LEMHEAD16's VH45DE --> s13 Project!

[LEMHEAD16]

Hey guys,

I have had this project going since May I have just been to lazy to introduce it.

I am on my 3rd 240 now. First one was an 89 that I put a KA-T in. Second one was a clean auto hatch that I flipped after replacing the transmission. This is the third that I picked up off of my buddy when he moved back to Vermont. It was super clean and owned by an older lady.

I Started with the suspension putting on KTS coilovers, Q45 brakes, and various bushings.

The engine was pretty tired in it and one day it just decided to give up the ghost. I thought about rebuilding it and going KA-T again, but then I found a killer deal on a running Q45 and that's where the project started.

Engine bay sans KAE

Engine

I ran into problems when I took the motor down to my buddies shop and put it on his SIM-TEST machine. Hole number 8 had 0 compression so we tore it apart only to find it was a bad lifter. Here is wha tthe heads look like now all shiny and cleaned. New Valve stem seals and decked before re-assembly.

Here is Wes's adapter plate mated to the Z32 5 speed. We shall see how it works. I don't know of anybody who has one running with this set-up yet?

Motor mountsPretty simple design. Very similar to Mazworks.

Frame notch to make the alternator fit.

{EDIT} DON'T DO THIS! THE Booster won't work with a dent in it. Get a 1991 Sentra E model booster (Without ABS). Perfect fit and only 75 bucks new.



Brake booster clearance issues solved

Manifoldsi know most of you have gone the equal length route because this engine likes to breath. My ultimate goal is to run a single large turbo on the car, with these manifolds all I have to do is remove them and flip them over and the exit will point forward. They may not make the most power but the welds sure are nice looking.





Carl has the wiring harness right now and should be back to me soon. The last major part that I need is a drive shaft that I will probably order from mazworks. After that it is all buttoning things up.

Let me know what you guys think. I will try to keep this updated. projected finish date is mid December. <IMG NAME="icon" SRC="http://images.nicoclub.com/forums/image ... con_bs.gif" BORDER="0">

Modified by LEMHEAD16 at 7:27 PM 2/16/2009
Modified by LEMHEAD16 at 1:49 PM 7/11/2009

[offroadbob]

lookin good!

[scelza]

Looks amazing. So close! I'm really going to have to fly out to go for a ride in this once it's done, even if it's just for the weekend. It sucked that I had to abandon a virgin 240 project, but I'm glad you kept up with it and really pulled through.

I'm watching this thread, so I'll be sure to catch your next post after those final touches are done... I'm still in disbelief on this project... it's going to be a crazy *** torque monster!

On a related note, I'm in DC on business this week, and rented a quad cab Frontier! I'm thinking about picking one of these bad boys up for this winter in VT, it's pretty ballsy for a 6 cylinder.

Later man, keep up the intense work!

[hannibal]

Those manifolds looks good. Simple but effective, and a lot easily to fit in the engine bay.

Was this car originally an auto? I think they have bigger boosters than 5spds.

[LEMHEAD16]

No it was a five speed car. I tried to position the engine as far back in the ba as possible to make room for some blowers in the future. I could have put it an inch or 4 farther forward and cleared just fine. As it is now I hammered the booster and shaved the valve cover just a bit and have about 2 CM of clearance.

[LEMHEAD16]

pictures fixed

[Infinitiguy19]

You do know that your are compromising safety to make the VH fit.

Cutting the frame is a no no, especially to that degree.

But nice job so far.

[maxnix]

Yeah, I would like to see about a 2 ft. long plate on the bottomof the frame.

[Logan76]

looks like he welded some 1/4 inch plate in there, on the open tube part of the frame to close it off and alone the bottom.

[LEMHEAD16]

The frame has been re-boxed where it was cut into and a 8inch plate welded on underneath. I think it will be okay. It was all done with 1/4' plate steel.

frames are notched all the time.

[CrazyTrance]

Hey just so you know, pounding in the brake booster wont work. There is a diaphram in there that has to move i believe. I tried doing that with mine and the plunger wouldnt budge after it. Thought i would let you know that before you try and stop it..

Get a old school manual sentra brake booster and redrill the holes like an inch up and to the drivers side to make it work.

[LEMHEAD16]

thanks for the info.

