Yes i used the search function.. keeps saying im not allowed to use that page or whatever. useless. I can never find topics regarding what i need..

Um ok my engine is weak sauce. Gets me around, but i want something a lil more powerful. I have the 92 (dont know the model #) GXE 160hp SOHC with just under 135k miles. runs great, spark plug wires replaced, NGK plugs, and thats about it... Im looking to sell it.

Im also looking into a newer engine. Whats hot swappable? hardly anything? if so, what can fit in my engine compartment with custom work? i really dont care if it required a front chassis re-design. I can do it, im an engineer. But i dont know much about cars.. not my bag. Id like something that pushes near 200. But if i can get a turbo model in there, an old 300zx engine maybe?

frankly im just guessing in the dark, i dont know what engine types can possibly fit under the hood...
But if anyone has a list, or a site with EASY TO FIND ANSWERS, or some engines off the top of your head, id be thankful.
Theres no way to put a twin turbo unit in my car is there? I take a look and try to imagine any extra equipment in there and cant imagine it...

Any/all feedback would be appreciated.. thanks alot.

 

Forums are up for ONE day. With custom work, anything is possible.

 

5spd swap with a Z31 turbo motor is probably your best bet if you're going for a swap, but like jeff said, anything is possible with custom work, it just depends on how much you want to spend.

and i'd like to congratulate you on being quite possibly the MOST intelligent newb with this comment:
and no, i'm not being sarcastic.

 

Thanks man. Noob i may be, but not completely..
noob here.. not in other forums. Umm.. being mechanically inclined helps me wonder if thinks would work or not. ive seen the noobs post threads asking if they can get stock car engines in their S10 and Sentras and whatever else.. rediculousness. My questions are (to the best of my ability) based on facts and real-life possibility. Um.. So what exactly is the Z31 turbo motor? a nissan eng with 1 turbo on it? Is that the 300z eng? or 240sx or something? since you said turbo motor i get the impression you were not just referring to the turbo itself..
all in the wording.

5spd swap? Manual 5spd right? that year car didnt have an Auto except on the GXE model right? mines a 4spd auto i think. I learned on an Auto... dunno if i could learn a manual fast enough. i like the low gear ratios.. almost drives like a manual to me..

If i go with this particular engine for my swap, would i have to change out the trans? or can it somehow be compatible with the one i have? I just need to know whats required. I dont know if you are suggesting the 5spd swap to take better advantage of the added power, or if its mandatory for that engine.

let me know, and thanks alot for the feedback.

I have about a 10k budget for engine, body, paint, and audio. i got everything but the engine hammered out..

~TheMostIntelligentNoObHere

 

May i also comment on your awesome max..

Looks very much like how i envisioned mine to be when im done with it.. black rims or close to it.. dark graphite type paint, maybe with a gradient.. and mebbe the SE spoiler... simple.

 

um as fare as keeping the auto trans youd need a performance rebiuld if you want it to take the power reliably and expect between 2500 and 3500$ for that so if i were you id learn how to drive a stick plus it makes the the car alot faster and more importantly makes the driving experence alot more pleasurful

yes the z31 turbo motor is a VG30ET out of a mid to late 80's 300zx

 

Excellent. So im lookin for a VG30ET engine. Crate? how much does that sucker cost in a crate? does anyone still stock those new? or are they kinda hard to find? What id like to do.. since my budget permits, is do what ive been advised to do in the past.. (and i believe what you just said about he performance rebuild, hopefully that wasnt referring to my chassis..) to buy the barebone engine, and add brand-name performance parts as needed. kind of like building your own PC, you choose all the components yourself. You think that might cost more than the crate engine? im pretty sure i can fine a barebone VG30ET somewhere.

Umm. So im looking at a new Trans and all related parts.. the engine and all related parts.. upgrades, and labor? fortunately i have a buddy who is a longshoreman, his garage is an autoshop, i can make use of his garage.. I know a friend who would gladly help me work on my ride..

Any brand suggestions for Trans and Engine internals? Since i'll be pretty much starting from scratch with each piece. I'll probably end up getting a somewhat refurbished trans.

Never built an engine before... a whole lot more to it than a PC.. If there are any websites out there on engine components, maybe on that particular engine, i would really appreciate a link or just a site i can browse around.. thanks alot.
~J

 

Man there goes my paintjob and audio... oh well i can live..

