My ridiculous project... VH45DE into 240sx!

[CrazyTrance]

I take donations....

[CrazyTrance]

So i decided to update this thread since this car actually runs now and multiple people on this forum have helped me figure wiring issues out. These posts are copied from my local forum.

Ok, so the project is back in action everyone. I've made a little bit of progress so far. But it's slow going. Hopefully things will start to move along pretty soon.

Anyways, i just completed fabricating the alternator mount. I'm using a 240sx alternator as the q45 one is way too big to fit in the bay. I would have to notch the frame rail. The water pump and alternator will be run on one belt and the a/c tensioner will be flipped upside down to tension it. I'll show a pic of that later if i remember. Yeah i know, the welds are sloppy, they are just tac welds i did with my friends little 90 until i can go to my girlfriends house where they have a full size welder and finish them up.



Here's as far as i got last year on making the headers. I realize they are NOT equal length. I plan to re-do them eventually when i have more time. As of right now i'm just planning to get the car running.



Here is a picture of the passenger side header just sitting on the head.



And here's what i've got to work with. The mock-up engine is in the car without the transmission so it will be easier to finish making the exhaust. The transmission is huge..

[CrazyTrance]

So today a buddy and i hammered out most of the drivers side exhaust. It looks much better than the other side.. i give credit to the stationary cutter i'm borrowing, it's so much easier to cut a flat edge and angle's.

We had to redo the whole thing because the one i made last year was too close to the steering column. The new header clears it with much more room. Here are some of the pictures.



Checking for clearance around the steering column.



Another angle.



Checking that the runners clear the firewall and frame rail.



Another angle. Clears the firewall, frame, and column!



The header was on the engine outside the car for most of the fab work. After we made sure it would clear everything, we just hugged each runner to the other runners and made sure we could get the collector on.

The fourth runner will be made later this weekend hopefully. Then finish the collector on the passenger side and the headers are done. Then it's smooth sailing on the rest of the exhaust work.
Modified by CrazyTrance at 10:21 AM 4/21/2009

[CrazyTrance]

So i have definitely made some progress lately.

The shifter is finally figured out. Ended up cutting open the shifter hole and welding in a piece of steel, then welding the old 300zx shifter mounting to the bar. She is all lined up perfectly now. Can hit 1st through reverse smoothly now.

I also ran the clutch line today and bled it. The 6-puck RPS clutch feels NICE and is aching to be broken in.

Also had to re-drill a new hole in the brake pedal to accommodate for the relocation of the brake booster. So i did that and hooked that up. Now i can stop.

The headers are actually semi-complete now. All of the runners come together. Just need to take em apart and hand em over to my buddy to get welded up. Then it's collector and finish the rest of the exhaust time.

This is the muffler i think i'm going to get. It's a Dynomax Ultra-Flo X Muffler...

Let me know what you guys think.

[CrazyTrance]

THought i'd post a little update. Some more progress is supposed to go down this weekend. Like take the rear diff out to be welded (by someone on here, havent talked to anyone yet) Get the headers welded, school has been holding me back from getting this done. And a bunch of other misc work.

Yay, i can rock jegs stickers now...

[CrazyTrance]

So i have been working on this thing feverishly lately and been waiting FOREVER to get parts back from powder coating..... anyways.. Havent had time to post updates until now.

I've finished making the shifter mounting whatever you wanna call it.

Practically finished the headers.

I have a driveshaft currently in the works and should be done in a week or so.

And just got back some bling from the powder coater.



Here is me testing the drivers side deader after painstakingly working the tubing to meet together so i could magically fit a collector on the end. Hooray



Here i am making sure the header will clear the steering column.. i had to re-do this side becaus my first attempt wasn't good enough. YES i have to take the steering column out every time i need to pull the engine. and i need to pull the engine every time i need to take the headers off.. Yay for one-off custom ****.



Here is the end of a header just before i put the collectors on. I had to pinch the tubes together all in the middle so there would be as little turbulence as possible. then you weld a + across each seam and a half an inch or so up each side. so when you put the collector on it seals off from the atmosphere. twas fun



YAY!! this is a sweet picture. making sure the collectors didn't point up into the floor pan. This was a guestimate kind of cuz i still didn't have the mounts back from the powder coater... :/ so i just had the engine floating. but i think it'll be alright. i've looked at the engine enough times in the car to make a good guess.



Passenger side header all finished up minus the O2 sensor bung being put in place and finishing up the welding.



Delicious..



Money shotss





I'll post pictures of them on the engine later when i have a chance to put them on.
Modified by CrazyTrance at 10:18 AM 4/21/2009

[CrazyTrance]

Also another update i just got today.

