2000 max engine in '91 rx-7
06-23-2004, 04:29 PM
#42
Nice work! That's some seriously ingenuity, after reading the first post I thought it would cost a lot more than you stated, looks like you got a great deal and an interesting car to tool around town with.....I know your pain about the Rex flooding, I had an 88 that used to flood all the time, pain in the *****.
It also had a problem with overheating, which I solved by only driving it on trips that didn't require too much stopping - the problem eventually solved itself when I got stuck in traffic on the way home one day, and instead of shutting it down, tried to make it home - ended up driving it until it caught fire in a beer distributor parking lot, car was toast - literally.
It also had a problem with overheating, which I solved by only driving it on trips that didn't require too much stopping - the problem eventually solved itself when I got stuck in traffic on the way home one day, and instead of shutting it down, tried to make it home - ended up driving it until it caught fire in a beer distributor parking lot, car was toast - literally.
06-23-2004, 06:50 PM
#46
Man, I saw this post many times today and wrote it off as another "Can I put a Skyline motor in my maxima?" thread. Boy, am I glad my curiosity got the better of me. This is incredible. Can't wait to see some track times when you get all the bugs worked out.
06-23-2004, 07:52 PM
#47
I busted a nut over this ! LOL maaan I got a lead on a cherry looking Turbo II 89 RX-7. I was thinking of SR20-ing it... but now I'm thinking VQ33DE-KTT w/6spd Z tranny..... 240SXs are soooo hard to find cheap. Awesome job, makes my SR20DET swaps into 240SX and Sentras I been doing for a living.... look like an oil change ! haha great job once again.
Enjoy the ride 
06-25-2004, 06:27 PM
#55
Much props. Not too many people actually go out an DO what they said they were going to do 
FYI- When you guys picked the engine up, the guy on the right...DONT EVER pick anything up with your back like that again. Thats unless you want a herniated disc in your lower back or something
Keep your back flat & locked in place. Use your legs to push, dont pull with the back.
FYI- When you guys picked the engine up, the guy on the right...DONT EVER pick anything up with your back like that again. Thats unless you want a herniated disc in your lower back or something
Keep your back flat & locked in place. Use your legs to push, dont pull with the back.
06-25-2004, 11:57 PM
#58
Originally Posted by HitManSE
FYI- When you guys picked the engine up, the guy on the right...DONT EVER pick anything up with your back like that again. Thats unless you want a herniated disc in your lower back or something
Keep your back flat & locked in place. Use your legs to push, dont pull with the back.
Keep your back flat & locked in place. Use your legs to push, dont pull with the back.
HAHA tell me about... its all about angle and form. I can deadlift 350+ but stupid me picked up an empty olympic bar by itself the WRONG way
and i was out of the gym for 2 months. Back problems still occur and this was 2 years ago. Im ONLY 21!!!
06-26-2004, 02:10 AM
#59
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Originally Posted by mAdD MAX
That is JUST awesome.
Taking a FWD engine and putting it in a RWD application is definately not easy. Did you consider using the VQ30DET (rwd version) from Japan? It would have been more expensive than using the VQ that you got for cheap, but it would reduce the amount of fabrication you'd need to do..which may offset the higher cost of the motor.
Also, what's a slip yoke??
I was just thinking for hte past few days that I'd like to put a VQ into a 240SX.
Taking a FWD engine and putting it in a RWD application is definately not easy. Did you consider using the VQ30DET (rwd version) from Japan? It would have been more expensive than using the VQ that you got for cheap, but it would reduce the amount of fabrication you'd need to do..which may offset the higher cost of the motor.
Also, what's a slip yoke??
I was just thinking for hte past few days that I'd like to put a VQ into a 240SX.
I did look at RWD VQ motors like the VQ30DET and the Pathy VQ35DE. I wasn't 100% sure I could get the VQ engine into the rx so I didn't want to drop a lot of cash and find out it didn't. The pathy intake was really tall and I had a hard time getting dimensional details on either engine.
