What 308 for WB?

[WB Tonner]

Hi Guys & Girls,

Been searching the interwebs and have just confused myself even more, hoping you can help.

Have an 81 WB Tonner (hence the username), and am looking to put a 308 in it. Currently it has a blue 253.

Can anyone shed some info on what series motor I will need? I was under the impression that it has to be at least the age of the car or newer? ie 81 or newer?

Ive been seeing WBs with red 308s, is that legal in NSW?

I also think there is something about emissions? like if I run a VN block it has to be of VN emissions level or is it still the WB emissions?

The blue 308 seems rather rare to find to me.

[HK1837]

Any blue or black carbied 308 or 304 will do you (VC/WB through to VL). Easiest to find will be about 11/81 onwards as all carbied 308's and 304's after that are 4spd blocks. Most earlier ones (2/80 through to 11/81) are TH pattern. You'll probably get away with a late red 308 too (ie HX, HZ, late LX or VB), but again many of these are TH pattern.

Here's a VL 304. You'll just neeed your WB 253 sump, pickup, exhaust manifolds and engine mount adapters. Plus the flywheel, clutch etc.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Holden-30...item35bed17f54


If you use a VN engine you have to run VN EFI etc in NSW. The only problem with a VL engine is by the letter of the law you need to run catalytic converters and a ULP filler neck. But no-one will really know, when you get a blue slip they probably won't even know. Just tell them it is a 308 from a 1984 VK. The rest of the pollution stuff is the same as what is on a WB.

[WB Tonner]

Wow, great find, I scour ebay for hours and cant find a thing... Thanks for the info and the link, definately investigating that one further.

[agr071]

What about VN injection on a HX,HZ or WB block?

[HK1837]

Nope, that only works on pre ADR27A vehicles.

[agr071]

Nope, that only works on pre ADR27A vehicles.

Why???

[HK1837]

Why???

In NSW you must comply with the pollution requirements off the engine or the car, whichever is the newest. So if you use a HX or HZ block you must comply with the requirements of 1976-1979 ie ADR27A. Without a lot of expensive testing you cannot achieve this with the top end of an EFI engine on an ADR27A 308. However if you use the whole EFI engine it is easy, other than having to fit cats and a ULP filler neck. Earlier cars ie HQ and HJ are easy as you can use whatever carby you like on these, just need a canister on 1975 on HJ's, thus you can simply stick the EFI top end on the earlier block and you are sweet.

This is all letter of the law stuff though, in most cases you'll get away with stuff as Buck says. What Buck is sayng is fine for early WB's as these are ADR27A only, but the later cars are ADR27B and C and further so you can't legally do it, not easily anyway.

--- Updated ---

Here is anothr bue 308 with 4spd pattern. It says it has HQ heads, but manifold is pollution so not sure what is going on. Has HEI dizzy too. If it is a blue block with HQ heads you can still leave it as is, just have to get a KC castings inlet and bolt on, or get a blue motor one and drill 2 x holes for the middle bolts on the heads.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/308-Holde...item43b2638e1e

[buck]

I have just reged my wb in vic, it has an RPM rebuilt motor in it painted blue, i checked the date code and found it is an early HZ block, no problems when roadworthy , even informed vic roads of engine no. change, and no problems at all with an older engine in the wb as long as all the correct pollution control for the year of the car is there, and working.

[playwme]

Wouldn't have thought it'd be too hard to find a Blue motor. I've got one in my Sandman at the moment that got pulled from a VH. If you can find a late 77 date coded QT 308 I'll swap ya.

[pj350]

have these 308 pollution heads part number 9936122 big valve ...only 1 has the x ..what im wanting to know is from the factory did both heads get the x or was it only 1...both off the same motor