VH45DE swap info, fitment issues and things to consider

[MRJERRY300ZX]

nevermind on the mounts I figured them out I just used the vh mounts with a little trimming i got them to fit perfectly!! I found the link on the vh wiring is it referring to splicing the it vh into the Z harness? just a little unclear on that. but other than that, it's been a fun swap even better when I can start it up for the 1st time so far-so good thanx guys!!

[ed300zx]

so you can use the 300zx transmission with the q45? will it be strong enough

q45? do you mean vh45? or is there an engine in the states called a q45?

the z32 transmission should be fine for the vh45 was as the poser run through the v8 is similar to that of the vgdett....the auto bolts straight up to the vh bellhousing and the manual you will need an adaptor....

im going to get my auto box rebuilt once i strap some turbos on the vh...but untill then, i wont bother and will jsut run my gear box ont he 8...im using an auto too

[ed300zx]

so you can use the 300zx transmission with the q45? will it be strong enough

q45? do you mean vh45? or is there an engine in the states called a q45?

the z32 transmission should be fine for the vh45 was as the poser run through the v8 is similar to that of the vgdett....the auto bolts straight up to the vh bellhousing and the manual you will need an adaptor....

im going to get my auto box rebuilt once i strap some turbos on the vh...but untill then, i wont bother and will jsut run my gear box ont he 8...im using an auto too

so you can use the 300zx transmission with the q45? will it be strong enough

[Rellik27]

very interesting learned new thanks

[MRJERRY300ZX]

yes ed300zx that's what I meant. The vh45 is from the infiniti Q45. but thanx for the the reply and the info on the transmission anyway. I know this is a custom swap and everybodys 450z will be unique in one way or another, but can someone address the wiring siuation for me

[ed300zx]

ahhhh ok....my bad...we dont get the q45 here thats why i was mistaken....

as for the wiring, i remember reading somewhere that you just use the loom from the vh45 and thats it....

here is a wiring diagram

http://www.machzracing.com/pic...m.jpg

info i was told:

My plans are to just use the stock VH45 ecu and wiring. There should be very few wires that actually need adapted to the Z32 chassis harness. Definitely going to keep an a/c in there, probably use the Q45's but I'm not sure yet as the power steering and a/c are on opposite sides as compared to stock. My Z has R134 in it though so I'll probably put the Q45 a/c in and refill it with the good stuff, R12.

The ECU is solely for the operation of the engine. A/C, windows, etc. aren't operated by the ECU. The wiring for the A/C may be in the engine harness but shouldn't be wired to it.

If you use the VH ecu and harness it's only about 10-12 wires that need to be hooked up and you can use the connectors off the Z to make it plug and play. There is one connector by the ecu that you can cut off and just splice in, then there are 2 plugs on the drivers side (u.s.) fender well that you'll also need to splice in for relay controls. The ecu also bolts right in to the Z bracket and looks just like stock. The harness also runs through the firewall with just a lil bit of trimming to the rubber and also looks factory.

hope that helps

here is my mates thread on the swap...you will find some info there

http://www.motorswaps.net/foru...t1486

[MRJERRY300ZX]

thanx for the reply, and all of the info! that was the diagram I was talking about

[T45]

A few other random pics. Current progress is blowing the rear end apart to replace with energy bushings. I got the whole kit and am replacing all front and rear bushings. The master kit only includes the rear subframe and diff bushings but for another 60 bucks I am redoing all the a-arm/link bushings in the rear too. For those thinking about doing this it's a total *****. My little 12 ton press is struggling.





Also got my edfc mounted. It sucks but the Type NA Teins I got aren't really compatible so I have to rig some brackets up to hold the motors on top of the shocks for the edfc to work. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. I got the shocks and controller for about $340 so I'm not complaining. I took some of the tweed from my old door panel and put it on some cardboard and got it glued up with gorilla glue. Ghetto but it looks decent and it's frizee.

[pagemaster]

Nice new pics T45, any updated info on that kit you were thinking of making?

[T45]

I wish, the twins are kicking my *** on a daily basis, a lot more than I had envisioned. Barely have time to shower let alone get started.

[z1 zonly]

Here's a tip to make your life a LOT easier when doing the bushings:

Use a torch to heat the metal surrounding the bushing until the rubber starts boiling and bubbling/sizzling out all around, and they'll come out with the tap of a hammer every time (make sure you get it evenly hot all the way around, and if it catches on fire blow it out). Follow up while it's still hot with a wire brush in a drill, and what little excess rubber there is will come right off.

