Help! Will the 3.8 from the Eclipse, 380, or Outlander engine work in the Pajero

[mitsustigi]

It seems like the engine in my Montero/Pajero is kaput. After a nice long tour of the west coast (of North America), she has returned with a terrible knock and a lifter/tappet noise that gets louder the warmer it gets. My initial thoughts were Oil Pump, but had her towed to a dealership, where they informed me that it sounds like the lower end was done.

Now the problem is that while the Pajero sold in good enough numbers in Australia/South Africa and darn near most other parts in the world, they aren't very common in Canada, and finding a replacement engine is damn near impossible.

With this in mind, I was wondering if anyone knew if the 6G75s from the Eclipse, 380 (Galant) or Outlander could be used instead.

Obviously would need to change over the manifolds, and accessories (A/C compressor, power steering pump, fan/clutch), and ofcourse the waterpump, timing belt, while I'm at it.

But any idea in terms of the output shaft mating up, the bell housing lining up, coolant pipes, fuel rails etc??

Any information would be appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

[gaz1]

There have been successful engine replacements here in Australia using various versions of the 6G engine sourced from the locally made Magna sedan (now out of production). They were discussed in some detail on this forum so a search that includes the word Magna should lead you to those threads.

I think it's possible but (from memory) some/a lot of the Pajero ancillary gear, manifolds etc needs to be transplanted onto the new engine block; I think the heads could stay in situ, but am not certain.

[Pauly Faulkner]

Don't think they get magna's in Canada

Bell housing should line up fine, might have to change sprigot bearing/bush over to suit but other than that icant see why the swap shouldn't work.
I'll see if I can find if the block and crank part numbers line up on those cars you mention in the catalogue.

[mitsustigi]

Thank you gentlemen.

There have been successful engine replacements here in Australia using various versions of the 6G engine sourced from the locally made Magna sedan (now out of production). They were discussed in some detail on this forum so a search that includes the word Magna should lead you to those threads.

I think it's possible but (from memory) some/a lot of the Pajero ancillary gear, manifolds etc needs to be transplanted onto the new engine block; I think the heads could stay in situ, but am not certain.

Gaz, unfortunately Pauly is correct. We never did get the Magna in Canada. About the closest thing we got was the Diamante, but those are even rarer than the Montero, as they only sold them in 2004

Don't think they get magna's in Canada

Bell housing should line up fine, might have to change sprigot bearing/bush over to suit but other than that icant see why the swap shouldn't work.
I'll see if I can find if the block and crank part numbers line up on those cars you mention in the catalogue.

Pauly, your efforts are much appreciated. Not sure if this makes a difference to your search, but in Canada the 2003 Montero came with the 3.8L 6G75 (non-mivec, throttle by wire, 3 cats). I believe that this is similar to the engine in the 2006+ non-mivec Pajeros that were sold in Australia.

Are there other differences in the short blocks of the vehicles mentioned that would make a difference in the long run (e.g. forged cranks in one but not the other?).

[gaz1]

My suggestion was not so much to put a Magna engine into your Pajero (I was well aware that Magna was an Oz-only orphan), rather it was intended to indicate that Mitsubishi 6G series engines are very similar irrespective of whether they come from a Pajero or a normal sedan style vehicle. The sedan crankshafts are usually cast, the Pajeros are forged. But the engines are essentially interchangeable apart from the accessory drives, manifolds etc etc. Perhaps the most difficult issue might be to do with the electronics, depending on the age difference between the two engines.
Gaz