Get the engine running yet?

 

It's still on the engine stand.... I've been fighting transmission issues for three months now, and I've been using the old motor set for 430 WHP to test some things. Problem is, the 2001 VLSD tranny just won't shift fast enough to work with the old motor. I've been hitting the rev-limiter and nitrous-limiter every time I went to a track - I had to lift from WOT until the tranny would completely shift, then tried NA on the streets and wound up setting my Shift_Fast controller to 6000 rpms to keep off the limiters. I really don't know how I managed to hit a 12.5x ET and 114.5 MPH while still letting off spray a couple of seconds per pass.

No way I can bolt my monster motor into the middle of this mess. I contacted Level 10 about alternatives, and decided on valve body surgery as the first step. Yesterday I pulled the entire valve body out, wrapped and sealed it and 3-dayed it to Level 10 for major surgery. I intend to leave it capable of acting as an automatic if I want it too, but otherwise it's for racing. Once I have a resolution, it's Cosworth time!

 

This is what Level 10 offers for Nissan:

http://www.levelten.com/SearchResult...6&Redirected=Y

 

It seems as if us auto boys are starting to make too much power for the auto. I also contacted Level 10 and saw their pricing, instead I went with Transgo (following Jimes footsteps as usual, although he hasnt posted any results yet, i know its going to be a positive thing), only $100 bucks and most likely the same thing is done with the level 10.


I used to hit the limiter with the 3.0 on high boost, so i changed it to 6k, it hasnt hit limiter ever since.

I am hoping the transgo kit will eliminate the gear overlap during the shift and prolong the life of my auto, my 1-2 shift is starting to slow down. the 2-3 shift is nice and quick, the 3-4 shift lol I dont even know if it gets into 4th fully. Last time I went for a 4th gear run was vs. a BMW M5 (in a controlled environment) and never really felt the 4th engage felt like a huge slip and rpm didnt really move, Good thing I dont normally get into 4th at WOT. (if ur interested to know, I was pretty dead even with the m5 from 80 to 125mph or so, in couple runs he stayed behind me about half car)

If all else fails on this auto, I already found a local source that has them for $280 and 60k miles (open diff).

 

Too much power - it's tuff, but I guess someone has to suffer!

I'm looking at Transgo for internal parts - I think they updated the quality of the rebuild kits lately. I've got that stuff at home - if I'm thinking of the right company. Yup, I just checked. The 2000-2001 tranny has a rep for shifting even slower than the 95-99. I'm going to try a Level 10 modified valve body first, to see how it handles shifts at NA, 100-shot, and 2X 100-shot spray. That should be what I need to know. If that works, then I feel comfortable with getting a Transgo kit and having the tranny rebuilt when swapping in the monster motor. Otherwise - well, I'll keep looking and testing - while I've got the beater motor installed.

Picking on beemers is always good for the soul, I hear - but I've never run one. I do get into 4th before the traps - 114.5 mph is where I stop - but if I can actually run full power and shift quickly through the whole 1/4 mile, the car would be quicker. A lot quicker.....

Maybe both of us can bust into the 11s next season!

.

 

Yea man I am aiming for mid 11's. I truly think the car as-is, is already an 11 sec car depending on my 60'. Its faster than its ever been, and today I took off the muffler, gained 3psi of boost and car is just crazy.

I hope to see video clips of this monster your building once its done!!!

 

i really want to see what this thing is going to put down on the dyno and on the track

 

I just came back from some highway testing with a 50-shot - and WOW what a difference. The while-spraying 1-2 and 2-3 shifts happen within 1/4 sec. of triggering my Shift_Fast3 shifter - much faster than stock . ( I use a 2001 Infiniti VLSD tranny - slloooowwwww ).

