"VQ35DE into my s14" Build

[dorrifto]

So I got the engine in there today. I started this morning by installing my LW flywheel and stage 4 Comp Clutch.



then dropped the motor in.


took my wire tuck a little further and I am running any wires destined for the fuse box through the fender well.



When I soldered my milspec harness connectors, I had a few spots left open. So I put random (yet color coded) wires on those spots so that I can run any sort of future sensor or whatever through the milspec plugs without having to take it apart. in this pic, you can see a bunch of them poking up by the fuse box, and below is me delegating those extra wires under the floor board.



I have a lot more wiring left to do tomorrow, then just hook everything else up and should be able to fire it up!

[Perez04]

That sucks to hear about the oil consumption issue. I had the same problem on my G, I had my engine replaced by Infiniti. After 7000 miles on the new engine and I think its still consuming a little.
Good luck with the build.

[dorrifto]

So I took a long break from the car to bring my grades back up. Now that finals are all over with, I went back into the garage and got her running. Just rolled over 100 miles yesterday on the new engine. There are a few kinks here and there, but for the most part, she runs great! And she sounds even better!!

[slammed04tsx]

awesome bet this will be alot of fun

[dorrifto]

Thanks! She is in a dire need of a tune. I have an appointment next week to get the fuel maps tolerable, then after it is broken in, I will have it tuned for power with a 150 spray and dyno it.

My next project is to get my cruise control working. I have been reading wiring diagrams all morning and really think I can get it to work. It should be easier with the vq engine than any other engine because everything is controlled through the ecu, unlike how the KA is being controlled through a couple different small things....

[upsdude]

i don't know if i missed it but about how much total did the swap end up costing you?

[dorrifto]

Originally Posted by upsdude

i don't know if i missed it but about how much total did the swap end up costing you?

I didn't keep track. Just the swap by itself, I assume maybe 10k. I have since doubled that in the car since then. Pretty much my entire last deployment got dumped into it. I want a paint job, but I would have to deploy again to get it haha

[upsdude]

10k for a vq swap? hot damn! well gl with the build, hope you can get the car to where you want it

[dorrifto]

Yeah new pistons, rods, sleeves, machine work... that stuff adds up quick when added onto all the stuff required just to make the swap work! I couldn't tell ya how much the bare minimum would cost. Dudewutup (I think that is how you spell is user name) has the most DIY break down in his build thread. I could have saved a lot of money if he had started his swap before mine. We built at the same time so by the time he had all the wiring figured out, I had done paid someone to do it for me.

[dorrifto]

A little teaser vid:
Test drive VQ rev-up in a 240sx - YouTube

[40flash]

Originally Posted by dorrifto

i had z fever do most of the wiring, but there was a little bit that i had to do when i got the harness back . it wasnt hard. but yeah i had to bash in the firewall a bit... apparently i am the only one who has had to do that so far. mckinney says that every chassis is varies one way or another by up to 1/2 inch. my 1/2 inch was rather inconvenient. the hood also didnt clear. I got some 1 inch spacers and longer screws for the back of my hood where it bolts to the latch and its fine now. I saw that some s-chassis guys put some spacers there for heat to better escape the engine bay, so i essentially did the same by a lot larger gap lol

You're not the only one who had to bash the firewall. I could have moved the engine far enough forward so the intake plenum would clear the firewall but chose to mount the engine as far back as possible. Better weight distribution or bash the firewall? Easy choice.

[Guilty1s]

What are you guys doing for Power steering pressure sensor? Does the ECU need to see it? I'm gonna be using OEM Sohc lines.

Anyone come up with any alternative to a driveshaft other then McKinney?

Anyone have a part number for one of the summit racing radiators that work for this (s14)?

[40flash]

I have done nothing with the pressure switch yet. Looking forward to an answer as you are.
Driveshaft. I took my old driveshaft out of a G35 which they say is non-rebuildable to a local driveline company. They counted the number of splines and came up with a yoke that I believe was for a Nissan truck. Not sure which model. It's a larger diameter yoke which uses a larger U-joint. I needed to trim the metal ring on the trans that the yoke slides in to but after that it fits great. I think it was under $300 to have it made. The rear yoke mates to my Q45 diff. This diff solves several problems.
1. It's cheap and it comes with the right gear ratio for the VQ. The pre 1997 Q45 comes with the stock 3.54 gears that come in the 350Z diff. If you prefer lower gears than stock you can pick up a 1997 or later Q45 diff. I paid $50 for the diff at a U-Pull-It yard.
2. It comes with a speed sensor that can be hooked up to a Dakota digital sensor box to get the speedo to work.
3. I picked up an S15 helical limited slip with stub axles on ebay ($400)that you can use the stock S14 axles instead of the Q45 axles.
3. 4. The brand new balanced driveshaft was under $300.

