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My own VH45DE swap


mtcookson

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Been working on pulling the engine out of the Z and Q for the past few weeks. Got both done finishing pulling the Q engine out last night. Now I just have to start figuring up a way to mount the TTZ gear box to the VH45 and then how to get all that in the Z. Should be pretty fun one I get it done.

 

Does anyone know about how much power it requires to push a 280Z into the low 11's?

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  • 1 month later...

What Z are you doing the swap in? I got a Z32 TT with a blown engine and desided to drop a VH45DE in it. Using the VH bellhousing it bolts up to the RE4R03A Z32 transmission. I have a IPT racing transmission good for 1500+HP so I'm not worried about my trans. I like a automatic anyways. I've had the engine in 3 times for fitting, and now finishing the hedders. I've done worse swaps, in fact this one was kinda simple. That is till I get to the computer part. When I get more time to finish it I plan on taking pictures as I put it back togather and post a few. Right now I'm so busy with other projects now time to wipe my butt. I'd love to hear from other Z32 VH45 swappers. The one thing that amazed me is that the VH45DE is lighter than the VG30DETT engine. Maybe later I'll supercharge it but for now just run some nitrous if needed. I have some Web Performance cams and springs as I changed the heads to the VK45DE heads, for better valves, and some 950cc injectors? big enough to handle 1000+HP. All I really need is to deside what computer I plan on running on it. Been thinking of using a laptop with a emulator. Just hate to write a program for it but might have to.

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Damn... sounds like you're going to have one badass Z. I'm putting mine into a 1975 280Z (S30 chassis). Not quite near as far as you are but I'm hoping to get it done by summer '05.

 

I have a few questions. Did the VK45DE heads bolt right on or did you have to modify them at all? Are the cams and springs you bought for them custom made or did they have some off the shelf parts for the VK? Lastly, if you used the stock computer, would it be able to read/control the sensors and such that are on that head? Seems like they would have quite a few different items on that head that would make it pretty hard to get it to work with the VH ecu and it seems like programming it to handle those sensors and whatnot would be quite difficult. Definitely seems like an interesting setup. Definitely keep up posted on how it all turns out.

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First off I'd like to explane that the VH45 engine is destroked and used in the Indy cars as a Infiniti 35A engine, and thats what got me started. I got the headgaskets for both the VH & VK engine and compared them and other then a water hole was the same, but with different part numbers. The cams are alittle different and I really don't know if the'll interchange, but mine were custom ground and cost 'bout the same as VG30DETT cams and springs. They were ground with standard base circle diameter, and to run at 10,000+RPM.

I've installed ARP main studs and rod bollts along with head studs with "O" ringed heads. I have Wisco 10:1 pistons. The intake I'm having custom built like the VG engine, but with dual MAF's. I'll have to use a different computer as I have dual wideband O2's and Dual EGT's plus water temp. and a MSD igintion. The guy that helped with information thinks it well put out 550-600HP without any nitrous or supercharging. I have a 2 stage nitrous system, 1st stage 100 shot, and 2nd stage 300 shot. I hope this has what I'm looking for as I'm not really wanting to install a supercharger.

With this setup my Z32 should turn the 1/4 in the mid 10's @ 125MPH without nitrous, and with in the low 9's to high 8's @ 150MPH. That should make somewhat streetable. At last resort I'll install the supercharger with 12# boost and pickup a couple hundred extra HP. Right now everything is in limbo as I've neglected other things and trying to get caught up and back to my Z project. I'm using my 3" SS exhaust that was on the car, and a 1 piece drive shaft. From the transmission back it's stock, except the trans. is beefed up.

 

http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/may02/infinitiengine.php

 

http://www.badwojo.com/default.asp

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Mark, My son and some sponsor's keep asking me to setup a web site. First I don't know how, It seems everyone has one and would be a waist of time, and a pain in the butt. I keep seeing you at different sites. Just got off ZtechZ with John Dixon and seen some posts by you. Were trying to find the best way to setup my computer.

Albert

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yeah, doing a website is definitely time consuming. i haven't had any time to actually do any work on my website yet but hopefully i'll be able to soon.

