240SX VQ Swap - Project S13 V-Spec with VQ30DE from Maxima.

[Soravia]

I tried to use JB-Weld as the finishing touch on the insides of the runners, big mistake. JB-Weld is messier than QuikSteel and hard to control as it ebs and drips all over the place. The only thing it was good for is to use between the runners and the connector pipes.

So I used QuikSteel inside the runners and connector pipes to make the air flow smooth. QuikSteel is pretty easy to grind out using drimel tools.

[StandardProspect]

wow, i am amazed by this build.you are putting a lot of hard work into that thing.i can really appreiciate that.great buildkeep up the good work

[RustspecS13]

Your going to run into a huge mess trying to custom fab the KA 5 speed and get it to work with the VQ, yea sure it can be done, but the KA trans are weak, high mileage usually and the time/money spent to get them to work wont be worth it.

My friend just blew up a KA trans. Granted it had 190K on it but we abused the crap out of it, and that was with a 140HP KA, with a 220+HP VQ it'll take alot less time. A z33 6 speed will last forever in a NA s13.

The VQ trans are cheap ($300-1500), better geared, MUCH stronger, bolt up if you have the RWD oil pan, and dont require many custom parts. You'll need a custom shift linkage which isnt too bad to make or buy from some where like vqswap.com and if you use a 85-01 maxima clutch you'll need a TOB spacer. Thats it.

Mazworks makes a adaptor kit to bolt up the Z32 5 speed. Its strong but not that well geared for na. Its about $1000 kit though.

And you wont have to cut up your tunnel to fit any of the three transmissions. Any will fit with no mods.

~Alex

[Soravia]

$1,000 for an adapter kit is definitely not an option. I can get a nearly new Z33/G35 trans or a used trans with clutch for that.

I'm still looking for dyno sheets on aluminum flywheels. I want to know how much torque I can get by using those. I'll need to buy flywheel and fab a drive shaft so I'm thinking about going aluminum.

I just saw a pic of VQ35HR intake. I want it!

[Soravia]

Just used the scale in the bathroom. Once I'm done with it, I expect the intake manifold to weight no less than 15Lb, without the throttle body.

I'm thinking about using the stock Maxima TB or the S13 KA24DE TB or the TB from a 350Z. Which would deliver more low end torque?

[Soravia]

I was just on vqswap.com

LoL they can't even caption right, calling a VQ35DE as VQ35HR. They can fool only a Civic ricer with that.http://vqswap.com/_wsn/page4.html

[[TRE05]97ka24DE]

that intake is looking nice!

[Soravia]

I just had most of the intake welded in. Needs a little more welding and then cutting out the extra metal pieces.

I've decided to keep the stock throttle body mount along with 4 tubes for the air flow. I just cut the thing out and will put it on the manifold using QuikSteel.

[gregfarz78]

A low mileage vq trans isn't that much you can get a 03-05 for about $350 and a 06+ for $400-500. IMO I would go with the 06+ trans they made some improvements with it, guys on the Z board complain about the synchros on the 03-05 trans supposedly they fixed it on the 06+

[Soravia]

I looked at a 2002-2003 Maxima with VQ35DE today. The intake looks so much better than VQ30DE.

The connection from throttle body to the pluem seems reversable.

[Soravia]

I did some work on the pluem today.

I put in a 2.5" tube between the plate and half-tube to make enough room.

Some tiny gaps in the welding. They'll be covered by QuikSteel from inside and out.

The end of the pluem where the IACV will go to.

It'll be attached with a plate.



Cut-up throttle body mount.

[Soravia]

This guy here seems to have a better pluem than mine, but I only have a TIG welder.http://www.cardomain.com/ride/835892

[Soravia]

I justs got the intake manifold flanged for the IACV.

Cut off the extra sides.



Some gaps in welding because we couldn't reach inside.

Just need to tidy up the inside and put on the throttle body mount.

[Soravia]

I was looking up stuff on the wiki and egay, and thought "What if I put on an Xterra/Frontier 4x4 transmission and do an AWD?"

LoL

[DJButton]

Intake scares me, but other then that looking ok.

[Soravia]

Don't worry about the looks. I'm planning to wrap up the thing with this later.

http://www.koolmat.com/main.htm

[Soravia]

I'm trying to figure this out. Is it a good idea to put the brake booster outlet near the throttle body or is it a good idea to put it at the end of the pleum?

I don't want to drill the pleum I just made and put the hose fitting at the end of it.

I still haven't done the throttle body mounting so I'm thinking of puttin it next to that.

Any takes?

[Soravia]

I found the answer. Mitsubishi GTO has it right after the throttle body.

