ok before i get flamed, let me say ive doen the research. im wondering why the TT swap is quoted at around 8k. i found an engine for around 1500, and i sure i can find the TT tranny for less than that. is there anythign im missing because as far as i know the job can be done by swapping out the drive train.

Yeah... take into account they are probably quoting you plus labour and misc. parts!!!!! DIY and do more RESEARCH.

8K is rather large number and im sure someone that has done this swap can explain but ill say the driveshaft also along with the -- ecu -- injectors -- fuel pump -- and im probably forgtting some things sme of tha Z32 guys can enlighten more on the subject

did you read the twinturbo swap sticky?

lol yah i forgot about that stickie would be the best thing to look at

ok before i get flamed, let me say ive doen the research. im wondering why the TT swap is quoted at around 8k. i found an engine for around 1500, and i sure i can find the TT tranny for less than that. is there anythign im missing because as far as i know the job can be done by swapping out the drive train.

Shit for 8 grand I'll drop a VH45DE in it for you and it will be turn key.

Shit for 8 grand I'll drop a VH45DE in it for you and it will be turn key.

Better watch what you say. Here in about a year or so I might just take you up on that!

As for the TT swap, I figure if a fellah buys a front clip and does the work himself, 3 grand ought to more than cover it. Am I just plain wrong?

I'm really considering it. I look at it this way- With the car I have now, I have the color I want, with the options I want, in the condition I want, the lower rear diffi ratio, the lower gearbox ratios, no hicas or adjustable suspension to tear up, and since I want to build the bottom end of the motor too, I'd have have to pull a motor anyway, even If I did sell my car and buy a turbo model.

This approach makes perfect sense to me. Am I just fooling myself?

I have to agree with you. I figure with a frontend clip and you doing the work, you might need some odd-n-ends but should be able to do it with the clip and have some parts left over.

Bah! Forget the above part about the gearbox. I think the ratios are the same. Or are they? Actually, now that I think about it... the gears are the same, but there was some kind of difference with how the starter bolts on to the bell housing. Hell, I can't remember. I'd get a second box with the clip anyway.

And I'm glad to see that at least one person agrees with me...

you would have to do new exhaust as well would you not?

you would have to do new exhaust as well would you not?

Only from the cats to the turbo exhaust outlets.

you would have to do new exhaust as well would you not?

Yes. I would be at an advantage with that, though. The clip would come with the turbo manifolds- that's the really important part. As for the rest of the system, I'd just ditch the cats and mufflers altogether and run stright pipes back from the turbos. Here where I live (TN) we do not have to undergo state inspections, so I should have no problem getting away with that setup. As for noise, my uncle has a turbo Z with the same setup, and it's actually decently muted. The turbos make pretty good mufflers. If i absolutely must install cats, I would probaly go with some "Random Technology" high flow units. Running the pipes from the turbos out would be a cinch. Any exhaust shop could rig something up pretty easily.

At least this is how I figure it... someone else may see an underlying problem with this idea...

Woops! You beat me to it Zgringo. I posted at the same time you did.

i did read the sticky, but i have the same question as McLarenF1. 8 grand just seems to be way too much for an engine and tranny swap, even including labor. maybe those guys at Z1 charge so much because no one else is willing to do it. i know a few people have swapper a TT engine into 2+2 and am just wondering how much parts cost them. also, when you say you ned the front clip from japan, do you guys mean you need the whole front section of the car or just the engine and tranny?

i did read the sticky, but i have the same question as McLarenF1. 8 grand just seems to be way too much for an engine and tranny swap, even including labor. maybe those guys at Z1 charge so much because no one else is willing to do it. i know a few people have swapper a TT engine into 2+2 and am just wondering how much parts cost them. also, when you say you ned the front clip from japan, do you guys mean you need the whole front section of the car or just the engine and tranny?


