DOHC Rebuild Experiences

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Who here has had a isuzu dohc rebuilt ?

I'm thinking of getting mine reco'd once the rest of the car is done. Mainly for piece of mind. It runs fine at the moment but I don't fully know the engines history.

How much did it cost all up (inc labour and stuff, im not doing this myself) ?

What mods were done (if any, I plan on just going stock)?

Any problems that were encountered ?

Any info is appreciated.

Cheers

gem · tinkerer Joined: 23 Dec 2001 Posts: 152

The first answer is IF IT AIN"T BROKE DON"T F*** WITH IT.
But if you still want to, the dohc bottom end is the same as a G180 or G200 bottom end i.e bearings,rings,front seal,rear main seal,sump gasket,even the crankshaft is the same..The head gasket is different as are the other parts associated with the head.So don't be fooled by some telling you it will cost alot more than a sohc G200 motor to rebuild.Unless you need pistons-these will cost you heaps. As for costs I have no idea as I do the main assembly and stip down myself.I am just about to do a rebuild starting this week to my race engine as I do this at the end of every race season.If you need and more info just let me know.

rust3 · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Posts: 971

i know of a guy who got one rebuilt. one of his mates done it cheap though. its got forgies, cams, blah blah turbo and it puts out 250hp at the rears.

ive got a G200 DOHC sitting in my shed if your interested. its in peices because i was going to rebuild it but never got around to it. i want $300. it would come in handy incase yours shits a head etc.

Mr DOHC · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 217

i recond mine for over $2000. but i was missing heaps of parts. lucky i wasnt strapped for cash

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Thanks guys,

Yeh im not going to rebuild unless it dies on me but knowing my luck as soon as I start driving the car something will go wrong.

So they only really expensive parts are the pistons ? Do any other pistons fit, like from other models of engines?

Are the headbits hard to come by too ?

Just basically doing some research and preparing for the worst.

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

What parts were you missing ?

Mine is obviously complete and running so if or when it needs a rebuild I should hopefully just be replacing only the consumables

Mr DOHC · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 217

mine is suppose to be an 1800 with 2l slugs in it and some weird crankshaft. mines a full on slap together. its wierd. we are very excited about what its gonna be like. i was missing like all the little things on the engine.

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Sweet.

I have no idea whats in mine.

The guy I bought it off wasnt too cluey, he told me it was a decomp turbo piazza engine.

Its obviously not though.

Mr DOHC · tinkerer Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 217

if it was a decompressed turbo piazza engine and it didnt have a turbo itd go like absolute shit.

hehe

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

yeh not to mention a piazza turbo engine is a completely different engine, its a sohc !

The early pizzas ran twincams, but a comp test proved that no its running normal compression.

Yeh the guy didnt know much, he thought he did though !

haha

martin · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 900

soop!

a boat we share!

"The early pizzas ran twincams, but a comp test proved that no its running normal compression. " only jap models we never got them here.... wish we did tho parts would have been alot easier.

i really need a rebuild too, mine is running pretty low oil pressure and its got a water leak up under where the hose from the bottom of the radiator connects to the manifold... took it apart as best i could without taking the motor out and cleaned it up, new clamps blah blah still leaking. i think its probably the gasket in there..

gem maybe you would know what this is?

i hate taking my car to mechanics cause i tell them all the shit they need to know about parts that are not the same as geminis and they think they know everything and order the wrong fuggin parts!!

although there is apparently a guy in sydney who used to race these motors and has a workshop who knows his shit so i'll probbly give him a call.. i'd be comfortable ripping into a sohc rebuild cause of the abundance of parts but im a bit wary with this motor... fark it is a nice motor!

martin · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 900

soop!

a boat we share!

"The early pizzas ran twincams, but a comp test proved that no its running normal compression. " only jap models we never got them here.... wish we did tho parts would have been alot easier.

i really need a rebuild too, mine is running pretty low oil pressure and its got a water leak up under where the hose from the bottom of the radiator connects to the manifold... took it apart as best i could without taking the motor out and cleaned it up, new clamps blah blah still leaking. i think its probably the gasket in there..

gem maybe you would know what this is?

i hate taking my car to mechanics cause i tell them all the shit they need to know about parts that are not the same as geminis and they think they know everything and order the wrong fuggin parts!!

although there is apparently a guy in sydney who used to race these motors and has a workshop who knows his shit so i'll probbly give him a call.. i'd be comfortable ripping into a sohc rebuild cause of the abundance of parts but im a bit wary with this motor... fark it is a nice motor!

Soop · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 May 2002 Posts: 748

Yeh the earlier pizzas ran twincams but the turbo ones run a completly different engine, its a sohc turbo. Not just the dohc with a turbo.

I'd still like to get it rebuild at some point just so I know I have a fresh engine. But wont fix it till it breaks of course.

Im in adelaide, the guys at just gemini spares know their shit when it comes to any motor that goes in a gem and if I do get a rebuild it would be from there so thats not a problem.