[dorrifto]

Sorry I kinda left this neglected! Life happened, but this past month I have been busy on the car again. She is fun to drive! haha. Tonight, I finished the wire tuck in the engine bay, located the battery to the trunk, and shifted the fuse box forward where the battery used to be. I moved it forward so that I could use the 350z power steering res that mounts to the passenger side rather than having 4 feet of power steering line dragged across my engine bay to reach the 240's PS res.
As far as the PS pressure switch, I used the one connected to the z's ecu. Not the 240's. Idk about the s13 steering rack, but the z's PS hard lines bolted right into my s14's rack, no problems at all!

Additionally, I am over half way done with the cruise control. Bought a bunch of resistors and a circuit board, and recreated the controls in the 350z's steering wheel. Next I have to wire the brake and clutch switches into the ecu and I should be good to go! I will post pictures of my work tomorrow if I have time.

[40flash]

Finally it runs. Halalulia! I finally got it to give me a code that indicated a problem with the crank sensor and cam sensor. The two work together to tell the ECU what position and RPM the engine is at. What I found was that the cam sensor had a prong that was bent and not in it's hole in the wiring plug. As soon as I found and fixed that it fired right off. It only runs for 20 seconds or so and then dies but its a start. Any ideas?

[Guilty1s]

What is your base fuel pressure set at. I think vqs are around 52? I forgot already.

[dorrifto]

Originally Posted by Guilty1s

What is your base fuel pressure set at. I think vqs are around 52? I forgot already.

Yeah that is correct. Speaking of.

I replaced all the fuel lines in the engine bay. I was tired of all the rubber lines with hose clamps popping leaks. I think the lines were shitty quality. So I had lines made with -AN fittings and everything has been done up real nice. I'll post some pics later.

Also made my own air box. I didnt like how the air filter was sucking up all the hot air from the radiator so I bought some sheet metal and did some fabricating.

Like I said, i'll post some pics later. Hopefully tonight.

[dorrifto]

Relocated the battery to the back; slid the fuse box forward. Now I have room for the 350z PS res.


See! PS rez fits!


I put my breaker switch up here. When my center piece is removed, track officials have access to it. But when I replace the grill, a-hole friends cant come up and kill my car!! haha


Next up I fixed all my fuel lines and fab'ed my intake a little.
All -an fittings!


Some air box action



dryer duct directing cold air into the box





Since I ditched those agonizing coil overs I had to replace them with something worth while. Picked up tokiko d-specs for $300 and some tein springs for $150, all brand new.

[dorrifto]

I installed and programmed my nitrous rpm window switch.


Also picked up a maxima cup holder

Since the vq shifter sits farther back than the stock location, I was able to mount the cup holders in the bottom bin with no problems. The pic above is of me in 3rd gear. The one below is in 4th gear.


cluster shot, just because


I dont have any pics, but I ditched the high flow cat, and converted my exhaust to true dual exhaust. It sounds hella sexy

[40flash]

Dorrito -- You mentioned getting rid of your coilovers. What was the problem with them? I have coilovers and am not very impressed with the ride quality. Was that part of it for you?

[dorrifto]

Originally Posted by 40flash

Dorrito -- You mentioned getting rid of your coilovers. What was the problem with them? I have coilovers and am not very impressed with the ride quality. Was that part of it for you?

Pretty much. The spring rate on my coils were 10kg/mm which is drifting stiff. Stock is 2kg/mm (for a reference point). So I got rid of them and went with tien s-techs which are 3-4kg/mm. I put them on some tokikos and couldn't be happier.

[dorrifto]

A little teaser of what is to come this spring!!

[future]

Shit just got real

[zenkiset]

^^ this ha. cant wait to see some more pictures of this thing!

[silverv35]

All I can say is good work.. I'm actually just going to start my VQ swap 40flash and dorrifto have been very help full in giving me some concrete info. I am still looking forward to a how to 03 z to s13 harness wink wink 40flash. That blower is just the icing on this massive friggin cake

[RollingZEE]

Looks nice man
yo if anybody is looking for a vq35de motor... im selling one
pm me if interested