For the love of a tractor engine: The life and times of the 18R-G

[The Witzl]

Well i have never used an electric pump on a carbied engine before, so sorry i cant help
I've only ever gone the whole step up to EFI, usually using a Bosch external fuel pump from an Australian JE Camira or VL Comodore (poo cars = cheap pumps).

I think some mazdas used electric pumps on their carby engines, but i cant be sure.....


Ren,

Mate if i were you i would source some EFI gear for your 18RG and sell the Mikunis - someone will pay good bucks for the relatively rare 44s.

[Ren_RG28]

Witzl,

I know theres a bucket load of efficiancy to be gained from EFI, but I don't think I could bring myself to do it... Nothing beats the look of four big barrels sticking out the side of an 18RG. Nothing sounds quite like them either. Even though this engine came out factory with EFI, carbs just look and feel more authentic. I mean, this engine was born and bred in the 70's and in my opinion deserves to be fed fuel the old school way

But hey, it has crossed my mind. I bet I can get a bit of money for the 44's too - they're in great nick, still shiny. But the only problem is sourcing EFI gear.. I've heard it's very hard to come by, and the operation isn't cheap. How much did your conversion set you back Witzl?

[The Witzl]

i did a lot of the legwork myself, and that cost you cant work out...

But....

• intake manifold, fuel rail, injectors - $350
• ECU, AFM, sensors and shite - $120
• various bits and pieces - $100-200
• fuel system - $250 (includes a surge tank + pumps)
• VRS gasket kit - $100 (part of a deal with an engine)

And then about $190 getting the AFM tweaked....


I worked it out once, and i think it calculated out that within 12-18 months or something i will have recouped the cost in petrol savings, based on my average driving of 400km/wk and petrol at $1.35/L


And seriously, once you've gone EFI, you'll kick yourself for thinking that those carbies were cool - even if they sound so hot.

[Ren_RG28]

Yeah, you've made a good point there.

I probably won't look back if I did make the change to EFI with all that petrol you're saving - especially with the ridiculous petrol prices these days!

So I take it you haven't got the original 18R-GEU EFI? But I've heard the original EFI setup is nothing too flash, so maybe it's best to get something aftermarket?

[Norbie]

Witzl and I both have original 18R-GEU EFI computers, and being a product of the late 70's it's definitely not flash at all. I'm in the process of converting my engine to run on a Haltech E6X, and Witzl is going down the Megasquirt path. If you decide to make the switch to EFI, your best bet is to get the hardware from an 18R-GEU (runners, plenum, throttle body etc) but do yourself a favour and use some more modern electronics.

As for the look/sound/cool factor of sidedraught carbs, you could always fork out for a set of DCOE-pattern throttle bodies. Same look/sound/cool factor of carbs combined with the efficiency and precise fuelling of EFI. It's the best of both worlds!

[scootaphill]

Sorry for the delay but ive moved and im trying to build a bigger shed before i move all my crap in....

Steve the adjustable cam gears i have look like the item on the Right however im fairly sure that the hole are NOT evenly spaced...

[Steve M]

Phil,
You're probably right about the holes, and I edited my post about the stock gears yesterday I think it was. It would be nice if edits were sent out as part of the subscription.

I'm thinking about getting some gears modified to suit vernier adjust, like the Kameari left hand side ones with the five bolts.
After inspecting the cam drive cog from the auxilliary shaft, it appears as though that would be well suited to modification.
This cog has 24 teeth, like the cam gears, but it is full thickness all the way to the centre, which means that it could be machined to be used as the ring gear, with holes for bolts in it while a new centre could be easily ,lathed up to fit inside and mount to the cam.
I would put the original four cam timing hole in the centre part to add a location point and also another stage of adjustment.
The result is a vernier adjust cam gear which has coarse adjustment (holes) and fine adjustment (bolts and degree marks).
The need for the coarse adjustment comes from the fact the cams are occasionally ground on the wrong degree, one of our is eight degrees out. Five degrees of adjustment won't fit that.

[Steve M]

On the subject of EFI.

I'd love to try Megasquirt. If anyone plans to order one, please let me know.

My other option was using a slightly modified GM computer with the Kalmaker software for realtime adjustment.
This way I get the benefit of millions of dollars investment into the right combination of variables and the ability to reset them to suit my engine.
I like the separate idle (0-1800RPM) fuel map for tuning in big cams. This rev range can be run by TPS (MAP unreliable with big cams and Quads) and then run on MAP after that.

Has anyone got any experience with that product?

[The Witzl]

On the subject of EFI.

I'd love to try Megasquirt. If anyone plans to order one, please let me know.

My other option was using a slightly modified GM computer with the Kalmaker software for realtime adjustment.
This way I get the benefit of millions of dollars investment into the right combination of variables and the ability to reset them to suit my engine.
I like the separate idle (0-1800RPM) fuel map for tuning in big cams. This rev range can be run by TPS (MAP unreliable with big cams and Quads) and then run on MAP after that.

Has anyone got any experience with that product?

Megasquirt can do all of that, and probably more.

I actually just ordered my Megasquirt-2 + v3.0 PCB partial kit from www.diyautotune.com last week, and got it yesterday. Need to get my hands on all the components and build it... i would recommend anyone else to buy the unassembled complete kit (most people dont have the access to parts that i do).

Megasquirt 2 is teh shit.

[thechuckster]

plus if you get a wideband O2 sensor, MS can autotune while you're driving around with laptop plugged in.

[bullitt]

Ren..
I was thinking to holley pump but many ppl said the sound is loud..as you say.If you don't mind i'm ask what are the part no for carter pump that you used..

Witzl..
How about aftermarket EFI setup like EFI Hardware..anybody in this forum has experience with that? If i'm not mistake one red RA28 with plate SLEEKA use that.Are this guy members on this forum?

[Ren_RG28]

Bullit,

Yep those Holley's sure are noisy pumps... Unless you've got a really loud car, I'd look elswhere. And like I said the Carter low pressure, high volume pump is the way to go

Part no: P4070

[The Witzl]

what do you mean by EFI hardware? The computer + electronics, or the mechanical components like manifolds etc?

Plenty of people have experience with both. Myself i'll probably eventually have a custom built intake manifold, but only if i eventually find a limitation with the stock intake manifold first.... and i'm already in the process of building my electronics to control the lot.


Chuckie is also correct re. teh wideband sensooor. I'll be buying one soon - looking forward to running the whole lot too

[JustCallMeOrlando]

So the MS2 just takes in an input for a wideband controller like the WBO2 2CO, or it has the control circuitry onboard?

[TA-022]

what do you mean by EFI hardware?

think he's reffering to EFI Hardware the company

http://www.efihardware.com.au/