WOOO HOOO!!!
Here's what went down the last couple of days...
Over the last month or so, my weekends have been spent working on cars.
As you know, I tried selling a rescued-from-the-pits 240sx a month ago. The deal went pretty smoothly, but unfortunately fell through because the car suffered from severe body rust. So, I've taken the car back and have been rehabilitating whilst trying to sell of my Q.
Anyway, a friend of mine sold off his old Q and bought a tired Q for $1,400. It was in "my shop" the past couple of days for a compete overhaul: leaking turbine sensor, needs new chain guides, valve cover needs resealing, new hoses, transmission pan drop, filter change, plugs, etc., new transmission and engine mounts, o2 sensors.
My 240sx has also been at the shop, getting the big rust spots squared away with. There were trouble spots along the taillights and bigtime rusting underneath the doors.
With the use of a mallet, rivet gun, fiber-glass and some bondo, the car now looks great. My mechanic, Reth, did some TIG welding and grinding before we did the fiberglass.
The KA was running extremely rough. A compression test revealed low compression all across the board. There's a pinging sound that's very audible. We're gonna have the whole motor ripped apart to check the bottom end. So far my mechanic thinks the pistons maybe warped because of low oil level and an inadequate cooling sys (very old radiator, low coolant). The gaskets are leaking pretty badly too..
So with all the bad news, why am I so ecstatic? Because of the subzero temperate and only two lifts, we found it easier to loosen the front cross-beam, transmission mount, SB and CA's and "dropped" the entire drivetrain.
In the meantime, the KA24 and transmission came out for said bottom-end inspection and replaced the crappy Dynapak clutch I had installed a few weeks ago.
With both drivetrains out, we rolled out an old Z32 transmission core just to see if it'd bolt onto the VH45DE. Didn't work, Z32 5spd bell housing is a apprx. 2" smaller in diameter than the Q's AND the Q flywheel is an entirely different bolt pattern.
However, a custom bellhousing should work.
Again, just in case anyone's considering this, it's SO MUCH easier to access the turbine sensor with the transmission dropped.
I fooled around with the cherry picker and tried dropping the VH45DE in the 240sx with the exhaust manifold already off. To my surprise, the engine fit! I had a tape measure and measured the VH45DE at apprx. 28 3/4" from valve cover to valve cover.
The oil pan nicks the 240sx crossbeam but some hammering or a dry-sump should solve this problem. The weird bulge on the driver-side of the motor clears the steering linkage. If there ex. manifolds were on, it may not have fit but again, custom-work is needed there too.
A cowl hood is needed because this motor's too tall. A custom intake manifold is an more expensive alternative.
Despite the obstacles, I'm feelin like a sunny optimist about this. I'll have to buy a crappy disposable camera and take pictures of all this.
Oh and the 240sx needs a new front end but...in due time...
VH45DE trial fitting.
i think the four cats were for emission purposes, even though my car was nowhere near the standards (mines a 94) when i did the emissions test (numbers were less than 10% of standards). I'm sure when (yes, when!) you put the VH in the 240 you can have some custom manifolds and only two cats and have no problems with inspection. 5 spd would kick ***, and once you get the custom bellhousing figured out you can start working on a manual conversion for the rest of us.
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jmillheiser
- Posts: 255
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2003 7:45 pm
AZHitman,
For several reasons, the Q transmission is a bad choice:
1) this is a very bulky transmission, in fact I've only seen comparatively size transmission's in domestic SUV's and trucks. Sure it can handle powers if properly bolstered, but is larger than even a TH400 or 4L60E, both which can handle upwards of 500hp if prepped right. Heck, even the 4L80E transmission weighs about the same as the Q's auto. I hear there's a place that does produces an adaptor that allows one to mate the VH45DE with the Supra MKIV 6-spd.
2) Wiring would be a PIA. I'm looking to go with an aftermarket stand-alone ECU to bypass installing the Q ECU and TCU. This way, for slightly more than a JWT ECU, I'd have unlimited options down the line for forced induction programming.
3) Space limitations. The 240sx transmission tunnel is just waaay to small to accomodate the 4-spd. I'd have to bust out the BFH and work that ***** over like I was John Henry to even have a chance.
4) To quote AznRide "Automatics are GAY" lol j/k
I wish I had a camera handy, I hate havin' to run to the 1 hour photo and then to the library to get the scanned and finally come back home and have them uploaded to a photo host! I'll keep ya updated.
For several reasons, the Q transmission is a bad choice:
1) this is a very bulky transmission, in fact I've only seen comparatively size transmission's in domestic SUV's and trucks. Sure it can handle powers if properly bolstered, but is larger than even a TH400 or 4L60E, both which can handle upwards of 500hp if prepped right. Heck, even the 4L80E transmission weighs about the same as the Q's auto. I hear there's a place that does produces an adaptor that allows one to mate the VH45DE with the Supra MKIV 6-spd.
2) Wiring would be a PIA. I'm looking to go with an aftermarket stand-alone ECU to bypass installing the Q ECU and TCU. This way, for slightly more than a JWT ECU, I'd have unlimited options down the line for forced induction programming.
3) Space limitations. The 240sx transmission tunnel is just waaay to small to accomodate the 4-spd. I'd have to bust out the BFH and work that ***** over like I was John Henry to even have a chance.
4) To quote AznRide "Automatics are GAY" lol j/k
I wish I had a camera handy, I hate havin' to run to the 1 hour photo and then to the library to get the scanned and finally come back home and have them uploaded to a photo host! I'll keep ya updated.
AZhitman wrote:GO SOPH!!! You're my hero, bud.
LOL thanks for the support Greg.
I was actually a little hesitant, fearing I'd get lambasted by both the 240sx and Q crowd. I actually first posted at Hybridz. BTW, those Hybridz guys are an incredible bunch of guys and a true inspiration. You can blame it on them and Jessie James for polluting my mind. lol