260DET

Yeh, it should not be assumed that extra brake cooling by ducting air or whatever is required in the first place. Particularly with bigger brakes. I use road spec pads on mine, my lap times do not suffer from poor brakes that is for sure.

To complete the wheel power figures, max 357whp @ 5500rpm. I'm satisfied that's about as good as it gets with a VG33ET without much more expensive mods. Used the same tuner and dyno with the stock VG30DET fitted and got 420whp with a very nice wheel spinning 3000rpm torque spread. Same turbo and 3" exhaust, similar 3.5" dump. But in my dream garage I'd still like to have a VG30DET equivalent power VG33ET in the engine bay. Look! old school tin valve covers donk.

When we ran the VG33ET (that later stuffed up) on the dyno, we got 300ft-lbs between 3500 and 6200 (maximum 400ft-lb), using the parts already mentioned plus an intercooler, custom intake and 3.5" dump into a 3" muffled exhaust on pump fuel, about 92 octane US standard. Exhaust manifolds were stock. There was nothing more in that engine as it stood, it was tuned to the max but just died at 6300rpm. No valve float we think, it had JWT valve springs.

I did say in the opening post over a 3000rpm torque spread BLOZ UP, which incidentally the present VG30DET engine does very nicely. Other than the VG33ET obsession, if the DET was going to be changed it would be for a na LS for sure. Yeh, it's the single cams heads which are the problem, both as to fitting the required inlet valves and cams in. Electramotive et al used NISMO heads so those race engines are not really comparable. But I don't know if the required valves and cams would give the required torque spread even though I'm satisfied that 400whp is possible with those mods. The comment about SAE corrected etc stems from my unpleasant experience a few years ago when horsepower figures were being quoted that I knew damn well were not possible with the mods quoted then.

The VG33ET I had built used a MoTec M600 engine management system, going on the dyno involved a full tune. The engine had 1mm oversize Ferrea valves, big JWT cams and so on so it was maxed out using off the shelf parts, not much point going above 15psi according to the tuner because the power gains there were poor. As I said, I do have a bit of a thing about these engines which does not make any bang for buck sense. At a guess it would probably cost about $6000.00 or so more, using what I already have, to get 400whp.

The headlights certainly do occupy a high pressure area but I can't visualise ducting from there straight down to the brakes, seems like a very inefficient sharp bend ducting run. Generally speaking a fairly straight run from the spoiler would be far more efficient but if mark has found the headlight run works then............

I have to be right, a Murrican proposes the same oil cooler setup as mine see near the end http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,12879.0.html

Talking about a corrected real SAE power figure with a nice actual 3000rpm torque spread, not 'calculated', real and actual. I actually had one built one with a GTX3582R turbo, engine failed so it was removed and I sued the excuse for a builder and won. But the Z did go on a dyno and while the power was not too bad it was never going to make 400 as it was, with the usual hot off the shelf parts, head job, etc. I'm a bit obsessed with these engines and after consulting a real performance engine builder have a pretty fair idea what it would take to get the required power, which incidentally my stock VG30DET engine exceeds with the same turbo at 15 psi boost. So, to sort the engine men from the boys, tell us what would do it. To make it simple, assume that the exhaust and basic intake systems would do the job if you like.

How's your rig going Frank? Kicking German butt like I try to do? Have run mine around the Phillip Island GP circuit and am going back later this year. Bathurst (Mount Panorama) next year, hoping to get in the high 200's KPH down Conrod Straight. Speed, love it

Sorry, but mounting an oil cooler so the hot air from it flows into the engine bay is just plain stupid. So much great aero info on this site yet this sort of thing keeps on happening. Crazy. On my turbo S130 the oil cooler is mounted so that the hot air exits into the right wheel well low pressure area, all protected by mesh and oil temp stays well below 212/100 all the time on the hottest day. And believe me it gets hot here in summer. It's just plain common sense that the engine bay should be kept as cool as possible. Isn't it? Or should I give up?

Recall some vague discussion ages ago on what these numbers represent, a recent search showed that some car business people were stating categorically that the numbers were assembly torque settings. Well they are not, see chart below from a Subaru FSM.

If anyone wants a practical demonstration of how much under bonnet pressure builds up on a standard S30/S130, just unlatch the bonnet at the rear and go for a drive, very preferably in a safe place because at quite low speeds the rear of the bonnet will lift up and obscure your vision. This happened to me accidentally when I drove out of the pits onto a race circuit with the bonnet not properly latched, from memory at just 80k's the bonnet lifted right up at the back which got me thinking. At the same time after a few laps the engine was overheating badly, all part of the same problem with the same cause. Lack of airflow through the radiator cause by air backed up behind it in the engine bay.

Yeh, vents in da hood are good for several reasons. The obvious one, gets air out of the engine compartment. Not so obvious, breaks up airflow over the bonnet, err hood, to reduce lift. And, to improve vent air extraction and make a bit of downforce, mini Gurney flaps in front of the vents. All tried and proven to work on avatar car.

Don't know about displacements but the VG30E heads need serious work to get serious power, obviously if they could be used on a smaller displacement engine the chance of a good result would be better.

Ceiling Z,come on down

Only problem with this L6 awakening is that my VG30DET does not kick arse as much as it used to. Or maybe it's the driver

You are not alone with this problem America.

For aero goodness, air under the car is bad, air over the top is good. Air under the car creates drag and lift and can only be useful if a rear diffuser is fitted. Air over the top can be used for downforce front and rear, both when considering the shape of a S30/130 and, particularly, with the addition of appropriate front and rear aero devices . I have learnt heaps just by observing racing Z cars in action. Typically a S30, for example, with inadequate aero will lift at the front at speed, stock S130 is much better.

Blokes, vents in red riding hoods for S30's should be designed for air exit, not entry. Crap? Look at the radiator inlet size and then work out where all that engine bay air goes to. I love aero

Coming from a long way back but, as I have now worked out through experience, a splitter should be just part of an aero package which at the front must include an undertray, at least. And if you have an undertray on a S30 then, if it all is working properly, engine bay vents will be essential for both cooling and aero purposes.

Yep, I'm a tightarse but really with some things you pay the money and you pay it just once. AU looks retarded for only now 'discovering' L6 power potential but, unlike the US, there was no incentive for the guns to look at the L6. Until now.

Yeh, did someone mention ass?

James Flett is the bloke in Sydney who will build you a top motor. He did a drive in drive out job on that red S30 in my video, AU$17k including new carbs, clutch and a track day test and tune. Him or Peter Mac, now that finally some Datsun owners are prepared to spend euro type money we are seeing the benefits.

You Sydney blokes could do a lot worse than have a look here http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/board,12.0.html and particularly at Peter Mc's topics. He is basically banned from this forum. There are a couple of Sydney L6 specialists around too, both are involved in racing, I forget their names. I'm not a L6 person but check this video where my 420whp can't make a clean pass on a Sydney built L6 that absolutely blasts, the red S30

Talked with the 350Z driver afterwards to work out what happened. On turning in to apex the corner he lost the front end with the car sliding towards the armco on the left. Rock and a hard place situation. Lifted off the throttle a touch to try to get front end grip back but the rear started to let go, countersteered because the car is heading towards the armco on the right. Car slides sideways down the track with the slope inevitably pushing it towards the armco at the left. Best possible outcome really because it can get very nasty there, damage including pro paint less than $1k. Together with the Phillip Island GP circuit, this is the fastest circuit in AU, faster than Bathurst/Mt Panorama. Lap record back in the 60's was held by Graham Hill in a F1 car, around 65 seconds. Which is about what the stock 350Z on street tyres does now.