I had set the car up on jack stands, drained the automatic and removed the lower pan, then, following the FSM bolt guide, removed the valvebody. There's a ton of bolts on the VB, so it's important to remove just the correct bolts. There are three different lengths, so be careful when re-installing. I drained the VB, wrapped it very well in plastic and sealed with with Gorilla tape, then FedEx-ed it to Level10. My instructions were to leave it able to shift normally if needed, but emphasized that this VB was primarily for drag racing. They received it on a Thursday and it was back in my hands the following Thursday. I re-installed the VB on Saturday, using new pan bolts and gaskets. Again, the FSM is very clear on how to do that. I put 6 quarts of Lucas Semi-Synth racing ATF fluid back in, to get some oil in the tranny.

Of course, something went wrong - the starter died. I had a new one in the garage, but the rains began, along with freezing weather, so I finally got the starter installed yesterday ( the car lives outside). Started right up - much quicker than it has for months. I warmed the engine, added another 1 1/2 quarts of ATF, ran the car while still on the stands and worked the tranny through the gears and topped off the oil to the HOT mark. Then I went for a drive - all gears worked, and seemed to shift quickly - then the rains began and lasted thru the evening.

Today, I heated both 15lb bottles in the trunk ( gotta love those Moroso 120 volt heaters), warmed the engine and tranny, then went for a drive. Light throttle shifts are crisp, full-throttle shifts are quick and positive, and shifts while spraying are wonderful - quick, hard, and no slipping. This is great - I gotta find an open drag strip next weekend, or the following one, and test the 100-shot plus 100-shot combination. Heh...

I still need to test this combination on a track with the existing motor set to 450 WHP, but if this VB shifts fast enough, I'll get a TransGo kit installed and I can proceed with installing the Cosworth-component built engine. I'm sure the stock tranny internals can't handle another 100 or 200 HP, but at least I now have a plan.

 

the transgo kit is a diy vb kit ie the samething as the level ten kit

 

It might be the same general concept, but unlikely they are the "same"...... manual clutches are quite different, after all - but they are all called a clutch...

Does Transgo custom manufacture a VB to your specs and replace all the solenoids with new, like Level10? Dunno, myself..

I see that Level10 sells a rebuild kit, as does Transgo. Has anyone read the specs on both of these - for this RE4F04x transmission series? I haven't researched this, yet. I do know that Level10 does stock a larger oil pump.

 

o ok thought you were talking about the transgo shift kit.

when I was a auto a local trannyshop that did raqing trannys also was going to do mine.

he was going to do a vb job and upgrade the pump and clutches. he also said he would machine the tranny so he could install a few extra clutches and the metal plates that go between them

 

It looks like the install kits are similar - installing new, upgraded parts in the tranny might be the only way to hold the HP. A new pump would give higher pressures to help hold the clutches and bands. Machining the transmission to install extra parts sounds kinda risky, though. I've disassembled one of that series of transmission, and the clutches are really packed tight.

Level10 has custom-made bands and friction disks for the high-HP conversions, I have read. I've gotta run this one at the track next, to get a feel for how things actually work - but it felt great today.

Now to find an open track somewhere around here....

 

It's been a while since I last step in your thread, but I see things look good for you. I'm sure once everything is all together you will get incredible time at the track. I have another 4 months to wait before I can test my ride, hopefully once I have the motor mount done the final assembly will be only fun, all the crap is pretty much done at this point. I hope to finally have the engine drop within a week or two.

Good luck.

AA

 

grey, do you have a need for a spare auto trans? I've got one with 94k sitting in my garage that's yours if you want to drive to Blue Springs to pick it up.

 

The Transgo units are good. For a number of years, some of the 1st gen Altima folks have used them ('93-'97) on the 4spd autos (REF404A). I just picked up an '01 Altima auto (w/4.08 final and shorter gears vs the earlier Altima autos) for my beater '93 Altima for $450 and plan on throwing the Transgo kit in it as well....it took some serious abuse for 9 years and 272k miles and just now, the 2/4 band is starting to act up I think....


