mtngoat Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Got a quandry....been looking to VG30ize the Deathmobile (510 wagon) for years. I've been talking with a fellow locally with a pretty good deal on a pulled DE will all the trimmings for $1000. This is a lot more attractive than having to find a donor car, move it to my house, strip it, and then somehow get rid of it when I live in the boonies. That said, I've been corresponding with Carter Boad and he notes that this engine and tranny is larger and heavier than the other VGs, something I was not aware of. Also, that the usual components for the swap of the smaller VGs won't work, and it sounds like I'll have tranny fitment problems as well. I wanted this to be as straightforward as possible, not a nightmare of custom work. Am I better off blowing this deal off and putting up with the nightmare of finding, buying, moving, stripping, and moving again the hulk of a donor car? Anyone done the DE conversion? Ideas please...it's frustrating to come so close and now find this out, but it's better now than later I guess. Quote Link to comment
72240z Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 I have no idea what car your talking about dropping a vg30de in so I cant speak to that... The price seems really high to me though unless those motors and z32's in general are somehow rarer in the PNW. Here I can get a whole running parts car for a grand. Which is always the better option because with scrap prices where they are and the steady demand for Z parts means a lot of that money comes back. All if the person takes the time to nickle and dime everything properly. When you buy just a motor/trans/harness combo your paying for them to have done all the work for you. The motor is very heavy for its type. It weights the same or more then (depending how you weigh) then an lsx v8. There are usually better options for the same range of power and price but less weight. Weight aside the vg30de and its single/twin turbo variants are good motors. Quote Link to comment
mtngoat Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 OK, that's an interesting take on things. I somehow pictured paying even more for a donor car, then having to do all the work pulling the parts, then the nightmare of trying to get rid of it from a location no scrapper wants to come to. At least if I'm getting everything I need for a motor that fits better, that's something. I hate the idea of the problems I'd have getting rid of the hulk, but I guess I may be stuck with that. It's one thing to live in the city and get rid of one, quite another to get it done when directions to your place include 'turn off the paved road, then'... Quote Link to comment
mtngoat Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 A quick trip to Wiki shows the VG30e as the one most likely used if I want non turbo, which I definitely do. I do *not* want to be rock crawling and dealing with turbo lag or anything of the sort, much less the heat and space problems of more plumbing. Is this the usual choice guys? Quote Link to comment
Skib Posted March 13, 2013 Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 the VG30de has been done in a 510 before, but its not advised. the VG30e is much better swap for the 510 and is well documented. keep in mind that the difference between the E and DE is not that its just duel cam heads. it mights as well be a totally different engine. Quote Link to comment
Jesse C. Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 I would not touch the DE engine at all! Some have actually swapped out the DE with a regular E! Just find a VG33E and swap away! Same size as the VG30E with one some minor differences and more power! Quote Link to comment
mtngoat Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Ok I'm liking the sound of this much better. I did some more digging and very few folks do the DE, it's a lot of work. I'm pretty sure I'm going to back out of the DE at this point. Quote Link to comment
mtngoat Posted March 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 Well I did it and pulled the plug on the DE. Now I guess I'm looking for a t boned pathfinder or something RWD with that 33e in it? Quote Link to comment
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