ZX Swap?

[blight]

Now i've read a few threads on this though they are about a year old a pot.

Example: http://www.nissanforums.com/showthr...hlight=VG30dett

I'm looking at just throwing in a VG30DETT in a 1990 240SX SE. The one that I found had the block cracked so I need to throw a new motor in there. Now this engine you can buy in america and has ALMOST as much power as the rb26. I don't plan on ANY mods on the car except this engine, so I was wondering if anyone know any NEW info or any at all on this swap. Also I was wandering with that much power in such a small light weight car will do I have to worry about suspension at all?

Thanks for your all your guys help.

[SHO411]

VG30DETT is not as powerful as the RB but close.
Honestly I haven't done it, but am doing something similar, it shouldn't be that hard, sugest doing the wiring at home otherwise you are going to pay so much to have a shop do what you could have done your self, it is time consuming.
You are going to have to get a custon drive shaft, that I do know. Suspension wise, you will have to tune it to your requirements, be it track, or street or both, get coil overs, a strut tower brace, and also put bigger sway bars cuz of the added weight.
Might I sugest upgrading the brakes to Z32 calipers, and the master cylinder, and also don't forget the fuel pump.

[blight]

Well there are two guys that have done it or in the proces of doing it at Fresh Alloy I'm trying to get a hold of them now though it may be a while.

I still have to fix the brake line on the 240 so it doesn't matter that I wait a bit. I'm going to use this as my daily driver that has a great amount of oopm behind it yet good MPG and common its a nissan so its of good quality.

Does anyone else no anything of this swap? So far what I know is its a hellava lot cheaper than the rb swap though near the numbers one could look for. Its also easy to make 600 hp out of this engine. This is according to some zx guys I know of. If anyone knows of a kit that would be awsome.

Hey by the way since this is SO much cheaper than the rb26 swap why isn't this discused more? I mean we don't even have to import the engine. Its already here.

[grncivicdhr]

is this swap that "simple"? how much does a ka24det weigh compared to the vg30dett? all i would be conserned about is the weight on the front of the car.

[SHO411]

The VG30DETT is a V6, it is the same length as the KA, here is where everybodys misconception is.
It is not the weight of the engine it is where you put that weight matters. As long as the VG sits behind the wheels and K member, it boosts handling, if it extands father upfront, it throws off handling. You want most of the weight between the wheels.
By the way, I was reading of a guy here in GA with 720Hp at the wheels, it is hard and yet simple, You will need custom engine and tranny mounts, but I always say, do the wiring your self, it will save on the cost. The harness is long and is routed inside the driver fender behind the dash and to the passenger side, Remove it and replace it with the 300ZX, and then mate the other stuff like bulbs and turn signals to the ZX harness. It's like a JIG SAW puzzle, just need patience.

[blight]

Originally Posted by SHO411

The VG30DETT is a V6, it is the same length as the KA, here is where everybodys misconception is.
It is not the weight of the engine it is where you put that weight matters. As long as the VG sits behind the wheels and K member, it boosts handling, if it extands father upfront, it throws off handling. You want most of the weight between the wheels.
By the way, I was reading of a guy here in GA with 720Hp at the wheels, it is hard and yet simple, You will need custom engine and tranny mounts, but I always say, do the wiring your self, it will save on the cost. The harness is long and is routed inside the driver fender behind the dash and to the passenger side, Remove it and replace it with the 300ZX, and then mate the other stuff like bulbs and turn signals to the ZX harness. It's like a JIG SAW puzzle, just need patience.

Well if you are doing something different what are you doing any way?

--------

Hey does this sound right to you?
First I need to get the motor, abviously. Then I need to get custom engine and custom tranny mounts (which tranny should I use I don't know, I heard of a guy using c17 or something and would always blow it up), then replace the oold harness (from the 240sx) with the 300ZX harness. Am I missing something? From my understanding I will also be need a custom crossmember and a custom driveshaft also.
--------

If anyone can provide any more information on this swap please let me know it, it would be of great value to me and all that use this forum.

[SR20DETpower]

Originally Posted by SHO411

The VG30DETT is a V6, it is the same length as the KA, here is where everybodys misconception is.
It is not the weight of the engine it is where you put that weight matters. As long as the VG sits behind the wheels and K member, it boosts handling, if it extands father upfront, it throws off handling. You want most of the weight between the wheels.
By the way, I was reading of a guy here in GA with 720Hp at the wheels, it is hard and yet simple, You will need custom engine and tranny mounts, but I always say, do the wiring your self, it will save on the cost. The harness is long and is routed inside the driver fender behind the dash and to the passenger side, Remove it and replace it with the 300ZX, and then mate the other stuff like bulbs and turn signals to the ZX harness. It's like a JIG SAW puzzle, just need patience.

