V6 Engine Swap
V6 Engine Swap
Has anyone ever swapped a Nissan V6 into the 240SX? If so, which motor and what mods were required?
-
bruinbear714
- Posts: 1159
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:58 pm
- Contact:
Chill Out
Why would I want to swap in a V6? Let's look at the evidence to support this thought: '65 AC Cobra - 427 cu in V8, not a 2.0 liter I4, Ferrari F50 - 4.7 liter V12, not a 2.0 liter I4, ANY TOP FUEL DRAGSTER - mountain motor V8, not a 2.0 liter I4 and bruinbear714's response - 300Z twin turbo. The message here is that the larger motor at least has the POTENTIAL to create more power AND if you can do it without force feeding it air it will be more reliable and will typically provide a better torque and horsepower response curve across all RPM's. And then, if you force feed it you have taken a large step forward.
I am NOT some 18 year old kid (I am most likely older than many of you), but I am very experienced in both street rod and hot rod building...using American hardware. I AM looking to get involved in the import scene and through sites like this learn what to do and what not to do. I AM old enough to know when to be rude and when not to be and I AM NOT interested in being flamed/insulted.
Lastly, I did do a search but this site does not provide searches on less than three letters so searching on V6 is not possible. I searched on engine swap and got quite a long list of responses and so rather than read for hours on end all of the useless info some of you are so interested in providing I thought I'd ask for some success stories.
I'm LEARNING - so give it a rest.
I am NOT some 18 year old kid (I am most likely older than many of you), but I am very experienced in both street rod and hot rod building...using American hardware. I AM looking to get involved in the import scene and through sites like this learn what to do and what not to do. I AM old enough to know when to be rude and when not to be and I AM NOT interested in being flamed/insulted.
Lastly, I did do a search but this site does not provide searches on less than three letters so searching on V6 is not possible. I searched on engine swap and got quite a long list of responses and so rather than read for hours on end all of the useless info some of you are so interested in providing I thought I'd ask for some success stories.
I'm LEARNING - so give it a rest.
-
bruinbear714
- Posts: 1159
- Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:58 pm
- Contact:
well now that you've put a little more thought into just "can you drop a v6 into a 240?", here's my more serious answer 
If you ever taken a look at the 300z engine bay, you will notice that there's VERY little room to get your hands here and there, especially with the twin turbo model. So if you were to swap that engine into the 240sx body, there will definitely be issues regarding how much room it will take up. Furthermore, it'll throw the weight balance of the car forward, and that ruins the whole point of owning a 240. If that engine was an inline 6 (which by the way, is the reason why I don't like the z's because of its v6 engine configuration and little room to work with), then MAYBE its more feasible to drop that engine into the 240.
Even if you manage somehow to get that 300z (vg30dett or whatever it is) into the bay, you will still need to fabricate motor mounts, transmission mounts, bell housings, driveshaft, etc etc. By the time your down doing all the fabrication needed on the 240, it'll perform as a totally different car.
As for which nissan v6 engines, the only feasible one would be the 300z's since they're the only one that's designed for a rwd application.
For those american V8's you see, well the car is already designed for a v8 in mind, so there's plenty of room for ANY kind of engine as long as you can make the mounts for them.
I haven't seen a 300z engine in a 240 yet, but I've seen plenty of rb's in 240s, rb's in older model datsuns, and even sr20's in datsuns.
If you ever taken a look at the 300z engine bay, you will notice that there's VERY little room to get your hands here and there, especially with the twin turbo model. So if you were to swap that engine into the 240sx body, there will definitely be issues regarding how much room it will take up. Furthermore, it'll throw the weight balance of the car forward, and that ruins the whole point of owning a 240. If that engine was an inline 6 (which by the way, is the reason why I don't like the z's because of its v6 engine configuration and little room to work with), then MAYBE its more feasible to drop that engine into the 240.
Even if you manage somehow to get that 300z (vg30dett or whatever it is) into the bay, you will still need to fabricate motor mounts, transmission mounts, bell housings, driveshaft, etc etc. By the time your down doing all the fabrication needed on the 240, it'll perform as a totally different car.
As for which nissan v6 engines, the only feasible one would be the 300z's since they're the only one that's designed for a rwd application.
For those american V8's you see, well the car is already designed for a v8 in mind, so there's plenty of room for ANY kind of engine as long as you can make the mounts for them.
I haven't seen a 300z engine in a 240 yet, but I've seen plenty of rb's in 240s, rb's in older model datsuns, and even sr20's in datsuns.
I've seen a rb26det (the skyline engine) and the 2jzGTE from the supra dropped in....
but the skyline engine conversion costs about 12k alone...
just buy the twin turbo Z man. I had a 300ZX and modded it, loved it...then I couldnt pay for insurance anymore, and the car was too heavy for my usses now (road racing)
and dispalcement is not the end-all in high-po engines. since you keep calling out names of higher displacement super cars, I'll give you the one car that will shut you up:F399 ferrari forumla-1 car. under 3 litre engine.....900+hp.
remember, horspower works by displacement AND RPMS...total valume of air consumed and burned.and I know that sounded insulting, but Im making my point clear.
and all the cars, except the f50, were pretty much straight line cars. if you wanted a drag car, you shoulda just gone and bought a F-body man.
-chet
but the skyline engine conversion costs about 12k alone...
just buy the twin turbo Z man. I had a 300ZX and modded it, loved it...then I couldnt pay for insurance anymore, and the car was too heavy for my usses now (road racing)
and dispalcement is not the end-all in high-po engines. since you keep calling out names of higher displacement super cars, I'll give you the one car that will shut you up:F399 ferrari forumla-1 car. under 3 litre engine.....900+hp.
remember, horspower works by displacement AND RPMS...total valume of air consumed and burned.and I know that sounded insulting, but Im making my point clear.
and all the cars, except the f50, were pretty much straight line cars. if you wanted a drag car, you shoulda just gone and bought a F-body man.
