(2/6/11) Post#54. SHES ALIVE!!!!

hey guys im in the process of gathering parts and info for the vq swap. i just picked up a vq35 out of a maxima w/50,000 miles and im in the process of stripping it down. im planning on doing a rebuild with a few mods just for the street, maybe nitrous or turbo in the future. i just wanted to show you guys my setup list and see what you think. any input is really appreciated as far as advice and running which parts.
VQ35 w/3.0 timing components
JWT Spacers <(Are these the same as Stephen Max's spacers?)
Rev-up Camshafts
Rev-up oil pump
ARP Rod Bolts, ARP Head Bolts, ARP Main Studs
Pathfinder Throttle Body
Headers, Exhaust, Intake
Greddy Emanage Ultimate
Gaskets-Seals etc.

My questions-
-Can i rev to 7400/7500 safely with this setup or will i not even be making power up there? I figured I should be o.k. because of the revup cams and oil pump n rod bolts. I will probaly end up having to use extra valve shims, correct?
-Im still debating on which tuning unit to go with, what is the best unit to tune with for my application? Any input/recommendations.
-Is the CVTI eliminated during the swap?
-And would someone please tell me about the 06 IM, never saw one before, was just curious about its design. Is it a better intake from the previous VQ series?
Here are some pics:
When it first arrived:

Pretty much all accessories stripped off:

Disassembled:

As it sits of now:

Thanks,
Tim

 

I think limiting the rev around 7200 rpm would be smart and help save your engine. I would suggest while at it, that you go with HR spring & double shim as you mentioned.

Because you seem to tear up the engine, I would check the cylinder wall, ring etc. 50 000 miles is not much but depending on how well the engine was maintain you might want to make sure you engine base is solid before you put the effort & money. I would personally replace the timing chain tensioner since you are there and they are not expensive by any mean > you might want to call Dave B for that. I would stick with EU as it is well known and you will get a good support here on the org.

Good luck with the build.

 

You say 'VQ swap', is this a 4th/5th gen VQ35 swap, or another Sentra VQ swap?

Yes, you lose CVTC when you go hybrid. If you want to keep it, go full.

That's the standard FWD VQ35 intake manifold, nothing all that special about it. Do you mean compared to the VQ30 UIM? The VQ35 unit is better overall.

 

Yes this is going into a 4th gen.

 

You'll love the e-Manage Ultimate.

 

Yeah i think the greddy ultimate fits my application the best, but i will probably need some help tuning when the time comes. If i buy the A/F harness for the ultimate, would I still need to hook up a wideband?

 

Yes. The AFR harness lets you datalog the signal coming off the wideband to your E-manage.

 

UPDATE: Got the engine to a bare block and cleaned up. Everything looks very clean. Im also deciding to go ahead and replace the main/rod/thrust bearings with aftermarket ones. (Probaly ACL) Also just dropped off the cams at Cam Techniques in Sarasota to get them redesigned. Waiting to hear back from them, these are going to be a great cam for the price, I will let you guys know the price once I get them back, should be a fairly reasonable. But now Im debating whether to just go ahead and replace the rods/pistons with some high compression ones.
Here are some pics.

 

UPDATE: Got a fresh crosshatch in the cylinders, also got new rings and acl main/rod/thrust bearings. Decided to go with stock pistons for now. This past weekend wired up the EU, just now waiting to get my XD-16 kit hooked up along with new headers and y-pipe. Will get some pics tommorow.

My question. the "support brace" that is bolted on top of the main bearings, is it the same one used in the VQ30? Sorry could not find the proper name for the so called "support brace"

 

UPDATE with some pics.
Goodies-

Wired EU behind center console to under the passenger seat.

Fresh cross hatch in cylinders.

 

Got in my ARP main bolts and ACL main bearings (main/thrust) and Plastiguage'd to check oil clearances.


Also mounted in XD-16 guage in ashtray.


As of now just waiting on headers, y-pipe, cams, and throttle body.

 

Installing rod bearings

Installing pistons with new rings.

Nice and clean.

 

UPDATE: Brought my cylinder heads, lower intake into school and decided to go ahead and do a full port+polish plus a valve job. Im also debating whether or not to mill the cylinder heads for a lil more compression, but that would mean the lower intake would need to be milled also, correct?
Will get you guys some pictures tommorow.

 

looking good.Subscribed.

 

I went up to home depot and got a Husky 1/4in die grinder and a porting kit from a local speed shop and have been porting the cylinder heads for the past month, will get some pictures for you guys tomorrow. I also decided to go with HR springs+retainers and new tensioner and guides. Custom-maxima headers+y-pipe came in as well.
Dam-does anyone know the torque spec sequence for ARP rod bolts? I lost the instructions.

