The VG33E information thread

So im stuck on the power steering pump on my vg33 swap. i have the vg33 with a quest crank pulley and have already figured out the alternator and water pump belt setup now im struggling on the power steering pump. Problem is my z31 power steering pump is a v belt pulley and i need a ribbed pulley. I have local junk yards i can pick from but does anyone know what ribbed power steering pump pulley will fit a z31 power steering pump? Ive already tried an xterra, maxima and sentra with no luck the spline on them is to large. I cant just use the xterra pump because the center is to wide and wont allow the z31 brackets to be used on the pump. I was wondering what you guys did when coming across this issue. Thanks

Im new, and this may be silly, but i have a 84 na want to swap a vg33e, not shure why everyone swaps out the oilpan? is the oilpan to wide? You couldn't fab custom mounts? To raise it just wondering. Thanks

the oil pump pick up tube flange is in a different location. the VG33 uses a different tube and pan, making our chassis require the VG30 pan and modified pickup tube/pan

The pan and pickup is both swapped and modified

User Mr.510 did a modified pickup tube, i don't have his info but i do believe he runs an online shop per-order. His tube requires no cutting of the baffles. original Z31P page has 404'd and it's been years since i've seen him post up.

or you swap cranks and oil pump and everything bolts right in.

^ fact

and much easier if you do not desire the 33 pump, and wish to retain original accessories

You sure the pan needs no modification. I made a similar pickup tube and the pan did need the babble shaved. He's on Facebook so I can verify this

for Mr.510's or my claim? I'm stating the pan and tube needs some good work.

i posted up about modifying the tube and pan waaaay back when. seem my history doesn't reach back. The center baffels need to be persuaded ( cut and hammered down) along with reforming the pickup tube and cutting the center bracket. it cleared by about 1/4~7/16"

I am doing a VG33 swap on a 1994 D21 Hardbody truck. It is a JDM engine, and best I can tell it is from something in the 1997 to 2000 era because I have the 2 multi-rib and 1 v-belt on the Harmonic Balancer.




How do you guys get pictures to upload here? Every time I try, I am told, "Image upload failed because the extension of this file did not match the content." I don't know what that means. I uploaded the image to my Imgur.com host, but that means it may not be available for years.

Anyway, I am putting in Schneider Racing H256 cams, but I can't seem to get the stock cams out. The bolt is out of the back. The Right Hand Side (RHS) cam slides forward a little, but then it sounds/feels like one of the lobes is bumping. The LHS does not want to move at all. I can't send the cams to Schneider for regrinding if I can't get them out of the head.

you have to feather the cams out by supporting them through the bearing surface bore, it's a tight fit

DO NOT HAMMER THEM, try some lube

Looks like it was the camshaft seals that were holding the cams in place. I didn't hammer them …exactly. I used a rubber mallet and tapped on the back side of the camshaft with a big drift pin.

I hope I didn't screw anything up. I didn't tap very hard because I was aware that those surfaces were tight tolerance areas.

How do most people get those camshaft seals out?

Once they were out, the camshafs came out pretty easy.

seal puller tool

Sorry to revive a dead thread like this. I don't even own a Z. But I do have a 2001 Xterra 3.3 5 spd.
I'm doing some work to it that will require tuning, but the VG33E seems to have garbage for tuning options. I guess there's no aftermarket for tuning trucks :P
Over on XterraNation (http://xterranation.org/index.php?th…fo-by-fo.8275/) I've been told that a VG30 ECU will run my VG33 and has far more tuning capabilities, but no one can give me much more information than that.
I was hoping someone on this forum would have more info regarding this computer swap, since you all seem to swap these engines around all the time. Do the plugs from my harness match the VG30 ECU? Will I need to rewire any sensors? Will I need to add sensors? Will I run into emissions problems?

You could ask Nistune just in case if they have a board that fits an Xterra VG33 ECU.

The ECU has to be flashed with a new program. Some places like Jim Wolf Technology offer this service for around $600.

Once you put an older ECU on it, you will loose a lot. The VG30 ECU is not OBDII, so all of the gauges on your truck will need to be swapped over to the old gauges. You will also not be able to monitor all of the extra sensors that the VG33 has on it (nowhere to plug them up on the VG30 wiring harness). Did I mention you are going to have to rewire the Xterra with an older Hardbody wiring harness?

I would check with your DMV and tell them you are deleting the OBDII system and putting and older system in. They may not pass you for going backwards on emissions.