Guest TheBone Posted December 14, 2004 Share Posted December 14, 2004 My ultimate goal is to put one of these beasts in my 1984 300ZX Turbo, but I realize that's going to be tough. It's a japan-only release, from the Cedric and the Gloria 300T models. It's a 3.0 liter in the same family as the 350Z engine, and is powered by a single turbo. Aluminum block, all alloy, etc. My question lies in the usefulness of one of these. Has anyone ever swapped one of these into ANYTHING, let alone a Z31? I cannot find any writeups, stories or even mentions of this swap ever occurring. I was hoping that perhaps with my welder and grinder I could affix a Nissan Cedric or Gloria crossmember to my 300ZX, and then it would be a matter of one custom engine mount (I think). But most of this is speculation. Does anyone have any more information or experience with these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBeauty84ZX Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Why not go with the VG30DET??? There are several people on www.z31.com that are doing this swap right now. As far as I know there are no advantages with going with the VQ30DET vs. the VG30DET except maybe the engine is lighter being alluminum, but the VG30DET can take much more power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TwinTonicZ Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 I had heard that the VQ motor uses a timing chain rather then a timing belt like on the VG motor. I honestly don't know if that's true or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBone Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Why not go with the VG30DET??? There are several people on www.z31.com[/url'] that are doing this swap right now. As far as I know there are no advantages with going with the VQ30DET vs. the VG30DET except maybe the engine is lighter being alluminum, but the VG30DET can take much more power. There is one main reason I'm not using the VG30DET. 1) It doesn't exist. Z31 Turbos have the VG30ET and Z32 twins have the VG30DETT. If you actually meant VG30DETT, well, I'm definitely not doing that. It can be done, but it would cost more than the price of a mint condition Z32 TT. As for the VG30DET(T) taking "much more power," how do you know that? If you're just making that up, please don't waste my time. But if you actually know that, why is that so? Have you ever seen a VQ30DET in use or heard of modifications done to such an engine? Keep in mind that the engine in the 350Z is a VQ line, so chances are they share qualities of internals. And I know for a fact that there are some awfully darn powerful 350Zs out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferd/289 Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 From what I read, the VG30dett has less turbo lag than a similar engine with one turbo. Where can you buy a VQ30det? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBeauty84ZX Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 There is one main reason I'm not using the VG30DET. 1) It doesn't exist. Z31 Turbos have the VG30ET and Z32 twins have the VG30DETT. If you actually meant VG30DETT' date=' well, I'm definitely not doing that. It can be done, but it would cost more than the price of a mint condition Z32 TT. As for the VG30DET(T) taking "much more power," how do you know that? If you're just making that up, please don't waste my time. But if you actually know that, why is that so? Have you ever seen a VQ30DET in use or heard of modifications done to such an engine? Keep in mind that the engine in the 350Z is a VQ line, so chances are they share qualities of internals. And I know for a fact that there are some awfully darn powerful 350Zs out there.[/quote']http://www.a12-racingteam.nl/images/stories/nissan-vg30det/Nissan-VG30DET-5.jpg The VG30DET was used in later model Nissan Cedrics. And yes your right there are some powerful 350Z's out there using the VQ, but there are more powerful Z's using the VG. The VQ cant take heat like the VG nor can it take boost as well as the VG. VG>VQ. Also although its not much the VG30 is actually a slightly bigger engine at 2998cc where as the VQ30 2987cc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Disclaimer: this is purely third hand information and may be entirely false. I heard that the VG30DET's were pretty cheaply had (relatively speaking) from some of the larger JDM engine importers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBone Posted December 31, 2004 Share Posted December 31, 2004 thanks redbeauty, i wasn't aware of a VG30DET in japan. also thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oatmilk Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I'm no expert on the engine but do know that a VQ30det is being used in the Nismo and other 350Z in the GT 500 class (twin turboed not single like the stocker). It was also used two years ago "instead" of the RB26dett engine in the 2003 Nismo Sykline JGTC cars. That doesnt prove its a better engine, and of course any prfessionally prepared engine bears almost no resemblance to the stocker. But facts is facts. And of course we now know that the VQ30DETT powered Nismo 350Z won the JGTC championship in its first year of competition over Twin turbo V-8 Supras and Twin turbo V-6 NSX's. Just my two cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tlmainiac Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 for one the vg30det does exist because i have one in my garage right now.now the engine is identical to the dett except for the det has much larger ports in the heads.and as far as a timing chain being better i doubt it every nascar motor has went to belt because it transfers less harmonics to the valvetrain.and one more thing being single turbo you have less expense than a twin setup.i will be putting the jwt 500 cams in the motor and having a custom upper intake made and running 880cc injectors and a t66 turbo on arround 25psi of boost. hey while im at it does anyone here know where to find intake gaskets for the det? