I just had to have the RACQ round to jump start my car. The battery had gone flat while I was away on holiday (left the back door ajar...).

We got to talking as you do and when I told him how much I liked my car he started to tell me that in his opinion:
The motors are great
That it's good to get a manual
That "you couldn't go wrong" buying a low Km v6
That the four-bangers are c94p (sorry)
That he liked the v6 manual that he owns (!!)

In general he seems to think that they are a great car and told me that if i look after it I will get plenty of life out of it.

So there you go, one out of one RACQ mechanics rate 2nd gen magnas!!! :D :P

i to quite like the v6 manual

I think everyone who owns a four cylinder fagna knows that it's a **** engine, seriously :bowrofl:

RACQ mobile mechanics are usually missing a few screws from what I've seen... but I guess its good to have him compliment your aging vehicle perhaps?

I think everyone who owns a four cylinder fagna knows that it's a **** engine, seriously :bowrofl:

yerp...hit the nail on the head there lucifer...lol

yeah 4cyl aint great but neither are the V6.

No offence intended to us new and old magna lovers. Its the only car I could afford at the time, it did the job.


I have lubemobile come out and he said the engine designs are rubbish, from the old sigma days, however they are farely cheap to fix cause of spare parts and for a p-plater very solid.

Im off my p's so time for something new


Theres nothing like being asked "is that your mothers car?" ahahahah

Got the same review on 2nd Gens from the RAA mechanic, except we got on the topic of the 4-cylinders. Clearly we're the only few who actually enjoy driving the Astron. lol

Theres nothing like being asked "is that your mothers car?" ahahahah

For some strange reason i don't get asked that anymore....
I dont call mine a V6. I just call it the oil well

Got the same review on 2nd Gens from the RAA mechanic, except we got on the topic of the 4-cylinders. Clearly we're the only few who actually enjoy driving the Astron. lol


clearly lol...

Indeed. Never had any problems with it either... they get a bad rep for performance or am I just lucky to have one that doesn't break down frequently? *searches AMC* lol

I actually don't think the astrons are too bad. I had a 2 litre in my old Sigma, and I ran the 2.6 in the old TR for 9 years behind and auto box. Both extremely reliable, and the TR has been the most durable car I've ever owned

It's just that when you get to 200k and the chains start rattling and the valve seals start leaking it kind of kills your pride in ownership, you know? They should have given the 2.6 a belt instead of a chain and the cars would have enjoyed a better reputation.

Yeah i dont mind the Astrons either. I just wish the engine wasnt more noisy then the exhaust. Only thing stopping me from doing some mods to the car.

The v6's are crap just to many issues with them in Magnas and Pajeros as they get old and they cost way to much to fix.I had a few Magnas with 2.6's which all of them have done around 240.000 km's with no problems and the NH Pajero that I own is a 2.6 with 220.00km's up and still going good.

The v6's are crap just to many issues with them in Magnas and Pajeros as they get old and they cost way to much to fix.I had a few Magnas with 2.6's which all of them have done around 240.000 km's with no problems and the NH Pajero that I own is a 2.6 with 220.00km's up and still going good.

Actually they had about as many issues with them as the 4cyl's, cept they didnt get the timing chain rattle.

And i like having the extra 20kw

dunno where you get that the v6 is worse than astron from, every astron ive seen is a hunk of crap, my v6 has been fine and havent heard of a heap of issues from any other v6 owners

I think everyone who owns a four cylinder fagna knows that it's a **** engine, seriously :bowrofl:

RACQ mobile mechanics are usually missing a few screws from what I've seen... but I guess its good to have him compliment your aging vehicle perhaps?

hey some of us like to dream :doubt:

u aint coming to my party no more :snooty:

haven't had any issues with my astron - and its a carby!
Just because there were some problems with a certain engine...i look after my car and it shows - only ever had minor break downs such as hoses and an electrical fault. I'm at 122,000, no rattle from the chains and there is no sign of any engine wear.

My TS V6 has been in family for 9 years and in that time has had 2 distributor caps...
thats it
Only problem with it is it is starting to blow smoke when it is sitting idling but during driving it seems ok for now. Its done 207000kms
I only run bp visco 5000 oil ie synthetic in it

Maybe someone passionate (see "insane") about their Astrons should do the first belt drive conversion and eliminate the chain problem altogether :badgrin: That is, if it's even possible. Maybe someone with a bit of cash, a lot of time and a real fondness for the 4 could. Basically rules out all of us. lol

That said, the Astron isn't a bad motor. I tend to hear a lot of good reviews about it apart from the chain, but that's included in the 200,000km service which means you tend to get a lot of mileage between changes. It's not bad for power either. Pulling a 1400kg sedan may not leave much extra power aside, but the engine itself does well.

Still no 6G72 DOHC 24v though.

