I need some advice on my VG30 510 Swap

[Maybe]

I am somewhere between 60-75% finished with my VG30 into Datsun 510 motor swap. I stopped working on this project about 2-3 years ago and have become determined to work on it this summer.

 

I am only able to work on it during weekends, but should be able to devote at least eight hours per day. I have rented a seperate space for this project so when I go to work on it, I will have absolutely no distractions.

 

My funds are somewhat limited so I am trying to break up the project into chunks.

 

Pertinent details about the swap so far:

• '72 510 2dr
  
• VG30 from 1989 (I think) 300ZX
  
• 200SX Intake Manifold / Exhaust Manifolds
  
• 300ZX 5sp manual transmission (came from the same donor as the motor)
   
  

 

The motor and tranny are already in the car. I used custom made motor mounts and a modified oil pan from somebody in the Canby area.

 

My next step is going to be a radiator and a fuel pump. I need to know what people have tried and what seems to work. I have heard in the past that the radiator from a Volkswaggen Jetta VR6 is pretty solid in terms of fit and function. Is this still the best option? I'm eager to hear any suggestions for fuel pump as well.

 

I'll make other posts with other specific questions but I'd like to hear members feedback on these things first.

 

Thanks for any and all insights,

 

Steve

[moparvwfreak]

the only thing i forsee being a problem with the VR jetta radiator is that you would have to run a coolant bottle since there is no filler neck on it. i have a VR passat and the rads are almost identical. other than that it sounds like a badass project. welcome to the board!

[vgwagon]

the only thing i forsee being a problem with the VR jetta radiator is that you would have to run a coolant bottle since there is no filler neck on it. i have a VR passat and the rads are almost identical. other than that it sounds like a badass project. welcome to the board!

Moroso makes an inline filler neck that solves that problem.

[moparvwfreak]

oh really???!!! i might have to look into that for my passat.

[nismopu]

Umm the filler neck is on the VG engine itself, so that shouldn't be a problem. I would just use whatever rad is used for SR swaps or KA's because the inlets/oultets are the same. You could even use one designed for a chevy V8 and that flexy stuff for coolant hoses that directs the lower hose to the other side. Which in that case you could utilize even the stock L-series radiator. I have seen it pretty much every which way. peace.

[vgwagon]

Umm the filler neck is on the VG engine itself, so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Doh!

I should have mentioned that.

[Maybe]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will go with the VR6 Radiator. Any suggestion on year/model for easiest fit? Also, what electric fuel pumps have people had success with?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

[nismopu]

280zx fuel pump is a nice external unit and has the same flow rate as the z31 300zx pumps. It would be perfect for a 510 and if you're not using a fuel cell don't forget the surge tank for fuel sloshing/ hard cornering. peace.

[Green Bastard]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will go with the VR6 Radiator. Any suggestion on year/model for easiest fit? Also, what electric fuel pumps have people had success with?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

 

VR6 Radiator in my VG33 car, It is short enough to fit. Good choice for performance and price. For year, I think it is early-mid 90's but I may be wrong. Pretty sure if it is VR6 and Jetta, you are golden.

 

I have used the fuel pump from a late 80's VW Rabbit. They have what is called Digifaunt fuel injection. The pump is in it's own surge tank, so you will not have to worry about fuel starvation around corners.

 

Here is an old pic from the days of megapixel digicams :eek:

I have the pump installed under my car, bolted to the pan, under the back seat.

 

For a really sano install, if you dont mind welding on gastanks, you can retrofit an internal pump to your current gastank. Think 300zx, 240sx etc....

[Maybe]

I ended up finding a fuel pump surge tank combo at a local wrecking yard. Pulled it from a 92 jetta, I believe. We'll see how it works when I finally get this car fired up. There are a lot of other things to take care of before I'm ready to take that step though. Thanks for the input.

 

Steve

[nismopu]

very cool pump! never seen nor heard of one before, I have heard the term digifaunt but never new what it meant. peace.

[vgwagon]

With the digifaunt fuel pump set up you need to remove the inlet check ball if you are feeding it via gravity. If you are going to use a low pressure pre-pump then removing the check ball is unnecessary.

[Green Bastard]

With the digifaunt fuel pump set up you need to remove the inlet check ball if you are feeding it via gravity. If you are going to use a low pressure pre-pump then removing the check ball is unnecessary.

 

Never knew of this. Description of where said ball is located?

[Green Bastard]

VR6 Radiator in my VG33 car, It is short enough to fit. Good choice for performance and price. For year, I think it is early-mid 90's but I may be wrong. Pretty sure if it is VR6 and Jetta, you are golden.

 

I have used the fuel pump from a late 80's VW Rabbit. They have what is called Digifaunt fuel injection. The pump is in it's own surge tank, so you will not have to worry about fuel starvation around corners.

 

Here is an old pic from the days of megapixel digicams :eek:

 

I have the pump installed under my car, bolted to the pan, under the back seat.

 

For a really sano install, if you dont mind welding on gastanks, you can retrofit an internal pump to your current gastank. Think 300zx, 240sx etc....