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaniel Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 My ultimate goal is to put one of these beasts in my 1984 300ZX Turbo' date=' but I realize that's going to be tough. It's a japan-only release, from the Cedric and the Gloria 300T models. It's a 3.0 liter in the same family as the 350Z engine, and is powered by a single turbo. Aluminum block, all alloy, etc. My question lies in the usefulness of one of these. Has anyone ever swapped one of these into ANYTHING, let alone a Z31? I cannot find any writeups, stories or even mentions of this swap ever occurring. I was hoping that perhaps with my welder and grinder I could affix a Nissan Cedric or Gloria crossmember to my 300ZX, and then it would be a matter of one custom engine mount (I think). But most of this is speculation. Does anyone have any more information or experience with these?[/quote'] I don't know a lot about the VQ30DET but it does seem to share the same block as the other rear drive VQ motors. And yes the VQ motors do use a timing chain and not a belt. The VQ motors do NOT share the same tranny bolt pattern as the VG motors so you will need to get a trans that bolts to a VQ. You would have to get the whole thing from Japan. Maybe a half cut or something. I think the Gloria Cedric only came with auto trans. Could be wrong. you could probably put a 350z or pathy manual trans up to the VQ30DET but all the available 350z trans will likely have gear grind. How do I know....I don't want to talk about it. Thaniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 240zJake Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 This has nothing to do with you swap but I thought it might be a nice read, Top Secret put a VQ30 in a 350z. Via Super Street: http://superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/130_0406_350z/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnaught14 Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I heard from reading around that the VQ is not a very stable engine. The block basically falls apart at about 400 hp, which makes me sad. That means after you drop in a new ecu and fuel managment, bigger injectors, bigger turbo, intercooler, exaust, BOV, downpipe, and TB, you gonna have to gut the engine too, new rings, new pistons, new cam, new crank, new gaskets,,which equals lotsa moneys. I had hoped that with new technology and what not it would have similar strength to the rb series, alas it does not. There was a drift team i saw that had taken the vq out of a 350z and replaced it with a highly modified sr20det. The car put out 550hp and granted the bloack and rings and everything was forged and bullet proof, but they said for the price it would have taken to build a similar engine on th vq would have cost far more. Also youd have to build it bigger becuase it wieghs so much. I think for the money needed to make one of those haul a## it isnt worth it, but if you want to give it a go, i respect the hybridz mentality, do something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaniel Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 This has nothing to do with you swap but I thought it might be a nice read' date=' Top Secret put a VQ30 in a 350z. Via Super Street: http://superstreetonline.com/featuredvehicles/130_0406_350z/[/quote'] Interesting article. It appears that the front cover and heads are from the 3.5L (variable valve timimg componets are easily seen). Makes me wonder how much of the 3.0L engine they used. Block and crank? Nice power output though and with the variable valve timing could have some low RPM grunt too. Thaniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBeauty84ZX Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Where does it say the heads are from the 3.5L? I must of missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheBone Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I read somewhere that with a little bellhousing modification, the 350z 6spd will bolt onto a VQ30DET. However, I've decided to stop pursuing the matter based on the relatively unfavorable info you guys have given me. Thanks for the heads up! Also, I believe that Glorias came only with CVTs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedBeauty84ZX Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Why put a 350Z tranny in it, the VG30's tranny is much stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaniel Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Where does it say the heads are from the 3.5L? I must of missed it. If I remember correctly in the artical they said one of the first things they did was change the heads. I didn't see where they said which heads they used (3.0 or 3.5) but the engine clearly has variable valve timing which I don't believe was on the 3.0. It is standard equiptment on the 3.5. I have read about people using 3.0 heads on a 3.5 block so I see no reason the opposite wouldn't work as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaniel Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 Why put a 350Z tranny in it, the VG30's tranny is much stronger. It would take EXTENSIVE modifications to get a VG tranny to bolt to a VQ block (new belhousing). The 350z Trans would likely just need a little modification for the crank angle sensor to fit. the 350z trans seems plenty strong just has crappy syncros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rp975 Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Hi, I have just bought a VQ30det NEO in a '99 Cedric 1/2 cut to go into my 1974 260z. We got it home last Thursday and we hope to start it up tonight in the 1/2 cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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