Rentons bunky BA XR6T build

[Renton]

Thought I'd put up a build thread so hopefully I stay on the right track, keep motivated and do some learning/helping. Car is an 03 BA XR6t 5 spd manual and leather interior Yes I know not the best platform to start with motor and gearbox wise, but bought cheap enough with the intention to at least change to 6 spd. Purchased about a month ago and already has the following mods:

 

Plazmaman Stage 1 Intercooler
Process West Crossover Pipe Kit
Battery relocation to right hand side with copper-core welding cables used.
Plazmaman Sheet metal airbox with 4” K&N filter
VENOM twin 2.5" Exhaust
VENOM 3.5" Cat
Fabricated Tig welded oil catch can with K&N filter
Turbo bored out with larger flapper valve

Turbosmart wastegate actuator with 10psi spring
In tune Motorsport turbo oil filter installed
Walbro GSS342 255lph
SN95 Mustang Quickshifter with adjustable stops, stainless lever and carbon knob
Custom carbon gear lever surround
19” OX Racing OX111 wheels
Lowered on King Springs and Munroe dampers
Nolathane Polyurethane bush kit Including diff bushes
DJR Bobtail spoiler
HID headlights
Projector headlamp conversion

Also came with an SCT xcal 3 flash tuner

 

Body is a bit untidy and needed bigger injectors and tune.

 

Pics from when I got it

 

 

 

 

Few things I already found I needed to fix. Had a few oil leaks. First one I found from the oil return into sump. One of the bolts that holds the flange on was stripped so I put a helicoil (thread insert) in. So I left the oil in until I finished drilling and tapping the hole out, used grease on drill and tap to prevent swarf going into sump, but dropped the oil and flushed afterwards just in case. Replaced sump plug with a new one from Repco, which happens to have a 15mm head on it. WTAF??? Who the feck does that.

 

 

Damaged thread. Sorry don't have after shots. Noticed PS hose leaking too. So gave everything a good degrease

 

 

Wanted to change the coolant reservoir/overflow and wanted to check what spring was in the wastegate actuator. Didn't look too hard to do, and after  little reading on here and another forum saw some people having a hard time with it and taking turbos and manifolds off. Anyway pulled the coolant reservoir out, removed the dump pipe, cross over pipe, oil feed and coolant supply to turbo and hose to actuator.

 

Check out my sweet light setup!

 

 

Removed the bolts for the actuator bracket, bottom one is slow only using an open end spanner. Pushed actuator back so I could see the R clipholding the clevis onto the flapper valve arm. Got my seal pick in the end of clip and pulled it out. Yes it snapped. Then squeezed the actuator out of the bay, it's tight but got it. Found it had a 10psi spring, not a 12 like I originally thought.

 

Reinstalling just same as above but in reverse. Make sure you push actuator back as far as you can, open wastegate, and put clevis back on arm. I just used a new E clip.

 

 

This is where you can check the actuator rod preload. Push the bracket forward towards the turbo and that gap should be the preload of 2mm.

 

Bigger gap in pic as I wasn't holding it up.

 

Bottom bolt on bracket could be tricky. I just gripped the head with long nose pliers, got it sitting in the hole, then put pressure behind the head with the pliers and got it started with the open end spanner.

 

 

All back together

 

Had to replace the vent hose to catch can as it was so hard and brittle. Have a big roll of the blue air/chemical hose so just used that. Will change to black hose and the catch can at some point.

 

 

Sorry for the story. Will be updating tomorrow, I mean today/tonight. Thanks for looking... if you got this far lol

[bloodycrashboy]

nice write up so far @Renton  

great pictures, keep it coming

no need to be sorry, this is what we love here  

[k31th]

very nice vehicle, bro

[Renton]

Thanks guys.

 

 

Next stage- Tune with 1000cc injectors

 

So Friday week ago I dropped the car off at the tuna to install 1000cc Bosch injectors and hopefully tune without needing valve springs. I've been concerned about spending too much money on this motor, knowing it has weaker rods and has about 211,000kms on it now. Got a call from him first thing Monday morning saying they've inspected the whole car and there's a few things that need to be sorted before they can tune it so I went and picked the car up that arvo.