[LEMHEAD16]

So tonight was the night after a year of working on it......It fired up on the first try!

Thanks Carl for the wiring harness. That's about the only thing I was uncomfortable with.

It still has a way to go before it is road worthy. I still need to fabricate the intake tube, fuel filter bracket, battery tray, brake booster, clutch line, and clean up the rats nest of wiring.

BUT IT RUNS. Thanks NICO and especially the VH/VK forums for your wealth of knowledge. I'll get pics and videos as soon as I get it cleaned up a bit.

I can hardly contain my excitement it sounded beastly with open headers!

[LEMHEAD16]

http://s124.photobucket.com/al...1.flv

Short video of the test run. It had a major vacuum leak that I traced back to the fuel rail. It appears the rail is bowed so the front and rear injectors on the drivers side would not seal. Looks like somebody gets to pull an intake!

[Carl H]

nice, sounds alot like my vh open header.have fun with the plenum...its not alot of fun at all.

[LEMHEAD16]

Well I took her out for the first drive tonight. runs great except for the brakes

Get a old school manual sentra brake booster and redrill the holes like an inch up and to the drivers side to make it work.

Do you remember what year booster you used?

[Carl H]

a 1980s sentra booster bolts on with NO mods needed to the firewall.

[LEMHEAD16]

I checked around on prices

1985 sentra booster was 89.991987 sentra booster was 149.99

when you say 1980s sentra which one are you talking about? and does it require any modification to the BMC?

[1WheelWonder]

I got booster out of a 91 sentra that fit perfectly.

[LEMHEAD16]

IT'S Done!!

Took it for the first drive this afternoon. All I can say is, awesome. The only issue left is the starter only wants to engage about half the time.

I'll post pics and video soon

Thanks to everyone here for all the help Carl, Wes, and everybody else. I haven't had a smile plastered on my face like this for a long time.

[LEMHEAD16]

Yes the scoop is crooked. That's what you get for doing it at 3 A.M. Thats okay I don't really like it so I'll figure something else out before I get it painted this winter.



need to get the intake pipe finish welded. Until then Electrical tape works.

[tmorgan4]

The only issue left is the starter only wants to engage about half the time.

Congrats! It's a nice feeling to finally get to drive it.

I've got the same issue with the starter. When it doesn't engage does it grind horribly also? I never wanted to start my car with other people around because of some of the crazy grinding sounds the starter made.

[LEMHEAD16]

yeah that's the sound it makes. It's really embarassing

[newbissan-tech]

what z trans did you use? reason being is in the mazworx kit if you have a na trans they say to install the supplied spacer it's like an 1/8th inch thick or so! might just try a washer between the starter and trans case! good luck and the car looks great!

[OUKNO]

i think it reads if you use a auto transmission it bolts right upthats been a thought running through my mind, it would be easier wouldn't it
Modified by OUKNO at 11:52 PM 7/9/2009

[newbissan-tech]

what the hell are you talking about? he has a z 5 speed! na = naturally aspirated, tt = twin turbo! any way lmk dude!

[LEMHEAD16]

I fixed the starter issue by ovaling the bolt holes on the starter so that I could move it forward a 1/16 to an 1/8 of an inch. The issue is that the ring gear and starter didn't have enough contact area with the stock bolt holes.

The VH crank must sit the flywheel back a little further or it needs another spacer behind it, either way I made it work.

[LEMHEAD16]

Can a mod change the title of this thread to "VH45DE --> S13"

I think it will help people in the future searching for this topic.

Thanks

[ReDsT@R DRiFt@R]

Thats so sick! How's it run at the momement? If I didn't live in california I'd be setting some money aside to build my own 450sx lol! Nice hood guess it was a must for it to fit. Was there any chance of running a cowl hood like so many other v8's used? Great job, sounded like a mustangs worst nightmare with no header. Any other vids?
Modified by ReDsT@R DRiFt@R at 10:53 PM 7/27/2009

[T45]

I just used the Mazworx adapter and the stock VH spacer behind the flywheel lets the starter engage perfectly. Without it there is less flywheel engagement. When bolting the Z32 5 speed up to a VH, if the face of the trans bellhousing is flush with the VH mounting surface then the spacer is needed for more teeth engagement surface. Only other way around it is to machine the bellhousing surface a little bit or what he did, move the starter.