I found that tip on the Internet while doing an ES bushing kit for an '89 Mustang--before I found it one rear control arm took 2 hours, after, the next one took 20 minutes. I did it with every other bushing on the car and each one came out like a dream!

Also, for the subframe bushings where you replace the metal bushing shell, stick your new ones in the freezer so they'll shrink up a bit.

[T45]

Thanks for the tips! Funny cuz I was just searching last night for how to get them out and found a vid on youtube of how to get them out. I have all the arms done and now I'm just down to spindles, subframe and diff. On that vid they burned out the rubber and then beat the sleeve into submission to get them out.

For the arms the bushings wouldn't budge with a couple tons of force on them UNTIL I put the heat to them. Some started moving in about 2 seconds of holding the torch up to them. I heated up the outer sleeve and they would move pretty quickly.

[hannibal]

OT question:Ben, your Frontier uses a VG, so an adapter made for the VH/Z32 transmission should work with the Frontier's 5 speed, right??

And it should also work for older Pathy's too?

[T45]

The issue with the 4x4 transmissions is that the VGxxE has the starter bolt in from the engine side of the trans, like the VH starter does. The starter from the VH won't mesh with the 5 speed flywheel so everyone that has done the swap has swapped in a Z32 5 speed bellhousing/front case and had that adapted to the VH.

If you're truck is auto then just bolt up the VH bellhousing to the trans.

[T45]

New pics, finally got car 99% re-assembled. Runs pretty good, still have some bugs to work out but all in all I'm very excited and impressed.









P.S. For those thinking of rebuilding the rear end with new bushings in the diff, subframe and rear arms, think again. If I had the choice between doing it again and getting a vasectomy I would opt for the ball chopper.

[kbflip02]

excellent work...at one time i was contemplating the VH in my J....although it was possible from the factory...from seeing what youve had to go through ill just try to see how much i can get out of this NA....then whenever i DO blow it id like to try the swap....unfortunately there arent many nissan enthusiasts that live on this side of houston and i dont exactly read japanese so im not even sure if the wiring harness is the same....blah blah blah im rambling again....sorry....anyways GREAT JOB and if you ever do get a free moment away from the twins post a vid....id really like to hear how she sounds...

[T45]

Go over to the VH section and look for posts by craigztoyz. He is in TX and I believe there are a lot of guys near houston getting into the swaps.

[craigztoyz]

excellent work...at one time i was contemplating the VH in my J....although it was possible from the factory...from seeing what youve had to go through ill just try to see how much i can get out of this NA....then whenever i DO blow it id like to try the swap....unfortunately there arent many nissan enthusiasts that live on this side of houston and i dont exactly read japanese so im not even sure if the wiring harness is the same....blah blah blah im rambling again....sorry....anyways GREAT JOB and if you ever do get a free moment away from the twins post a vid....id really like to hear how she sounds...

As T45 said, I am in Austin, and specialize in Eng swaps, I am doing a 450ZX. We have at least 3 in the area being built, a few S cars, and I have a 95 J30, that I want to make a J45.Email me if you need help, or have questions.

[craigztoyz]

T45-

I am almost caught up with you. With the cut, the eng is almost flush right? scope out my pics, and you'll see, I have the hood almost shut (1 inch all around).

Headers/frame is a real PITA, as I am as low as it can go, without modding rack.

SWEEET pics, but uhm wheres the videos???????????????????????

[T45]

Ah man, the friggin day I had. First time on the road, smoking like a freight train. I thought it would burn off immediately but it kept getting worse and worse. I think it was from where I had the engine upside down and the excess oil went into the intake, I dunno. Anyways we're trying it out and it has mad power. Broke the rear loose with 1/2 throttle and went into oncoming traffic. lol Then we were sitting at a red light smoking up the entire intersection and some guy yelled "hey your car's broke". lmao

Anyways we pulled over a few miles down the road to check things over. I had a coolant leak at the tstat housing where the tube comes out that used to go to the neck. I capped it off but it failed so I rigged up something for temp. Then found that the fans weren't working so I hooked them straight up so they come on with the ign.

Start it back up and it runs ok, smoke is going away, a little bit of detonation I presumed from old gas and a hot engine so I put another 40 bucks in and started again.