-chet
I'm not insulted nor does it shut me up. I used the word potential in my second note for a reason: there are exceptions to every idea, rule and theory. For example: I mentioned having experience building other cars...over 20 years ago I built a '79 Mustang 2.3 litre turbo motor that put out 305 hp at the rw (dyno'd) - quite a feat back then and WAY more than the V8 in the GT and it handled great for the times. Alas, it wrapped itself around an overpass abutment.
I'm already convinced I'm into building the KA motor in the car or finding one of the factory turbo motors. Would it be too much to ask which might be the better route given the car has an automatic transmission? My observation is that this transmission is designed more for mileage than performance and so mid-range torque becomes vital.
Peace.
I'm already convinced I'm into building the KA motor in the car or finding one of the factory turbo motors. Would it be too much to ask which might be the better route given the car has an automatic transmission? My observation is that this transmission is designed more for mileage than performance and so mid-range torque becomes vital.
Peace.
the KA and SR transmission are both the same gear ratios, except the final gear, where the KA has a higher gear ratio...(.759 on theLKA transmission, .838 on the sr20)
so the transmission shouldnt be a major part of the decision, both cars have good clutch packages, pressure plates, and flywheels available for them, so its a matter of choice. the KA has a MUCH better torque band (see my dyno, you can search for it) than the sr20, but not as many "tubrbo sepcific" modifications are availalbe, like oversized fuel rails, injectors, etc...
-chet
so the transmission shouldnt be a major part of the decision, both cars have good clutch packages, pressure plates, and flywheels available for them, so its a matter of choice. the KA has a MUCH better torque band (see my dyno, you can search for it) than the sr20, but not as many "tubrbo sepcific" modifications are availalbe, like oversized fuel rails, injectors, etc...
-chet
Wow...... feel that tension. For the engine swaps as they have said above I have never seen a 300zx engine installed due to its shape. So you options would be the skyline engine RB26TT or the SR20DET motor... the skyline is bomb proof and pushes somewhere near 300hp (I forget), but it is very heavy so the driving characterisics would change (you would have to counter balance, but the car would be such a sleeper and I haven't seen any in the states only in Austrialia and japan).
The SR20DET motor is already designed for the turbo so it would be very reliable. the weight is low so it wouldn't change the driving characteristics.. the price is cheaper then the skyline engine... and it pushes about 250hp for the S15 sr20det..... you will have to fabricate some mounts for the motor and transmission, but besides that everything will fit quite nicely...
I would get the SR motor over turboing the KA cause of reliability, choice is yours....
The other option, which is only an idea I just recently had, is to get the new maxima V6 3.5L 255HP motor... Nothing like natural aspiration.
The SR20DET motor is already designed for the turbo so it would be very reliable. the weight is low so it wouldn't change the driving characteristics.. the price is cheaper then the skyline engine... and it pushes about 250hp for the S15 sr20det..... you will have to fabricate some mounts for the motor and transmission, but besides that everything will fit quite nicely...
I would get the SR motor over turboing the KA cause of reliability, choice is yours....
The other option, which is only an idea I just recently had, is to get the new maxima V6 3.5L 255HP motor... Nothing like natural aspiration.
ahem what about
VQ45DE, yeah baby lets talk potential now, no really has anyone ever thought of it for a 240 or 300?
Actually, the new Maxima engine is what got me thinking about the swap. I know it's a front driver but I know of one example where a front driver engine will also work in select rear drives. The Taurus SHO motor will bolt up to the manual transmission from the Aerostar (saw one in a sprint car of all places) and that got me to thinking about the new Maxima engine in my 240. I haven't had a chance to research this idea so if anyone already knows the answer I'd be interested. I'm guessing that the new Maxima motor would weigh in close to a turbo'd four so the handling wouldn't suffer too much - but that's a guess until I do more research.
-
AkaiRPS13
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Sat Jul 27, 2002 2:28 am
- Car: 91 Nissan 240SX
76 Datsun 280Z
92 Nissan 240SX
I have heard of the older VG30ET and VG30E fitting without much trouble but the swap is almost pointless in terms of hp. I think the turbo one is 210 and the na is significantly lower. the DETT i have heard is extreemly difficult if not impossible. dunno about the DE which is a fun motor with lots of torque and decent hp(225 i believe). the VQ motor in the Maxima would need a RWD transmission to work(among other things) like you said. but the only one that might work would be from a MT VQ euipped truck or maybe the new Infiniti Skyline-G35 (6-speed!). better yet just use the engine from that but if fitting a 3.0l is a problem you can bet a 3.5 will be. for someone who likes V engines the future of nissan looks bright, might be a better idea to just save your money and buy a GT-R when it comes out. 3.5L V6 twin turbo 6 speed attesa all wheel drive 4WS 400hp supercar. lots o potential. If you cant afford it or AWD isnt your bag try the 350Z.same car same engine no turbo no AWD no 4WS but only 260 hp. a lot cheaper.
check out http://www.unstable-hybrids.com
They fave faq's and real explinations and costs for just about all of the swaps brought up here. (Even American V8)
They fave faq's and real explinations and costs for just about all of the swaps brought up here. (Even American V8)
-
Omar Wardak
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2002 2:23 pm
Sorry to jump in so late, but the vg30e and de should technically fit into a 240 with minor work. The vg30e is used in the Nissan frontiers and the engine mounts should be located in the same place. Although it is heavy, it is only 3 cylinders long, so it would be sitting farther back in the car, it wouldn't screw up weight distribution. Lots of 510s have these things under their hoods, so why shouldnt a 240?