I've got one of two barriers to a Vortech self-install on a G35 coupe figured out. The first barrier for me was cutting and soldering the ECU harness. The fix is a $250 Autosport wiring harness that interfaces with the Vortech and several other piggy back units without any cutting. This enables one to rapidly return to stock if needed (i.e. going to the dealer with an engine problem). This is the URL: http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchan...egory_Code=new

The other barrier is tapping into the upper oil pan. I just don't want to do this. I called JWT today to inquire about their oil pan spacer. They make a pretapped one for $120 but it doesn't get the oil return above sea level. Has anyone tried to fashion an upwards going tube for the spacer that gets the oil back above the level in the pan but doesn't touch anything in the upper pan? I'm sure a machine shop could do something like this, but I don't know what kind of clearances would be needed or whether this would even work. If I had this figured out, I'd consider doing the install myself because the remainder is pretty straightforward.

 

One correction-- the AutosportWiring.com harness enables you to cut and solder on a workbench. The specific wires for the Vortech are actually legthened and color coded to make it easy and they include a diagram. You only cut and solder the extension harness--not the car's original one. So, if you have to remove or disconnect the blower, etc., you simply pull out the harness extension and return the ECU etc. to it's original harness connectors.

 

Brother just take that pan off take it to a good machine shop and have a treaded bung welded in were it needs to be. You are going to save tons of time and money this way. Then just do the rest of your install at home. You will not get anything that is going to push the oil up into the pan if you put the line in at a upwards direction all you will do is fill the line into the charger and starve your motor for fresh oil..

 

You can't remove the 350Z/G35 oil pan because it is incorporated into a split crankcase. You can only remove the bottom of the oil pan.
I installed my Vortech myself and tapping the oil pan went very smoothly. Just make sure you follow Vortech's directions carefully and get yourself a quality 3/8" NPT tap.

Steve

 

Steve - What about some of the deeper oil pans like the PE or ARC products. Don't they have oil return bungs already welded in ( for use with T/T systems )? Would those work just as well, albeit more expensive? Thanks!

Gene

 

I'm not really familiar with either of those products. I'm also not sure if turbo kits have "gravity feed" oil return lines like the Vortech or if there's substantial pressure in the return line to force the oil back to the pan. I've heard of oile pan extension being viable options for oil return lines. I just chose to stick with Vortech's recommendations.

Steve

 

tapping the pan was no problem, (I just installed one on a friend's car this weekend. about 13 hours total time, with 1 person working and 2 trying, but mainly fetching tools and changing spark plugs .
As for that harness, you can't wire on the bench, because the vortech box installs at the battery and you have to pass their wires into the cockpit. It does make it a whole lot easier though, there is plenty of room to work on the floorboard area and the kits relevent wires are color coded to match Vortechs wiring scheme.

 

btw, as far as reutrning it to stock, you still have to trim the plastic fenderwell trim for the intercooler pipes. In our cast, the undertray too, as the pax side intercooler pipe was just a little too low for it to fit right.

 

For me, returning it to stock means being able to return it to the dealer for an engine problem and not have a warranty problem--as well as selliing the car without the unit and no obvious damage. It would be very slick to be able to simply disconnect a harness extension and plug everything back where it's supposed to be. I asked the inventor of the AutoSport harness extension how I would be able to get wiring through the firewall. His explanation is below.

Regarding the oil pan tapping, I guess it isn't the big deal I thought it would be although a prefab solution would be very sweet. Thanks to all of you for the advice.

AutoSport Wiring e-mailed me as follows:

I’d cut about 8” off the end of the Vortech wiring, and solder those short pieces to my harness. Go to a Radio Shack or Fry’s Electronics or similar and buy a package containing a couple sets of plastic connectors. They come with a wide variety of numbers of wire or circuit positions. The package should contain the male and female plastic connectors and the male and female contacts that you will crimp onto both sets of wire ends from the now split Vortech harness. Usually $3-$5. Then I’d recommend buying the crimper that is needed to crimp those particular contacts in the connector kit. Usually $7-$15.

Now you can wire the Vortech wiring into my harness in the kitchen. Attach a connector to the end of those short wires. At the car you can route the vortech wiring through the engine compartment and into the passenger compartment as needed and attach the mating side connector. Then you can plug the 2 connectors together.

(If your crimps don’t turn out as you’d like on the store bought contacts, then you can always add some solder at that crimp area for extra piece of mind.)

Richard A. Welch

AutoSport Wiring

P.O. Box 93141

Southlake, Texas 76092

011-817-707-9371

www.autosportwiring.com

 

while I considered that same idea, it really wasn't inconvenient to solder the 8 wires while sitting on a stool just outside the door of the car. The vortech wires are long enough to actually do it just outside of the door.

 

Am I correct in presuming that you used the AutoSport harness extension and soldered to that?

 

yes, you are correct