Jeremy

 

Back to my part-time hobby's forum for the videos of my last three passes. A friend volunteered to go along that day (Nov. 21) and made a tape of about an hour of racing, including my three runs. He was new to this, but got good video.

Run number 1 - single-stage 75-shot all the way. At the 1-2 shift, I hit the rev limiter, so after this pass, I set it down 100 RPM -seemed to work after that.

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...First_Pass.flv

Run number 2 - l left on a 75-shot again, and hit the second stage during part of 2nd and 3rd gears. The supercharged/nitrous Mustang left very early - but hey, it's a Test-n-Tune.....

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...Third_Pass.flv

Run number 3 - I left on a 100-shot (lots of tire spin) and again sprayed the second stage of 100-shot during parts of 2nd and 3rd gear. That ate the engine in third gear, leaving a 5-cyl motor to get me back on the trailer.
If you look closely at the start of the video, toward the rear, you can see the "water boy" throwing a bucket of water across the left water trap - he did this before EVERY RUN - the staging area was really wet.

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9_3rd_Pass.flv

Overall I was very pleased with how the transmission was shifting under power. This is much improved over the stock VB - Level 10 did good... I'm shopping for a competent transmission builder for the spring installation.

 

Nice videos. car looks good. Im glad the level10 vb upgrade is working out. Eventually I will put on my transgo kit, but I dont kno when I would have time since school starts tomorrow.

 

The assembly work is finished.



This motor is/has:

Fully balanced, tanked, glass-blasted everything
Carrillo Carr-fasteners rods
CP pistons - + .5mm 11:1 , coated tops and skirts, and heavy-duty wrist pins
Cosworth CNC heads - oversize valves, 400+ cfm porting, 10K valve train.
Cosworth ZK2 cams (this is the second pair- first set cracked)
Cosworth/ACL rod-main-thrust bearings
ARP head studs
ARP main studs
HR DLC valve lifters
HR head gaskets - block ported to match
LIM ported to match heads and gaskets
Mishimoto 62* C thermostat
Stephen Max custom 3.0 cam gears - 0* lead.
All new 3.0 timing components except cam gears.
Painted to match Cosworth blue on timing and valve covers and plumbing (just because)
All new intake and exhaust studs and nuts
And a bunch of other stuff....

Cam gears
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1230.jpg

Bottom end
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1231.jpg

Cosworth cams
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1227.jpg

Side views
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1244.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1246.jpg

Rear views
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...e/DSCN1248.jpg



Installation is next.

 

I've was wondering were you been, figured the weather out there had to break by now

 

Well, you know, life comes along and gets you sometimes...... but it's all good now.

Next, install the engine after the latest rounds of rains are done - get it running and broken in, then on to the rest of the story. I think dual Walbro 255lph HP fuel pumps and 1/2" ID fuel line first, then send off another 2001 VLSD tranny to IPT for a complete build, then a dual-stage direct-port nitrous system installed on the SSIM manifold (using a NX Methanol fuel cell with pump and regulator) and a Greddy EU in there somewhere. Then we shall see.... so many possibilities.

 

Might wanna look into a Z manifold. If you dont like the ssim...

 

Crazy man, cant wait to see this in action.

 

 

Have you thought about running your motor on ethanol?

 

Frankly, I don't think the Z manifold will work any better than the SSIM. The engine has a mechanical RPM limit of 10,000 RPM, and the cams are run beyond 8,000, so the upper-end breathing needs some help beyond the SSIM.

Here's some Cosworth graphs: (just using short headers) The last graph shows using their CNC heads and the ZK2 cams and the Cosworth intake manifold. My combination of CNC heads and cams and long-tube headers will require much better breathing at 8,000 than what I have now? ITBs, anyone?

http://www.cosworthusa.com/store/pc/...nt%20tests.pdf

1. Install and break in the engine.
2. Get the Greddy EU installed, along with dual fuel pumps and regulated power supplies.
3. Dyno the car up to 8,000 or however much higher it will spin.
4. Either cry or celebrate....
5. Do the nitrous/methanol system.
6. Return to dyno.
7. ???