I have a KS V6 and TP 4cyl. For power and economy, the TP 4cyl wins HANDS DOWN here. For reliability, they're both a bit ordinary.. giving the 4cyl some credit tho as it sat for 3 years and its been only cooling system failures due to perished rubber.. the engine is just far smoother, torquier and efficient than my V6. Maybe I snagged a good 4cyl and a rubbish
V6. lol. Even compensating the timing chain and cooling hassles I still prefer the Astron over the V6 12valve ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. The KS handling however, is far superior though (not power), especially on the highway.. so smooth and a pleasure to drive, but thats mainly due to the fact I cant get up enough power to drive it to the point where the handling cant keep up.

The 3rd gen 6G72/6G74 24valve however.. (3.0 or 3.5) different story, gotta love those motors.

I've done tens of thousands of KM in 2nd gens both 3.0L and 2.6L

and for what its worth the 2.6 isn't far off the 3.0L at all, there is so little separating the 2 in a drag, and the factory road tests i have seen show the same thing, the 3.0L is a nicer smoother engine though with a nice deep note

2nd gens are awesome they have the best interior for a local sedan at the time vs what else was on offer from ford holden and toyota...

I like my 3.0 much better than my old 2.6. Powerful, smooth, better fuel economy and no rattles. ( I admit the v6 is a manual and the 2.6 is an auto though)

I've done tens of thousands of KM in 2nd gens both 3.0L and 2.6L

and for what its worth the 2.6 isn't far off the 3.0L at all, there is so little separating the 2 in a drag, and the factory road tests i have seen show the same thing, the 3.0L is a nicer smoother engine though with a nice deep note

2nd gens are awesome they have the best interior for a local sedan at the time vs what else was on offer from ford holden and toyota...

Beah, sick interior :)
Shamous69 - Sounds like you did get a dud v6 cause they have alot more of everything over the asstron

I think everyone who owns a four cylinder fagna knows that it's a **** engine, seriously :bowrofl:
Well lol........for a four banger its actually quite a mover for a NA stock engine, being basically as big as a 4-cyl comes. There is the black hole factor about them though. Our mechanic likes them though too, he reckons for their age if maintained, they are one of the best cars on the road for their time and price, and tbh I quite agree.


']For some strange reason i don't get asked that anymore....
Really? I can't work that out either.

I have TS V6 and its only had 2 dissy caps in 9 years
Bloody reliable

No, you don't wanna change the chains over to belts. Belts break very easily, chains rarely do.

Really, the only problem is the automatic chain adjuster doesn't. Fix that, and you'll make the Astron a rather sweet motor.

Really, the only problem is the automatic chain adjuster doesn't. Fix that, and you'll make the Astron a rather sweet motor.

I assume this isn't the simplest fix for the faint of heart, but if really that's the only issue... i'm rather fond of the Astron and will do anything to keep my 4-cyl on the road. I don't know if I got lucky with a good motor or what, but this has the best acceleration of any car we've ever driven, even in comparison against the old V6 Holden. In the words of my Dad... "it did 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds" lol

I'm going to go against the general grain of this and restate that i LOATHE the 4cyl. has nothing at all in terms of smoothness and the time it takes to get to 100 from 80 is just shocking. I'm sure the V6 has alot more to offer in terms of power and fuel economy with which i am severely disgusted by the 4cyl thirst.

Looking to upgrade to even a SOHC whilst I save for a DOHC or other car sometime in the future.

I'd have to both agree and disagree about the 4 cyl astrons... the 2.6's aint bad engines - IF they are well maintained.

If you are like 95% of all first gen owners on the road who lets the end seal perish to nothing, lets the thermostat completely fail, leaves dead oxy sensors and broken chain guides in the engine - then of course there are going to be problems. Of course I haven't even mentioned the fact that the earlier engine heads were prone to warpage and going soft, causing failed head gaskets - plus the valve stem seals on all the first gens tend to not last all that long.

If you are aware of these issues and address them before they become a significant problem, the engine will be great! Of course compared to a V6 it won't run as smoothly in many cases, due to the fact that well... it's a very, very old engine, that has been around since before the sigmas (it was used in diesel trucks before then). Really, I see it as a credit to the design of the engine that it can outlast many older car engines - and has even gone from diesel, to carby all the way to sequential fuel injection - using the same or similar block. It's not bad! I saw one of these engines at the wreckers the other day that had 963,000km on the clock! And guess what the cause of failure was to it? A split bypass hose that had seized the engine from lack of cooling.

V6 was a natural evolution from the 4 cyl Astron, and really was necessary. The Astron had a bad name from the continual engine problems stemming from primarily failed end seals causing engine seizure from oil leakage. Other causes for the demise, extremely rough idle in them (excluding manual though), hopeless fuel economy (poor sensor design and afterthought ECU), and just generally poor design from Mitsubishi, who obviously weren't all that interested in the 4 cylinder version.

The V6, it has advantages and disadvantages. You have the potential for better economy due to more modern design, better performance from them (although not necessarily more low-down torque), and the big seller on it - the smoothness of it.

