Renault engine-gearbox bolt pattern compatibility

fatigatti

New member
Tadpole
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Messages
1
Location
Argentina
G'day,

I'm Javier, the proud owner of an old R21 in Argentina but currently living in Australia for a year. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to introduce myself elsewhere but I guess it's fine to at least mention this basic details here.

The idea of an engine swap for the R21 is something I had in mind for some time now. There's not much information about this (or at least I couldn't find it easily) but some of the folks here seem to have done swaps on other Renaults and have detailed info. This car came with a J7R engine (2.2L, basically a carburetor version of the J7T) and a NG9 gearbox, longitudinally arranged (north-south). I intend to keep the gearbox if possible, since that means I don't have to mess with driveshafts and the like, and it should handle the amount of power I'm planning with no problems. What I'd like to put on is a more modern engine, reliable for a daily driver. My first thoughts were the K4M (roughly the same power as the J7R, probably a little bit cheaper to run, plenty of parts/knowledge in Argentina) or the F4R (more power, still common enough) but I'm open to any kind of reasonable engine, even non-Renaults (I've seen people attaching many different engines to the NG3 gearbox in Lotus forums).

Does anyone know what engines could I mate to the NG9 without much hassle? Having drawings or CAD designs of the bolt patterns would be awesome, but even a simple "use the bellhousing from this, engines X and Y share the bolt pattern" is very much appreciated. From what I read on a thread here the "C" engine (R12) and the K4M seem to share the bolt pattern, for instance, but I couldn't find anything regarding the NG gearbox.

Many thanks in advance,

Javier
 
Why not just do a j7T?
it is simpler hence more reliable than a more modern motor, and I’d say would be a bolt on job.
would have more low end torque than a 16v VVT.
 
Why not just do a j7T?
it is simpler hence more reliable than a more modern motor, and I’d say would be a bolt on job.
would have more low end torque than a 16v VVT.
This. Converting to injection would get you the economy gains. You’d need a donor car though as you’d probably have to swap in the whole wiring system.

But I doubt any engine swap would be economic - the gains you’d get far outweighed by the cost and effort! Just buy a newer car if economy is your goal.
 
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