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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
December 2002
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77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Tue, 28 January 2003 23:16
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I Have just recently purchased a 77 ra23 that has the standard 18rc with extractors. What are my upgrade options??? I have a few hang ups though.
1. I want something that I can work on myself.(carbbie)
2. something that will be reliable. As this will be my main car so I won't be flogging the hell out of it ( well not all the time)
3. something that will slot straight in.
any help on this matter would be appreciated.
My thoughts are the 18rgu twin cam. Only because it should be a straight swap. and non fuel injected because I don't want to have to take in to a mechanic every time it needs a tune. I have reserves about turbo's as I don't want to over work the engine and kill it before its time. I may be wrong on these things so please fill me in on your thoughts.
thanks
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Location:
c'town, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
December 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 00:27
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thnaks mate but I have done that myself already. the trend these days seems to be turbo-fuel injected combo's. thats not what i want or need, I wanted advice from the good foke on this forum. thats all
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 00:41
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| Blaze wrote on Wed, 29 January 2003 09:16 |
and non fuel injected because I don't want to have to take in to a mechanic every time it needs a tune.
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The great thing about fuel injection is you don't need to tune it, unlike the pain-in-the-arse Solex carbs on an 18R-GU. Once you have fuel injection up and running, you never have to touch it again!
Anyway it sounds like an 18R-G of some description is the best choice for you. I started with an 18R-GU which I later converted to EFI, so I can tell you without bias that EFI is definitely a whole lot better.
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Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 00:55
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honestly go the 1g-gte I have put one in my ra28 and I drive it in peak hour to the city every day, it's such a pleasure to drive even off boost compared to the old 18r, and it always has that foot planting fun there too.
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Location:
Madrid - Spain
Registered:
August 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 02:35
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As has been previously said, the EFi engines are a better alternative and require less skills to service than a carby engine does. The toyota EFI engines/ECU's don't seem to have many problems. If anything the problems come from damaged wiring/connectors due to shabby installations.
The big drawback with an EFI conversion is the actual conversion. You will need to upgrade the fuel and electrics, along with any structural/brake mods required. Added to this is a Cat equipped exhaust. This makes an EFI conversion a bit more costly.
Turbo engines don't give any extra problems when run within the factory limits, so long as you have a good oil supply.
Carby conversions are very easy and an 18RG ain't such a bad old engine.
Having said all that and owned both a 18RG RA28 and a 1G-GTE RA28, I can say that the 1G is a far better engine all round. It is better to drive, doesn't need tuning (Solex carbies are a pain), runs on unleaded, much better fuel economy (when I am behaving) and has double the power. But I do miss the noises coming from a twin carb engine.
If I was doing the conversion I could easily justify the added expense of an EFI engine. I guess it is up to your budget.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
December 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 05:58
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Thats the thing I guess, It all comes down to dollars. The engine in it at the moment seems quite good. I was going to see how it goes for the next year or so till I save some money. I am planning on keeping the car for a long time. And also want to put air con in it. I was thinking of putting off the a/c till the engine swap was done. do you think I need to wait?
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 06:12
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Yes you should wait, because you won't be able to use the AC compressor on any other engine (even an 18R-G). That means you would have to de-gas the system, pull it apart, replace the compressor, get custom hoses made up, and re-gas it. More trouble than it's worth IMO!
FWIW a 1G will probably come with an AC compressor, so you just need to get some hoses made up and it will work. 18R-G compressors are much harder to come by; I was looking for one for ages but gave up in the end. Who needs aircon anyway? 
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
December 2002
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 06:19
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Easiest and cheapest EFI conversion would be an 18R-GEU. It will physically bolt right in; you just need to wire up the ECU and add an EFI fuel pump. There is no need to tune it if you're using a factory ECU.
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
December 2002
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 11:24
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That's a good price provided it's in workable condition. No you shouldn't have to "tinker" with the engine to make it work, provided it comes with all the required parts.
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Location:
adelaide
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Wed, 29 January 2003 11:47
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OK mate, same predicament as you.. picked up a stock 28 18rc, put extractors on cos engine ran good been thinking of the best and most cost effective upgrade for a yr or so and finally gone for the 18R-geu. its a straight swap so no engine mount or g/box alterations. Heres what ive spent so far on jsut a few essentials that i can think of. (still need a few little bits and pieces and heaps a other work)
18Rgeu (stock with most running gear + standard ECU and uncut loom + and bosch(?) 008 Hi pressure pump) - $500 + shiping to SA from NSW
Pacemaker extractors new - $245
Extreme h/duty clutch kit new - $250
mate has got me a 22-RE air flow metre - probly give him $50?
ASE Surge tank 1.45l stainless - $180
Still need:
lift pump(~$100 second hand, $150 new)
Recore or triple core radiator and hoses (~$150)
and then theres jsut the general other stuff you need to fit and run the engine, like fuel lines new battery fresh plugs leads etc air pod umm what else heaps more but thats the basics i think??
But yeh efi is the way to go if you want to go to the trouble, the benefits and drawbacks have been gone over many times on this forum i think..
Its got a fairly low compression too, so adding/rebuilding for boost is going to be a pleasure down the track i hope. 
Yeh go 18RG if you can find one thats alrite, and you want a simple cheap swapover, but if you have serious $$ think about the benefits of going 1G or even 3S or 3T
Peace
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BlackRA28
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Location:
Mornington Peninsula
Registered:
September 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Thu, 30 January 2003 01:35
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Nothing too serious, I've got an 18R-C with extractors, and a rebuilt 18R-C with extractors and a webber carby. The webber seems to do the trick. but I haven't had a chance to take it for a good drive yet as it's the project at the moment.
Speaking to a few people Webbers off cortina's and the XD style Falcons with a conversion kit fit quite well onto the original 18R-C and can make quite a bit of difference to performance (it's not a 13 second car but it's an improvement) Those webbers aren't too hard to come by either from what I've been told.
If you're not looking to modify too much I think that's a good option.
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Location:
Newcastle
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: 77 RA23 engine upgrade??
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Thu, 30 January 2003 06:03
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g'day,
i have had a stock 18rc....
then an 18rg.... which i did a fair bit of work on...
now a 1ggte....
i thouroghly recomend that you think alot about where you would like to end up.....
if you are going to keep the car... go efi.
you could always use a 1gge (non turbo)if you don't want turbos,
or what i would thouroghly recomend... 1ggte
Cheers
Stew
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