I do not think that is a valid statement. Its not like if its behind the axle the weight increase magically goes away lol. At any point along the chassis adding weight is going to have some effect. You are still adding weight to the front half of the car

[blight]

I care not of what problems I will AFTER the swap but what it take to DO the swap. If you know how to do it or know of anyone who has done it or knows how to do it please post your information.

[SHO411]

I shouldn't have said boosts handling, more like doesnt affect handling dramatically, calibrate your suspension. You want the engine sitting as far back as possible, helps weight distribution. The pros of power increase out weighs the cons of the weight gain, remember, you can't catch a Z32TT, but think about having what the Z32 has and still being around 400-600lb lighter? and the limits of the V6 are far higher than an inline 4, and the 240sx has a bigger engine bay than a Z32.
On the tranny save yourself the hassel and use the ZX tranny, it is stronger and built to handle the torque, I know you say that the engine swap is all you wan't but when you smoke a new cobra, next you're going to want corvettes, and soon you will start modifying the engine, and you don't want in the middle of all this, swapping trannys like condoms on prom night do you??
My project, well, I am using a Ford Taurus SHO V6 (the motor you see in my signature), except this engine is as big as some V8, thats my only problem, is it is very tall, almost reaching 3ft.
I am trying to get a digital camera to put my progress on the internet.
I finished my rear Q45 5-lug swap, couldn't find a 300zx.
I removed my open differential. I was given a J30 as a down payment for my 96 trans-am (which I miss so much) since I couldn't pay for it. I removed the J30 VLSD, its on ebay right now, I want one off a Q45, when I sell the J30 VLSD I'll buy one off a Q45. I put my non-LSD back in the J30 (hope he doesn't try doing a burn out), and next month sell it to get cash to finish my project.
I removed all my interior, the harnes weighs about 40lbs, I can't use it so it is on a shelf, I've been lucking the time to get back to my project, but next I have to remove the wiring harnes in its entire form, from my Taursu SHO and mount it in the 240, you're going to need tons of Zip ties. This I should start doing by next week if my ppl leave me in peace. Money is the object and my progress is slow cuz of no cash, but I'm getting there.

[SHO411]

by the way, on the weight statement I was wrong, think of it this way, adding a ZX TT is an extra 150-200lbs, that means for the extra added weight, leave your 200 pound girl at home and drive alone. You could use your 240 cross member and just get custom mounts, or get the ZX k-member, and have to re-drill holes to mount it, but I have a funny feeling this might cause problems, the ZX uses a bigger steering rack, and might require mods to attatch the 240 steering shaft, etc, Can't honestly tell you which way to go, I think I am going to risk it and use my stock one, sugest you consult a specialist. I took out my K-member ealier and it is pretty wimpy, I don't know if it can hold the extra weight, I know an RB25 K-member is an easy swap into a 240, so I might look into that, it is bigger.
On the drive shaft, take it to a drive shaft shop, we have one in GA near my place told me they will build me a new one for $550 or modify my existing one for $300, so I will have it shortened, this has to be done when everything is in place, engine and tranny. It sounds like alot, but it is worth while for me, like working on cars, so if you have either the Balls or the Cash go for it.
Check this link out:
http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthre...e#Post67448080

[blight]

Well I've already been to that site. Looked everywhere I already started emailing Nick, that's the guy who wrote that on fresh alloy. He has emailed me once to see exactly what I want to do. I'll keep you all post. Though if you have anyother info or questions on the swap ask via this thread so I can have good questions to ask him. I guess I don't even know what to ask him. Thanks for the help.

PLEASE POST ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS ON THIS SWAP.
This way I know what to ask based off of people who know more than I do.

[Broke_as_****]

Well you probably don't want to hear this but might I suggest you just stuff all the swapping and buy a 300ZX outright? For what you are talking price wise just getting the engine in the car you could probably get a decent condition TT and save yourself months of work and thousands of dollars of custom fab just to get the car running. Besides, the VG30DETT is NOT an engine you want to work on even if you are full out mechanic who loves his job. VG work is for people with death wishes. I just pulled the engine out of my TT and it was a royal pain in the ass with a full shop setup and a very good mechanic. Now I have to get my new engine in and that is going to be about X10 worse then getting it out.

