V6 into a RHD Chrysler Neon mk1

[mitsuru]

The car when I started out:
1997 'P' reg Chrysler Neon mk1
2000cc 4 cylinder SOHC FWD with
3 speed automatic gearbox.
Petrol and LPG multi point system





Remember the old question that you get asked?

"What will you do before you turn 40 or kick the bucket?"

One of those things is to fit a big ass engine into a small car,
or fit an engine into a car that was never ment to fit!

Nobody has ever fitted a RHD mk1 Neon with v6, I know I checked.
Of course there has been one or two LHD ones, but a RHD has different,
if not more problems to overcome such as Brake master cylinder and
steering column being on the other side and right behind where the engine
will be. And the trick in my case is trying to keep them in the exact same place as before.

I turn 35 this year, and with my medical problems.
I'm diabetic disabled with back and leg problems. I have spent
enough time in Intensive Care Department of the Local hospital
and in ward 7 &8 that not only do they recognise my name but
my voice without seeing me, and visa versa!

Well after I bust my Chrysler Neon's ailing engine and
automatic gear box dragging my dad's Landrover Discovery
off the drive and up the street to be collected and repaired.
(did it in reverse too!!)

I am replacing the 4 cylinder 2000cc engine & 3 speed box,
with a 3300cc V6 engine & 4 speed auto box from a 1998
Chrysler Voyager.
I will be doing most of the work myself!! Apart from the
welding will be done by my father for health and safety reasons!
Too much time on my hands & too big a plan?
Below are pictures of a LHD Neon in the USA with the same engine
I'm using but they used a manual gearbox!







This is how my engine bay looked before I started



The V6 lump that is going into the car that is sat in a trailer in
the pictures but is sat on the drive now!






How my engine bay looks today?
Well the following have been removed or disconnected.
Stater motor (removed)
A/C Compressor (removed)
Power Steering Pump
(still plumbed in but removed from engine to be used on new engine)
Air intake to a& including Throttle body (removed)
Engines Electrics (disconnected)
4 pot ecu (removed)
LPG ecu and wiring system (removed)
Battery & tray (removed)
Radiator & Comdensor (removed)
Exhaust Manifold (removed)
All cables to the throttle and gearbox (disconnected)
Drive Shafts (removed)
Yes the cooling system has been drained and disconnected
for the engine, the automatic gearbox and the LPG System

[fha772]

This looks like an interesting project, I can't wait to see how you get on

[Relentless Rob]

I've always liked the squashed frog Neon. After BMW robbed the go bits for their cash cow (Mini) I've offen wondered about fitting Cooper S bits to the Neon platform. The V6 transplant sounds trickier yet more worth while as a daily drive.

I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

[mitsuru]

over done it!
Alternator and brackets removed,
engine mounts and mounting brackets removed,
gearbox mount removed.
the gearebox has fallen off the trolly jack, the engine is still sat on an axel stand.

Oh and bonnet is on the roof!
Pictures tomorrow

[Relentless Rob]

Sounds PPC to me.

[mitsuru]

The pictures of yesterdays work





Then I went and bought some chain and a D-link after I did a bit of food shopping.
I came home utilizing the bolt holes off all those bits I removed off the engine and
gearbox, I bolted the chain up.
Well see for yourself!!







Whoops forgot about that chock of wood in the engine bay!! I'll get that in the morning.

[mitsuru]

Todays task moving the engines and car around so that the V6
was infront of the car and garage so easier to work on and try
in the engine bay for templates for brackets etc
Now for pictures of what came out and whats going in!!







As you can see the brake master cylinder and alternator would clash.
And to make it easier to reorganise I might go for a 2 belt type layout,
similar to the neon's original engine.

[mitsuru]

On todays do list for the V6

Remove
Power Steering Pump
Alternator
A/C Compressor
Side Engine Mount
Transmission Mount



Bugger I wondered what I did with that spanner!!