Yes, I think buying a rear drive made engine would be the easier way to go. I did find out AFTER I had started my project that the rear drive blocks are different from the front drive blocks (motor mounts are farther forward on the rear drive engines allowing the exhaust to pass behind the mount instead in front). Attahcment of a starter would be much easier as well. However the pathy oil pan is not suitable for install into a car due to the very deep sump.
Seems about the only way I was going to find out what I needed about the engines were to buy one. I bought my engine for $250 + shipping. It was a deal I just couldn't pass up.
I gotta go...I'll post more later.
06-26-2004, 10:50 AM
#60
Originally Posted by liqidvenom
next we may actually see someone put a skyline motor into a maxima...
VQ's were made to be both FWD and RWD. Now with a chassis like the RX7 which is already RWD all you have to do is find a tranny that will fit in and turn the engine around.
With a Maxima theres no way to fit a transmission and rear diff. Unless of course you build a full RWD frame with a Skyline motor and bolt on a maxima body.
06-29-2004, 01:54 PM
#64
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Originally Posted by Ant96GLE
I would love to hear how it sounds with a set of custom headers
06-29-2004, 02:17 PM
#65
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Originally Posted by hakk97se
Congrats, and nice work. I'd like to know a little more about how you delt with putting the FWD engine in a RWD platform as far as the engine mounts and the problem you had with the oil pan/starter and the modification you had to make to deal with the throwout bearing. I'm planning on doing something similar to a 240Z.
BTW, this pic is hillarious!
BTW, this pic is hillarious!
The harder part was deciding where to locate the engine. I refused to cut the hood for clearance as I am going for a stock (sleeper) look. Putting the engine low enough to clear the hood had it right were the rack and pinion and subframe were. I ended up pushing the engine back which required modifying the firewall and moving the steering rack forward. I cut and basically remade the front subframe. Oh and since the oil filter is on the front of the maxima engine, it hit the steering rack as well. I used an oil relocation kit to move the oil filter.
Other fwd to RWD problems were:
-The TB and intake pointed the back of the engine. I cut and reglued the intake so it pointed fwd. Sounds simple but I didn't know if it would work. I only have about 10 miles on the car now so I'll wait to say it does.
-moving the TB and intake parts require reworking the wiring harness.
-The Starter on FWD cars is on the trans. On RWD cars it is on the engine. I cut part of the oil pan on the maxima and used a modified pathy starter. Actually this part of the project isn't quite done but I have it functional although ugly.
-Several cooling pipes route to the back of the engine where they now need to go to other places. Just route them the right places =)
That's basically it. There are other minor things but those are the major issues.
06-29-2004, 02:26 PM
#66
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Originally Posted by BSwithTF
Man, I saw this post many times today and wrote it off as another "Can I put a Skyline motor in my maxima?" thread. Boy, am I glad my curiosity got the better of me. This is incredible. Can't wait to see some track times when you get all the bugs worked out.
When it is all done I'll have to take it to a drag strip and see what it can do.
06-29-2004, 02:30 PM
#67
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Originally Posted by rmurdoch
Four pluses at least: no flooding problem. As you say, if you shut the rotary off before warming it up completely it can be a biatch to start. Last time I had to take the plugs off and clean them. 2. Likely reduced oil consumption. 3. Would expect significantly better gas mileage, particularly in town as my 13B engine only gets about 15 mpg on a commute that my Maxima gets 18.5/19 on and my RX7 only gets about 21-24 mpg on a decent highway trip when my Max could get 28-31. Offsetting this is the rotary should run on 87 octane. Higher octane is not good for it, believe it or not. 4. Lucky if you can get 25,000 miles out of a set of NGK plugs, distributor cap and rotor for the RX7. Consequently tuneups are more frequent.
06-29-2004, 02:43 PM
#68
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Originally Posted by Luquire
I think that is awesome but how does the A/C and the the interior stuff like radio work. i thought that was ECU specific stuff.
The ECU doesn't connect to the radio. My Alpine aftermarket Stereo and speakers (including 10" sub consealed in the spare tire) from my '86 will transfer to this car when the time comes.