 

Methanol is better than ethanol for racing - more energy per lb, and the cooling effects are better, I have read. Since I plan to continue with nitrous for a while, after studying the big boys in the nitrous classes, they believe in running the engine on gasoline and spraying with nitrous/methanol. I'm going that way for now.

NX has one of these methanol systems waiting just for me.....

http://www.nitrousexpress.com/produc...ls.php?id=1488

 

Just think methanol and huge RMT and no intercooler required. That's where I hope to go to next season, if I can run methanol successfully...

 

lol, hope it's celebrate

Are you going to run a 4inch exhaust, cutouts or open y-pipe cause reving to 8k+nitrous+cams+heads = a **** load of exhaust that needs to get out

also are you running and overlap on the cams

 

I've got my custom-built 1 5/8" tube OBX headers with 3" collector and 3" cutout before the 3" hi-flo cat and the rest of the 3" sewer pipe, including the 3" Flowmaster D-50 SUV muffler. I hope the open cutout will be sufficient....

I've got the cam sheets around here somewhere. They are installed with no advance. I've also got the CNC heads spec sheet - lots of flow there. Cosworth cam data:

http://www.cosworthusa.com/store/pc/...&idproduct=383

 

Now we're talking(RMT)!

 

Motor looks good. If you're getting rid of the IM you may look to ITBs for direct port, that's the route I'll be going in the months to come =).

 

Thanks..... I'm still thinking about what to do about the IM. I plan on spraying the engine this season, so the SSIM will work for that. I'm rounding up parts and tools to build a dual-stage direct-port system right now. I've ordered a couple of 1/8" NPT and 1/16" NPT taps, and practiced by drilling and tapping for two NX Shark nozzles on a spare elbow, which worked OK. I might just use that elbow.

I'm just now buying a 1/16" Piranha nozzle through eBay so I can drill and tap a spare UIM for practice. I was going to use the NX SX-2 dual nozzles, but the plumbing would be very crowded, with 24 hard lines going to 6 nozzles. I think I'll use two nozzles per intake runner...

I did install a set of Auto Gear fuel rails, with G35 injectors. The rails use -6AN connectors at both ends, and I'm still waiting for one set of connectors to arrive - but these rails are huge inside.

More fun....

 

I just found my Cosworth head flow chart, so I thought I would post it here, for what it's worth... I'm nearly done with measuring the Cosworth cams with a degree wheel, so an engine transplant is Real Soon Now.

 

So 346cfm is what the cosworth heads flow with stock valves?

What do the stock heads flow?

 

Actually, the chart shows that - it's referring to stock ports or Cosworth ports. Cosworth heads don't have stock valves, just +1mm valves and completely CNCed machined ports and combustion chambers.

 

Wow that is alot of flow.

Get the cosworth IM

 

Most places I look, I see that those heads cost around $4,000. Did you really pay that much?

Pretty sure the stock heads don't flow 346cfm on the intake. Every resource I have found has said around 270-280cfm. Or do they mean stock valves and then ported?

346cfm is unbelievable for a bone stock head. If they really flowed that much, no one would really need to port the heads. Just throw some cams in there and make some BIG power.

 

Yes, I did. They are beautiful. Not to mention the 24 DLC lifters and the machine shop setting the valve heights and lifters for the ZK2 cams - twice, since the first set of cams developed cracks at the locating pins.

Interestingly, the combustion chamber is 58.6cc, larger than stock specs.

It's Cosworth's official chart, not mine. I think flow benches are like chassis dynos - every one is different.

...

 

I've thought about it, but the Cosworth IM would be hard to equip with direct-port nitrous. Any IM decision will have to wait until after the engine is installed and running and the EU is installed. It would be fun to spin it up to 8K.....

ITBs would breathe the best, but.....

 

thats why I asked. Stock heads with a good port and polish job usually flow around 330cfm on the intake.