Got back from PROVE FORCE (the clutch/u-joint place i'm going through) It's located in brooklyn park. They have sourced a yoke for me and have also found the rear flange that mates up to the differential. I HIGHLY recommend this place you guys. I've been working with Bernie. Call and ask for him. The guy is the shiz, super helpful

I Blue labeled these parts (2nd day) so they should get here on friday. He will call me to pick them up. I'll come pick them up. measure the length i need. Call him back and my driveshaft should be done on friday. Thats assuming everything goes as smoothly as possible and i can wake up for his phone call. (i work 3rd shift boys..)

I'm so ready to drive this thing you have no idea. 4 year projects FTMFW

[CrazyTrance]

As promised...

This is an HDR image. because the lighting was just kinda crappy when i did it.. so this is the best i could do for now. Will get better pics when its actually in the car. i'm sure thats all any of you care about anyways, whether or not it actually runs haha

[CrazyTrance]

ANyways, so i got some work done today. I ended up getting the headers back today so they are pretty much 100% done. I painted them with some DEI **** and wrapped the passenger side header from the end of the collector to about 2 or 3 inches up the runners in like 15 feet of header wrap because its gonna be rediculously close to the fuel and brake lines.. Its necessary. The DEI and wrap is only temporary untill i can get them properly coated next year sometime. I don't have time to wait around to get it coated. Running out of time.

QUick pic of the headers. I dont have a pic of the headers in wrap right now.. took this before the wrap went on. will put one up if i get around to taking one..



But anyways. The Driveshaft is going to be completed TOMORROW!! So i basically will have EVERYTHING i need to get this car on the road this weekend! Bought some premium gas to throw in the gas tank so i can try firing it up this weekend!!! HAHAH yeah boyy!

I'm stoked. Are YOU?

[CrazyTrance]

So a HUGE update.

I got the driveshaft back from the shop today (well yesterday).

TADAAA!!



The car is basically completely put back together, engine is in with headers on. We tried starting it last night but no such luck. It was making a clunking noise from the front of the engine when turning it over but a guy on nico said he had that same noise and it was just extra slack in the timing chain and went away once started. We also didn't have enough power, it was turning over really slow.. So i'm getting a new battery tomorrow thats big.

I think i've still got some quirks to solve in my wiring. Dont think the fuel pump is priming so i've gotta solve that issue out, and i'm not sure i've wired in the ignitors correctly either...

[CrazyTrance]

ok. so i've been looking through the q45 fsm to figure out why i'm not getting spark. I have power to the coil packs and the power transistors are connected directly to the ecu. So there should be spark right? WRONG

Yes, everything is hooked up like it should be. But i am missing one important thing. The ignition coil RELAY.

Why? Think of your fuel pump. When you turn the key to the on position it sends a signal to a relay, which in turn sends a signal to your fuel pump control unit which finally tells the fuel pump what the **** is up.

So in this case, the power transistor doesn't know what to do because i have NO ignition coil relay telling the ecu that yes, ok i have the key turned on. So it doesn't send a signal to the power transistor which in turn doesn't send a signal to the coil packs to turn the **** on so i can roast the **** outta my tires.. So no signal, no gravy.

THAT is what i think is wrong and why i have no spark. I'm not 100% sure yet, but i'm pretty sure this is what the problem is. I'll let you guys know for sure tomorrow. Or if i'm still stuck in a ditch, moving nowhere fast.

So let me know what you guys think! Think i'm right?? Or am i just making **** up. Post!

ANyways, here is the diagram for the ingition signal system and why i think what i think is right, or should be right.

P.S. no i didn't write on the actual book damnit. i have a tablet pc. used an editing program to write it with a paintbrush. so back off

[CrazyTrance]

**** today was stupid. I'm still stuck at figuring out why my injectors aretnt being triggered....

While we were trying to start the car again with starter fluid, it backfired through the intake and lit my friends arm on fire, holy crap. hmmm..

[CrazyTrance]

It ****ing RUNS!!!!

BWASAHHAHAHAHHA. ****ing parkinglots here i com!!

Thanks for ALL of your help you guys!

It's not quite it DRIVING condition yet. Still need to get the rest of the exhaust made. And it doesn't like to idle for some reason.

Also i think the tach signal is like times 2 cuz its an 8 cylinder. Anyone know how to fix that?

Omfg i'm so happy.

4 years man... good god finally my car can hit the pavement.

Enjoy.

P.S. that squeeling is just a pulley. think its cuz i have no coolant in the system.

BWAHAHA

[CrazyTrance]

ok. so i actually drove it today! i had a vacuum leak i didn't find until i got back from my block round trip. it was bogging and i think thats why but when it didn't bog it was quick. never got over a quarter throttle either. But now it idles PERFECTLY SMMOOOOTH.

suspension is sloppy haha. i dont even have a stock rear sway bar cuz my endlinks are missing. need coilovers. anyone wanna sponsor me?? haha.

This thing is amazing. so much torque. I'm so excited guys.

