Hey guys,

 

You've all been very helpful in the past so I thought I'd ask here again.

Bought a 4k not too long ago and finally got around to installing it into my ke30.

After having multiple problems along the way - stupid little things that otherwise shouldn't occur yet always seem to:

I HAVE YET ANOTHER.

 

After all the dillemmas I started it last weekend. Turned over first go and idled absolutely fine.

Bled the coolant, ready for her journey next day.

When I went to drive it:

 

- Started running really warm within a few minutes [on a cool night]

(YES, it was bled properly. New thermostat, rad cap, water pump, radiator)

 

- Wouldn't really move. It's an auto. [box and torque converter etc all seemed to be installed correctly]

Seemed to only want to kick about in first gear and would rev its head off without gaining any real speed like it couldn't engage second/or any other gear.

 

From what I can see, no exhaust leaks.

Everything seems fine?

 

The other question is:

- What radiator coolant are you guys running?

I'm using the OEM Toyota Long Life coolant as i work for them so it's cheap and I was under the impression it'd be decent to use. The reason I ask is because after purchasing a new radiator not long before the conversion took place, It seems to be buggered already.

I believe this explains the overheating. There was steam coming off the core and coolant had collected around the right hand side of the bottom tank. Could this coolant be detrimental?

 

A friend with an old '68 Mini at work said alot of the Mini guys are having a problem whereby their radiators welds etc and whatever materials theyre made of aren't liking particular coolants and thus result in the same type of problem.

 

Any help appreciated as usual.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

Josh

Edited January 8, 201313 yr by shiryo

sounds like its something to do with auto box. 2speed toyoglide or 3 speed trimatic?

 

Did you get an auto radiator, with the cooler lines in it?

I assume you bought an auto rad. Go have it checked by a radiator shop, they can tell you what is wrong and how much to fix it.

 

Check the igntion timing also. If it is retarded it will kill performance and adds to the overheating.

 

Mind you, ours was auto when we bought it and it was hopeless going up hills. The manual conversion made a huge difference.

Hey guys,

 

It's a 3 speed Borgy.

Definately an auto rad, has the ports at the bottom for the trans lines to connect to.

Getting the radiator looked at this weekend.

Ignition timing was set to around 8/9 degrees.

 

Would the timing affect the idle? Because as is the idle is essentially perfect.

I know how hopeless they are up hills, mines always struggled - but this is hopeless on the flats. Barely moves at all.

Motor was comp tested at 165 across all four. Unfortunately can't justify the manual conversion expense as all my cash goes into my project car.

 

What coolant are you guys running?

Also, would you recommend any Melbourne specialists?

 

It's got to the point I need this on the road asap and I'm a little over the headaches.

Tried getting in touch with Peter Robinson though it seems he's still shut down for the new years break?

 

Thanks

Josh

Maybe be silly but have you checked the fluid level in the transmission?

Edited January 10, 201313 yr by iwontarolla

Full.

Would the timing affect the idle? Because as is the idle is essentially perfect.

The idle gets slower as the points wear and the timing gets retarded. However if you just add a little idle speed it idles fine even when the ignition is retarded. Not in this case if it is around 9deg.

 

Did you block the vac advance line when you were sorting the emission hoses? Not a big deal, it shouldn't affect acceleration.

 

If you're not losing water then it looks like the overheating is a radiator problem and the lack of go is slippage in the gearbox. Did this radiator you are using run cool with the 3K??? or is this the rad that was in the 3K when it died?

after purchasing a new radiator not long before the conversion

The idle gets slower as the points wear and the timing gets retarded. However if you just add a little idle speed it idles fine even when the ignition is retarded. Not in this case if it is around 9deg.

 

Did you block the vac advance line when you were sorting the emission hoses? Not a big deal, it shouldn't affect acceleration.

 

If you're not losing water then it looks like the overheating is a radiator problem and the lack of go is slippage in the gearbox. Did this radiator you are using run cool with the 3K??? or is this the rad that was in the 3K when it died?

 

- checked points and in pretty good condition, seems fine.

- when redoing the timing/dizzy i'd set it around 8/9 which I read was recommended.

- blocked off those spare vaccum ports.

- this is the radiator i had in the car with the 3k for a short time. I had replaced it when the old original radiator crapped itself one night.

i believe the old radiator breaking resulted in the constant overheats which in turn cooked the head. I had the new radiator in the car with the 3k for about a month before the motor completely died.

There was steam coming off the core and coolant had collected around the right hand side of the bottom tank.

 

OK, so that wasn't happening with the 3K.

 

Any coolant, or none, will do as far as I know. The only differences in the coolants are to do with alloy blocks, its a chemical thing. Until you get to 100deg you don't need coolant at all, it will just raise the boiling point slightly. So it sounds like the second rad is damaged rather than blocked.

 

Seemed to only want to kick about in first gear and would rev its head off without gaining any real speed like it couldn't engage second/or any other gear.

That is a box problem, but I don't know enough about autos to tell you if it is torque converter related or in the bands. I assume the torque converter has filled up completely like it should, it probably emptied itself all over your garage floor in the conversion. How does the air get out on one?

 

Was the box working perfectly behind the 3K??

OK, so that wasn't happening with the 3K.

 

Any coolant, or none, will do as far as I know. The only differences in the coolants are to do with alloy blocks, its a chemical thing. Until you get to 100deg you don't need coolant at all, it will just raise the boiling point slightly. So it sounds like the second rad is damaged rather than blocked.

 

 

That is a box problem, but I don't know enough about autos to tell you if it is torque converter related or in the bands. I assume the torque converter has filled up completely like it should, it probably emptied itself all over your garage floor in the conversion. How does the air get out on one?

 

Was the box working perfectly behind the 3K??

 

Definately seems that a core is slightly damaged, though not easily visible.

As for the auto, used to work flawlessly behind the 3k, not one problem.

The entire box lost all of it's trans fluid during the conversion yes, but upon reinstalling it all, new fluid was added accordingly.

Don't think air is a factor unless your doing something with the internals.

 

Seemed to bolt up to the ring gear etc without an issue so it should be engaging.

 

Thanks

Josh

...then it must just be the torque of the mighty 4K that is causing the clutches inside to slip! ..or there might still be air pockets in the system from when it was empty.

 

The torque converters self-prime once the box is filled with oil it seems, and they don't give slipping problems. Let us know what the solution is when you've sorted it.

Did you hook up the vacuum line to the gearbox? being a 3 speed, its a trimatic, which works via a vacuum line to the inlet manifold, which in turn, controls kick down.

Was that the hardline that had a thread fitting on the other end where it screwed into the manifold?

If so, I have connected that.

The 4k manifold that came with the motor had it plugged up with a bolt so i removed that and fitted to the existing hardline into its position.

 

Or am I crossing my wires and thinking of something else?

Sounds like the vacuum kickdown diaphram has crapped itself on the auto, cheap and easy to replace.

I'm a litte ignorant as to where to locate that.

Able to elaborate?

 

Thanks