VQ30 in a hardbody truck?

[s14280zx]

I am buying a 1995 nissan 4x4 hardbody truck off of a guy next to where I work. The motor is a 2.4L and it looks like it needs rebuilt. A friend of mine has about an 85 200sx, with a 3.0L v6 that I can get cheap. What modifications would I have to do to make this work in the truck? I also have a 95 240sx that I could use the motor out of. Which motor would be better to use?

[mtcookson]

The engine in the 240SX is basically the same thing as that truck has stock maybe minus small odds and ends like intake, exhaust, and maybe the cams. They're both the KA24DE. The engine from the 200SX is actually a VG30E, which also came in the earlier trucks and suv's. I can't remember when the crossover occured, but down the line they put the VG33E into the trucks and suv's. If you use some of the stuff from the trucks that came with the VG I'd say you wouldn't have any problems getting the thing in.

 

Intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, I'd also try finding the wiring harness and ECU from a VG truck, odds and ends like that. It should be a relatively cheap swap since the trucks were available with the VG and the VG would definitely be a much better choice than the KA. Not that the KA isn't a good motor... just that the VG is... well, and awesome motor.

 

Stock for stock the VG of course makes more power but if you want to do some performance stuff down the road you can probably do a relatively easy turbo setup using a lot of Z31 300ZX turbo parts.

 

Another thing you might have to think about in swapping the engine in, is there's a chance you might have to change the tranny... and from there might have to change the driveshaft. More work, but I would think it would definitely be worth it.

 

If you aren't looking into doing that much work and such, the 240SX motor should drop in. You'll probably have to swap the various external components and such (ac, ps, alt, intake, exhaust, etc. etc.) When you have the two engines setting next to each other you'll see exactly what needs to be swapped over and what doesn't. That would be the absolute easiest fix out of the two options.

 

I've kind of had an eye out for a 4x4 Nissan truck from that year range and a bit higher... they're definitely hard to find for a decent price (decent meaning something extremely low since I'm poor ). Trucks definitely hold their value incredibly well.

[zcarnut]

...A friend of mine has about an 85 200sx, with a 3.0L v6 that I can get cheap. What modifications would I have to do to make this work in the truck??...

 

The oil pan on the 4x4 Nissan truck engine is different. It is reshaped to provide more clearance to the front axle. Likewise, you will also need the 4x4 oil sump pick-up tube.

[Mack]

I've done what you are talking about. It sucks. dont do it. oh, and btw, Im pretty sure that trucks didnt get the KA24DE until 98 and later.

 

1992 hardbody pickup engine replacement with S13 KA24E. You'd think its the same motor right? wrong. hrmm, had to make 2 inch spacer for oil pan to clear girdle (truck engine doesnt have girdle), re-drill 2 engine bolts because engine is 3/4" shorter, lots and lots of other ****. PLUS! I did it without pulling the T-case or transmission. never again. I would go into detail, but it would turn into one of those 40 line posts and no one would know what Im talking about in the end anyway.

[s14280zx]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to check around to see how much the parts will be. Then I'll decide which engine I want to use. I'm kind of leaning towards the 3.0, but I'll have to do some research.

[hoov100]

my father ahd an 86 hardbody 2wd that had the vg30e in it, i would imagine that a vg30et would fit good aswell.

[Guest nissan1995]

i belive the motor bolts into the stock location

but...

check out www.nissancustoms.com they can help ya out

[PSi]

1998 was the first year a "frontier" saw a ka24de until then the hardbody wasnt even don'ed with a ka24e it was an earlier version called the Z24 (basicly the same but not)...

 

And the Honda guys used to allways tell me i had a turbo truck engine in my S13.... Morons

[PSi]

my father ahd an 86 hardbody 2wd that had the vg30e in it, i would imagine that a vg30et would fit good aswell.

 

The only real diferences in the fit is the vg30et sits in the engine bay a bit crooked (to make room for a few things in the "Z" not sure if it was the frame side of the mounts or if it was the block side that shifted it, but even so it can easily be done, ive done a vg30et in a SE-V6 model S12 (1984?-88 200sx) very fast fun sleeper car....