 

Any word on the cams? Where are you in fl?

 

EDIT-Ended up not grinding the cams because for the amount of money he wanted, I could have went and bought some rev-up cams without all the confusion and hassle of setting valve clearance. See post #22 for the cams I went with.
The guy at cam technique is grinding the cams, he said he was going to be able to get me about 15 more degrees of duration, and cant remember the number he gave me for lift. The cams will be similar to just rev-up cams. But now I have to restore the cam to valve lifter clearance, I am going to do this by 1.) The valve job itself will push the valve up farther in the guide and 2.)Measure and buy new valve lifters.
Everything was done with Husky 1/4in. Die grinder and port+polish kit+many files for delicate spots. Pics - Still have to go in there and touch everything up but heres whats been done so far.

(Intake side)-

 

Exhaust still has some work to be done but heres a general idea.


Custom-Maxima Headers-

New Box-

 

Put the final touches on the cylinder heads


HELP!
Is the free height of the HR valve springs supposed to be shorter than the stock DE valve springs? I hope I didn't order the wrong valve springs. And does it matter what part of spring is top or bottom, there is a green mark of paint on one side of the spring.

Also, what valve keepers/locks should I use? Should I order HR ones or will I be ok using the stock DE ones?
She is starting to grow impatient........

 

ANYONE!?

 

the green ones are correct... the paint side goes down... if you have a spare shim laying around, you can double shim them no problem.

 

Just came in mail today. Stock is on the right, on the left is nismo r tune 262 duration .426" lift.

 

Got the cylinders heads finished up with porting them. Installed HR springs and nismo cams, along with new valve stem seals. Because I did a valve job it messed with my valve clearance, so I have to change out a couple of valve lifters. Got the rev-up oil pump installed, so the only thing left to do is get myself vq30 timing covers and timing gears, and set my timing.

 

ARP Head Studs and New OEM Head Gasket

Cylinder Heads and LIM installed and torqued down.

OEM Rev-Up Oil Pump.

Inner Timing Cover Installed and Cam Timing Set with StephenMax cam spacers. Waiting on timing guides and tensioner still.

 

nice!

 

Looks great man. I have one question though, why not go with better headers? It just seems like the motor will be a little choked up with those "shorty" headers.

 

when you set your cam timing, did the dowels on the right side head (on the left when looking at that picture) line up the way you have them now? When my cams are installed without the chain on the dowels point to the left of where they should be, but I do not have the chains on yet? My left side lines up fine. How did you get yours like that, or did yours line up with no adjustments. Good work, by the way!

 

Great job man, your working fast. Keep up the good work.

 

Cardana24- No, the cams are not going to line up without adjustments. If you look at my picture you see how the dowels point upward, you want them to be perpendicular to the bottom of the cylinder head. The gold marks on the secondary chains line up with the marks on the cam sprockets. In order to get the secondary timing chain on you are going to have to manually move the intake/exhaust cams with I think a 21mm, 24mm wrench. BTW did you replace your cam tensioners? If not, I suggest replacing them b.c. your already in there.

 

Hey this is tight-subscribed!

 

time for you to step up in the header game. the ones you pictured are garbage.

 

I know man, had got them really cheap, I am going to be looking for long tube most likely before I put the motor in.

 

is losing the cvtc a bad thing? will the egine perform crappier without?

 

YOU ARE USING THE 3.O ECU. THE 3.0 ECU DOES NOT HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT CVTI IS. BASICALLY IT CHANGES YOUR VALVE DURATION AT DIFFERENT RPMS BASED OFF OIL PRESSURE. IF YOU USE IT YOU WILL GAIN HP AND TQ.
BTW PLEASE RESEARCH BEFORE POSTING IN MY THREAD.

 

New OEM Water Pump, Thermostat, tensioners, guides, slacks, chains.

 

Ultra Slicked everything, RTV ready to go, and finished product. Woot!



Lower Oil Pan next. More to come......

 

Good job man.
Looks good!

 

Happy Thanksgiving Day! Decided to install the lower oil pan, and valve cover gaskets. Here are some pics, new rear main seal as well.


Only a couple more things left. Waiting on Stephenmax's PF TB adapter plate, and IACV block off plate, as well as the VIAS block off plate, new oil pressure switch, and knock sensor.

 

good work man, cant wait to seee sum more pics

 

Great work. Project coming along nicely.