thehelix112 Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) Tonight I cut the stock VK56 accessory belt to the new size without the AC and power steering pumps. With the tensioner (that I need to replace) untensioned, it came out to 42 3/4" long. I then took the resulting belt down to the local auto parts store (who are very helpful) and tried to match it to an OEM one. They found two close matches, * one from the 2010 versa is the right spec and 42" long. * another is from a bunch of Chrysler's and is 43 1/8" long. I ordered both so we'll see which fits better. I also ordered a bunch of fuel system parts: fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, fuel cell, and oil and radiator catch cans. I'm also contemplating getting larger injectors: thinking 1000cc to have some room to grow with E85 and forced induction. Dave Edited December 28, 2011 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) I've ordered and just need to go and pick up the new tensioner, pulley, and correct length timing belts for the front of the engine. Will post about that when it's completely sorted tomorrow. In the meantime I've been researching injectors. I need to work out how to use standard bosch injectors in the hayabusa throttle bodies so I can get some large E85 safe injectors I think. At least that's the current plan. I also got a Victory spoiler from MSA and mocked it up this morning, so I will install that tomorrow too. Looks dumb as hell with the small "steal-me" 14" rims, but should look ok with the Rotas (which are in storage until I get the VK56 conversion done). My main emphasis at the moment though is on infrastructure. I'm doing house wiring work to be able to run the TIG I got, and also enrolling in a welding course so I have some idea what I am doing. Then I need to practice by building a bench for me to work on, and then I think I'll be ready to get started with the meat of this conversion. I also need to start measuring and CADing up the transmission adaptor. Dave Edited January 7, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Actually mounted the spoiler today and took some slightly better pics. I didn't paint it yet, but it looks good enough for now. There is some gap between the leading edge and the hatch which needs to be filled otherwise I think the efficiency will be a not subpar. Might just caulk this up if I can't find some of that nice black rubber soon. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted January 13, 2012 Author Share Posted January 13, 2012 (edited) Took a couple after cleaning it: Dave Edited January 13, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 So a quick and very boring update: The wiring project to support the TIG is underway. Spent USD750 at home depot on conduit, a couple of small tools, but mostly on wire (damn that **** is expensive!). I've run the 3/4" EMT conduit from the panel, and about half way to the garage (~40' at this point). I'm using some 90 deg pull elbows to break it up into a series of runs as this is my first time doing this and I'll most likely be doing it myself. Got fish and lube (yay) so we'll see how we go. In other news, I'm still waiting for the next size up belt from the local O'Reilly's to see if it's the right size, when I find that out I'll write a brief step-by-step on redoing the belts for the VK56DE in preparation for the conversion. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 (edited) VK56DE belt setup without A/C and P/S: The parts From McMaster Carr: - 5972K84 Metric Steel Ball Bearing Double Sealed Bearing NO. 6003 for 17mm Shaft Dia: USD9.00 - 2896K15 Metric Ball Bearing Shim Ring for Bearing Number 6202/6300, 35mm Outside Dia: USD4.53 From Amazon: - Gates K070425 Belt: USD15.29 The tools - toolkit - old rollerblade wheel - bench vice - hammer The procedure The following is the belt layout for the VK56 from nissan. We are removing the P/S, A/C, cooling fan, and idler pulleys. We then put the idler pulley onto new bearings onto the tensioner. Step 1: Using a socket wrench set to anti-clockwise, apply torque to the tensioner and remove the belt. Step 2: Remove the following from the engine and set aside: * The P/S pump from the upper left (above the alternator) * The A/C pump from the lower right * The small ilder pulley right above the P/S pump * The cooling fan pulley and supporting bracket Step 3: Take the idler pulley and place it into the vise, using the rollerblade wheel to protect the outer lip so it is not compressed. Take a socket that fits snugly against the bearing and wind the vice in until you feel the bearing give. This took quite some force for me and involved me hammering the vice lever with a hammer. A hydraulic press would probably be best, but we do what we can: Advice: Be very careful of the lip, it bends easily. Replacement pulleys are USD54 from nissan. I bent mine the first time I tried. Step 4: Slip the shim ring from McMaster-Carr into the idler pulley. Step 5: Place the idler on the rollerblade wheel and tap in the new bearing using the same socket to distribute the load. Obviously much less force is required than in getting the old one out. Ensure the bearing goes all the way in Step 6: Turning the bolt clockwise, undo the tensioner pulley bolt, and remove the bearing and pulley. Step 7: Get the front protective cover from the idler pulley, and slide the entire lot back onto the tensioner. Do it back up using the tensioner LHT bolt. Step 8: Continuing to turning the tensioner bolt counter-clockwise, ease the load on the tensioner and fit the belt Done. Edited February 11, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forcer Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 This is something that I will definitly be doing to mine. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Actually started work on the conversion yesterday. Pulled out old L28 and gearbox. Easiest pull I've done so far, especially as I did it solo. Forgot to drain the gearbox oil, but oh well. Old carpet soaked it up nicely. Before: After: Yes I am storing it in my minivan. Trying to clear out my tiny-arse garage, purchasing a new car that will hopefully fit in there. Moved the engine out and marked everything and took the loom off: So first trial fit results: VK56DE engine manifolds will not even go close to fitting. Need to take them off, except I stripped a nut on one... actually kinda at a loss as to how to go about getting it off without damaging the manifold, people will pay a hundred bucks or so for the 2007+ ones as they were more reinforced than earlier ones... Dave Edited March 9, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 (edited) So some more work yesterday. I got the exhaust manifolds off after some swearing. After rounding the 14mm nut by trying to