuilt with base tune. This includes my fuel setup, manifolds, linkages, gaskets, spacers, ram tubes, filter socks, carbies. I was anal on the over haul of my carbies I got ALL NEW jets and idle screws floats gaskets everything from Japan. I lapped carbies square and to same height I polished them etc EVERYTHING. Took over 6months to do but well worth it. So any option you go with for carbies will cost big $$ to get going right. But as said above set and forget :) Cheers Cameron

Hi, This is a very nice car :) I had the experence of running in this thing when it was owned by Matt in Ipswich (he let it get a bit worse for wear:( ) But VERY VERY fast. Car used to live in Ipswich. bit of history on it from what I know.... Engine was built by Buzz engines, I take it you got the engine build reciepts with the car? And when I last saw this thing at full song it was making 450HP at the wheels with around 30PSI crazy numbers for a 4age. All internals forged and blueprinted well built car. Also this car was entered in a race at Queensland raceway one year at power cruise. This thing was taking on cameros with massive V8's and leaving them for dead. But must ask does the car still have the launch controll in it? Used to get off the line pretty fast with this but think it was taken out by Matt. Cameron