Ok I hope somebody here can help me out with my dilemma
I don’t own a Maxima, wish I did, but what I have is a 1988 Nissan 300zx Turbo. At the moment it is sitting in my driveway with no engine as I blew a piston and don’t have the cash to do a proper rebuild right now. So I went looking for a used engine and so far have had little luck finding one in any kind of decent condition or worth the money they are asking. What I have found is a JDM Maxima turbo engine for a pretty good price.
My questions center around the intake collector and several parts of it that I am unfamiliar with, First of all is the intake itself.
Unlike my stock collector the Maxima upper intake has twin throttle bodies mounted on the side that feed into the collector This doesn’t seem to pose to much of a problem with fit as far as I can see, but I haven’t actually bought the engine yet as I don’t want to spend the cash if it won’t work. What does look like a problem is several parts to the intake that while they may be similar in function to parts on mine have different forms and the connectors are different. The two main ones that I can’t seem to figure out are what I assume is the AICD, which is mounted to the rear of the TBs and has a six-pronged plug, and the small vacuum operated thing opposite it on the other side of the collector.
There are a few more issues I have including a “breather line?” running across the top of the timing belt cover and the fact that the AC compressor bracket seems to be in the wrong place but those I can deal with By swapping valve covers.
I would like to be able to use the twin TB set up as I feel it is a much better design then my stock one but If not I can swap the upper and lower intakes and just figure it out latter when I build my new engine from scratch.
Another question I have is about the turbo. Is it a T25 like the latter Zs or is it a T3?

Any help you guys can give would be very much appreciated.

 

There is no Maxima turbo, and the chances that someone would import a custom Maxima from Japan are very low.
-Cyrus

 

well like I said it is a JDM engine so I am not 100% sure what the heck it was in, they guy who sells them said it was in Maximas in Japan. It is however a Vg30et or maybe VG30det engine just like the one in My Z supposedly. I have no problem swapping intakes, my main concern is that the intake ports on the heads are the same. He of course won't let me take off the intakes until I buy the engine but at that point i would be stuck if I can't use it.

 

What exactly do you mean by the intake ports on the heads? The connection to the TB from the intake?

 

No I mean where the lower intake manifold meets the heads. I have a several sets of heads and Intake Manifolds that I can swap In if the ports are exactly the same(don't realy want to but will If I have to)but I have no way of telling if the lower intake meets up with the heads in the same way that My stock one does.

Here are some pictures of my top end that might better show what I mean

<img src="http://personal.mia.bellsouth.net/mia/m/f/mfontebo/Engine_Rebuild/Images/New_Heads_On.jpg">

 

Honestly I don't think anyone on this forum can answer your question. Have you tried the 300ZX forums?
-Cyrus

 

So nobody here does any work on there engines? Here are some pictures of what I was doing last month.

Rebuild

 

Oh no, people do work on engines - total rebuilds and all, but not on the older Maxima and 300ZX engines. Oh well maybe somebody knows this. Keep hoping.
-Cyrus

 

Ah yes I've seen that eninge before...its not a Maixma engine though, its just the JDM Z engine thats looks like the US model VG eninge in the 3rd gen! it looks like this right(except it has a red intake manifold cover(??) and a turbo of course)

http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...8/1dd2cc80.jpg

I'm not to familiar with the breakdown of this engine but I saw one on Ebay a few months back, why don't you just swap components from your old block?? the manifolds from your Z should bolt right on, then you won't have issues with the throttle cables, but like I said I'e only seen this engine ONCE before and it wasn't an in depth look so as for the other components like the breather line and all that I'm not sure. it strange how this motor usues the dual pleneum/TB and the other one uses the single, I wonder if there are any major power differences?? sorry I couldn't be of any REAL help though, but I was always interested since I saw one of those motors!

 

Ok thanks for your responses anyway. I guess i will end up taking it apart and putting on my intakes AAARRGHHHHH. I am so tired of tearing down VG30s I can't tell you.

 

Yes thats it, except thats probably an NA engine as the turbo model has the intake pipe going directly down to the tubo unlike that one which goes to the back of the engine for whatever reason.
It is good to know that it was In Zs befor as that means it will probably be exactly the same other them intakes.
Thanks a lot

 

just a tip from my experience I've heard the VG Maxima heads(89+) flow better than the VG Z heads(NA and turbo), you might have to reverse the exhuat studs on cylinder 5 to make the manifolds fit but that should be small change for you since it looks like to can tear the whole enigne apart anyways!

most likely the intake ports are the same on all VGs(maybe except for the 3.3 and the DET motor)...so that JDM manifold should bolt right up to the US head or vice versa(did that make any sense )

 

Yeah the rumor is that the cams in the JDM heads are better and offer an extra 25 HP but I have never seen specs to that effect.
I also just noticed in that Picture that that engine is transversly mounted as a FWD so that pic is probably of a Maxima or some other FWD Japanese car, notice no fan clutch.

 

yeah thats my engine in my '91 so just transveresly mounted like you said...anyways just dug up some info, yeah the JDM VGT come STOCK with the Euro cams!!!! thats sweet, my friend bought those cams from nismoparts.com and had them in his 92 Maxima(VG) and they really improved his topend so imagine what they would do in the turbo Z!!! as for specs I think its 264/262 and .393 duration compared to the stock 242/242 .362(i think?) so is the JDM engine(minus the intake man) actually in your car now??

 

No I went to look at it today but these questions I had prevented me from dropping the cash on it before I knew for sure . Right now I have no engine In my car as I blew a piston after i put the new heads on. Was probably allready messed up as i only went about 200 miles before I realized it wasn't just a tuning prob and decided to stop driving it and pull the engine again. I have a set of ported and polished heads with ISKY cams 256-281 425 duration that are waiting for me to build a block . This engine should do for now though. Thanks again for the picture it helped get me some answers from some frinds on a Z chat.

 

Got some Pics of the engine In case anybody is interested.
Some questions too If anybody knows what the device in Picture is and does I would like to know.

New Engine more Pics


Go here for Mystery Part as it is larger then 50K

 

sweet pics!!! I never really saw a clear pic of the JDM version...as for the mystery part thats the AAC valve(at least on the 89 and newer VGs)....maybe I missed it, but I'm looking at my diagrams for the engine layouts of the ZX and 2nd gen Max and there is no AAC...thats interesting becaus the 3rd gen Max VG's engine has one....but man thats an interesting engine, I'd love to get my hands on one of those cast iron TB to turbo elbows too it might help with my project I got in the works!

 

Well You may be in luck. I'm putting my stock ported intake from my original project engine on this one cause I don't want to spend the extra time dealing with the differences right now. I'll study the possibilities of using it in the future but If I don't i will probably sell the intake. I'll keep a link to this thread and let you know in case u may want it.

 

where did you buy that engine from??? I'm really interested in that TB to turbo elbow if you don't use it....let me know!

 

sweet, let me know if you sell it, I'll buy it ANYTIME, that piece is pertfect for my project!!!

 

I got it used from an engine importer here In Miami. I think it was the last one he had. It comes out of a Japanese 300ZX

 

I was BSing with the guy I bought it from, he also does custom work on Jap cars down here and he though the intake would probably be better if a hollow spacer was put between the TBs and the pipe so as to equalize presure instead of the baypass on the backside, U can see it in this pic on the right side of intake. It has a red vac hose on it.

Back side of engine

 

isn't that called a "phenolic spacer" or something like that...I know a few '94 Caprice 9C1(LT1 motor) guys with those(since they have a dual TB as well) and I've seen them in my Jegs catalog too...interesting!