VG30ET in 90 Nissan Maxima

[mtcookson]

Hey guys. I'm new here and i found this site from a site with a red datsun with a rb26dett conversion (out of a skyline, my favorite car) and thought that was just sweet and so i checked out this site and this is awesome. All of these sweet conversion in these sweet cars!! My friend is buying, or planning on buying, a 7? 280z. Interior and exterior is in great shape only thing is the guy said he couldn't get it running and will sell it for 1200. We always work on cars and stuff so i think we might be able to figure something out. Ok, now on to my topic. I own a 1990 Nissan Maxima SE 5-speed and I am planning on putting in the 300zx VG30ET. The engine will just drop right in then i need to get exhaust and turbo piping and it will be complete. The engine is the same as in my generation maxima minus the turbo so it should be an easy swap. Anyone know how much power people have pulled out of these? I won't be able to pull a heck of a lot because our trannies kind of suck (well... the bearings do) so i can't pull much power, yet. I plan on getting the whole tranny cryoed, minus the gears, and get the axles cryoed too. that should help out a little. I was aiming at maybe 300~350 wheel horse. Should eb feasable. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Guest Anonymous]

You are going to have one hell of a time getting a turbo motor in this Maxima, especially since it's FWD.You might want to find a 300ZX and park it next to your car and start taking measurements before you buy an engine. You should also consider that since these cars don't come with turbos you may not be able to find a clutch that will hold up to the power of the turbo motor and work with your transaxle. To the best of my knowledge no one here has done this swap. I know a few people in S. Fla. have put these motors in the earlier Maximas but only because they are RWD.

[heinekenns]

I don't see any problem with this at all. It sounds like a fairly straight forward swap. One thing I found searching for info on VG's is that "A VG is a VG is a VG". Apparently with the older single overhead cam VG's, there are no differences in FWD and RWD blocks (I haven't confirmed the 4WD ones). So, yes, the turbo Z motor should work. In japan, some FWD SOHC VG maxima's came with turbos from the factory. I know of one person that bought one of these engines and is now making 430+hp and 450+ft/lb on the stock bottom end. He put the turbo maxima engine in his Z31 300zx, so this, in a way, proves that there should not be much of a problem with switching RWD to FWD. I don't remember what issue, but some time ago, in the "Reader's Ride" section of SCC, they featured an older maxima with this swap (except I think he had a twin turbo setup on his).

 

I am looking for a VG30E for a buildup to swap into a 240sx, so I've researched this alot. Its much easier to find a maxima VG in good condition, low miles, and low price versus a 300zx or nissan pickup/pathfinder VG. Make sure you pick up one that was manufactured after 4/87. After this month/year, they made a stronger forged crank, which is more suited for sustained high torque/hp loads. Its the same crank used in the TTZ32. You can find used TTVG pistons for 150-200$. Some used con rods from a TTVG, Nissan Motorsport cams for 250, etc.etc. Its not too difficult or expensive to make alot of power with these engines.

[mtcookson]

The complete engine swap i think will be the easiest route. They are the same engine, only difference is the intake and the cr, but i think the 300zx motor will be built a little better for power than trying to change around the stuff in my current engine. Also, i can leave the turbo engine out and put some parts on it while still having my other engine in the car to drive around for a while. Basically all i need to do to get that engine in, from what i hear, is take off the fan for the radiator since it was an engine for a rwd car, then it should fit in the car. Then i need to get exhaust pipes run all of the way back and get the turbo piping made and that should be it for the engine. I'll need to throw in a TTZ fuel pump to supply the engine with the needed fuel and that should be it until i beef up the tranny to pull some more hp. From what i hear, the stock clutch will handle about 300hp or so. I will probably just upgrade to the ACT or JWT clutch pretty soon.

[DAW]

I'm confused about the swap because a '90 Maxima already has a VG30 engine. I'm not sure if the Maxima VG30E evolved to VG30DE in '90 as the 300ZX did, but regardless I'd lean toward converting your engine to turbo using VG30ET or VG30DETT factory parts. You'd actually be better off if yours is VG30ET and not the newer DOHC engine because the c.r. is lower to start with. The conversion would not entail using a turbo bottom end but would have to be a low-pressure (ala Volvo) turbo system. Use the complete ECCS, injectors, fuel pump, etc, from a Z31 and change the cams if they're different (or just swap in VG30ET heads with the turbo manifolds on them already.

 

I'd then take a small amount of the surplus money I saved from not pouring it into a megaswap money hole, and buy a JY front LSD as used on the GXE models (if you don't already have one) and a strong clutch. The rest of the money I'd saved I would put aside as a down payment on a used 300ZX, WRX, etc., i.e. an AWD or RWD car built to take a lot of horsepower as-is.

 

My hindsight visual acuity being as good it is, maybe I can steer others away from the types of mistakes I've made with my time and money. DAW

[Guest Anonymous]

Please take lot's of pics, This could be real fun.

[Guest Anonymous]

there is a guy from boostedmaximas.org that has a turbo '91SE and s running 13's.

 

he's from Connecticut, it's a pearl white maxima with front mount intercooler.