 

i'm still learning all of the ecu stuff. definitely going to take me a while to get it all down perfectly. :lol:

 

i saw that you mentioned the VH weighs 100 pounds less than the VG. what's the weight of both engines?

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The VH45DE is just alittle under 500lbs. and the VG30DETT is almost 600lbs.

Did you setup your website yourself? My problem is I have so many projects going and so little time. Right now I'm building two cars, plus racing Pro class which takes up lots of time, and trying to get rid of alot of junk I've gathered over the years. I'm trying to cut everything down to a pro stock and pro street class and no more building. I'm getting to old and tired for this stuff. But I keep saying that every year, then start a new project.

Albert

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Yeah, I registered the site and just threw up a main page off of my cardomain site so that people would know that here was at least something there. I've had no time to mess with it though. Sounds like you are real busy, definitely no time for a website. What's cool is to actually find a friend or someone that can just throw one together for you. That's the real way to go when dealing with websites. They can be such headaches sometimes and if someone else can deal with them, more power to them. :lol:

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  • 3 weeks later...

at the moment i don't know of any that are direct bolts ons, however you should be able to make a converter plate for most trannies and others that have a removeable bell housing you could possibly modify the stock Q45 bellhousing to fit on there.

 

if you put the Q bell housing on a different tranny you will need to cut a hole in the side of it for the clutch fork thing. also, you just have to make sure to get the bell housing the correct length for the input shaft to sit correctly in the clutch.

 

i actually recommend using a 300ZX Twin Turbo transmission because the 300ZX TT flywheel will bolt right up to the VH45. this assures that you have the correct spline for the clutch and everything instead of trying to match everything up using different parts and such.

 

once i get mine mounted i'll let everyone know how i did it. i have a few ideas of how to make it work but i just need to get the time to try them out.

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Hello.

 

I am planning to commence this swap into a 260z early in 2005.

 

Your information/knowledge really interests me.

 

Do you think there would be any hassles with using the automatic gearbox that comes with the vh45? Or are you using manual boxes because they will fit the chassis better?

 

And what are you doing for the rest of the driveline and rearend?

 

Thank you for any replies. No doubt I will have more questions in the near future!

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reason why i'm using a manual tranny is only because i despise auto trannies and will never use them.

 

for fitment it might be a bit tight using the Q auto tranny but, i'd personally stay away from it. its actually a pretty unreliable tranny. heck, the one on the Q i bought was already going out.

 

one thing that is nice though, is the bell housing is removable on the Q tranny, which seems to be something that is very uncommon on nissan/borg warner trannies. this makes it a bit easier to use different trannies. the problem i'm faced with is the 300ZX Twin Turbo 5-speed tranny has a non-removable bell housing. i'll most likely have to make some sort of conversion/spacer plate to mount the tranny to this engine... but... i get to use whatever TT clutch and flywheel combo i want. i'm really leaning to getting a multiplate clutch for it.... but those are definitely $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

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What are you hoping to use in terms of engine management? I've heard that the VH45 ECU would have problems if the auto box is removed.

 

What stage are you at with your project? I'd love to see some pictures of the vh45 mounted in the engine bay, or the tranny with the bellhousing removed, or the 300zx tranny fitted to the engine etc., etc!

 

thanks again for your reply.

 

I will probably have many more questions, if you wish to continue our conversation via email you can reach me at eskimo999@hotmail.com

 

Thanks, dave.

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I'm messing around with a romulator on my Maxima right now so I may try the same the Q ecu. Hopefully if the thing does freak out with the auto tranny removed I can find some way to program it not to freak out.

 

At the moment I'm mostly just working on removing stuff from the Q. I need to pull a bunch of wires out and make sure I get all of the wiring correct so that everything runs correctly. As for the engine, before I put it in the car I need to replace the timing chain guides as the plastic ones broke. Once I get those fixed I'll be able to put the engine in the car and start making mounts for it and such. I'll also be able to start figuring out a way to mount the tranny to the engine.

 

Work has been kind of crazy lately so I haven't had much time to work on it but its finally starting to slow down so I'll be able to work on it much more. Hopefully I can have it finished by spring.

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