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[hotel21]

Was chatting to a mechanic friend today for the first time in years and we got talking engines, as you do.

He shared a tale of a v6 vectra engined police car that had a replacement engine fitted from a recognised remanufacturer - vega, if memory serves?- and car had a horrendous flat spot before bursting into life. Done all the fault code things, checked vacuum connections, timing setup etc etc all to no avail.

After much buggering about it was found that the crank sensor was physically in the wrong location in the block compared to others examined.

Turns out that the remanufacturer company sourced bare engines/blocks worldwide and seems that some GM v6's like ours are used in the US for stationary engine water pumping duties out in the boonies. They run at a constant set of revs and only have oil and plug etc maintenance as required but need the timing optimised for a constant rev setup rather than in a car, hence alternate timing position.

Apparently

Anyone any knowledge able to confirm or deny??

[05omegav6]

Makes sense The Chevy small block has helped irrigate some of the drier states for at least the last half century

No reason the V6 couldn't do the same job using less fuel

[doz]

Not with V6's but old air cooled VW engines and it was the same firm I think but don't quote me on that. They were advertising new old stock which turned out to be industrial engines. Very flat at the top end of the rev range. 

[symes]

No Surprise about that mate They even used Chrysler Hemi v8's as air raid siren motors during Cold War
And the good old Ford Flathead V8 was used up until 90's to power army Generators

[2woody]

Yes, I think its likely, but only with the Vectra C powered by the "high-feature" engine as manufactured in the USA. This engine has been used for stationary applications.

No, its not likely with the 54-degree engine as fitted to the Omega. They were all made in the UK (Ellesmere Port) - I can't see it being exported and then re-imported for this.

[VXL V6]

Well those ones over the pond also used V8's to power some of their air raid sirens many moons ago..... According to Robbie Coltrane's 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'.

[symes]

mate got ex-surplus flathead and put it in his 32 ford pick up 

[Kevin Wood]

If you wanted to change the timing wouldn't you just re-map the ECU rather than cast a different block? That aspect of the story sounds fishy to me. There must have been a different reason for relocating it IMHO.

It also strikes me as a bit of a "fussy" and expensive engine for that sort of role. A 24 valve engine is wasted in a constant speed application after all, so why not halve the number of moving parts and use a 2 valve per cylinder pushrod lump? Something like one of the old iron yank pushrod V6/V8s I can understand, as they are becoming unviable for new cars, making way for higher tech engines yet production costs must have become very low due to the volumes produced.

[Andy B]

Well those ones over the pond also used V8's to power some of their air raid sirens many moons ago..... According to Robbie Coltrane's 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'.

I remember that episode. Check oil, chuck some fuel down the carb & start it. 

[VXL V6]

Well those ones over the pond also used V8's to power some of their air raid sirens many moons ago..... According to Robbie Coltrane's 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'.

I remember that episode. Check oil, chuck some fuel down the carb & start it. 

I think they ran them on propane. the chap just bolted on a carb, fed some fuel in and connected up a battery... hadn't been started in over 30 years IIRC.

[symes]

Well those ones over the pond also used V8's to power some of their air raid sirens many moons ago..... According to Robbie Coltrane's 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'.

I remember that episode. Check oil, chuck some fuel down the carb & start it. 

I think they ran them on propane. the chap just bolted on a carb, fed some fuel in and connected up a battery... hadn't been started in over 30 years IIRC.

As said earlier-Chrysler hemi-one tough engine-Every drag racers favourite engine

[VXL V6]

Well those ones over the pond also used V8's to power some of their air raid sirens many moons ago..... According to Robbie Coltrane's 'Trains, Planes and Automobiles'.

I remember that episode. Check oil, chuck some fuel down the carb & start it. 

I think they ran them on propane. the chap just bolted on a carb, fed some fuel in and connected up a battery... hadn't been started in over 30 years IIRC.

As said earlier-Chrysler hemi-one tough engine-Every drag racers favourite engine

Just spotted you posted the same before me! I must have been typing at the time!

[ted_one]

That guy was Don Garlits at his drag racing museum in Ocala Florida,been there a few times

[symes]

That guy was Don Garlits at his drag racing museum in Ocala Florida,been there a few times

Wasnt he the first rear engined rail driver -Swamp rat ??

[the alarming man]

was it not swamp rat that took part of his foot off?