1977 KC 620 engine swap (vq35de!)

1972-1979 Datsun 620 forums. All 620-specific topics and discussion can be found here.
Musaed
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:19 pm
Car: 1977 KC 620
Location: Kuwait

Post

Hello everyone.. my name is Musaed and this is my 1st post here, I am not really very active in forums but I do lots of reading and searching when I am about to start a project, one of the challenges I face is the language as I don't quite understand all I read.

this is my 1st project, and it all started when I got my KC 620 from the US, the original engine was not that good to start with, and I had a totaled 2002 Nissan pathfinder with a vq35de. so I think you all know now my plans. I got the old engine from the truck and started the swap, little by little I found myself buying a d21 frame and trying to fit the 620 can on it, well that was not easy for me and took 2 weeks to align all the brackets to the new frame and trying to center the front wheels in the wheel well. learned few things and tricks here for next projects.

now hunting for a manual transmission, spent good amount of time in the junk yard and found a cd009 out of 2006 350z in excellent condition, took it home and bolted right up to the vq35de from the pathy,

I was trying to set the engine as low and back as possible and faced two issues, the stock oil pan is a back sump and it will hit the engine cross member, also will go below the cross member and will be the first thing to hit the road bumps, so another trip to the junk yard and a 350z oil pan is sorted.now if you want to do that, take the starter motor from the 350z as the one from the pathy wont fit the stock upper oil pan.

Dipstick! okay take that from 350z as well, the stock hole will not matter, there is no rout for the stock dipstick into the 350z oil pan, just leave it. to install the new dipstick, there is a rout for it in the block and the left head (driverside LHD) its only now all the way through, just drill a hole at the top (must be precise and better yet take it to a professional).

now I have a 2002 pathfinder engine mated to a 350z 6 speed tranny, oil pan, starter motor and dipstick.

it time to fabricate motor mounts, got the block bracket and mounts and frame brackets (cut them) from the pathy, in my case I mounted the cab slightly forward than stock location to gain equal clearance for the tires but they are exaclty centered to the wheel well, I accounted for the turns and from there and measured the shortest distance between the tires fully turned to the closest point of the fender (front and back of the tire), this pushed the engine forward and passed the original engine mounts of the hardbody frame, so i have to make new mounts and weld them where the old locating is, this is what I am doning now and hopfully will finish it soon.

oh I forgot to mention that I also needed the exhaust manifold from the z and the stock ones are bulky and wont fit, just match the studs pattern of the new one ( pathfinder studs pattern is different but easy too do) and both have the same ports size.

at this point I have a question, what would be the smallest space/distance for fans and radiator? now I am left with 5 to 5.5 inches! any advise will be highlly appreciated.

I will post some pictures asa I figure out how to. Thanks


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