I have a brand new second gen block, head, cam and injectors in mine, and I must say that they have an incredible amount of torque for such an old engine. This may just be from the fact it's got a low compression ratio on it (which improves torque) or as a byproduct of its diesel days. Either way, they get up and go quite well. They also run very quietly if they are looked after. Mine runs silky smooth while moving, and gets a really healthy roar when you want it to move, and in many cases, it does shock some other drivers around when you put your foot down and the car goes - all without blue smoke! You do have the advantages with these engines too that parts are a dime a dozen, everybody knows what parts of them cause problems, and the engine is incredibly simple to work on compared to a V6. Also makes for a potent sleeper as nobody suspects the old boxy thing with paint and rust patches on it :D

Well put Dave. The state of your engine sounds a lot like mine does, runs smooth, plenty of torque and gives a healthy roar when you put your foot down. Likewise ours has has probably done a fair few k's, according to the vehicle & service history it's clocked over, although I can't officially confirm it, and all that really needed done was the valve stem seals and a new timing chain. I really do enjoy driving the 4-cyl. I'm not boycotting the V6, I do agree it's a brilliant engine (and it's very tempting to find one at the wreckers) but otherwise a well maintained Astron is a brilliant engine that's very capable, otherwise let down by their history.

That said, updated my sig. :P

I'll agree with you gents on the amount of torque output. The Astron II does get 1400kgs moving very easily, however, it's the power that it lacks for overtaking that really gets to me. As Dave has said, IF maintenance is kept up on them, they have the potential to be excellent engines. Sadly, the fact that once you miss a service or maintenance session, things start to go into a rapid decline. I'm sure that, because of the newer engine design of the V6, there would be far less problems and probably much less maintenance needed to keep it running smoothly.

Whilst on topic- I was speaking to someone the other day about this. If the Astron II bolts from a 2nd gen to a 1st gen, doesn't that mean that the 2nd gen V6 could fit into a 1st gen with the same modifications as it would need for a Astron to V6 Conversion in a 2nd gen?

Whilst on topic- I was speaking to someone the other day about this. If the Astron II bolts from a 2nd gen to a 1st gen, doesn't that mean that the 2nd gen V6 could fit into a 1st gen with the same modifications as it would need for a Astron to V6 Conversion in a 2nd gen?

That's an interesting one. Theoretical answer is yes, even the NZ first gens (named V3000) used an early model 6G72 made in 1987, as pictured here:

http://magna.trynsave.net/images/a/aa/V3000eng1.jpg

I'm not sure if they're mechanically compatible but if it can take an Astron II, why not a V6 apart from maybe space constraints? Only thing I can think you may want to do is go for an earlier SOHC 6G72 rather than a big DOHC model, and then while it's out replace the trans with a stronger model, perhaps a first or second gen Manual.

I was thinking about this just earlier today and wondered "why hasn't anyone tried it?", funny you should bring it up. Only real way to know for certain is to give it a test run in a project car.

That's an interesting one. Theoretical answer is yes, even the NZ first gens (named V3000) used an early model 6G72 made in 1987, as pictured here:

http://magna.trynsave.net/images/a/aa/V3000eng1.jpg

I'm not sure if they're mechanically compatible but if it can take an Astron II, why not a V6 apart from maybe space constraints? Only thing I can think you may want to do is go for an earlier SOHC 6G72 rather than a big DOHC model, and then while it's out replace the trans with a stronger model, perhaps a first or second gen Manual.

I was thinking about this just earlier today and wondered "why hasn't anyone tried it?", funny you should bring it up. Only real way to know for certain is to give it a test run in a project car.
Lack of suitable cars, to provide the control. The V3000 is the narrower Sigma body, so it'll fit widthwise with ease, but running it is the difficulty.

Ok, well while we're on engines... I have a concept question of my own. According to Wikipedia the 4G54 Astron engine was used in the Mazda B2600 with a Mazda 12v head. What are the odds of being able to swap the SOHC 12v head onto a Magna Astron?

Major downfall I can see is maybe the ECI Multi in terms of compatibility, and in terms of performance the shape of the combustion chamber. Not a problem on first gens, but on second gens the engines used those kidney-shape chambers.

That said if you had a Carby TP, then maybe this would work. Or not. Tell me what you think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Astron_engine#Carburetor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_B-Series_%28International%29#1985

That said i'm not thinking of trying it. Just making that clear, doesn't look like it'll boost horsepower much anyway if at all, but curiosity still makes me wonder if it'll fit or not.

Ok, well while we're on engines... I have a concept question of my own. According to Wikipedia the 4G54 Astron engine was used in the Mazda B2600 with a Mazda 12v head. What are the odds of being able to swap the SOHC 12v head onto a Magna Astron?

None. Not a chance. Compare head gaskets, they're totally different.

Ah well, that's what I get for posting a crazy idea at 3 in the morning. I suppose it could still be done if you took the entire engine over, but that would be just pointless and there's always a possibility the flywheel wouldn't match up, etc.

It's really not worth it, you lose a whole heap of niceties, like SMPFI, and the motor is rear wheel drive.