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Going to outline this so I can just link this instead of dive through one of my build thread whenever I have to explain to anyone (PS. I am not going to touch on the 350z clutch subject here in this thread, you can ask in here... Guess what... I will not answer here).
I have for yeaars been using RWD flywheels in my Maximas.
Why?
-They're cheaper
On ebay you can get the lightest flywheel made for the VQ35 I've come across for about $130 shipped... Just did a search today and found the 18lb one for $140 shipped (not going to link because well who knows what'll happen in a year... hell even 6 months from now)
-Widely available
This item is in demand for our RWD counterpart and not so much for us FWD fellas. You can easily search FB and find used LWFWs for DE Z's all day long, and your favorite manufacturer, that's why I have a collection of them.
So what's the difference?
-Crank trigger offset... The RWD vehicles have the crank sensor mounted on the bottom... FWD vehicles have it kinda towards the front... Lets say a RWD motor has the crank sensor @ 6 o'clock... FWD manual motors have it in approx a 9 o'clock position [SPECULATION] I think this is why the trigger teeth are clocked differently ... because of the position of the crankshaft pos sensor... [/SPECULATION] I would assume this is why this mod requires you to turn the flywheel over one bolt. Secondly for some dumb reason The trigger ring itself is 8mm closer to the transmission... or 8mm FURTHER away from the block.
Pics? Sure (I will update this with more pictures later).
See this black ring?
This ring here...
-RWD flywheels do NOT have this... I repeat they do NOT have this.
This ring moves the trigger ring closer to the block so a FWD CPS sensor can read it. Well if you don't have a stash like me then you can address that issue. You can also try hollering at AASCO/JWT/Fidanza for the bolts and spacer, it worked once in the past but I recently tried a year or two ago and no luck.
IF YOU HAVE THE CHEAP EBAY FLYWHEEL THAT'S ONE PIECE.....
You'll have to goto the drilling part of this little how to
The specs of this ring are as follows: [Will measure later]
You can have it made by any one who can make such things or just not use it at all and skip to the drilling section. If you have/made this ring you still have to drill stuff but not as much lol.... Anyways you see these allen screws on the back of the trigger ring? (Confirmed fitment is the same for Z1, AASCO, Fidanza and JWT flywheels... Cause one shadow company makes them all anyways) Unbolt those screws, purchase longer ones and bolt that spacer behind the trigger wheel and skip to the next part.
OK GET YOUR DRILL OUT!
Some of the bigger name brand flywheels have both FWD and RWD holes drilled out already... If they are great, use the FWD hole... If they're NOT then you'll have to get any old FWD VQ35 flywheel (Auto Flex plates are the easiest to work with, if you only have a manual flywheel then you'll have to eyeball this part) line up the teeth and you'll notice the pilot hole does NOT line up... That's good... You're on the right track. Guess what? You're going to drill a pilot hole so you can use the peg on the crank... Or be an idiot like me once upon a time and grind off the peg... Don't do that... That's dumb... just drill a hole in the flywheel.
Yay drilled a hole!
The I marked it F and R... F for FWD and R for RWD.... Do whatever system you want because it will get confusing with what I will do next....
Since this time I'm using the cheap 18lb $130 ebay flywheel I can not use the spacer ring (or if you can't make/acquire one) I will have to relocate the crank sensor on my motor to read the teeth. You can measure it out (8mm ish center line to centerline... not space between holes, see image) or put the flwyheel on the motor and eyeball it. It doesn't have to be .1mm exact but it does have to be about 1mm in the ballpark.. You'll know when your car doesn't start up easily.
DRILLING TIME AGAIN! - IF YOU DID NOT/CAN NOT SPACE OUT THE TRIGGER RING THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE!
-Only use this image to get the idea... I think I was a mm or 2 off here... Still an easy fix if you mess up but.... Just make it easy on yourself and bolt the flywheel on, line up the CPS sensor dead in the middle of the trigger teeth, mark the hole, drill it, tap it.
Acquire a M6 tap and the proper drill bit (13/64 I think? I'm going off of memory here do not quote me it's very easy to look up online what drill bit you need for a M6 bolt hole) and tap the hole for the bolt. Now here is where my markings get confusing.... I use F as the old stock position for FWD flywheels and R as the bolt hole for RWD offset trigger rings.
So lets check things off...
-Install the flywheel correctly "timed" by offsetting one hole over (you'll understand what I mean when you're doing it)
-Confirm the crank shaft position sensor is dead on the trigger ring.
If you screwed up the CPS alignment then get a friend... Enlarge the hole (slightly not much) on the CPS and do the following...
-Start Car without the CPS in the trans, just leave it out dangling plugged in... yes your car will start without a CPS... Crazy.... I've been over this on FB and the org a million times.
-You'll notice your tach is dead... Well cause the ECU has no idea wtf is going on, it's just firing injectors when the camshaft sensors tell it to and running 0 degrees timing. This is where you buddy comes in... Work out a system for this... You will put the CPS in the trans while running, if it's in the right spot the tach will come alive.. That's the spot you want it to be in... Tighten the bolt and do a test start... If it cranks right up you're done leave it alone... If it doesn't then well do it again till you get it right.
BONUS MATERIAL FOR 6MT VQ30 SWAPPERS!
Guess what? you don't need to clock your trigger ring, you only need to tackle the CPS spacing issue.
Last edited by aackshun; Sep 23, 2020 at 01:08 PM.
Race the clock, not the other guy. Doesn't matter when the tree drops (other than for reaction time, but not important if you just want a 1/4 time), clock doesn't start till your front tire trips it.
Race the clock, not the other guy. Doesn't matter when the tree drops (other than for reaction time, but not important if you just want a 1/4 time), clock doesn't start till your front tire trips it.
Not my first time around the tree or track, i'm rusty like I said earlier...
GO IN MY 5.5 GEN THREAD I WILL DISCUSS FURTHER THERE!!
