Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

So I was thinking Zetec, but in the intrest of keeping in the Nissan family, I was thinking of a vg30 or a relative.

Fitment aside (I know It'll be tight) what is the difference between a 300zx 3.0, a 91 pathfinder 3.0 and a 96 3.3?

My thoughts are (because these are in my yard..kinda) 96 pathfinder Vg33e with the manifolds and accy drive from a 91 pathfinder (no front cats and higher mount alt) and the oilpan and flywheel, clutch, and 5spd from an 84 300zx.

180hp and 200 lb-ft. will the 3.0 flywheel work on the 3.3?

The VG30-series engine has been a popular swap for the 510 community for years. A great fit in a 510, not so good in a roadster. The roadster's high frame rails and narrow engine compartment are not really V6 friendly. Yes, you can make them fit, but they will be a bear to work on in the future.

Also keep in mind that the VG-series engines are getting on in years and many of them have seen questionable maintenance. Next time you are at a pick and pull, take a look at the upper radiator neck, many times it will be half full of corrosion. Timing belts are the kiss of death for many VGs and MUST be replaced at 60k intervals (on early engines)-- when they break, they bend valves!

Injector leaks caused a major recall effort in the mid 90s after many 300ZXs and Maxima's burned to the ground when the hose between the fuel rail and injector bodies failed, filling the hot intake manifold with gasoline. Broken exhaust manifolds and exhaust manifold studs are also a common issue with these engines.

VG33s are much newer, but have different packaging issues with the oil filter coming off of the front of the engine instead of the side of the block. You can mix-n-match parts such as manifolds and wiring to make a VG33E run off of earlier VG parts, but it could take awhile to source all the parts and correct information to make it all work correctly.

Also, think weight. Part of what makes a roadster magic is the fact that it is light and adding a VG is not going to help you continue the "roadster dance!"

Yes, parts are plentiful, and easy to find. Yes, there is lots of information out there about these engines. Yes, they make decent power, and great torque, but there are many negatives that I would consider before stuffing one into a roadster chassis.

A KA, SR, Ztech, or Miata engine might be a better choice...

My .02 ¥

Michael Spreadbury
spriso motorsports

I'm thinking I've only read/heard of a handful of VG-powered roadsters. I'm sure Michael's reasons would explain the unpopularity of this swap.

Have you checked out Gary Tew's documentation of his VG swap?

REV. A: DEAD LINK REMOVED

I thought Gary had posted here, but can't find anything. Will search my email stash when I get home.

REV. B: Googled and found Gary's website, but only the final page from April 2008 loads and none of the pics. Will email Gary about resurrecting the website as I believe he had some good info to share.

Dead link Pete!

I have seen a few VG powered roadsters over the years as well, I am sure they are great cruisers, but if you really want the roadster to "dance" in the corners, a VG might not be the best choice...

Michael

it is in my future to do this swap....if i can find another car as im not cutting up a 67.5 2l. it can be done, but you will need a good mixture of vg parts. the vg33 flywheel is compatible and has a reluctor ring on it so a edis ignition swap would also be possible. you will need to ditch the 300zx manifolds and the pathfinder and exterra intake manifolds will be way to tall for the roadster. the only ones that will fit under our hood is the 87,88 200sx se manifolds. you will need a custom header, or the drivers side of a d21 truck and the passengers side of the 200sx. it will mount up to our frame but you will need the turbo oilpan or a custom pan, and probably still some clearancing on the frame. you will need a 4x4 pathfinder/truck starter.

wiring will be custom and the shifter will line up perfectly if you can find the t-5 300zx tranny, the b or c nonturbo car tranny will sit 1" or so back in the shifter hole on a 2000 body. you will have to clearance the frame for the crank pulley.


im sure im forgetting some other details but i have seen a roadster done, although it did not run yet

oh ya i forgot to mention i have weighed both the vg and the 2l and the vg is not that much heavier, cant remember the #s but it was only like 100lbs

Am I the only one that recalls that Lenny Sprague had his VG30 installed without any cutting to the car? It took a custom plenum and some planning, but the car can be reverted to stock in a weekend. Oh, the car did just fine on the track at RA iirc...

Am I the only one that recalls that Lenny Sprague had his VG30 installed without any cutting to the car?

I wonder how he ran the exhaust without cutting?

In the VG swaps that I have done over the years in 510s, one of the biggest gains that you could do was to get the engine to breathe. That meant a good intake system, and a large, mandrel bent exhaust system. In a 510, it was pretty easy to do a 2-into-1 exhaust system behind the transmission then down the floorboards and through the rear crossmember.

On a roadster, this would not be so easy with the X-frame.

When we were actively doing VG swaps into 510s, we would avoid the early Borg Warner T-5 transmission as Nissan had may problems with them, and parts were always more money than the Nissan version. I can't imagine what they are like now that they have 20+ years and countless miles on them. If it was my swap, I would use the standard FWS5-speed gearbox and modify the shifter hole to the 1600 position where the transmission would fit.

The S12 200SX intake manifold is the lowest profile intake plenum, but they can be hard to find as they were only sold in 1987 and 1988. They also make the least HP of any of the VG intake plenums. The ZX plenum hangs off the back of the engine too far, and the Quest/Truck plenum is way too tall to clear the roadster hood.

Again, I am sure a VG-powered roadster would be a great cruiser, but adding 100 pounds to the front of the car is not really going in the right direction, IMHO.

Michael

It has been a while since I saw the car, but I am fairly certain that he ran dual exhaust. I don't know the routing though.

the vg 30 was available as late as 94, in the maxima. but be ware that the maxima manifold is completely un-useable as it faces the wrong direction. and you can get a 120 amp alternator from the later maximas

Remember, a VG30 makes about 130rwhp stock, and it's heavier! Might as well stick with a U20

Lenny's VG30


A VG30 roadster with a stock ZX manifold:


Tom Dockery has a VG33(pathfinder intake mod) in his 510...check out the beautiful headers!
It made serious hp/tq, something close to 268hp...it's bee nplagued with oiling issues.
His 510 is at the shop now getting...drumroll please...a 400+hp S13SR20DET drivetrain swap.

vg30 it and it will be better?

ppeters914 wrote:I'm thinking I've only read/heard of a handful of VG-powered roadsters. I'm sure Michael's reasons would explain the unpopularity of this swap.

Have you checked out Gary Tew's documentation of his VG swap?

REV. A: DEAD LINK REMOVED

I thought Gary had posted here, but can't find anything. Will search my email stash when I get home.

REV. B: Googled and found Gary's website, but only the final page from April 2008 loads and none of the pics. Will email Gary about resurrecting the website as I believe he had some good info to share.

Heard from Gary. He had modified his web pages, which broke everything. He's trying to fix it, but doesn't have an ETA.

Sorry to bring up an old thread but....
I've got a 2004 Frontier crew cab(2wd, N/A VG33) and it is pretty easy to find flipped frontiers.
The VG33 with stock intake is pretty tall, but it has great power from 1500RPMs and power dies off at around 3500. In a car that weighs much less than my heavy truck, it would be quite a fun setup. Maybe swap in some healthier cams and something other than the big intake manifold and it would be very fun in a roadster!

spl310 wrote:It has been a while since I saw the car, but I am fairly certain that he ran dual exhaust. I don't know the routing though.

No dual exhaust, and just like spriso said it has to crossover!
cool!

I was mistaken! If it were my car, I would run side out duals between the frame rails and the rockers...