Just got word from the dyno today that my car is down on power and an excessive amount of smoke is coming out of the breather filter. So it looks like the rings are toast. I'm going to do a compression test later, but I'm pretty sure of the results.

FWIW, the car used to make 301whp at 7psi on a bad tune due to a leaky injector and FMU.

Now the car only makes ~300whp at 9psi on a very good tune. I remember a few months ago, the car was down at 279whp at 7psi, but we just thought it was fouled plugs.

On the bright side, the 660cc injectors are awesome, the car idles smoothly and everything. Plus w/ the new MAF and injectors, my A/F curve was much smoother and so is the powerband. So when I get the motor fixed, the car should be a beast.

So where would I go about shopping for a new motor? Never had to get one before, so I'm new at this. Or where can I get new pistons, if it's just the rings, I can probably just replace pistons and it'll be back up and running.

 

VQs are all over boneyards...i'm sure you can get a decent one. maybe even JDM...but that might not be necessary.

 

I've got a list of local junkyards with VQ's, I plan on calling on them tomorrow. Any idea on where I may be able to source DET pistons/rods? I've been meaning to get the motor built for some time now, and if I can find a set at a decent price, now is as good a time as any.

 

I went with a junkyard motor back when I blew mine. I used www.car-parts.com and happend to find a local place who had a 97 with 78K for $300. Has worked great for me.

Sorry to hear about the motor though.

Glad the injectors are working for you!

 

twinturbo.net is a good place for dett rods and piston.Mtcookson found some their for like $180 IIRC. Ive been looking their too but none yet.

 

I have videos of the runs. Car does a bit of shrieking under full throttle...not a very good sounds. It started the on the first crank and we haven't hooked up the switch yet. Just very frustrating since they wired the nitrous and everything so we could finally push for more.

The failure was about due anyway. I mean the car did so many miles w/ the 3.33" pulley and no fuel pump (**** Mahdavi). We did also beat the crap out of it at the track making ~20 runs along with dropping the hammer all the time on the street.

 

he means vq30det pistons not vg30dett pistons.

anyways tillys got some before, might wanna pm him or redmax, he has det pistons also.

sorry to hear about your motor but you will come back stronger than before so its a blessing in disguise.

 

Yeah, I'm actually surprised that the car starts with the 660's and no push button starter. Cranks right up with the key.

I'm looking on car-parts right now and there are quite a few motors in my area, so hopefully with a fresher motor, we'll be able to turn the boost up. My motor was pretty abused due to a bad SC install, I know that at 80K miles, one of my cylinders was already about 12 psi below the others. So the fact that it's held up for the last 25K under boost is surprising.

 

My vote is for a kick@ss rebuild. Something to rival Mardi. LOL.

 

Haha, I wish I could ever rival Mardi.

I think I'll just settle for highest hp auto or something easier. That and if I can ever run 12's, I'll be happy.

 

Just get the cleanest decently priced stock motor, don't rebuild unless you're going with beefier rods and low compression pistons for more boost.

If you are rebuilding for more boost, might I suggest building a VQ35 short block instead of a VQ30. The FI parts are more abundant and therefore cheap in comparison to VQ30 FI stuff.

 

That would be a monster. Gotta love the cheap VQs though.

 

Why not just re-ring and replace rod bearings, while keeping engine in car? Keep same rods and pistons if still good, just clean them up. Cheap and easy, as long as main bearings are good. I've done it lots of times; but not on a max. Just need a ridge reamer and cylinder hone; a little plastiguage to make sure the rod bearings are right. Gasket kit should include valve seals - so you can change those at the same time and clean up cylinder heads.

The stock pistons and rods are supposed to be quite good; and you can polish and balance them if it makes you feel better. There's a larger head gasket trick for lower compression.

I'd rather do this than the unknown quantity of a junkyard engine. At least you know whats good and bad about your current motor. It would sure be sad to do a swap and find that the junkyard engine is worse than yours!

 

From my understanding, the motor has to come out for the pistons and everything to come out. And the motors are cheap, that's why people with blown motors swap to junkyard motors, it's just easier.

 

you can put a de-k from a 2k-2k1 in w/ very little fabrication as long as you dont wanna use the vi. its gotta bigger exhaust cam and as strong or stronger than the regular vq. runs awsome w/ the boltons i got. no cel. bout an hours worth of fab to make it perfect.

 

I've seen tech's at my local dealership rebuilding engines that were in the car. It doesn't seem very effecient to me cause you gotta disconnect most everything anyway. That said, I can't remember if they ever did it on a Max. I only remember Sentras. I guess that makes sense that having four cylinders would make it much easier in the car.

 

Can't imagine getting a cylinder hone on that back bank would be very easy. But w/ a 100k motor it might be worth it just to pull it and replace the wear parts.

 

Just send the honer in from the bottom.

 

from someone who disassembled a VQ, I don't se how the blue heck doing in it the engine bay would be any better or save any time.

I broke a few tools using a 3ft pry bar that would have never gotten under the car

I'm not saying it can't be done, but you can have your motor out in 8 hrs if you have all the tools you'll need

 

8 bags' hours that is......
When I did my swap, the tranny and motor were out and back in, in less than 6 hours.

 

and where did you do it at ? who's tools?

don't post your time without posting HOW you did that

I'm claiming 8 hrs in my garage in my house with a few air tools, engine hoist, engine stand, and basic hand tools.

 

Haynes manual says,"In extreme cases caused by a lack of necessary equipment, repair or replacement of piston rings, pistons, connecting rods, and rod bearings is possible with the engine in the vehicle. However, this practice is not recommended because of the cleaning and preparation work that must be done to the components involved."

On the other hand, removal of cylinder heads in car is fairly easy, and springs and seals can be replaced without removing heads at all. The symptoms Shadow is experiencing could be from a valve or head fault. In other cars I've found cylinder head probs more common than ring probs. That might be a good place to start! Do wet & dry compression tests, and if indicated, pull the heads.

I've never done a motor swap, always repaired or rebuilt. Never rebuilt a VQ (haven't blown mine up yet). Might not be the cheapest and easiest, but I enjoy it; and I know what the result will be.

 

What did the compression numbers turn out to be across the 6 cylinders?

 

I took my time doing it this time but I could see pulling the motor in roughly 2.5 hours. But then again I don't have A/C or PS. That adds a bunch more time.

 

Let me know how long it takes you to disassemble the motor and put it back together inside the engine bay. (If you ever do it, maybe you'll never have to)

"In extreme cases caused by a lack of necessary equipment".. that is NOT standard practice or reccomended practice. Sounds like a jack/hoist and something to put an engine on.

And I'll repeat what I said...."from someone who disassembled a VQ, I don't see how the blue heck doing in it the engine bay would be any better or save any time."