 

Okedoke.. heres a page i found listing some quotes on Engines and Transmissions. I should be after the 300ZX Turbo, the one that is on sale?

And the 300ZX 5spd transmission to match? or the Maxima 5spd?

http://www.asapmotors.com/Nissan.html

 

maxima 5-speed (since the 300zx is a RWD car), you will probably want to upgrade the clutch.

If you are going with the VG30ET, you might want to check out the Z31 forums to see how they are building their engines and how much power to expect. what turbos...etc...

These guys are in my neck of the woods, if you want to drop $9k on the engine, they can do wonders for you.... http://www.hekimianracing.com/nissan3lna.html

Brian

 

The 300zx engine that is listed WON'T fit. Its a VG30DETT meaning it's a dual cam and too much fabrication read the sticky. You might have to inquire about the other 300zx engines because they don't specify if it's NA or turbo.

 

whoa. your tellin me that i cant get a DOHC in my car? Is that because the DETT is too large for my engine compartment? I looked at my buddies 92 SE, and his engine looks almost identical. In fact, i dont even think the chassis layouts are very different up front.

On a side note.. does anyone know how i could get a hold of Nissan spec CAD drawings or the like for my vehicle? I can get CAD drawings of the engines.. but id need the car spec to throw them together in MechDesk. That would solve all my problems...

So turdlett, there was both a SOHC and DOHC model of the 300ZX Turbo engine?
and the DOHC wont fit in my car? too much fabrication? ill print the sticky..

Engines
1.0.1
SOHC and DOHC
1.0.2
Turbo and Non-Turbo
1.0.3
VG30ET and VG30DETT

Am i right in assuming the VG30ET is a SOHC with a Turbo?
and the VG30DETT is a DOHC with Twin Turbo?

If its a Twin, then i understand why it wont fit in my car. But i dont see how it being DOHC would require custom fab. for the extra turbo.. yea.. but hey.. if its not too much.. ill do it. I know a shop that specializes in Chassis Reinforcement and all that good stuff. Los Angeles is the greatest...

If its not a twin.. then i dont quite understand the model #s.
And i gotta find a better page that lists all the stats and stuff.

Did i miss anything?

So whats next in chapter 1.0.4?

 

Read the stickies

 

Ah i see. the DETT is for the Gen after my car.
Whats the model im looking for in this list?
or is it not a good list?
http://www.engineplace.com/nissan.html

 

84-87 300ZX TURBO RWD TURBO VG30E-T 3.0 695
87-89 300ZX TURBO RWD TURBO LONG CRANK VG30L-T 3.0 795

one of those should work...

if you want to be super original you could use the whole 300zx setup and convert it to RWD..... be the first on this board.... mad props man...

but anywho...this should be the easiest thing, I guess you are gonna pass on the 300+HP for $9k, but then again unless i was rich i would too...

Brian

 

Honestly, it's great that you have a 3rd gen and would like to do something nice with it, but it doesn't sound like you know what you're in for at all.

please read the sticky posts here, do some research, spend some time on google, read some other forums, etc. There's tons of info already out there if you take the time to look around

welcome

 

just some kindling for the fire:
http://internetautomart.com/gallery/VQ-in-3rd-gen

 

the DOHC wont fit first of all, which transmission could you use? the VE tranny is close, but theres maybe 4-5 bolts that dont line up IIRC. i'd highly doubt if the VG-E tranny will work as the blocks are NOT the same between the SOHC and DOHC.
finally, the intake manifold does NOT fit under the hood. two options for that, have it stick out of the hood, or mount the engine lower in the enginebay while being the first and having probably 2 years of straight headaches. after that you can deal with wiring..a VE harness is better suited for the job, but there are still a few sensors that are on the VG that arent on the VE and i'm positive the harness wont even come close with the VG in the VE engine bay.
so lets put it this way, theres a host of resources regarding the Z31 swap (SOHC VG), it'll be relatively painless and since you seem to be decently funded, have a ton of motivation and have at very least a little common sense, build a VG to the teeth, upgrade the turbo, have a transmission built (cryotreat and such), upgraded clutch, solid motor mounts..everything. it'll be stupid fast, but then you're left with this, you have a 12sec capable maxima but at what cost? you lose any semblence of comfort.