 

images seemed to disapear?

[vgwagon]

Never knew of this. Description of where said ball is located?

You will see it at the inlet, might be light grey or whitish in color, it should be somewhat obvious as the surge tank is black. Try blowing through it and see. Take some side cutters and just snug them under the lip of the retainer, then lever it out.

The check ball should come out with that piece.

I wish I had a picture but I don't.

[vgwagon]

Here is what I'm talking about.

[Green Bastard]

Thanks for the clarification. I will have to check it out next time I am under there.

 

It has been so long (10 years??) since I installed the fuel pump, I may have removed the ball, and I just cant remember.

[Maybe]

OK, I ended up finding a good spot to mount the VW pump underneath on the driver's side of the car. I also found and removed the ball at the fuel inlet. Now I'm assuming that is the line that gets a feed directly from the fuel tank.

 

The fuel pump then pumps it through the fuel filter, which then goes directly to the motor? How do I incorporate the grey inlet and outlet on top of the surge tank houseing? I'm thinking its a return path for unused fuel, but I need it spelled out for me because I'm a dork.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

Steve

[vgwagon]

It's been a long time since I had one of those in my hands, but I believe there are directional arrows on the grey part, so you would run the return from the motor to the one pointing into the tank and then the other one would go to the main fuel tank.

[Maybe]

OK, I finally got a little bit of work done on my 510. I have the fuel pump assembly from the VW all ready to go and ready. I'm in the process of laying out the new fuel lines and I've run into a couple more questions.

 

1. there are two lines located at the bottom of the fuel tank in the 510 of slightly different sizes. Is it important which line is used going to the engine and which one is the return path?

 

2. The fuel rail on my VG motor has a pressure regulator on the front. Based on what I have seen on other swaps, this seems to be absent. Is this because they are using the 200SX fuel rail or have they removed it and relocated it somewhere else? Also, the fuel line located at the front of the engine is the inlet and the one on the rear left side is the return path, correct?

 

3. I'm posting some pics just for the hell of it. They were taken with a cell phone so the quality pretty much sucks. I did remove the upper intake manifold and took some pics of it. My goal is to get some feedback on some of the parts that aren't absolute necessities. I'm desperately want to simplify and clean up the upper intake. Right now I just get angry every time I look at it.

 

Once again, thanks for any and all help..

 

Pics:

 

Engine Bay

Front shot of car

Internal Wiring Disaster

Upper Intake 1

Upper Intake 2

Upper Intake 3

Upper Intake 4

 

 

Once again, thanks for any and all help..

 

 

-Steve

[nismopu]

See all those coolant lines going to the throttle body? Those can be elimintated and most likely the metal tube assembly they connect too as well. If you look at some of the canby pics and the guys running VG's really dont have anything on their intakes at all! Most of the items attached to it are merely for better drivability and equal fuel economy when cold. The air regulator is a heater that warms air as it enters the engine when cold. I have owned 3 300zx's where this unit never worked or was always unplugged and never noticed a difference. I also never had an operational IACV(idle air control valve) on a few cars as well to clean things up a bit. If you dont have a/c or a crazy drain on the alternator when the engines cold this unit is again kind of useless. The EGR is one of those things you can decide whether or not you would like to keep, no power gained, no power lossed. peace.

[vgwagon]

The air regulator is a heater that warms air as it enters the engine when cold.

It doesn't heat the air at all.

It allows extra metered air into the intake while cold to allow for a high idle. As the engine warms up it gradually closes off the passage.

 

The idle controls are nice to have, otherwise you are setting your idle with the throttle body stop screw.

 

The fuel tank lines are different. the bigger line is the return, and the smaller is the supply.

 

On the engine the fuel inlet is on the rail somewhere and the return is on the bottom of the regulator, thats how it regulates pressure.....it dumps excess fuel back to the return side....ie it regulates the fuel in the lines, not before the lines.

You can tuck a lot of the wiring right under the intake above the injectors nicely and it all but disappears there.

 

Here is a pic of the last harness I did in a customers 510.

[nismopu]

It doesn't heat the air at all.

It allows extra metered air into the intake while cold to allow for a high idle. As the engine warms up it gradually closes off the passage.

 

The idle controls are nice to have, otherwise you are setting your idle with the throttle body stop screw.

 

The fuel tank lines are different. the bigger line is the return, and the smaller is the supply.

 

On the engine the fuel inlet is on the rail somewhere and the return is on the bottom of the regulator, thats how it regulates pressure.....it dumps excess fuel back to the return side....ie it regulates the fuel in the lines, not before the lines.

You can tuck a lot of the wiring right under the intake above the injectors nicely and it all but disappears there.

 

Here is a pic of the last harness I did in a customers 510.

 

Exactly, but there is a heating element inside which is what usually breaks inside making them inoperable. Theres a really easy walkthrough on how to repair them out there as well. peace.

[jesusno2]

This thread may be old but has been helpfull so far any updates?

[qwik510]

Yes. Helpful to me too. I am getting ready to start my VG30 swap this fall so I will bookmark this thread. Keep the updates coming.