[mitsuru]

I had the egine and box up and hanging above the engine bay,
I was hoping a might just be able to drop it straight in!!
Then I remembered how I got the old one out, at an angle,
and without anything on it!
So engine an box back done an started by removing the alloy
intake manifold, the rear engine mount, the fuel rail, & cruise
control servo.







And I made a boob, I dropped a bolt down one of the intake holes!
That will be the next thing to do, get it out with a magenet.

[Renrut]

Making good progress there. So it'll be in and running by sunday then

Sounds like you need one of these:

[mitsuru]

Making good progress there. So it'll be in and running by sunday then

Sounds like you need one of these:

Errr I have 3, BUT dad had borrowed 2 of them and the 3rd.
Well lets just say it got snapped trying to get a lug nut
out from under the lpg tank in the trunk!

Time to get another couple.

[mitsuru]

I managed to finally get the rear exhaust manifold off,
after hacksawing through the bolts.

Mother called my friendly garage about a car they have for sale.
She was told by Gary the owner and head mechanic about an
interesting phone call he had just had!

The company he had sent my ECU to had called him, and asked
why the ECU had been sent. His response was that it needed to
have the SKIM (sentry key Immobiliser) code removed.
They then asked 'Why?'
Gary's response was stating that it was going in a different car.
They then apparently asked 'Why?' to that as well!

I could only imagine what Gary was thinking about the person on
the other end of the phone, or if he thought that he had made a
mistake sending the ECU to them!

[mitsuru]

Couple thoughts:

At first I was envisioning you would keep the P/S where it is on 3.3, but convert to v-belt.
Seems like it would be low enough to clear the brake master cylinder. You could then move
the alternator up front either above or in place of the A/C, using the serp belt. It will be very
tough to keep the A/C and P/S- space is tight. I kept it simple and eliminated the A/C.

This is the rough sketch I sent

In your drawing I imagine the alternator will be v-belt and the other side will be serpentine?
V-belt do not really like to be run on the back side like the water pump would be. The other
consideration is if a v-belt will have enough "friction" to drive the A/C and P/S. My experience
tells me it will be tough, that is where a wider belt will help.

Your way is nice because it will keep everything roughly in the same place as Neon. Everything
is rotating proper direction. The only thing you do not show is a way to tension the belts. Watch
the clearance between your front belt and the motor mount- it looks very close to hitting on paper.

The last consideration is the amount of space available. The serp belt system I used is pretty
compact, but I am still within 1"-1.5" (25mm-40mm?) of the frame rail.

On the UK mk1 Neons the Power steering pump is ona pivoted bracket which is used to tension
the V belt that drives the power steering pump and the A/C.
As for clearance of the frame I'm thinking of reusing a belt roller off the serpintine layout to help
clearance around it if possible.

Both Jimbo and my self have wondered about the differences with the crank pullies, so after 4 days
3 pulley pullers and a lot of swearing the 4 pot pulley came off. Then I turned my attentions to the
v6's pulley, 20 fecken minutes and most of that was I was trying to stop the family dog getting in
the way!! Pictures below of the reverse of bothe the V6 is on the right the left is the standard neon.



A sleeve can be put on the Neon's crank pulley to make it fit tightly onto the V6's shaft, apparently
any good machine shop can do this according to my friendly mechanic. The question is how much?

Also as I removed the injector rail the O-rings were in a bad state.
Just bought a kit with the following components:

* 6 Upper Viton O-Rings
* 6 Lower Viton O-Rings
* 6 High Flow Replacement Filters

For £14.00 including postage from the USA thats a lot cheaper than the dealers.

[mitsuru]

The picture of the pulleys
Sorry I should read what I type more closely
But looking after 2 dogs with Kennel cough,
I got a little distracted when they throw up everywhere.
The Neon's is on the right and the V6's is on the left.
My bad!!

[mitsuru]

Oh I now have a dead line 1st of June 2011 for all the Mechanical and welding!!
Why? because dad want's all my car parts out of the garage so he can strip and
weld the back end of his 1997 Landrover discovery for it's MOT test.