driftin_350

I'm looking into buying a 350 for drifting but also still driving it on the street, I know the HR is probably better but I don't see much on the market at all for where I live, is it worth waiting and trying to get an HR? I know the DE burns oil like crazy but is that the only difference, does it leak lots? Any information or experiences about these engines would be appreciated.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

You need to do better research. De doesn't burn oil, the revup does

Painterguy39

All the oil dripping off your DE will make drifting much easier!

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

Technically all VQs or engines in general will burn a very small amount of oil. Keep it full and you are all good. HR runs hotter than DE so my choice is DE for racing.

Sundown72

The HR is a better engine (I have and track a DE RevUp for comparison). It makes more jam, more torque, is more friendly to being spun to 7K and has more headroom with modification if you stay NA.

DEs both RevUp and non-RevUp burn oil EVENTUALLY, but if the engine is in good shape when you bought it and you take care of the engine as was mentioned, it’ll be fine. I did some 14+ hot track hours (4500-7100rpm for 20mins at a time) plus some 1500+mi of street driving on my “80,000mi” junkyard DE shortblock this year and burned maaaaybe 1/2 a qt of oil.

Now my old short block with 187,000mi on it ate a quart every 1000mi, because I kicked the ever living snot out of it on the street daily (ahhh, the glory days of youth) four seasons a year.

If you’re just starting out, the difference between the engines is negligible. Your development as a driver will be the biggest difference. Once you’ve started to develop that, you’ll find out what you need. I’m a firm believer that with the Z33, the engine/power mods should be last on the list. Well after chassis control, reliability/serviceability, and power delivery modifications.

TLDR: Focus on buying a clean example with a good service history and the rest will come.

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

Say what now? The DE makes more torque in factory form than the HR and the VQ37:
DE 287/274
HR 306/268
37 332/270
yes the other two have a higher NA ceiling but they also run hotter when racing, but a clean car with records is preferred over what engine it has IMO.

icer5160

iTrader: (4)

I love my Revup. I don't care that it's an oddball. I've driven the HR and it's smooth/linear. Might just be my butt feeler gauge, but it felt lacking in the low end torque department. For drifting, the HR is probably the way to go since you're hanging in the peak power band.
-Icer

Sundown72

The power standard used for the numbers published are different. The DEs used a 1995 SAE standard, while the HRs used a 2004 standard. Using the 1995 standard would have downwardly corrected the base DE from 287 to somewhere in the 245 range IIRC.

Nissan downgraded the published numbers for all their models except the Z in ‘06. Clearly a year to year drop in published power with no super substantial changes to the engine would be hard to explain away.

The HR is built to the 2004 standard, so when compared against the standard used to publish the DE numbers it makes more power and more torque. This helped it maintain the 300hp claim in ‘07 when compared to the 35th Ann./‘06 RevUp

I think you’re off about the cooling as well. The HR has improved circulation in the block jacket around the cylinders by virtue of a rear exit. Lots of folks building DEs notch the jacket and use HR head gaskets, or like I did, do the pathfinder cooling mod to get the same circulation and reduced temps. Check the cooling circuits in both FSMs for some more info.

All that said, for the purposes of the OPs question it’s immaterial. They all have enough spice to learn to drift on.

For interested parties, here’s some dyno charts.

https://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-...r-numbers.html

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

I guess I should have elaborated, the cooling system itself was improved but they removed the oil cooler, by run hotter I meant it's not uncommon to hear of HR or 37s going into limp mode on the track due to high OIL temps while to my knowledge it's unheard of on the DE regardless of why. Here's the thing look at all those dynos and the numbers kinda add up to what I said and how they were advertised regardless of the rating used, also looked at how much more torque the DE has over the HR. Still have yet to see anything the would make me believe the HR has more torque, it's within margin of error and a tiny blip.

Sundown72

I deleted the oil factory oil cooler/warmer and my oil temps went down 20-30 deg F during sessions, lol. That factory one on the DE isn’t there for much more than cold start emissions before it starts heating the oil. IIRC it’s not on all the DEs as well, but I could be wrong about that.

Just trying to pass along what I know from the angle of my motorsports experience. Again, getting back to the question by the OP: DE vs HR doesn’t really matter if you’re starting out. Heck, unless you’re trying to be competitive in a class that makes you stay NA and limits what you can do to the engine, it doesn’t really matter.

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

I've never agreed with removing it either, you want oil hot but not too hot, what were the temps before and after?

NiLL

Jesus I cant believe people still say they DE makes more TQ. it doesn't. there is no point where the DE is better than the HR. Especially after mods. DEs will not get over 280whp with out cams and porting and crazy ****. Exhaust and intake can get you to 305-315 with the HR 30 WHP is not a small amount. It also isn't some huge number. But it is defiantly worth the premium. a 500 dollar oil cooler solves all cooling issues as it heats up the oil a bit more but the water-jacket cools the block MUCH better than the DE with out at least the pathfinder mod. You would want an oil cooler on a DE as well. The HR is just better, Smoother, Higher ceiling. the only thing a DE is good for is if you want like 400-450 whp and slap a super charger on. its much cheaper for that.

What cracks me up is when someone with a DE says its not worth the price then buy a 1000 tomei because it makes 3 more HP than other exhausts. people paying 800 bucks for 6 HP for an intake. or 1200 for a cosworth mani for no change. Just buy an HR.

Note: I've owned all 3 engines. I was on the train of the HR wasnt worth it, and I also told my self that when I test drove one it was lacking downlow. Yeah, but go do a 1/4 with both. you are talking like a bit of TQ at 2000 rpms. It still has enough to pull its self up with no gas up the strep hills of downtown Seattle no problem. 100% the HR is worth it and

DarkZ03

iTrader: (11)

If it's true why not? I've been in both and I prefer the DE, everyone is entitled to their preference and opinions!
it absolutely isn't about money as I have plenty of it into my car, I just never drank the HR Kool-aid.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

Only reason I went hr is because I wanted the newest model I could buy, was an 08 back in 2011