use a racket in a tight spot (which caused it to kink), I filed down two of the sides that were accessible to 13mm. I then smacked a 13mm open ended spanner onto it and tried to use that, this just started to round the newly filed edges, so I stopped before I did that, and got a 13mm socket and smashed it onto the nut. That with a breaker bar worked a treat: With the manifolds off I trial fitted the engine again: Despite how it looks in these pictures, with some widdling it actually fits! The engine was sitting forward as I hadn't yet removed all the brackets and crap from the engine bay, but here are a few more pics: And here is a pic showing how far forwards it's sitting. I think with removing the water lines and replacing them with AN fittings I'll be able to tuck the engine nicely up against the firewall and fingers crossed, get the engine entirely behind the front axle: After that I cleaned up the frame rails of all the accumulated gunk and hit them with some matte black spray paint. I then went through and removed a bunch of the brackets. I left the battery bracket and the one that holds the fuel charcoal canister. I hope I'll be able to reuse one of them for the oil catch can. Next steps are to order the bolts I need to bolt the gearbox and engine together for a more thorough trial fit, and to start thinking about how to actually bolt the engine in. At this point it looks like maybe if I cut the lower side of the C out of the stock engine bracket it might sit nicely on the chassis rails. I could then reuse some of the urethane bushings I have from hyperflex or somewhere else to provide some vibration insulation. Will see what happens once I move the fuel and brake lines out of the way, and now that all the superfluous brackets and crap are gone. Feels great to be making some small progress! Dave Edited March 11, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78zstyle Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) My mom drives a titan with the VK56 in it... the amount of torque these things put out is ungodly. you are going to have a blast. Edited March 11, 2012 by 78zstyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 78zstyle, Cool. The guys I bought the engine from took me for a spin in his Armada after we'd stuffed the engine in the back of my minivan. Pretty impressive pickup for a 5200lb tank. I am very excited to see what it'll do in something that weight half that. I get the feeling it'll be a tyre smoker with the 4.11 different in the back.. but one problem at a time. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Just finished running the 3/4 EMT conduit for my welder circuit to where it needs to go. Now I need to enlist some help and pull the wires through, hopefully will get to that next weekend. Baby steps. Next on the agenda for today is going to be removing the brake and fuel lines from the frame rails and trial fitting the engine without the inner bit of the mounts. I wanna see how far back I can mount the thing with the coolant lines as they are. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 I didn't remove the fuel and brake lines, and just wanted to do another trial fit to see how close it'd go to being mid mount. For some reason it didn't occur to me to just use a tape measure, but oh well. I did remove the coolant lines that were sticking out the back, and I removed the engine mount bit that bolts to the chassis. In this pic you can see the engine is a bit twisted, it's further back on the passengers side. But the thing to note is that in the shadow the centre bolt on the strut tower is exactly level with the forwards end of the rocker cover: And here is a pic showing the gap to the firewall. Note this shows that the brake booster and the accelerator bracket I forgot to remove need to come out next. Here is a crappy pic showing the height it's currently sitting at. The black thing sticking down is the lower sump, which will be going as per a pic on a previous page. So the engine can go down another 50mm or so, and back a little less. So the result of trial fit number 3 is that the oil filter definitely needs to be relocated, as people before me highlighted, the accelerator bracket and the brake booster need to go. I also ordered the bolts for the trans adaptor, after I get them and test them I'll write up what they were. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevlars30z Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Nice swap, keeping my attention on it. Can't wait to see it running... Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 RB26280z, Thanks for the encouragement! I move extremely slowly though, so I expect it'll be a while. :S Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMWHYR0HEN Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Nice work Dave! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78zstyle Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) Any progress? Edited April 3, 2012 by 78zstyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted April 3, 2012 Author Share Posted April 3, 2012 Sorry to disappoint, but not really. I pulled more crap out of the engine bay on Saturday, and I attacked some remaining wiring loom bracket thingos, and the stock transmission tunnel mount points with an angle grinder. Almost got it all cleaned up, but I ran out of time to re-test fit the engine and gearbox combo. Hope to do that this weekend. Looks like this now: Definitely need to clean it all up and give it a splash of proper paint at some point, but later I reckon. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehelix112 Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) Bugger all movement lately.. I did just finish pulling the wires for the new 220v line for my welder which is good. So I'll hopefully get the wiring totally finished soon and be able to start the real work on this conversion! Wiring is fun. I consulted a couple of knowledgeable friends about it and ran a 3/4" EMT conduit around 100' down the side of my house and into the garage (house is on a slab). In it I put 2x6 AWT for the hot 220v sides, 1x8 AWT for the 220v ground, and 3x12 AWT (white,black,green) for neutral, hot, earth of another 110v circuit. So the lines are all done, I just need to do the breaker box work which I doubt will take long. I think I will pay a sparky to come out and double check my work before I flip the switch. Would rather not burn down my house. Dave Edited June 26, 2012 by thehelix112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richracing Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 looks like a fun build indeed! what are your plans for a transmission? keeping the auto? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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