Vq30Det S15 200Sx Spec-R

[psi_999]

So a couple of guys in the Stagea subsection have asked me to post a build thread on my S15, being a non R31/2/3/4/5 and non RB i wasn't sure how it would go down but i have been assured it will be of interest to the community so here it is.

Purchased mechanically stock with typical retard mods of neons & clear tail lights - which were promptly removed/disabled (Not all bad however - came with a pretty decent $2000+ pro installed Alpine stereo).

Having modified a 200sx before (I had a S14a back in the 90’s) i had a fair idea of what i was after & how to achieve it – responsive usable power - so with this in mind i set about modifying.

Engine:

Camtech billet VCT Camshafts 260/260 10.5mm/10.5mm

Garrett GT28/71 52t - 400hp turbo

Speedflow oil / coolant lines

Sard 550cc Injectors

Z32 afm

Nistune ECU

Turbosmart plumb back BOV

Blitz Dual ID boost controller

3" exhaust

300x600x76 intercooler setup

Walbro fuel pump

wide band AFR meter

Oil catch can

k&N air filter

This combo ended up putting out 294rwhp / 220rwkw @ 16psi boost

Wheels:

Work Meister S1 3P - 18x8 & 18x9

Suspension:

HKS Hypermax III coil overs

Pics:

[psi_999]

So the SR20 was fantastic for a while, almost zero lag and a good street setup.

But I got bored, because my last car was this:

Which made 410rwkw.

So in a moment of weakness I bought one of these:

VQ30DET Y33 Cima front cut with a genuine 26,000km on the clock.

And then the conversion started.

First of all I sorted out the ECU, decided to go for a Nistune setup, as the car is a streetcar with A/C, P/S decided that the stock ECU modified would be the best plan.

After around 12 hours work using multiple wiring diagrams (removing body loom, airbag loom etc) , wiring = sorted

Then had some of these made up so hold the engine and transmission in place:

Then SR20DET came out and real work started:

SR20DET and wiring loom came out and work started on installing new valve springs and 265 deg cams into the VQ30DET.

Anyways, pix of progress.

SR20 out - served me well, off to live a new life in a Datsun 200B coupe

On trailer returning from engine & wiring loom removal

Back home ready for work to commence

Drained motor of oil and cracked the sump, the motor was mint

So then I decided that I wanted to chuck a set of cams in it.

All covers and accessories off and cams out - so much crap to come off to get the sticks out

Jim Wolf spring compressor mocked up - fits up nicely.

[psi_999]

Valve springs all installed, cams are in & engine completely back together:

Also received my modified wiring loom back from being merged with the S15 engine / ABS loom – 100% plug in (with ABS, A/C, P/S and parts of the S15 body loom run as per OEM (ie, front left indicator))

Then made a 350Z gearbox work with the VQ30DET

350Z gearshifter mounts way to far back to be used in an 'S' chassis car, to bring it back to a usable position I cut reshaped and rewelded the shifter base 80mm closer to the gearbox.

First job was to remove the gear shifter linkage and weld both ends together - basically removing the 80mm length as pictured in vice

Then started on the shifter bracket. Drilled a series of holes in around the position i wanted to move the shifter base to.

Then removed the shifter base, file finished both shifter base and bracket then positioned everything where it needed to be and took to OKE020 to weld (cheers Scott).

And now all finished (minus reverse lockout plate).

(and a pic for comparison of standard location)

[psi_999]

Then engine went in:

Tighter than a nuns nasty lowering it in but once on the mounts sits quite nicely.

Clutch and flywheel installed and box bolted on - ready for deployment.

Early hours of engine installation

And final resting position

Rear of engine 80mm from firewall, front of engine 320mm to radiator support - with good clearance for all accessories around the engine

[psi_999]

Then manifolds were made (AM Auto Noosaville Qld)

Turbo support bracket.

Flange.

And exhaust:

[psi_999]

Finished product:

As im intending on running the vehicle on E85 I decided new fuel rails to allow top feed injectors were in order (ID1000's) – this is how that all worked out.

[psi_999]

Then fuel was sorted - Twin Walbro in tank fuel pump setup

Then thought id put some brakes on it:

Edited December 14, 2012 by psi_999

[psi_999]

And finally, assembly !!

Then made a box for the air filter:

And finally, running!!