Went to my dads house, all the while temps creep up to 210-220. Redid the cap on the tstat port, then my einstein self decided to pull the rad cap to check the level. First time for everything right? BOW, a face full of 200+* water, in my open eyes, mouth, everything. Luckily it wasn't that hot but it still burns a lil bit.

So now after cooling off I purged it again and got out a lot of air. It stayed at 179 with the fans on so I figured we were good. Drove a while longer and the temps kept creeping, got on highway and it's good then after getting off highway it goes straight to 230.

The stock na radiator just isn't big enough. It is fine with the hood open, heat on and fans running but when driving the vh just makes too much heat.

I also have some kind of mis-fire. I guess from the damned injectors again. Oh, and the pass mani rubs on the xmember when torque is applied to it. I figure a cable with a turnbuckle will help with that. Not bad, just noticable.

Oil pressure is erradic as well. Nice and steady at 1500 rpms but when the rpm's rise it's jumping between 40-60. Really wierd. I don't know if it's my cheap gauge or if it's really jumping like that.

Also, when idling the cams are really quiet. If I rev it up it's like I get detonation and the cams get really loud, almost like the hla's are running out of oil. I may have oil pressure issues along with the misfire. Who knows. My face hurts, UFC is on and I'm going to bed. Night night meatballs.

[T45]

I brainstormed last night and figure I don't have the crank pulley bolt tight enough. I impacted the crap out of it but I don't think it was enough. Something to keep in mind on your build, make damn sure you have 275 ft lb on the crank pulley!!!

[craigztoyz]

[QUOTE=T45]Ah man, the friggin day I had.

Start it back up and it runs ok, smoke is going away, a little bit of detonation I presumed from old gas and a hot engine so I put another 40 bucks in and started again.

QUOTE]

Why only 5 gallons of gas? lol sorry. Hate these gas prices

[craigztoyz]

I brainstormed last night and figure I don't have the crank pulley bolt tight enough. I impacted the crap out of it but I don't think it was enough. Something to keep in mind on your build, make damn sure you have 275 ft lb on the crank pulley!!!

While reading, it sounded like oil pump pulley not tight enough, that sux!

How much did you tighten it? I am curious as to how to make sure it is 275, that is a F**KLOAD of Torque, and takes work to apply that much force to the bolt. I have a friend with that Earthquake impact, may try that.

[T45]

I just put a 3 ft cheater pipe on it, put it in 2nd gear with the e-brake on and it moved the car. I tried 3rd gear and it helped so I just manually tried to impact it. I believe it backed itself off yesterday so it'll work for now while testing.

[craigztoyz]

I am going to tighten my bolt later today after I get motor in bay, and strapped down with a tow strap, and driveshaft in place. On ground, which gear is better, 3rd, or 4th? i thought 4th, as it should be 1.1
Modified by craigztoyz at 9:31 PM 5/22/2008

[craigztoyz]

Hows it running now?

Any videos? I just love the height yours is at. I am hoping to just do some metal work to the hood. I shaved my plenium tonight, took off a bit, not enough to erase the oval in center, but close. Working at getting it smooth enough to polish. Lots of work, all by hand, after the grinder work. Hand files, sandpaper, and steelwool. gave me almost 1/4"

[T45]

Still waiting on my radiator. I like having the engine sticking out of the hood though. The few miles I did drive it I got some really long stares from sports car owners. I was checking out oncoming traffic while they were passing me and there are quite a few rubberneckers out there. lol Pulled up behind some schmuck in a mustang V6 at a red light and he proceeded to light up his right rear tire for me. lol Yeah ok...

[T45]

I almost forgot, I finally got my plates in.

[craigztoyz]

A year ago, I was driving a low 11 sec RX7 as my DD, 383 fuel injected, 700R4, 4.10 posi, under the hood too. Always had rice try to play. One day at a light like 4 ricers all weee weeee reving up the lil hampsters cage, I lock up the brakes, and power it, entire intesection is covered in smoke, can't see crap, they drove off with their tails between their legs, drooling.I expect this next week's test drives to be similar in power. Can't wait. I would go for the hood hole, but I know I can make it fit easily with a lil hood buldge.

[ed300zx]

I almost forgot, I finally got my plates in.

*numberplate pic*

nice

here are mine, my girl friend got them for me for my 21st which is in a couple of weeks......a cant wait to get them