EM-EFER

iTrader: (6)

I can answer this for him

NO.

I think a car with 11:1 compression ratio not built for boost but can take 475WHP safely with a great tune and rod bolts torqued correctly is a awsome motor. When I did my rod bolts... Everyone of them was not torqued correctly which is pretty freaking scary and this is usually why the car will throw a rod or has a shtty tune.

Again... build the VQ35 VS. VQ30 the only thing that you may encounter is head lift at huge power levels which is being cured as we speak... AGAIN there is no replacement for displacement.

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

I can. In fact I'm pretty sure they still use that motor on the current 350z race cars being a better engine for turbo applications.

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

The other dude says NO. I say it's very possible that the correct answer is YES. You have to remember that the VQ35DE is more like a Bored and stroked VQ30DE than anything else. Back when I had my old 300ZXTT I recall a few shops getting 3.2-3.6 liter stroker kits on these motors all day long. The downside was that it was expensive as hell. I got a price quote on a stroked JUN long block at $30,000.00 (Yeah... that was back in 1998). If you do a bit of research I'm sure you'll be amazed that most of the stock internals on the 300ZXTT are factory forged with the known exception of the pistons.
For anyone thinking about doing such a swap I'd advise staying away from the 1990 and 1991 motors due to head sealing issues. BTW.... I know one guy in Seattle made 1100hp to the wheels and quite a few more that made 600+hp on stock crank and rods. Just something to keep in mind before you take the opinions of people whom never owned the older VQ30.

PM me if you have more questions. I'll do my best to answer what I can.

failsafe306

iTrader: (38)

So break this down for a simpleton like myself....

I have a built longblock with an APS TT kit. What would be involved in swapping in a VQ30DET, and would I benifit from doing so?

(not really serious about ever doing this, just curious )

Resolute

iTrader: (2)

I'll throw my hat into this ring...
First, the RB series of engines used in the GT500 class were dropped, as Along said, because the VQ30 allowed better weight distribution, less weight overall, and a lower center of gravity. They also swapped it because regs require the use of a current production model engine no older than one year outside its production life. The RB was one year out of production already for the 2003 season, and they had to switch engines. The VQ was the logical choice. The VG was NEVER used in JGTC competition by Nissan. The VQ30 was not chosen because it's stronger or better. The VQ30 was chosen over the VQ35 because the regs limit restrictor size and increase min weight based on having an engine over 3.0 Liters. The class is limited to 500 hp, which can be made easily with the VQ30 without the minimum weight penalty and smaller air inlet restrictions the VQ35 would bring.
Knowing this, don't bother with a VQ30 swap. The VQ35 still has better breathing heads than the VQ30 and the rod bolts are an easy thing to fix. As fas as revs go, the VQ35 is better suited to high rpm use than most other engines, including the SR20. At 8500rpm, it isn't even close to the generally accepted max piston accel, and the max piston speed isn't that much higher than the RB26 at the same rpm.
Finally, if you're hell-bent on an engine swap, just wait for the next gen VQ35 due out this year. It has an even longer rod for better high rpm use with lower piston speeds, and has a dual throttle body set-up. I'm sure someone will come up with an aftermarket solution to adapt the new intake to older VQ35's, and if you have patience, the new block will be available used in a year or two just as they are now.
The VQ30DET out of the Cedric or Gloria would just be a friggin' waste. Horrible intake, lower quality heads than the VQ35.. just build your motor with the money you'd save from not doing the swap.
Will

Resolute

iTrader: (2)

You never owned the older VQ30 either. You're thinking of the VG30 engine. Belt driven, dual throttle bodies, iron block and heads, and weighs 102lbs more than the VQ30 that was introduced in the Maxima in 1995. The 300ZX used the VG30.
Will

sja177

iTrader: (1)

No, your setup is perfect. No stock motor could reliably hang with your motor.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

After all of the aftermarket support that we have these days i don't think the RB is a viable swap. To much money for what you gain. In all honesty you could by a cheaper set of Weisco Pistons and Eagle Rods have them installed and by a Turbonetics turbo kit and you could hit 600whp for about $12k give or take some and have reliability (engine wise).

Jeff92se

iTrader: (4)

Here's an out of the box thought. I realize that we are talking engine swaps for the 350z here. And everyone wants to do Nissan - Nissan swaps. But the RB is WAY heavier than the VQ (as mentioned). I could justify this complex swap only if the benefits would justify it. IMHO it doesn't. All that trouble to put a longer and much heavier engine in is not my idea of forward thinking.

This is going to get flamed but anyway. A MUCH better swap (if one is going all out anyway) would be the all aluminum LS series V8. LS2 would be a good choice. It's most likely heavier than a VQ35 but it's TONS lighter than a RB26DETT. (It might not be that far away from a custom VQ35-TT weight w/ it's additional hardware add ons.) The LS2 puts out 400hp NA. 450hp is probably just headers and ecu tune away.