Idle, 14.7:1 on the meter - loving those cams, sounds infinitely different than a stock cam VQ30 (230 deg Vs 265 & about another 1mm lift)

[psi_999]

Oh yes the driveshaft, forgot about that -I had it made in Texas and shipped to Australia

Next piece of the puzzle complete - the tailshaft.

What a pain. Turns out an aftermarket 350Z slip yoke is almost unobtainum, even in the US - so an aftermarket tailshaft was going to be an interesting proposition.

Most guys solve this lack of aftermarket support by cutting the staked uni slip joint off a standard 350Z tailshaft - and try and find someone who will put it back together on a new shaft (which they shouldnt - one time use part).

Not particularly keen on this idea i went hunting....

After spending a number of weeks trawling the net for a better solution i stumbled across a drivshaft supplier in San Antonio Texas that claimed to build a aluminum tailshaft suit 350Z using all new parts.

We exchanged quite a few emails and they were happy to send me parts to have it all made here - but in the end decided to have it all made there as even with shipping included (which the driveshaft store organised, at a fairly substantial discount over retail) the shaft worked out at just over half the price of what it would cost to have made here, which seems freaking crazy being made half a world away ....but it still gets better.

I ordered and paid for the Driveshaft 8:30am Friday morning (Brisbane time) and arrived 9am the following wednesday - 3 business days to be custom made to my specs, balanced, packaged and sent half a world away - i dont think i could even have a drive shaft made locally and shipped in that kind of time.

So from San Antonio to Dallas then Kentucky, Honolulu, Tokyo, Sydney and finally onto Brisbane - it arrived, and here it is.

Spec wise:

3.5" 6061 heavy duty aluminium tube (aluminium was selected due to length and critical RPM considerations)

32 spline 350Z slip yoke

Nissan R200 rear flange

spicer 1350 front uni

spicer 1310 rear uni

Edited December 14, 2012 by psi_999

[psi_999]

And where i'm up to currently, i've just installed a header tank.

Top of the motor sits above the top of radiator so hoping to prevent cracked heads i fitted up a small header tank (which sits around 3 inches higher than the radiator).

Now holds a perfect 88C

[scotty nm35]

That tailshaft is a thing of beauty.

Love the fabrication work.

[ARTZ]

Thats a super clean install....Love your work...

[ARTZ]

Early hours of engine installation

puts an engine in while wearing thongs...typical QLDer

whats the turbo you mounted on there??

[psi_999]

That tailshaft is a thing of beauty.

Love the fabrication work.

Cheers mate.

So much fabrication work around the bay, have tried to make it as hard to spot as possible.

ie, this is how the plenum had to be modified:

And plenum ‘mid’ manifold was cut, milled flat and welded, needed around an inch out of it to allow the bonnet to close (no ugly bonnet bulges here).

Whole build has been centered around shit looking as OEM as possible

Edited December 14, 2012 by psi_999

[psi_999]

puts an engine in while wearing thongs...typical QLDer

whats the turbo you mounted on there??

Yep, another boring Qld build LOL.

Turbo is a Brazilian Masterpower T70 (70mm compressor,' P' trim rear) - going to see how it tunes up and then decide if its hanging around long term.

[PN-Mad]

Wicked. Your not half handy are ya!

Great conversion. Has it been tuned yet?

[psi_999]

No not tuned as yet, other than my amateur hour hack at the laptop LOL.

simpletool from here is going to have a crack at it in the next week or so, we are going to try and get a nice road tune (no boost) sorted before it gets sent to the tuner in the new year (PITS on the Gold Coast).

Will be interesting with 1000cc injectors, Ford racing lightning supercharged v8 MAF and 265 deg cams on Nistune.... see how we go i guess LOL.

[scotty nm35]

It will love the boost. Don't be too scared to lean on it. If you upgraded the head studs while it was apart it would be good for 4-500kw, otherwise keep it around 300 or it will lift the head.

If the water temp rises too much on the dyno, contact me for one of my block coolant kits. I think it should work on the VQ30det.

[psi_999]

Hopefully it'll be strong enough, i'm only chasing 400rwhp:)

A mate has gone 10.7 @ 129 on a $300 motor, 22psi through a GT35 and 50hp N20, all stock unopened.

VQ's go alrite!!

Edited December 14, 2012 by psi_999

[ARTZ]

nice ..what car was that in..

on e85 it should piss in 300kw, Scott did that in the auto whale with half a litre less and a hiflow ..lol

you should crack 400kw easy with that monster turbo.....