OM606 Conversion,Results an Experiences.

[Alan]

Interesting - so now your hoses will all have to change and what about cowl. Fan not "centralized " as well as it should be too.

Peter, actually everything is as it was designed. The hosed did not move and the cowl attaches to the rear of the Radiator. All that happened is that the body is raised but all the mechanicals remained.
All cables are long enough and the only thing I had to improvise was the recirculation pump for the heater for which I changed the mounting slightly.

 

[Alan]

So the last piece of the complete conversion has arrived. A used transfer case from Germany. Don't ask.
This will shift my rev range down so I should be getting better fuel consumption and longer legs. I was doing 3000rpm @ 100km/h in 6th gear. Old TC with ratio 1.05:1
With the new TC with ratio 0.8 this should drop to 2250rpm @ 100km/h in 6th gear. If that turns out too low I can reduce the tyre size again. Currently running 235/85's.
If I go back to 245/75's it will again go up to about 2400rmp@100km/h.
Let's see how she performs.

 

[Arnold Ross]

Strongs Alan!

You will NEVER be able to sell that car for what you have put into it! So you will have to drive it to the end of days!

Enjoy!

Regards,

Arnold

 

[Alan]

 

[Pete460332]

What did import duites etc come to % wise

 

[Alan]

20% import duty + 14% Vat + clearance fee. This was probably half the cost of the conversion itself.

 

[Antony]

"A vehicle’s worth is not what you put into it, but what it put into you." Quote courtesy of VANdiana Jones on Expeditionportal.com.

Well done Alan, I'm looking forward to taking a closer look soon.

Antony.

 

[Alan]

Thanks, Antony.
It is one of the advantages of a 463. The other of course being permanent 4 wheel drive useable on tar in low range. Very handy when towing and having to manouver the trailer.

 

[Alan]

That's the way , aha aha I like it.....aha aha ......
Now the G is what I hoped for. The new TC is in and what a difference. With the old one I had to change virtually immediately after pulling away and then evrey couple meters. Now she pulls of and there is no haste to change gears, its more like a car. If I push it she pulls nicely.
Water temps are perfect.
Now at 120km/h she is @ 3000rpm as calculated. What a pleasure. 140 @ 3500rpm but I have to watch EGT's as they can get out of hand.

 

[Dawie Louw]

Well done! It is always nice when "a plan comes together". Enjoy the relaxed cruising ability.

 

[Heinie]

Allan, I see the fuel tank is still almost full - keep on driving now. Enjoy my friend. Nice vehicle.

 

[Antony]

Alan, it sounds like it's almost perfect now. Are we seeing you at Theo's farm?

I hope you have many happy kilometers in her.

 

[Alan]

I think she is where she is supposed to be.
Unfortunately I have two family birthdays this weekend.

 

[Andrew]

Well done bro. Sounds like a keeper.

 

[Dawie Louw]

My original 1989 230GE with standard issue 5-speed gearbox and 205R16/65 tyres does 3500 rpm at 120Kph indicated and 3000rpm at 100kph. It does 3500rpm in fourth at 100kph.

 

[Antony]

Nice cruising gears Dawie. What diffs do you have? 4.88. It makes quite a big differnence, lower diff ratios = better cruising but you lose some of your low end torque. Higher diff ratios make for much better torque but your cruising speed is reduced. Some interesting calculato s on the web let you play around with the ratios and see the effect of changing type size or diff ratios

 

[Dawie Louw]

I will have to look what diffs, I can't remember (oldsheimers is an ugly thing). Probably the longer legged 4.88 ratio. All I know is that since I overhauled the engine it is a changed vehcile, pulls nicely and temperature stays in one place. Provided I change down soon enough, I keep up with the fast lane on the Ben Schoeman between Jo'burg and Pet O'ria. OK, perhaps not on all hills, and with only a light load on board.

 

[Alan]

Usually on a 1:1 gear you will find that you should be doing about 100 @3000rpm. ie. yours is standard & good. Of course you could change tyres but it will affect the driveability.
One has to find the smooth spot and I think I found it now. Was ready to go down in a tyre size but that won't be necessary.

 

[Pete460332]

THat was a quick change! How many man-hours to change transfer box?

 

[Alan]

Did it over three days. Day one diconnected the propshafts. Day two removed TC brackets and dropped TC. Day three changed shifter and fitted difflock indicator and fitted TC and Propshafts.
All in all about 9hr.