The front clip is the entire front section of the car, from the tip of the bumber to the firewall and dash. Because there are so many other parts that you need besides just the drivetrain (such as ecu, intercooler piping, fittings, vacume hoses, oil and water supply lines, the intercoolers themselves, various brackets, etc. etc. etc.), the front clip is a much more effective way of getting everything at once. If you just bought the tranny, you would end up getting nickeled and dimed to death on the small parts that you have to have to make all of this work. And as for the rest of that 8 grand price, I'd say labor makes up half of it.

yah labor is biznitch at $90/hr which is shop rate ide say thats why it cost pepl so much

ok then 3000 is really not bad at all for a TT car. out of those who have done it, can you do it in your driveway? im not a mechanic myself, and though im stupid enough to attempt it myself i do have a friend who is a mechanic who can help. it seems straightforward. remove engine and tranny, unbolt front clip(remove front suspension if necessary), bolt new front clip, install new engien and tranny. also, on the faq, it says that the front clip will cost 3k, that includes engine and tranny? anyone knwo an sites to get it from?

ok then 3000 is really not bad at all for a TT car. out of those who have done it, can you do it in your driveway? im not a mechanic myself, and though im stupid enough to attempt it myself i do have a friend who is a mechanic who can help. it seems straightforward. remove engine and tranny, unbolt front clip(remove front suspension if necessary), bolt new front clip, install new engien and tranny. also, on the faq, it says that the front clip will cost 3k, that includes engine and tranny? anyone knwo an sites to get it from?

dude, slow down one minute...the Z32 is not a lawnmower. your making it sound alot easier than it really is, trust me. i think someone said according to nissan dealership, replacing a headgasket is a 18 hour job. just an example...

there is alot you have to do before you can just remove the engine and there is alot of work you have to do before you can remove the transmission. it took me about 4 hours to get the wiring harness removed from the engine but i have taken most of the top of my engine apart before so it was kinda like my second time doing it, except this time i had to mark everything and unplug it.

now, $8000 is fairly reasonible for a professional shop to do it who only deals with these cars which means they are "THE BEST". you have to figure that Z1's prices are much higher on everything because of the fact that there arent many companies that provide some of the parts and such. Z1 wants $700 for used intercooler piping, and they cant keep it in stock. why because its all about demand and not enough supply...

to swap in a TT motor is not expensive at all if you CAN do it yourself. if you have a 5-speed you can get a custom bracket for your starter and bore the inside bellhousing on the trans and put the TT flywheel and clutch in and your trans is done. then its just a matter of pulling the engine, switching wiring harnesses and ECU's. install the intercooler piping and intercoolers and then drop the new engine in. then put the TT radiator in. this can be done for as less as $1500 and then you sell your N/A engine and you can make out only spending $1000. never though of that way huh????

anyways, if you can do the work yourself and are not fooling yourself. a TT swap can be completed anywhere from $1500-$3500. mine is running me about $2500 not including upgraded parts but thats because i am swappign to a 5-speed from an automatic. if i would have stayed automatic or already had a 5-speed i could have saved myself an easy $1000 and alot of curse words...

anyways, here is a watered down process of what needs to be done...

i started with the transmission
-jack up the car where it will nto move and gives you enough clearence (this may be harder in a driveway)
-remove exhaust midsection
-remove starter
-remove drveshaft heat shield
-remove driveshaft
-remove shifter linkage
-unplug all wires to transmission and move out of the way
-support transmission with a jack
-remove rear support beam
-loosen motor mounts
-start unbolting bolts that hold trans to engine,yuo should be able to get the bottom 6 or 8 but its easier said than done
-tilt transmission back so you can reach the top 2 bolts...you will need some nice long extensions to reach them from the back of the transmission and trust me nissan didnt leave much room.

well now you have the transmission out and it probably took you about 10-15 hours work time. if anyone would like me to continue or someone else can add on...just ask or go ahead.

The floor is your's K3, go for it while your on a roll.

yah what he said

Yes, I'll have to agree. I would be hesitant to attempt something like that on my own if I had never done anything like it before. I've done a timing belt change and replaced a clutch on a 300ZX before, as well as pull and reinstall motors on countless pieces of big diesel machinery, but I'm still a little nervous about when I actually do all of this to my car.

That being said, If you have the knowledge, time, and tools, you would be foolish to just throw all of your money away on labor. I would make absolutely sure I had enough money in reserve to follow through with a back up plan, though. Good intentions could quickly turn into a permanant lawn decoration. If you think you would be absolutely clueless going into this, you may want to seek out a professional to install it. Also, if your Z is your primary mode of transportation, you might want hold off until you have a second car. Trust me, personal Frankensteins like this usually have alot of teething problems.

well i couldnt do it myself, but i do have a friend who is a mechanic and would help. the Z is like a mmer car and i have a sentra for the rest of the year. a 3 month winter project is no bigge. but i se what you mean how this will be a lot of work., so its better well thought through first.