The weight considerations aren't that hefty if you do decide to do the swap, seems people have forgotten that the VG is alumunium instead of an iron block and much of it is lighter by design then the same parts in at KA, so really your probably adding maybe 100-150 lbs. And since 240s are ass heavy (I have been told but they do handle like it) it will increase weight but might improve balance, not an ideal situation but not a major problem either. To put it another way, its no worse then swapping an RB.

As for the potential of a 240 vs a 300, well yeah the 240 does weigh less but thats because it isn't built a solid as a TT. My T-top chassis is much stiffer then my 240 (even with front/back strut and a cross brace). The rear end in a 300 is used up to 750 hp levels as is the drive shaft and the trans is good up to about the same I have been told. By the time you drop the VG in the 240 and beef it up as much as the 300ZX is then you are probably looking at maybe 250 lbs difference and then the 240 is going to be a patch work of braces running every where. In my mind there would be so much you would have to upgrade on the 240 just to run as hard as the 300 does stock that its not really worth it, to me anyways. I was going to swap a RB25 into my 89 240 but I added it up and the TT just looked like a much better option.

[blight]

Originally Posted by Broke_as_****

Well you probably don't want to hear this but might I suggest you just stuff all the swapping and buy a 300ZX outright? For what you are talking price wise just getting the engine in the car you could probably get a decent condition TT and save yourself months of work and thousands of dollars of custom fab just to get the car running. Besides, the VG30DETT is NOT an engine you want to work on even if you are full out mechanic who loves his job. VG work is for people with death wishes. I just pulled the engine out of my TT and it was a royal pain in the ass with a full shop setup and a very good mechanic. Now I have to get my new engine in and that is going to be about X10 worse then getting it out.

The weight considerations aren't that hefty if you do decide to do the swap, seems people have forgotten that the VG is alumunium instead of an iron block and much of it is lighter by design then the same parts in at KA, so really your probably adding maybe 100-150 lbs. And since 240s are ass heavy (I have been told but they do handle like it) it will increase weight but might improve balance, not an ideal situation but not a major problem either. To put it another way, its no worse then swapping an RB.

As for the potential of a 240 vs a 300, well yeah the 240 does weigh less but thats because it isn't built a solid as a TT. My T-top chassis is much stiffer then my 240 (even with front/back strut and a cross brace). The rear end in a 300 is used up to 750 hp levels as is the drive shaft and the trans is good up to about the same I have been told. By the time you drop the VG in the 240 and beef it up as much as the 300ZX is then you are probably looking at maybe 250 lbs difference and then the 240 is going to be a patch work of braces running every where. In my mind there would be so much you would have to upgrade on the 240 just to run as hard as the 300 does stock that its not really worth it, to me anyways. I was going to swap a RB25 into my 89 240 but I added it up and the TT just looked like a much better option.

-----------

Maybe you didn't see any of the other post that I made. This is NOT an opinion poll. I already know its going to be hell with it why am I wanting this well I have numbers of reasons already posted. I still plan on soing the swap still. If I wanted a solid car that ran fast BTW i would just stick with a vette. Anyway does anyone have questions I might be able to ask this guy?

[SHO411]

Yeah, ask him about positioning the engine, some guy was telling me not to mount the block my self cuz if it's off by a couple of degrees then I'll be breaking my drive shafts quickly, I do understand it has to be lined up, but I don't know if he was trying to make me take the car to him cuz he was going to charge me a grand just to make the mounts and tranny mounts or was he telling the truth?
And BROKE you are right, it will be cheaper going for the ZX, it has a stiffer chasis and all but, when racing they don't care how stiff it is when stock, as long as you are laying big power you have to have a roll cage, which if done right boosts the chasis stiffness, and also don't forget, a VG30TT in a ZX is a pain in the ass, you can't hardly do anything, you almost have to pull the engine out just to do simple stuff, but in a 240, there is a whole bunch of space, you can mount a huge intercooler, or mount the TTs' ahead of the block. The ZX has one of the tightest engine bays I've seen, the one that takes the cup is the VR4 3000GT, I will never ever work on them again.
Besides, I don't like the ZX that much, I've always liked what they had but prefer the styling of the 240, the interior is too small.
How unfortunate the SHO is cast iron block, no weight savings there :^(

[blight]

Well i found a kit for it via mattback through fresh alloy. Well the kit would run me 6500. He works at secert services inc. its a shop in tampa bay. So I am now more than considering doing the rb25 swap. The swap is going to cost just as much if not less than the vg30 swap, so i might as well do the 25 swap.