Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

There's just one question. What is a VG30DE? I'm left scratching my head because this is what they wrote on the engine I ordered! I told them a VG30ET (SOHC), right? Tell me this is some kind of mistake, I thought the 30DE was the VE or VQ model (DOHC)!? Why do these people want to confuse me? Someone help clarify this so I can ship it back, but I think it's a mistake, but I have to know! My car goes in Monday! Some people just get so Paint Marker happy!

89GXE

The VG30DE was used in 90-96 Z32 300zx's these came
in non-turbo (222hp) or turbo (300hp ) the VG30ET will
look just like your current motor with a diferent intake
(if it came with it) hope that helps.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

This engine looks identical and has the flat panel on top the intake that says "TURBO 3000." Again, I thought the mid '80's Z and max was the VG30E (Turbo VG30ET) and the VE30DE was in '92 on the max (DOHC) and the VE30DET was the turbo for the Z? I don't have a book on the Z cars, but even my Chilton's says that the VG engine is the 30E and that the VE is the 30DE? But you're saying there is a VG30DET (turbo)? This engine they've sent is not the DOHC, I know that for sure, those things look huge, and it's not a TT either!

89GXE

That is what you have is the 84-89 Z31 300zx turbo
engine they had only one turbo hence the single T at
the end of the designation 90-96 turbo were twin turbos
and were called VG30DETT. So it looks like you got what
you wanted. There never was a VE30DET at least not in the
U.S.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Thanks. Gotcha. I thought the VE was the DOHC in the max and the DOHC TT in the Z. Don't know my Z car designations, that's why I had to ask!

89GXE

Just glad to hear you got what you ordered, at our
dealership we have many times got the wrong engine
(I would not want to tell a customer that we put a
SR20DE in their 240) Sometimes i think the guys at
the salvage yard are on drugs (probably).

Tom

The Infiniti J30 was another car besides the 90-96 300ZX that used the VG30DE engine.

And for the record, there was a VG30DET (single turbo). It was used in the JDM Nissan Leopard (aka Infiniti M30). Unlike the VG30E powered counterpart here in the States with the blocky dash, it came with curved dash with gen3 Maxima SE gauges and 255 HP. It kicked butt.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Well, how similiar are the two engines? I mean, it looks like mine but with turbo, but junk yard workers on smack or not, it says VG30DE. This car is from Japan, so, the DE from japan in this 84-87 model years, are they compatable? I like the idea of it having more HP (255) but the real issue is it working! I may just tell them to drop it in and see if it bolts up to the tranny. If not, ship it back.

Maximamike

Correct, and the VG30DET was also used in the JDM Nissan Cima(Q-45 like vehicle). Here's a link to a pic--> http://dimequarterly.tierranet.com/p...0/vg30_010.jpg

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

I called the place, they said the DE was just the Japan version. But, I asked them about the dented power steering pulley, they said that only the engine was covered. So I asked about the turbo then? They told me no. I got ****ed! They're reasoning was that if the engine has under 30k miles, then why should it be bad? Don't you just love that kind of logic!? And there's no way to test the turbo on the engine! Oh well! My mech. is going to run a pressure test on the egine, we'll see then.

Maximamike

That sucks man. Try spinning the turbo and see if there is any freeplay in the turbo compressor shaft(there shouldn't be). There really isn't much that you can do now..

Maxnine

hi, guys

I thought that we needed the VG30ET turbo engine, not the VG30DET.

This is what i know about max's
1989 - 1991 SE - VG30E
1989 - 1994 GXE - VG30E
1992 - 1994 SE - VE30E

300zx's (from z31.com)

1984 - 1989 non-turbo - VG30E
1984 - 1989 turbo - VG30ET

I thought that there was a problem with the DET's having too big of cylinder heads to fit in the maxima engine bay. I don't think you got what you wanted. Sorry for my late reply, i can't usually get online whenever i want to.

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Here's what I've decided. If it is a DET, then it's just the Japan designation, nothing more, otherwise it is the ET (US), period. I know it's not the DOHC, so it's not too wide. If the engine is not a DET (JDM), then the guy who wrote it has fried his brain snorting battery acid or something! I'm done stressing over this junk and just hope that the Japan version I have of the ET DOES have 50+ more hp! I thank everyone for trying!

Maximamike

No, you don't understand. There is a Japanese version of the VG30E-T. Its the single overhead cam version of the VG(like the one in your Max now). The VG30DE-T is the dual over head cam version. Its much larger, puts out ~50 more hp, and may not fit. The VG30DE-T was found in the Prince, Cima, and a few other executive Nissan sedans. You need to figure this out before you put the engine in. The VG30DE-T should have dual throttle bodies, and say "Ceramic Turbo" on the top of the engine. If it says this, return it. You need the VG30E-T

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

Thanks Mike. But I do understand. I knew the differences between the SOHC and DOHC before all this even started. They look nothing alike, in the max or Z! I had initually asked to make sure that maybe there was another engine that I wasn't aware of, especailly comming from Japan and the differences sometimes found between US and Japan products. It made things worse when the company I ordered from said that the DET is what they sent and it is compatable replacement for the ET (yeah, maybe in the Z). I know the DOHC won't fit in the Max, but this engine is not it. I needed to make sure that in Japan, the D didn't stand for something else, or perhaps they had crammed 2 cams per side in the 30E engine! This thread does nothing more than show my lack of knowledge of Japan equipment and Z models. I apologize for the confusion.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Here's an idea... how about taking a few pics of the top end of the engine, so the "experts" can see exactly which engine you're talking about..

either that, or get the VIN # off the engine- it had to come out of some other car before you got it.. it can then be traced back to the car it was in previously, then you can figure out if it'll fit that way.
if it was in the Z31, it'll fit. if it was in the Z32 (90+ 300zx), then it obviously won't fit, and you'd know what that one looks like anyway.

hopefully that'll make things simpler.. good luck with the conversion!

Chris Gregg

iTrader: (59)

I know it's not that easy and I appreciate all the help. I took the liberty of getting the #'s yesterday to do what you suggested Matt. I couldn't find them, but this is what I did find.....The top of the engine, they had written 343165A (which is not consistant with any Max vin I've seen, assuming they simply left off the JN part) So, must be the shipping # or something. The turbo had something like 3z12, hard to make out, then the right side of the engine had ZR below the valve cover and R-V52 on the other side in the same place. I'm not worried, my mech has to check the timing belt anyway and I checked the belt cover, just two circles up top (one on each side!), plus I'm pulling the cams to have them reground by Schneider cams for $150, I just can't afford JWT cams AND an ecu. Just for the record, all I was asking was to varify what the company told me when I called them on it, to see if the VG30DET was actually the equivalent of the American Vg30ET for an 84-88. That's all I wanted to know so that I could avoid any probs. I don't know what any of these #'s mena but, thanks guys. Nuff said.