[fetherw8]

**** dude better hope those welds are strong enough to hold all that together when the car is running. if you welded all that intake stuff up why didnt you weld all the jb welded stuff up?

[Soravia]

Aluminum and steel have different temps to melt at. That means aluminum would be evaporating at the temp steel melts.

I need a TIG welder to weld Aluminum to Aluminum. Those things are huge and expensive.

[Soravia]

Better pic of the VQ35DE Maxima manifold, albeit in a Sentra Spec V.

Found here, along with other stuff like the QR25DE-T that makes 500 wHP.http://www.ranger-forums.com/f...28785
Modified by Soravia at 11:00 AM 6/9/2008

[Soravia]

I just did final welding on the pluem this evening. The thing is smelly and giving me headache. I'll put up some pics as soon as I finish up the last of QuikSteel on it.

[Soravia]

Here is the plate for the throttle body. Throttle body is 2" diameter inside but the hole was cut a little larger.

I didn't bring the throttle body mount so I made a bunch of holes that were in wrong places. Rushing to do it during lunch break didn't give me much time for accuracy.

Look I can fit my hand in the 2.2" hole!

You can see the burning on the QuikSteel. That was the reason it was so stinky.

I drilled a hole in the middle of the pleum for Brake Booster line.

Tapped it in a bit and covered it with QuikSteel.

Throttle body fitment. I still need to re-shape the holes for the bolts.

[irax]

I'm sorry, your intake is freaking scary!

btw what is the difference between the fwd and rwd oil pans, can you take pics of them? I was looking at the FWD upper oil pan and I think it could create allot better K-member clearance.

[Soravia]

FWD upper oilpan mounts the oil filter on the front of the engine under the pully. That DOES NOT clear any cross member.

FWD upper oilpan mounts the starter on TOP of the transmission, that won't clear the S13 firewall.

Combine the two together, it's pretty much impossible to use it.

Also, you can't use a RWD trans with the FWD upper oilpan.Getting a 350Z upper oil pan from Nissan dealer is $115.00

This intake is made to function so that I can move on to other things like actually getting the car running.

I'm planning to make a much more efficient intake later. Something with dual runners and butterfly valves. A variable intake.

[Soravia]

I just yanked out the shocks from the back of the maroon S13 to put into my red S13. I thought they were Konis (or I was hoping) but they turn out to be AGX with Eibach springs.



Can't really complain for a $650 car.

I'm trying to find out what the specs are for these springs and what setting I should use on the AGX for daily driving on highway with firm grip for quick turns. There are some holes and patches on the road so I want to set the correct setting and not break the shocks.Thanks

[Soravia]

I just swapped the shocks. Took about two hours because the bent anti-sway bar bolt was being a pain.

The stock anti-sway bar bolt was like 3/4 of the aftermarket I pulled off the maroon S13.

Is the bolt supposed to be put in the top down order of

upper bushing----A-Arm-----Middle upper bushingMiddle lower bushing----Sway bar-----Lower bushing3/4" sleeve tubewashernut???

[RustspecS13]

On my AGX/eibach sportline combo I ran 1 in the front and 4 in the rear for DD And 2 and 8 at the drift track, or 2/5 autocrossing. I didn't get a chance to dial in the autox adjustments as I sold them to my friend. .Well I traded for a rust free shell...

You should get ahold of a 00-01 plastic varible intake, all you have to do is chop off the plenum 3in down the runners flip it around and then JB weld it back together. Thainial (2000maxima engine into a FC) did it that way and had great results.

~Alex

[Soravia]

My fronts are still Eibach Pro with GR-2 struts and the rear is really great with Eibach Pro and GRX at 5/8. I dialed it down to 4/8 and it feels closer to the front.The rear is now really stiff and no more bouncing 4 times after rolling over a speed bump like when I had the blown GR-2 shock.I'm looking for shock boots right now. I have the rods lubed with wheel bearing grease for now.I'll put on the stiffer KYB rear sway bar later.

I can do the 2000-2001 VI but the height of it is the issue. That thing is as tall as the VQ35DE FWD intake manifold. I don't want to cut the hood nor the crossmember. That's why I'm using the 1995-1999 intake. Plus, the thing came with it so I don't have to buy the 00-01 VI right now.Thanks for the advise though. I'll look into it after the car is done and all. I need to do a lot of things including fabbing a drive shaft and wiring. Motor mounts should be easy but I need close clearance for the hood and crossmember.

[Soravia]

Just installed the throttle body on the intake. It fits pretty well for a super ghetto job with little measurement. I still don't have a measure tape.

There is gap between the plate and throttle body. The 16GA metal is pretty thin. 12GA would stand better to welding and drilling.

The clearance between the bolts/nuts and intake pluem is very small. One thing to consider while making the intake pluem.