That wouldn't be a wise guarantee to make. Cost will obviously depend greatly on how much you find the engine for and which version LS you are talking about.

I see HR engines for 1500-2000, you can get the HR trans for probably $1000 easily, the haltech is $2500ish.

Leave yourself $2000 for surprises and randoms (probably overkill since its mostly bolt-in), and it should put you under $7500 if you can do most the work and make sure the engine you buy is mostly complete.

If you don't care about the gauges or anything else, then you can save around $1000 on the EMS.

LS2s are like $5000-7000 with trans etc, and youre not starting with anything at all that bolts-up.

 

but why go for barely more power over the de and what condition are those motors for 2k?

 

Just depends on what you are looking to do. I personally have no interest in a LS Z car. I would just keep the DE or if I *must* swap I would go to HR. It would be a cleaner swap since only the wiring has to be aftermarket and custom.

As for condition of the motor, that is a concern and a gamble you take with ANY engine you buy, HR or LS.

I personally wouldnt swap either. Waste of time and money.

 

some reading for you both

http://forums.nicoclub.com/vq-engine...a-t463001.html

 

i actually agreed with you on these two things, but ls parts are cheaper than vq parts

 

but you dont need parts with the HR, because its a bolt up swap

 

not necessarily my friend.... steering rack motor mounts, and transmission at least

and i wasn't talking about install, i meant in general

 

steering rack maybe... motor mounts bolt up, transmission bolts up (gotta use HR trans).

 

This debate..... It will cost more or at minimum the equivalent of swapping in a LS. If you search there IS a thread on this forum where someone did this swap and it lists the costs and expenses.

If your going to go full stand alone, then why would you even bother swapping in a HR for just a few extra HP at the same expense if not more than swapping in a motor with cheaper more plentiful parts.

The logic of going from a DE to HR just makes no sense to me what so ever. At the expense of the swap you can buy a 07+ Z.

 

I am more than confident that I could certainly do it for less than a LS swap. The engine and trans is a fraction the price of a good aluminum LS motor, and the ECU you need to run it costs less than the LS install kits.

You wouldnt go full standalone so that you could go HR, you would go full standalone BECAUSE you went HR. Aside from that, if you are serious about going really fast (which you better be, or you are seriously wasting time to do any swap at all), you will eventually want a full standalone anyway. So no harm in knocking that out right away.

I wouldnt swap EITHER of them into the car unless I stumbled on a engine/trans too cheap to let slide.

I dont think a single person here has said that the swap is worth doing. The argument is simply about what is easier and I think its rather strange to try and argue that a full on transplant/conversion is easier than a bolt-in swap plus wiring. Just because nobody has written a how-to wiring manual to follow, doesnt mean its that difficult of a job if you know wiring. If wiring a standalone to a HR sounds extremely intimidating to someone, that someone probably isnt qualified to wire a GM engine into a Nissan either.

 

Actually I can imagine a moment where a HR swap isnt such a bad idea perhaps.

If you wanted to have a high power boosted VQ 350z, it might very well be worth it. The stock HR bottom end is safe and sound for 600rwhp.

Many guys going for big power VQs get the Haltech anyway, so the cost of standalone is irrelevant in the comparison. You should be able to source a clean HR and trans for less than the cost of building your engine, and then you can run around 600-625rwhp and worry about the engine build for the next phase if you decide to go higher power. Then you will have a built HR which is a better motor than the DE anyway.

Thinking about it harder... If I was given a DE 350z right now, that might actually be the route I go. My VHR has been so good to me twin turbo for 40,000 miles, and the power is more than the car is capable of using on street tires. Rather than deal with the mess of an engine build, I think I would rather have a HR under the hood and just run it like 600rwhp and call it done.

 

there is a lot more to it then drop in and go.... you can't get that through your head.... and the second part is a big IF

 

We have already established that it actually *IS* just a drop-in using OEM parts. 07-08 350z's came from the factory with a VQ35HR engine. This is why everything is available for a factory bolt-in physical installation. With the correct collection of HR specific components, it IS a DROP-IN engine.

It is only a matter of wiring. By using the correct standalone EMS, the amount of wiring will be pretty minimal. If *you* are no good at wiring, just come out and say that *you* could not do it. But you are not going to convince anyone that has EMS wiring experience that it getting a Haltech to run a VQ35HR is so difficult.

 

to each their own, but you are barking up a lonely tree.... most people would not waste the time with this because it is pretty damn stupid swap

 

I would agree stupid to attempt if you are not qualified to perform the work. If someone has the ability to do it, and feels they have a good reason to do so... I would not argue with them. The HR engine is infinitely superior to the DE, so if it makes sense for someones scenario, by all means, go to town.

 

or just sale the shell and buy an hr and save yourself trouble

 

90% of the time, agreed.

 

at least we finally agree (for the most part) on something...haha

 

LOL I am really just playing devil's advocate on the topic. I dont see a whole lot of point to the swap other than the one scenario I mentioned a few posts up. But my motivation for the posts is to debate about the difficulty of the swap more than I am interested in the purpose of it. And I am whole-heatedly convinced that with a Haltech the swap would actually be ALMOST easy LOL.

 

i kinda figured, i helped a buddy do a ls swap in his g.... wasn't too bad, and he sent the wiring to sikky to do... so all the physical stuff with their kit was pretty easy, i get what you are saying on the direct bolt in, but me i would rather put a cammed ls in and be about 430 ish to the wheels all motor