Maybe swapping a dohc V6 for a sohc pushrod V8 isn't "forward" thinking either. But this engine is light, simple, compact and very powerfull. Not only that but you can buy complete aftermarket wiring harness and ecu management easy.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I would agree with you on the fact that all though it may get flamed it would seem more logical to put an LS2 in than an RB. Especially since the poster was looking at "reliability" i hate to tell you this but the LS2 is a darn reliable engine and is more than likely easier and cheaper to come by.

thawk408

iTrader: (16)

An ls2 350z would be amazing. The LS motors are very well designed and are lighter then most think.

arctic_blue83

iTrader: (2)

Could be an interesting idea, but there's no such thing as a "SOHC" "Pushrod" engine SOHC implies that there is one cam mounted over/above each head, whereas a pushrod motor only has a single cam mounted between the two heads, which comes in contact with lifters/pushrods that open the valves on both heads. A good example of a SOHC V8 is the motor found in the current Mustang GT, it has 2 cams, 1 for each head, which open both intake and exhaust valves (unlike our DOHC cars which have 2 cams for each head, 1-intake, 1-exhaust).

I have to admit that the LS2 (and older LS1) motors, while considered dated by some (not myself) have A LOT going for them. Because they continue to use a pushrod design, they don't suffer from many penalties that OHC motors suffer from, i.e. smaller/more compact dimensions, giving them a low center of gravity and saving on weight considerably when compared to a DOHC V8. Combine that with an all-aluminum block, plenty of displacement (HUGE torque curve), heads with outstanding flow rates for an OEM and you have one hell of a potent motor. Honestly if I had the funds, I would LOVE to have an LS2 in a Z33 chassis, unfortunately I don't have that type of cash just laying around

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

It would be interesting to find out how much a swap would cost for an LS2.

Havok_RLS2

iTrader: (9)

You're correct. I'm getting my nissan V motors twisted in my head again. Please consider it a typo.

And good catch.

Resolute

iTrader: (2)

The LS1 only weighs a little more than 50lbs over the VQ35. A guy in England was thinking of swapping the VQ35 into his S14, but went with the LS1 due to the minimal difference in weight. Figure a turbo kit for the Z weighs at least 70lbs and it's a wash as far as weight is concerned between the LS1 and a boosted VQ. Get a newer LS2, or LS6, and mount the rear transaxle in the back of the Z... the wheel based on a C5 and 350Z are almost identical so it might all fit. That would be something.
Will

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I think the only hard part about it would be getting some of the small things to work properly like power windows and locks since our ECU is so twisted into the car. I could be wrong though. Definitly would be better than an sr20 swap or an RB swap and would more than likely be more reliable and powerful. If I am not mistaken there is such a package as the GTO MTI which has over 700whp. Might be wrong again though. This was with a singleturbo though. lol.

arctic_blue83

iTrader: (2)

I agree, I would take a stock or lightly modded LS2 over an RB, SR or boosted VQ motor anyday. In the reliability catagory I would definately give the nod to a N/A 6.0 liter V8 which was designed to push 400hp stock, over 3 motors which would have to be fairly modified just to get to the 400hp mark. And as far as weight is concerned, someone mentioned it earlier, an LS motor would weigh about the same as a turbo'd VQ, and both would most likely weigh a good bit less than an inline 6 RB motor. I would really love to see someone try it.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

On top of what you said, If I am not mistaken, APS is pushing like 600 whp on the stock block if not more with a turbo setup. So down the road who knows.

punish_her

iTrader: (8)

AMEN +1

If I dont move to Japan, I was looking at gettinga 240SX as a next project car. I was gonna go the RB route.

But for the Z there have been RB's dropped in. I think last year a company in Japan shipped accouple of Z's out here with RB26's in them. Doo a google on Pikes peak and rb26.

EDIT: Dont bother did the search, http://www.topsecretjpn.com/gallery.shtml
It was TOPSECRET. They have some wicked weird swaps. RB26 in a Supra, VK45 (V8) Twin turbo in a CV35 ( G35 coupe or or the New skyline in Japan). If the VK45 fits in there I'm sure it will fit in a Z.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

Punish Her:

Although the VK45 is an awsome swap and like you said it would more than likely fit into a Z, it just does not seem cost effective. With the complexity of our engines and Nissan engines in general it seems like most would agree that swap wise the LS2 would be the best solution for a number of reasons.

Not to mention that I believe that Top Secret's reasoning behing the RB swap is that they know how to tune them very well or at least did not have the experience with the VQ35 motor at the time of the swaps. Now I believe they have but an NA VQ35 with individual throttle bodies and near 400 horsepower into an R34 chassis. I can not confirm exact wheel horsepower numbers and I am not entirely sure if it AWD or RWD. Either way it does show the growing populatiry of the VQ engine among tuners.

I think that if it weren't for the complexity of the ECU on our engine it would be used more often for swaps on other cars such as 240's and what not.