as far as my max goes, let me tell you from experiance, $10k is NOT enough.
its a horrible investment, and if you cant afford to just p*ss the money away, dont do it. i learned the hard way. i figured, $10k would be plenty to build the motor, get a new transmission, complete suspension upgrades, wheels, tires, finish off the stereo, new interior, upgraded lighting, big brakes, turbo setup...all this stuff. well i went for too well rounded. i got about half of everything done and everything else is going to have to wait.
shoot me an IM sometime, i'll help you out as best i can (i'd like to think thats alot, but i guess thats just my opinion).

but like craig said, you dont seem to know what you're in for with a maxima. its a family sedan thats very functional and decently fast. i'm assuming you'd like to get it well rounded, and not do just one thing perfect, but rather focus on doing many things well. i know this idea and i'm in the process of making it become a reality. i'm not trying to talk you out of it, i love my car, i wouldnt give it up for much, and certainly nothing short of an ///M badge.
once you get going it becomes an obsession.

 

I know this thread is older, but the new time has come. Along with new engines. Forget the newer 3.0 and versions available. You wanna go for some pure power. Go for the new 3.5!!!! It has the same mounting points as the 3.0. And the 3rd gen has plenty of room in the engine bay to hold it.

Of course the hard part is finding a 3.5 I saw one a few months back on ebay. Included all accessories, alternator, steering pump, computer..... etc. The same guy also had the tranny for it seperate. But with that much power, you got to have the 6 speed.

And of course, i know people will come up with some issues against it. And I can only see a few. One being the axles, possible clearance problems with a 6 speed tranny. Trying to rewire the whole car. Possible hood clearance problems (but nothing a aftermarket hood could take care of).

And before anyone goes bashing. Think of this. You would gain just about a 100hp gain just from swapping the VG30E engine for a 3.5. Then you also have a newer engine that goodies will eventually come out for.

And nothing is funner than sitting a light, laughing as some honda ricer thinks you got the heavier 3.0 in your car, and you blow him away as you open up that 3.5!!!

 

Listen very closely. 10k to do a 3.5 VQ is not enough. That engine will sale easily for 3-4 grand. The VE sales for 1500 on one of the sites listed above. Putting in a 6-speed will most likely involve cutting into the floor of the car just for the extra shift point to reverse. When was the last time I saw a aftermarket hood for the 3rd gen. That's right NEVER!!! Screw the extra 100hp for as much money as this will cost you'll have the same success converting the VG into a T4 turbo, if you are not swapping, doing some internal mods, and still have enough for a full tank of gas. Converting a VQ will cost easily over 10grand becuase all the major stuff aside labor is a killer and I think that it all wasn't enough for all the forgotten parts that has to be custumize.

 

with 10k, you could buy like 4-5 3rd gens

 

how much did mark cookson pay for his Q45....just to use the engine and wiring for his 280z project?

for 10k you can make our car RWD and switch to right hand drive too....why deal with all of this crap....so far this is all talk. Just do it! Post pics when you are done.

Brian

 

Well i never planned on getting the audio done at the same time as the mechanical.

Ive seen good examples of how nice the Max can look... and i dont much like the look of any other cars..

I like my engine/trans combo. But my engine just seems a bit weak for me.
in my eyes its a POS, and i dont want to have to be paying out of pocket later for major repairs.. as it is, i have a fuel injector problem on and off.. But i dont have the money for the set of replacements. Im not going to replace only one.

I like the idea of having a performance engine under my hood. I just want something a little more powerful, and more efficient. I did not want to swap my transmission.

If i have to get a different transmisson.. fine, ok.

My budget comes from a loan. I have a nice hookup.. that for either 10k, 15k, or 20k with my perfect credit i can have a lower than normal monthly payment with low or no APR for as long as i need to pay off the loan. Hey, anyone with a good job would jump on it.. and i want to. But research first. So im looking at possibilities, options, availability, all that good stuff.

Who better to bow down to than the Maxima Guru Club?
help your lowly follower, please?

