Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Well I was planning on swapping a VH45DE into my Z car along with a large turbo...
Plans have changed some.
Now my base of operations will be a roadster with no turbo but with either quad webers or ITB's.

Upon disassembling my VH45 I discovered the #1 rule for getting a VH45DE.
Get a 1994-1995 model engine with the 100% metal timing chain tensioners..
Mine had the plastic timing chain tensioners which had decayed, broke up, and gotten into the oil pickup in the pan and starved the engine for oil.

But here are some pics of my mock-up VH45DE:

Main bearings(note the oiling holes/slots in the bearing, usually that is race only stuff):

The block

The forged steel stock crankshaft. Note the three gears at the snout, two for timing chains and one for the chain driven oil pump.


The good:

6 bolt mains(2 sideways)
Main bearing cap girdle
forged crank and rods
lightweight cast pistons with a molybdenum coating
DOHC with VTC for the intake cam
Serious block reinforcement(won't split the block). There have been reports of up to 1000HP on a factory rebuilt VH45 in a boat (incredible air-water intercooling and twin turbos)
Hyperetutic aluminum block with cast-in cylinder liners
They are easy to find in junkyards
They often last to 275K+ miles. I saw one in a junkyard with 375,000 miles.
There is an adapter to be able to use a Z32 5 speed transmission and the Z32 flywheel bolts on to the VH45 crankshaft. Available from Mazworks.

The bad:
The stock engine weighs about 480-500 pounds, when stripped of the acessories except what is needed to run for no smog, remove about 100 pounds from that.
Bulky
World's smallest aftermarket(but growing quickly)
Only comes with a 4 speed automatic


Looks pretty good to me though.
Stock the engine makes about 280HP. With a stock longblock and custom manifolds it should be good to about 320hp.
A 100% stock engine (minus exhaust for turbo...) can take about 10 pounds of boost before the 370cc injectors max out. That is about 450-475hp.

this is the swap i'm gearing-up to do myself. I hadn't heard of anyone else working on it 'til now.

I'm excited to se ehow it works for ya. (dossapointed that i'm no longer the first.... even in my own mind... )

i'd love to see more on this as you do it.

have you test-fit the motor in the engine bay yet? i've got my own ideas how i'm going to do it, but you are farther along right now (if only because you've actually purchased the motor! )

da-man wrote:this is the swap i'm gearing-up to do myself. I hadn't heard of anyone else working on it 'til now.

I'm excited to se ehow it works for ya. (dossapointed that i'm no longer the first.... even in my own mind... )

i'd love to see more on this as you do it.

have you test-fit the motor in the engine bay yet? i've got my own ideas how i'm going to do it, but you are farther along right now (if only because you've actually purchased the motor! )

Well I have a motor...but the shortblock is not useable as it has partially spun a bearing. The heads are about perfect though. That is why this is a "mockup motor".
I need an engine bay to test-fit into first. I still have the Z in a bazillion pieces in the garage. Working on getting a roadster right now.
You will probably finish your swap first as I am just a college student and am building a completely new rotating assembly for the motor. The stock internals are fine, but I'm doing something that has more to do with "skunkworks" than just a motor swap. The mounting of the motor is the easy part.
The VH motors are about 6" shorter in length than a datsun L6... Pretty big.

OTM

did you consider an LS1/2/3 swap in your quest for v8 power?
400hp N/A is almost stock

Alvin wrote:did you consider an LS1/2/3 swap in your quest for v8 power?
400hp N/A is almost stock

Yup!
Can't afford to drop 3 grand on a stock chevy(maybe broken) drivetrain.
I think I have a total of about $250 in for the VH45 and it's auto tranny.
I'll probably pawn the 120k mile tranny off for $250 so I'm not out any money.

Free money to get cams and a good motor to work from.

Alvin wrote:did you consider an LS1/2/3 swap in your quest for v8 power?
400hp N/A is almost stock

I considered an LS1 for a long time. And frankly, if I could find one for the $3k mentioned in another post, I'd probably do it still. (I'm seeing 'em closer to $5k with a T56)

But there's something to be said for the "cool" of having a brand-correct motor in the car. Not that I get too hung-up on all that..... but it would be fun.

Olderthanme: I am not looking at a mere swap either. Mine will be quite far from that.... so don't count on me beating you...... My boy is 12, and I keep telling him it won't be done before he's ready to drive....