Have bit of a update on my conversion,OK got my CRS kit and found that the RB30 to Trimatic Kit is for a "V8" Trimatic only so wont fit my 6cyl one.
It did look like a nice kit, straight forward bolt up with small mod's to the factory rb30 spacer plate starter holes.
Kit had quite good instructions,the adapter plate is around 25mm thick and the kit also has a seperate plate to adapt the original Trimatic converter to the RB30 flexplate,comes with bolts to join motor and box (less starter bolts) and has a knock-in spigot/crankshaft adapter for converter location.
The new 2008 LH/LX/UC engine mounts sat the motor around 25-35mm further forward than the old (LC/LJ) CRS mounts,also the engine sits around 10mm higher (for better sump clearance)
One of the mount's (drivers side) was made at the wrong angle (rubber eng mount not square with X-member ) this put a lot of pre-load on the engine mount rubber and would most likley cause premature eng mount failure.
I sat the eng in anyway, with the 08 mounts installed,just for a test fit ,the eng (stock RB30 Turbo) all fitted without mods to the heater box or firewall,the bonnet (UC) closed over plenum OK even with the extra lift from the new mounts.
Moving the eng forward (08 mounts) left restricted space for thermo fans,i have a 3 core radiator and cut down BA/AU thermo fans,the eng did fit, but only left around 3-4mm clearance from the balancer to the fan shroud (air con pulley removed from front of balancer).
OK moving on to the only bit i will be keeping, the CRS reverse sump, it is quite well made and has a different "belly" from the standard RB30 sump so its not just a RB sump reversed.
The sump has got reasonable baffels inside,(as well as a heeeaaaps of debris/bits of metal that took ages to clean out ,LOL) comes with reverse oil pick-up,but one of the pick-up bolts wont go in without mod's to the pick-up.
The oil pick-up would go in without mods, if i just shortened one of the bolts, but this would only leave about 3 turns of thread in the block holding the pick-up on
Also the oil dipstick tube needs to be removed from the block and placed in the factory rear dipstick tube hole (after knocking out the metal bung)
Sump seems to fit well in the car with enough clearance using both old and the new 08 mounts ,it does not hang to low compared to the X-member and the drain plug is easy to get to, the only downside is restricted room to get the converter bolts in, but i think it will be fine with decent tools.(mmm, maybe i should get some then ?,he-he)
Just so i could work things out, i got hold of some (2nd hand) old original CRS RB30-TORANA mounts, except for the fact that the heater fan shroud would need mods,and now i have seen both old and new mounts, i actually prefer the way the engine sits in the bay on the old mounts,lower and further back,this is good for centre of gravity (prob not much difference i know) but it just looks better to me.
The lower engine mounts also allows a bit more room for intake pipe etc and more maximum bonnet clearance for big high mount turbo (especially good now i have a GT4294R to get in there
)
I have been in touch with CRS and they will now list the Trimatic - RB30 as "V8" Trimatic only to avoid any future confusion.
Also the sump pick-up bolt problem will be looked at.
Apparently any Future engine mounts will be better and not twist the rubber (all it needed is one more bend in manufacture),they did actually ask if they could send someone around to trial fit the new (straighter) 08 mounts in my car to make 100% sure they are correct, i said sure, as hope this will save drama's for others.
CRS do seem genuine in all efforts to fix all this,hope they do.
Sorry for the long post, i wanted to share all this info,mainly cos it really could have helped me when i started my conversion.
cheers,
MT