My max is in damn good shape. some dents from Senior Shopping Cart practice. and a fractured front bumper panel that i plan on replacing with a body kit. Kaminari i think was the one i decided on...
If theres a better one out there.. please let me know. Ive seen 3 brands i think, Kaminari, Stillen, and another one..
rims i'll take care of later. tires, i might get falcons again. I like their top models.

Engine.. wat to get... wat to get.. might as well if 10k is the lowest amount i can go for. If it ends up costing more.. awesome...

I dont really want a showcar. I dont want a competition audio system. I just want it to look nice and well-kept! i only need like 2k to get body kit, fix dings, spoiler, and repaint. done! but 10k is my minimum on the hookup. SO its a good idea to get the engine out of the way before the stock sucker dies on me.

I know i forgot something... OH yea. newer Max engines... I could go for one of those. little more for a brand new one. Id have to budget it all. Engine first, necessary components next. Then add-ons, performance parts.

might be something else i forgot.. ill get it in the next post.
~J

 

simple question:
Who's doing the labor?
if you are, then 10k is easily doable on an engine swap
If not, then it will depend on what the shop is charging you for labor

 

Thats why im trying to plan as little labor as possible. I know a longshoreman buddy with a huge shop in his garage. He could help me out with everything. Probably for a fraction of the cost.. he loves working on cars. Im looking at a good opportunity..
~J

 

you should be planning for 6+ months of downtime depending on what you end up doing, that way if it takes less its not a big deal to the garage owner. you dont want to say it'll only take 2 weeks for everything because, well, it wont. give yourself plenty of time.

 

Yea had the same thought. I had about 4 months in mind tho. I figured it wont be fast, there will be problems. Things will cost extra, but if i hammer out all the details, and have a list of fallback plans.. things should go smoother. less pitfalls. I do plan on expecting a few problems that just might not be quickly fixable.

Since you guys know better. and you said 6 months, i might as well just make it 6 months.. I'll get the body and paint done last.. just so there are'nt any accidents..
suggestions on rims? Whats the largest dia rim i can fit in my wells? 19? I know the 1995 maxima and up can fit 20s, but i dont want 20s. i would like 17s or 18s.
Streetspin rims 9spoke design looks good in dark colors. Their SS2 rim. But the smallest their rims come in is 19". just curious about those.. not serious.

Id like black or near black rims with no chrome or silver band on the outside edge. Maybe one of those mesh grills, to hide my rear Drums, until i can get a quote on a conversion to disk.

Cant think of many brands except the ones that are most advertised in all the magazines..

Anyone know any brands/types that are kind of 2nd/3rd party rims that look good? Possibly with integrated meshes?

Well.. enough about the flair, i still have engine questions, like transmission upgrade parts, where to go for performance rebuilds, manual shifter types, gradient tint, window and windshield lining (the rubber parts) window motors, and door locks..

junkyard maybe? Or oem part stores? I know a few but some of them have one part and not the others.

Body kit suggestions? $1100 or less...
I plan to keep this car for at least another 8 years.

 

Crap, if you are going to get a loan, just buy a newer car. You can pick up a nice 5th gen 5-speed for $10-15k and it will have plenty of power and will likely need no major maintenance for the next 5-10 years. That leaves you with a lot of time to work and pay off the loan.

If you p!ss away $10k on trying to make your 12 year old GXE fast, you will be consumed with stuff like worn out lower control arms, needing new struts, springs, faulty window regulators, door locks, etc. on top of the money for the engine.

Just Get the loan, buy a 5th gen and then sell your 92 and get a y-pipe, intake, cat-back and some rims for the 5th gen.

If you are set on having a 3rd gen, get a loan for about $5k and buy the nicest VE 5-speed you can find. Then, sell you current car and do some bolt on mods. Just by getting a VE, you are giving yourself 30 extra hp in the same car. You would probably pay more to have that crappy VG automatic transmission built than a lot of guys pick up 5-speed VEs for. I only paid $2500 for mine.

The time and money you want to spend on this car really isn't worth it, IMO. Especially since it sounds like you don't have your own shop and you would be spending nearly a year working lots of long nights and weekends just trying to get the car on the road. Never mind all of the extra stuff like fuel mapping, tuning, etc. I think most of the guys with turbos still haven't got them tuned perfectly.

Just my $.02...