That reminds me. For my birthday my family bought me a set of 2000 SE guages to integrate into my car. I think it will look a lot more modern than the rx-7 guages and will be easier to hook up the speedometer (rx-7 is mechanical speedometer and the max, 350z electric speedometer).
Anyone parting a 2000 max? I could use a couple electrical connectors and odds and ends that slavage yards don't inventory and would charge way too much to pull.
07-11-2004, 03:33 PM
#71
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Well here's an update.
I FINALLY got the exhaust installed saturday. Well sort of. I am missing the gaskets that go between the manifold and the y-pipe. The stupid autoparts store gave me ones that don't fit. I bolted it on anyway and will put the gaskets in when I get them. I included a catalist in the exhaust (may be moving to an area requiring it soon) and three o2 sensors.
The car is much more enjoyable with the exhaust. I was able to put my foot down and let it go. I was casually running against my wife in her maxima and my rx-7 with the maxima engine is definately much faster.
I have hooked up the dash cluster I have from a 2000 maxima but I found that the 350z trans does not have a speed sensor (signal comes from the ABS). So rignt now I don't have a speedometer. I have to go by the tach.
I still have lots of things to do including hooking up the alternator. I have yet to find anyone willing to sell me the Idler pulley assy for the alternator belt.
I've put quite a few miles on it and so far it is working well.
I FINALLY got the exhaust installed saturday. Well sort of. I am missing the gaskets that go between the manifold and the y-pipe. The stupid autoparts store gave me ones that don't fit. I bolted it on anyway and will put the gaskets in when I get them. I included a catalist in the exhaust (may be moving to an area requiring it soon) and three o2 sensors.
The car is much more enjoyable with the exhaust. I was able to put my foot down and let it go. I was casually running against my wife in her maxima and my rx-7 with the maxima engine is definately much faster.
I have hooked up the dash cluster I have from a 2000 maxima but I found that the 350z trans does not have a speed sensor (signal comes from the ABS). So rignt now I don't have a speedometer. I have to go by the tach.
I still have lots of things to do including hooking up the alternator. I have yet to find anyone willing to sell me the Idler pulley assy for the alternator belt.
I've put quite a few miles on it and so far it is working well.
07-12-2004, 08:24 AM
#76
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Originally Posted by Wht98SE
excellent job, Thaniel! That hard work is certainly paying off!
I noticed you're also a fellow michigander, where is Freeland and how far is it from Detroit?
I noticed you're also a fellow michigander, where is Freeland and how far is it from Detroit?
07-12-2004, 08:38 AM
#77
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wow! amazing project! 
Linked this over to v6performance.net
http://www.v6performance.net/forums/...ad.php?t=32729
Linked this over to v6performance.net
http://www.v6performance.net/forums/...ad.php?t=32729
07-12-2004, 09:00 AM
#78
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Good job. You went w/the VQ since it was the cheaper route? why didnt you drop an LS1 instead? I am only asking? One of the boosted LS1's I raced told me he saw a RX7 with a LS1 motor on the streets. He was wooping on anyone that lined up against him. Very impressive. Never the less great job. All that time you put into that car will pay off. Very rare swap indeed.
07-22-2004, 09:22 AM
#80
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Originally Posted by JAY25
Good job. You went w/the VQ since it was the cheaper route? why didnt you drop an LS1 instead? I am only asking? One of the boosted LS1's I raced told me he saw a RX7 with a LS1 motor on the streets. He was wooping on anyone that lined up against him. Very impressive. Never the less great job. All that time you put into that car will pay off. Very rare swap indeed.
Infact the Plant I work for now, the production workers are UAW. I love it when they see Mazda or nissan in the lot (now a Mazda/nissan). It would ruin the effect if my car had a GM engine. When they hear of my project they growl "why are you wasting your time on a foreign car". I love it when they say that
I hadn't seen too many Nissan engines in the Rx-7 other than the SR20. I'm not into the 4cyl so this is where I am.