I have done 2 engines swaps, 1 on a Mazda RX7, FC-3S, and one on a Honda Civic EG-6. The easiest was the Honda, becuase we yanked the tranny and the engine together, took about 10 hours, but we were in no paticular hurry. The FC on the other hand took the better part of a week, because we had ALOT of other things to do too, like replace the WHOLE fuel line system, fuel tank and reinforce the frame. We were building a drag FC. The task of swapping a engine out of a Z32 isnt all that hard, but it is more difficult without a lift or most of the propper tools and air tools. The easiest way to get a Z32s engine out is through the bottom, but you have to have a lift for this and it helps to keep the tranny attached to the engine this way you drop them out as a unit the same way they went in.

yes everything without a lift is pretty much more work and takes longer someday ill have lift lol ... im confident in myself to do work on my own car and am glad i know how to work on cars cause i would hate ta be paying all that money for labor when i can use that towards parts or something lol

I have done 2 engines swaps, 1 on a Mazda RX7, FC-3S, and one on a Honda Civic EG-6. The easiest was the Honda, becuase we yanked the tranny and the engine together, took about 10 hours, but we were in no paticular hurry. The FC on the other hand took the better part of a week, because we had ALOT of other things to do too, like replace the WHOLE fuel line system, fuel tank and reinforce the frame. We were building a drag FC. The task of swapping a engine out of a Z32 isnt all that hard, but it is more difficult without a lift or most of the propper tools and air tools. The easiest way to get a Z32s engine out is through the bottom, but you have to have a lift for this and it helps to keep the tranny attached to the engine this way you drop them out as a unit the same way they went in.

this is very true...if you have access to a lift for a weekend. take advantage because it will be alot easier in every aspect to drop the engine and trans down instead of pulling the engine up and dropping the trans down. but the nissan manual does say you can pull the engine and trans together but i have never heard of anyone doing this.

ill move on to give more of a better idea if what it takes and a list of things you need to do...the engine may seem like you have less to do but it is a little more tedious than brute strength like getting the tranny bolts loosened. the engine can be real time consuming if you dont understand where and how eveyrthing works together as a whole.

pulling the engine....

-remove hood
-remove fan guide
-remove radiator
-remove radiator piping
-remove intake piping and hoses
-remove spark plug wires and fuel injector wires (much easier said then done), then weave them out of the engines way...you iwll prbably ned to unbolt some of the top pieces of the engine
-un plug all other wiring harness and move out of the way (id say there is about atleast 15 other ones that need to be found)
-now, pull the wiring harness all the way back and lean it over the fender
-remove all hoses leading from the engine to somewhere else
-remove power steering lines
-remove AC unit or lines
-remove throttle cables
-in the manual, it says you ahve to remove the steering shaft but i think that is just a safety precaution so you dont hit the motor on it and bend it.
-unbolt motor mounts from motor
-loosen tension rods (the book says to do this and push up on the front support beam will pulling up on the engine, probably helps ease the engine out)

now the engine i can imagine it iwll get caught on about a couple times in the back. so just move it or whatever needs to be done. i probably forget a couple thigns but tehre ya go. you have the engine and trans out of your car. id day about 10-15 hours worth of work again. so total your looking at 20-30 straight hours worth of work but im sure alot of pwople do it less and im sure quite a few people have taken longer.

remember, im nto trying to steer you away. just trying to give you a better idea of what your looking at. the best thign to do would be take your friend that si the mechanic and have him look over the car and see what he thinks because like hodo said some cars are more difficult to work on (civic vs. RX7)...now figure that the Z32 is probably twice as difficult to pull the motor and trans as the RX7.

just for one more question, how high do u need to raise the car to pull out the tranny? can you do it on a conventional hand jack?

just for one more question, how high do u need to raise the car to pull out the tranny? can you do it on a conventional hand jack?

yeah i used a 2-ton standard floor jack with a custom piece of wood to make a flat surface to support the transmission but i do have a transmission adapter for a standard jack if you want it. i couldnt get my car high enough to use it... and i have my car about 2 and a half feet from the front bumper to the ground. that was a good height for me. but technically to get the tranny out you need about 2 feet unless you got a hefty beer belly. :lol: i used a professional floor jack to get the car up but you can do it with a cheapy. your gonna need quite a few pieces of wood because you will set your jack on those to get the car higher.

anyway i can help, just tell me. i am going through the process right now so i can probably help with alot of things. i am actually working on splicing my manual wiring harness and auto harness together right now. it is turning out to be a pain to sort through those wires. :D

well this is a shitload of work, but i guess ill try it this winter or the next. the cars never taken out in the snow anyways. thanx for all the help guys.