MY BLOODY annoying long m90 MOD STORY


1996 Tickford Enhanced Fairmont Ghia.

Tickford Stuff: Upgraded head, Suspension, Revised automatic, Body Kit, trans cooler, etc etc - Dream to drive. Genies and a 2 1/2 exhaust give a good note.

Mont Ghia goodies: Leather, climate, cruise, Double din stereo, factory amp sub and 6 disc player (which is a great unit - often overlooked) etc


Bought for the wife in 2000.
Took it off her in 2001 so she could have a 4x4.
Previously owned by Shell Oil company CEO.
Had 80,000km's.

Spent 4 years thinking what if i did some turbo or blower mods. Not many options available at that time. Nothing bolt on like today. (I sound like an old f@rt ). Decided I didn't want big top end power as it's rougher on internals. So ruled out turbo.
Something that delivered POWER right through the rev range.
Had to be positive displacement. Rang around and decided on Eaton m90.
Took it off the road in 2004 as I had a company car.

IT SPENT OVER 3 YEARS IN THE MECHANICS!!!


M90 shares bolts with the exhaust manifold and has brackets to top of engine mount. Was a bugger to fit but makes it easy to stuff around with it.
Got stronger internals (just in case). Rising rate reg, Bosch fuel pump, Injected LPG, Bigger fuel injectors, Decompression plate, etc

Put on dyno - made 126rwkw on LPG and only 124rwkw on petrol then chiptorque j3(?) chip added only 10 rwkw to both? WTH? 11psi of boost and such a low number?. After weeks of trying to find gremlins. Found out accelerator cable wasn't adjusted and wasn't giving WOT which ecu needs to learn a tune. Went back with this fixed and got 165rwkw on LPG. Dropped off the exhaust at cat and made no difference. Heat a possible issue.


Been driving it daily since 2008 and done the following: Removed decompression plate, added wade camshaft 977b (tweaked for m90) and did mild head work (this dropped boost to 6 psi but improved performance in ALL areas).
Then added 2500 stall converter, AIS boot mounted water/methanol inj, Lsd rebuild, Pacemaker ceramic extractors to keep heat out of engine bay, heat shielding, and tape wrap (works a treat! Heat is NOT an issue now), and a shift kit. Also new speakers. (also tried a 3" exhaust! What a mistake - F@#'N LOUD and DRRROOOONNY! Also did nothing on the dyno, so p****d it off after 4 whole days and lost heaps of$$$!

Cleaned it up a bit too since those pics.

Got a bigger tb to go on and needs a tune before next dyno run but not expecting much more.

She drives the way I (and I do say I) like. Cheap lpg, sleeper - Very, very slight whine/whistle. Very very slight lump at idle. I don't hoon or the like the attention it brings, but just knowing you have power if you want it is nice.
Pop the bonnet and watch people do a double take!
VERY even acceleration - from 850 rpm's all the way up! Just HEAPS of it!!! Fry tyres? - YUP! Beat a vx Commy while I'm towing a trailer? YUP! Beat a WRX? - YUP! Surprise all comers at the lights? YUP -so far! Overtake highly annoying people who speed up during passing opportunities on the open road when you have a 16' fizz boat full of camping gear on the back? YEP! Just remember to use half throttle on initial take off for traction, unless you actually want to frighten and blind your opponent in a cloud of burning tire smoke. Can scare yourself at times!

Future plans are ...... Dunno!? I reckon this setups maxed out. (I do have a spare m90 which I was going to port and swap but, cant be bothered, and it probably wont do much, if anything.

Still drives beautifully but kinda bored after 12 years.


Would I do it again ... Yes! On paper you will never ever get even a fraction of your money back, and the end result can be a bit anti climatic ... one day it's all done, now what?

.but hey it's about the journey. The bloody knuckles, wasted money, huge amounts of time spent researching, and lots of cursing!
But IT'S A RIGHT OF PASSAGE!! YOU MUST MODIFY AND ANSWER THE: WHAT IF I...???

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Crazy man, what a great story and a great car!