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As some of you that read my introduction thread know I am building a VG33ET and putting it into a 2001 Xterra. I have a parts swap car a 1985 300ZX turbo that I will be using the computer and turbo parts for the Xterra. I know this being a z31 forum some people might hate that I am tearing apart a good 300zx but just so you know I am not some yahoo off the street but a true Nissan enthusiast I will go through my Nissan history in no order.
1994 Altima daily till the transmission died
1985 non turbo z31 rough! daily until traded for speed parts
2001 Xterra my first car sold then bought back for this build
1998 Maxima SE 5 speed daily till friend needed a car then sold cheap
1976 280z going to be restored and built into a SCCA autocross car
1985 300zx daily now and swap donor car
I am partial to early Nissans before 2004 overbuilt cars with the feel that someone wanted them to be easy to work on.
So now onto the build. I am trying to come up with a power goal but like always this is a moving target. At first it was just use the stock engine with a boost controller to add a little more power but now I wouldn't mind going for a bit more. I can fit an intercooler into the Xterra pretty easily or just do water meth if I can't.
My question would be what is a good power goal for those who have built these engines before?
I have read a few builds but I am still having a hard time understanding where these engines start to lose the money vs power efficiency. I am already prepared to get custom pistons for the VG33 and Eagle rods from Rebello Racing. I also know I will need bigger injectors and a tune. I have heard Nistun is ideal but I would rather have a plug and play option, tuning is not something I know. I was looking at the Jim Wolf computers for the plug and play option.
I have to move the turbo from the stock location is it worth looking into a bigger turbo? I don't want to lose spool time since this is an off-roader.
I think at this point I am aiming for 350 crank HP hopefully this group can help me make that a reality. Mainly looking for some help from people who have built the VG turbo engines.
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Turbo for a off-roader is not ideal. Two main reasons why
First: Turbo tend to spool under load and high in the rev range. Offroading your spinning alot and not really loading the engine due to poor traction.
Second: a Air to Air intercooler is pointless offroading due to low air-flow and clogging caused by mud/leafs and other stuff. Water to air would work but its more complicated and costly.
I would recommend you get the factory super charger with a smaller pully(more Boost) and custom pistons( higher compression 11:1 or more) Factory rods are fine. Run a tune with E85. As far tuning I don't know of anyone tuning a factory xterra ECU. You might has to Frankenstein a Maxima or J30 ECU for the best results for NISTUNE. That setup probably put at or near 350 crank hp.Last edited by Wilsonthesphere; 08-12-2019, 11:52 AM.Own:
1986 Z31 2+0 Turbo GLL ---- spearco IC ,3" exhaust, Poly everything with solid subframe and diff mounts, HX35/40 Holset Turbo, CLSD, Nistune with 1220cc FIC injectors on E85.
1993 Jeep Cherokee 4X4
Owned:
1995 Z32 2+0 NA Black
1985 Z31 2+0 turbo Black
1986 Z31 2+0 NA Red
1988 Z31 2+2 NA Auto
1988 Z31 2+0 Turbo White ---- Stripped for all of its goodies.
1984 Z31 2+0 turbo Brown
1985 Z31 2+0 NA Black
2003 Nissan frontier D22 supercharded vg33e 4x4 -
350 crank HP is very doable (different turbo is most likely a good idea). Some of the ppl who have actually built one (not me.... yet) should chime in on this, but I don't think you need the custom pistons or eagle rods for that. I think you may be asking the wrong question though. I think you may want to ask what you want to do with the Xterra. That will lead you to the HP (and possibly more importantly) torque/power band that you need.--------------
Legal stuff:
**Nissan Employee**
Any information shared is simply my own opinion and NOT the opinion of Nissan
not legal stuff:
'88 300ZX 2+2-- driving… just details left
'22 Q60RS-- I tell the wife it's hers…
'87 Chaparral bowrider-- the next project
'00 Corolla-- kids car.
'14 E-350-- Gotta haul those kids in something. -
Thanks for the reply. My off-roading is pretty mild pretty much 4x4 access roads in Colorado that don't really have any obstacles in them just big rocks that require clearance not much spinning. One of these reasons I liked this swap was that I got to keep my IFS which if I was going solid axle I would just go all out and swap a LSx into it. IFS limits my off-roading to mild trails plus I can always make up the power with more gearing. My old jeep had 72hp from the factory at sea level but at 10,000 feet it does just fine with the right gears off-road.Originally posted by Wilsonthesphere View Post
I looked at the supercharger but didn't like the cost and complexity for very little power add. I don't want to mess with e85 plus with the VG30ET computer I can get it tuned to fit the build.
This goes back to what mwolvinm asked. I basically want to use the xterra the same way as I do now as a daily that sees some off-road use. I use my xterra to tow and drive over mountain passes. I am just a little tired of not being able to pass or pull a trailer at full speed. It's even worse now that I have added a few hundred pounds in bumpers and skids.
So with that all being said my current VG33 has 8.9:1 compression from the FSM. I was thinking of dropping that to 8.5:1 with the new piston my other thought here was that this truck will see sustained boost while towing or pulling its self up the hill. I thought forged pistons would give me a little more detonation protection. Would be awesome if someone has experience with stock VG30 pistons under sustained higher than factory boost. -
you could go for the factory low boost turbo setup, -- 6-8 PSI, no intercooler, and short piping. It should net somewhere around 200-210 HP without having to do all the tuning, fuel injection, etc.--------------
Legal stuff:
**Nissan Employee**
Any information shared is simply my own opinion and NOT the opinion of Nissan
not legal stuff:
'88 300ZX 2+2-- driving… just details left
'22 Q60RS-- I tell the wife it's hers…
'87 Chaparral bowrider-- the next project
'00 Corolla-- kids car.
'14 E-350-- Gotta haul those kids in something. -
I did think about that, but it becomes a measuring contest between the first gen Xterra and the second gen Xterra that has 261hp. I would really like to make more hp than the new Xterra with the 4.0 not only for the drive-ability but also the bragging rights. I was hoping to run the turbo around 12psi making close to 300hp anymore would be awesome. Water-meth would be an easy fit for cooling the intake charge so I have been looking at those systems.Originally posted by mwolvinm View Post -
I'd probably bump up the compression to get a bit more low end torque and keeping a small turbo for quick spool. It'd be a bit unbearable waiting for the turbo to spool all the time when your trying to get up a hill or something. Off the shelf z32 n/a pistons and rods will be cheap and strong enough.
Edit: Shit, this is an old post. Engine is probably together by now hahaLast edited by Timbo_021; 01-02-2020, 04:29 AM.Straya, +61
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