 

-PSi

[nismopu]

ok, im gonna clarify alot of things wrong with the postings on here with the VG swap but the KA info is correct for the most part. Except for the fact you dont have to space the oil pan for the girdle clearance. You can just use a frontier pan or notch the stock HB pan. The HB's have a combiuned harness which means EVERYTHING is teid into eachother and NO real junctions are used to seperate the harnesses. Also, if your truck is one of those mid year 95's where they were transitioning into OBD2 you might as well buy a v6 pickup. Purplr dinosaur on here swapped in a 300zx engine but used the dash from the 300zx to alleviate the issues with his truck cluster which is run by the stock ECU. I am in the process right now of sticking a Vg30et from an 86 turbo 300zx in a 97 pickup and I am running the ECU's in tandom. To make this engine fit requires firewall modification due to the crossover pipe hitting. It will have to be moved back two inches to use stock truck mounts unless truck manifolds are used or 200sx v6 manifolds. If you leave it N/a and use truck manifolds then you wont have too touch the firewall and you can use truck mounts as there all the same location. You will have to find the rubber mounts that bolt to the block from a v6 pickup or pathfinder and bolt them onto the stock 4cylinder locations. Since its a 4x4 your gonna have to divorce your cases on the tranny of your truck and the 300zx and mate them to eachother. Then sell your now KA 240sx tranny to the drifter guys and make some extra cash. good luck with the swap and if you need any pics of whats involved with the turbo motor check out my build thread on nissancustoms.com peace.

[PSi]

Then sell your now KA 240sx tranny to the drifter guys and make some extra cash..

 

 

Ill buy the tranny, ship it DHL it wont cost much.. Let me know...

 

-PSi

[qwik240z]

I am buying a 1995 nissan 4x4 hardbody truck off of a guy next to where I work. The motor is a 2.4L and it looks like it needs rebuilt. A friend of mine has about an 85 200sx, with a 3.0L v6 that I can get cheap. What modifications would I have to do to make this work in the truck? I also have a 95 240sx that I could use the motor out of. Which motor would be better to use?

 

Be sure to check the year on that 200SX. The 2nd gen 200sx (1984-1988) didn't come with a VG30E until the 1987 model year, It was only available with the VG30e in 1987 AND 1988 and was a 200SX SE Model. (I own a 1987 200SX SE V6 that is going to be my donor car for my VG30 510 swap)

 

 

The engine in the 240SX is basically the same thing as that truck has stock maybe minus small odds and ends like intake, exhaust, and maybe the cams. They're both the KA24DE. The engine from the 200SX is actually a VG30E, which also came in the earlier trucks and suv's. .

 

It should be a relatively cheap swap since the trucks were available with the VG and the VG would definitely be a much better choice than the KA. Not that the KA isn't a good motor... just that the VG is... well, and awesome motor.

 

Stock for stock the VG of course makes more power.....

 

Actually the 240SX KA24DE was rated at 160HP and the 87-88 VG30 200SX was also rated at 160HP so both motors make the same power but the VG makes more torque and as you said the VG is an awesome engine.

[PSi]

Be sure to check the year on that 200SX. The 2nd gen 200sx (1984-1988) didn't come with a VG30E until the 1987 model year, It was only available with the VG30e in 1987 AND 1988 and was a 200SX SE Model. (I own a 1987 200SX SE V6 that is going to be my donor car for my VG30 510 swap)

 

 

 

 

Actually the 240SX KA24DE was rated at 160HP and the 87-88 VG30 200SX was also rated at 160HP so both motors make the same power but the VG makes more torque and as you said the VG is an awesome engine.

 

 

www.ka-t.org tell them the KA isnt an awsome engine....

 

=)

[qwik240z]

www.ka-t.org tell them the KA isnt an awsome engine....

 

=)

 

I didn't say it wasn't an awesome engine, I was just quoting someone that said that the VG30 was an awesome engine. My friend Brian has a KA24-T in his 510 and it is a fantastic setup.

 

Here is a shot of it. This was when it was not yet completed.

 

[s14280zx]

I didn't get to buy the truck, but in May, I bought a 1995 pathfinder in good shape with 105,000 miles on it. I had it for two weeks, and on my way to work (in the dark) The engine pumped all the oil out, and blew the engine. It was supposed to have a 6 month warranty, but it's still setting waiting to be torn down so the warranty people can look and decide whether it will be covered or not. Will the block from the v-6 200sx work ok with the pathfinder top end? If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck.Thanks for the help.

[mtcookson]

Actually the 240SX KA24DE was rated at 160HP and the 87-88 VG30 200SX was also rated at 160HP so both motors make the same power but the VG makes more torque and as you said the VG is an awesome engine.

 

155 hp and 160 lb. ft. torque for the KA-DE... close enough though

[nismopu]

I didn't get to buy the truck, but in May, I bought a 1995 pathfinder in good shape with 105,000 miles on it. I had it for two weeks, and on my way to work (in the dark) The engine pumped all the oil out, and blew the engine. It was supposed to have a 6 month warranty, but it's still setting waiting to be torn down so the warranty people can look and decide whether it will be covered or not. Will the block from the v-6 200sx work ok with the pathfinder top end? If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck.Thanks for the help.

 

Both engines should be W-series VG's so I dont see why they wouldnt work together. peace.

[s14280zx]

Thanks for everyone's input, I appreciate it very much.