[CrazyTrance]

So i practiced my fabrication skills once again today.. Yes there is still more to do.... haha

Mostly exhaust stuff

Made an exhaust hanger for the muffler. The plate also doubles as my e-brake line holder thingy.

Dont nit pick about the welds. I'm welding quarter inch steel with a little miller 90. Its not a super structural piece so whatever..



Here it is mounted on the car

Another angle.

I like this one.

Almost there!!

YEAHH!!! GREAT SUCCESS!!

Wahoo! Now just gotta get the whole welded. It's just tacked.

[Carl H]

welds look great, ive been having trouble getting my welder to feed normal mig carbon steel wire properly...but yet it fed the al wire just fine...nice exhaust routing, i plan on grabbing a simple ssac dual knockoff and using that to plumb the car.

[Bart]

So i practiced my fabrication skills once again today.. Yes there is still more to do.... haha

Mostly exhaust stuff

Made an exhaust hanger for the muffler. The plate also doubles as my e-brake line holder thingy.

Dont nit pick about the welds. I'm welding quarter inch steel with a little miller 90. Its not a super structural piece so whatever..



Here it is mounted on the car

Another angle.

I like this one.

Almost there!!

YEAHH!!! GREAT SUCCESS!!

Wahoo! Now just gotta get the whole welded. It's just tacked.

Your welding looks great mateThe look on your face when you started the motor up was great, hopefully i will experience the same thing in a few day when i start up my motor.

[CrazyTrance]

welds look great, ive been having trouble getting my welder to feed normal mig carbon steel wire properly...but yet it fed the al wire just fine...nice exhaust routing, i plan on grabbing a simple ssac dual knockoff and using that to plumb the car.

Thanks, its really a pretty simple routing, there arent many bends in the tubing which surprised me, made it a whole lot easier. and the clearance is decent also. Doesn't hang down too much.

Your welding looks great mateThe look on your face when you started the motor up was great, hopefully i will experience the same thing in a few day when i start up my motor.

Thanks haha. It was awesome. The sound is amazing, you will have the same look. trust me.

[USsil80]

quick pic request... can you take a pic perpendicular to the frame rails to show how low the collectors hang below the frame rail... and i love how you did the exhaust..

[craigztoyz]

fun as hell to drive huh?

Nice info on your build.

[sr20deTsomeday118]

i need vids of parking lots being molested by flying rubber

[CrazyTrance]

ok. so I have solved all running problems.

I found two bad injectors. Number one and number two cylinders. I happened to have two brand new injectors from the other engine i got out of the q45 i bought. replaced them and decided to set the cas back to the center since that is where is is supposed to be.

This thing SCREAMS. Took it through this huge tunnel with a buddy of mine Holy **** balls you guys. This thing has its own sound. Nothing sounds like it.

It LOVES to be sideways. A flick of the throttle is all that is needed. TONS of torque. But holy **** is it hard to steer with no power steering. I need a remote mounted electric unit asap.. like one from the gen 2 mr2's.

Anyways. I'll video a highway run or a sound clip or something. It sounds WAY better than the first video i gave you guys. The exhaust does wonders.

I'm so god damn happy. Drove it 90 miles today and no overheating problems.

[SuperHatch]

quick pic request... can you take a pic perpendicular to the frame rails to show how low the collectors hang below the frame rail... and i love how you did the exhaust..

Everyone always asks this question, I'm assuming because they're worried about ground clearance.

The collectors WILL hang below the framerails no matter what. The framerails are not tall enough to hide the collector, even if it was touching the floorboard. There is simply no way to protect the primaries from ground impact using the framerails.

You either need shorty headers to get the collector tucked up higher, which BTW is nearly impossible on the drivers side, or just run a log manifold.

I am curious about Mazworx headers though, they were able to tuck their collectors up higher by placing them in the area under the slanted part of the firewall. They used extremely short collectors (shorter than I could find while making mine) and actually angles the collectors exit relative to the primaries. IF they don't hang below the framerails, that is most likely the only way to do it.

[PresidentV8Fan]

We need vids...This has been a goal of mine to do for quite sometime, good luck

[blackieblack]

yup def nice build man. i think ive seen you on club fr.

[450Z]

I'd like to hear the sound of your car as well. Mine has a distinct sound to it as well, not like sbc or sbf. I thought is was my choice of mufflers, that's why I'd like to hear your's to compare.The exhaust was a simple one with a few more bend then yours. Mine can be heard here: http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=BgkYvKY_5TM

[titaniumbullet]

rediculous is the correct word for that my friend....

[sr20deTsomeday118]

updates paleeeze

[CrazyTrance]

i will definitely throw up some updates soon. I've been to busy actually driving the car haha. Maybe a new video will pop up this weekend if i go cruising.

[killakarebear]

Bro that's so crazy its rocks what rear axle are u going to use? if stock 240 will it handle the torque? but yea im drooling over it. kept up man