If I had $1 for every guy who has come on this board with a dream of making his 3rd gen GXE a turbo/twin turbo/RWD, I would probably be able to buy a JWT ECU.

 

Hey,

I respect ya for keepin the 3rd gen dream alive. Just keep up w/your research. I though my VE auto to manual trans swap would only take a few days. I ended up spending 2 weeks on it. Its way over budget but way worth it. Anyway, take a look at mtcookson's site. He has a great write up on the turbo swap. http://www.cardomain.com/member_page...=177457&page=8 Also, I'd recommend the stillen kit. You can get it for $500 and its the only urethane kit available. It looks the best IMO anyways. Good luck with everything...

Fugi

 

rims: get something light and wide. you can make anything completely black (powdercoating is a wonderful thing)

engine: find a shop that you've seen work from. the guy that built my motor came highly recommended from several motorcycle enthiusiests, and one guy who had him build a 284HP normally aspirated GSR motor for his civic, a snowmobile and a quad....along with that went of course talking to him, he knew his sh*t and i knew mine. sometimes people will try to dazzle you with big words and terms that dont apply..you need to know essentially how to build the motor and what options there are for different parts that could make or break the motor. after that you need a factory service manual.

all of those parts you just listed, check out www.internetautomart.com he's got excellent prices on pretty much everything, top notch service and just an overall great guy to deal with. if he doesnt have it, find a friend that works at a nissan dealer and get him to hook you up with special pricing on parts.

body kit, as suggested would be stillen if you absolutely must get a bodykit as its cheap($$$ wise), good looking and durable.

before you dive into this project, what are you not capable of doing? just because you think you can do it, doesnt mean you can. you do seem motivated and willing to learn (as i have stated previously) so with the proper tools it shouldnt really be an issue.

someone mentioned getting a VE 5spd, thats also another option. its already 5spd, the transmission is alot stronger from the factory, there are a ton of Z32 parts that work, and they make more power lb for lb of boost than the Z32TT (julio dynoed 284HP and 267ftlb on 8.5psi..that puts him at over 300 at the crank, on IIRC .5lb less boost than a Z32TT. hes got 8.5:1CR so that is a constant in the equation), and they've got rear disc too (if thats really a major concern).

like i've said, IM me, i've got a ton of things i could discuss with you and alot of advice to give on "might as well" mods.

if you plan to keep this car for another 8 years, make sure the body is in good shape, all the wiring is working 100%. electrical gremlins are a pain to chase down. i plan to keep my max until its either stolen, or wrecked. either way i'm stripping everything out of it and either putting the motor into something small and RWD (S13 comes to mind), or into another max.
take out the trunk panels, back seat, rear deck cover, door panels. look around and make sure nothing abnormal is going on (read: water pooling up where you cant see it and rotting away the body).
everybody thus far has good advice, obviously those who say "why are you dumping this money into a maxima" are correct, but sometimes (especially in my case) you feel that its worth it both for sheer driving pleasure and originality. of course, all my opinions to take it for what its worth.

 

my advice...
1 - sell the 3rd gen
2 - buy a newer/faster car
3 - drive happy knowing u didn't dump 10K on a 12 yr old car.

if you like to do engine swaps...get a honda.
even you said it..."the car is a POS". if your heart is not in it...it'll never happen.

 

Well I would assume that you could add the single turbo setup off of a Z31 300ZXT onto the DOHC maxima engine...

But I wouldn't waste my time with the DOHC, Just get you a 84-89 turbo motor out of the 300ZX and change the oil pan... Now I am pretty sure that the manifolds would have to be reworked becuase of the orientation of the motor...

But with minor mods you should be getting around 250HP....

I'm selling a 88 300ZXT for $500 and it only has 60K on it... I was saving the engine but I moved and I can't move the car (frame dammage)

But in theory it should work

Twitch

 

when using the VE, you use exactly nothing from a Z31. the exhaust ports are different.
and explain to me how its a waste of time? 284HP on 8.5psi @8.5:1cr doesnt sound like much of a waste to me.
i'll let ya know May/'05 how 10.5:1cr holds up on 12psi..i'm expecting 400+whp assuming i choose the right turbo.

timberjon, buy this guy's car, thats easily worth while, all you would need then is a VG 5spd tranny and some other little things IIRC.