 

The list:

New fuel filter

Oil feed for turbo- leaking from fitting on side of block

Rocker cover gaskets, also leaking into spark plug area

Intake manifold gasket- top half

Coil packs- Purchased these (genuine items) from Monsta Torque

New plugs

Exhaust hitting tunnel

Drivers side engine mount cracked

Clutch fluid low

High pressure power steering hose leaking

L/H rear brake pad missing the spring/backing plate- Weird

Diff backlash is slightly excessive

 

The main parts he needs done is top half of the list but I'll end up doing most of it before I take it back. I'm kind of glad he didn't go any further as I had already decided I'd do valve springs myself If they needed doing. So now's a good chance while rocker cover, intake mani and few other bits are off.

 

Started pulling it apart. All the seals are so hard and brittle they've cracked apart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I'm starting to think with all the work to be done I should bring forward my plans to find another motor and do the 6 speed swap. I have been in talks with another forum member with a T56 and Mal Wood option 5 clutch. If the freight works out viable I'll probably grab that. Or failing that there is a TR6060 n/a box, that take the same size clutch as the BA/BF, at a wrecker over here.

 

Now for the motor. This is where I need some opinions please. I'm still very hesitant to start pushing any more power out of this one. I'm leaning towards a BF MK2 egas motor. Can get one from the wreckers with 128k on it for $550. Put in some crow valve springs and anything else it needs while out of the car. I believe I can still use the BA wiring harness and PCM. Will only be able to use one knock sensor on the BF motor, and won't be able to control the DIPS, not sure if that's a big issue or not? Also what is a safe boost level to keep under before needing to lower the compression ratio?

 

So I'm leaning towards the egas motor with the stronger bottom end. Or should I stick with the BA with a set of valve springs for now and build something better when more cash to throw at it?

 

Btw, I'm not really sure what power figure I'm aiming for at this stage. I was thinking around 300 - 350 rwkw, and this is just a toy not a daily. Only gets driven maybe once a week. If that makes any difference.

 

Thanks in advance

[skidxr6t]

push max power from current engine wait till she blows up.

 

maybe have the spare engine prepped and ready. the cheaper engine will work but if it was me I'd get an xr6t engine.

 

forgot to say, looks good. ive been looking at cheaper xr's to have something to fix up (and rot in my front yard probably)

Edited 05/05/18 11:57 PM by skidxr6t

[eff xr6t]

Don't do the e gas motor it's a waste. The high comp will be a pain in the ass running 98. In my opinion cheapest option is pull current motor pull rods and Pistons out and swap a set of bf/fg rods into it with your current Pistons and put it all back together. Could be done for under $500 and will be a lot better option as you can replace all the gaskets at the same time that end up leaking. I have a couple of sets of fg f6 conrods sitting in the shed that would be perfect for the task aswell.

[Renton]

Could be an option. I can just see it snowballing if I open this motor up and start finding other sh*t I should replace. Will keep it in mind though. Thanks 

 

2 hours ago, skidxr6t said:

push max power from current engine wait till she blows up.

 

maybe have the spare engine prepped and ready. the cheaper engine will work but if it was me I'd get an xr6t engine.

 

forgot to say, looks good. ive been looking at cheaper xr's to have something to fix up (and rot in my front yard probably)

That did cross my mind last night after I posted. Like an experiment as such. See how many killer wasps I can catch until she blows.

[4321]

The blocks are mostly the same (dipstick position in fg's different) Get another mtr ( wreckers get $50 in scrap for them), put some S/H fg rods & pistons in it, a good set of oil pump gears, new timing chain set & you will have a good base to build of. Or buy a new fg short from ford, redrill the dipstick hole & use that. first option is cheaper (see if eff xr6t has pistons to go with the rods) Building a tough engine isn't cheap (I'm doing it at the moment & it makes the $12 grand atomic mtr good value) 

[eff xr6t]

Don't have the pistons I used them with a set of spool rods in a cheap built single cam. If he keeps everything from the ba motor but just puts the fg rods in he doesn't need the Pistons anyway.

[arronm]

If you are changing plugs I recommend these. Gapped ready to install.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GENUINE-FORD-BA-BF-FALCON-SPARK-PLUG-SET-SK20R7-TO-SUIT-EGAS-LPG-ANTI-BACKFIRE/290628022377?epid=1736940827&hash=item43aac7b069:g:SUkAAOxypNtSgJrp