Post by
VHS14 »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/vhs14-u83740.html
Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:06 am
Hello,</P>
This is my first post here, and let me kick it off by saying thanks to all you folks for turning me on to the VH swap idea. I have the feeling I'll be picking a lot of brains here in the future. I was waffling between KA-T, SR, RB power for my S14 for about 6 months when I found this site. About 4 weeks later I had my JDM VH45DE and Z32 TT 5 speed sitting on my garage floor ready to get to work, hehe. </P>
I bought my engine and trans from "JDM Tiger Japanese Auto" in Canada. Their prices were good. I got the engine/trans for about $1000 + a very reasonable $175 for freight. The engine was advertised as "25-35K Miles, 1996+, best condition". when it arrived, the engine and transmission were caked with sludge, and they were literally dripping with what smelled like diesel fuel (ghetto corrosion protection?), despite the claim that they would be "Thoroughly cleaned prior to shipment". Just about every part on the engine made of plastic was totally destroyed, embrittled by the fuel sitting on it for god knows how long, and put out of its misery completely upon disassembly. It has VTS so it wasn't really 96 (A BONUS!) but it has oval intake ports, so I'm guessing it's a '94-95? I'm satisfied with it now, because most of the ancilliary components are going in the garbage anyway, but I will probably not do business with these guys in the future. There were a few claims that didn't turn out to be true, and were too glaring to simply be oversights. If I had dropped 2 or 3 bills on an RB swap, and got something as questionable as this, I would have been SERIOUSLY steamed. </P>
After it sat and stunk my garage up for a few days, I sucked it up, and began ripping it all apart for a closer look. A couple weeks of scrubbing, and a gallon of Super Clean later...
I was relieved when I got the timing covers, valve covers and oil pan off There was just kind of a very light tannish brown film if anything on most of the parts, so it was pretty clean inside. It's either a genuine low mileage engine afterall, or the oil was changed religiously. either way, I didn't observe any obvious "red flags" that made me feel like I needed to start pulling heads off, or removing the crank, etc. Replacement parts for this motor are really expensive, so I'm opting for the innocent until proven guilty approach. I re-sealed the timing cover, oil pan, and valve covers, replaced the front and rear seals, and It's reassembled to the point that I'm going to have to start making some decisions. I figure the first order of business is the trans adapter, then mounts. Once it's sitting in there, I'll feel a lot better about everything else that needs to be done to get it going. </p>
This is going in my 1995 240sx SE.</P>
My Plan is to use a Megasquirt to control fuel as well as ignition, via a Ford EDIS-8 module. I'm totally opposed to cutting a hole in my hood, so I've been trying to read up a bit on intake manifold design "fundamentals". Admittedly, most of what I've read is WAY over my head. I'm serioulsy considering incorporating an Eaton M-90 supercharger From a Super Coupe T-Bird since they are dirt cheap, and I am prepared to make a whole new intake manifold anyway. I should be able to do it and still have it sit considerably lower than the stock foot tall intake. The supercharger would add a little complexity, but it should also compensate for a poor manifold design to some degree. I'm guessing that with premium fuel, it wouldn't kill anything to pulley it to run 2-3 psi of boost temporarily despite the ultra high static compression ratio? Once I have everything in there and running and driving, I can build it up properly for a moderate amount of boost.
I'm kind of intrigued by the intake/exhaust manifolds and the high mount alternator that I saw on the photos of the 4.1L further up on this post, will those manifolds clear the hood/body/steering? will they bolt up to the 4.5?</p>
Can anyone tell me if the dimension from the transmission mounting face on the block to the face of the flange on the crank is the same between the VH and VG engines? I'm measuring approximately .25" from the back of the block to the flange face on my VH. I can start working on my adapter plate as soon as I know this for sure.
Take care,
Matt
Modified by VHS14 at 3:25 AM 1/1/2008
Modified by VHS14 at 3:40 AM 1/1/2008