rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Hello everyone.. my name is Musaed and this is my 1st post here, I am not really very active in forums but I do lots of reading and searching when I am about to start a project, one of the challenges I face is the language as I don't quite understand all I read. this is my 1st project, and it all started when I got my KC 620 from the US, the original engine was not that good to start with, and I had a totaled 2002 Nissan pathfinder with a vq35de. so I think you all know now my plans. I got the old engine from the truck and started the swap, little by little I found myself buying a d21 frame and trying to fit the 620 can on it, well that was not easy for me and took 2 weeks to align all the brackets to the new frame and trying to center the front wheels in the wheel well. learned few things and tricks here for next projects. now hunting for a manual transmission, spent good amount of time in the junk yard and found a cd009 out of 2006 350z in excellent condition, took it home and bolted right up to the vq35de from the pathy, I was trying to set the engine as low and back as possible and faced two issues, the stock oil pan is a back sump and it will hit the engine cross member, also will go below the cross member and will be the first thing to hit the road bumps, so another trip to the junk yard and a 350z oil pan is sorted.now if you want to do that, take the starter motor from the 350z as the one from the pathy wont fit the stock upper oil pan. Dipstick! okay take that from 350z as well, the stock hole will not matter, there is no rout for the stock dipstick into the 350z oil pan, just leave it. to install the new dipstick, there is a rout for it in the block and the left head (driverside LHD) its only now all the way through, just drill a hole at the top (must be precise and better yet take it to a professional). now I have a 2002 pathfinder engine mated to a 350z 6 speed tranny, oil pan, starter motor and dipstick. it time to fabricate motor mounts, got the block bracket and mounts and frame brackets (cut them) from the pathy, in my case I mounted the cab slightly forward than stock location to gain equal clearance for the tires but they are exaclty centered to the wheel well, I accounted for the turns and from there and measured the shortest distance between the tires fully turned to the closest point of the fender (front and back of the tire), this pushed the engine forward and passed the original engine mounts of the hardbody frame, so i have to make new mounts and weld them where the old locating is, this is what I am doning now and hopfully will finish it soon. oh I forgot to mention that I also needed the exhaust manifold from the z and the stock ones are bulky and wont fit, just match the studs pattern of the new one ( pathfinder studs pattern is different but easy too do) and both have the same ports size. at this point I have a question, what would be the smallest space/distance for fans and radiator? now I am left with 5 to 5.5 inches! any advise will be highlly appreciated. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Try electric fans. They can be mounted in front or behind the rad and can pull or push air. Best is thermostatically controlled so they are not on all the time. Very quiet! 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Welcome, I tried making your post a little more readable but wasn't able to work it out. Try posting without the links first and then we can work out how to get the pictures. Definitely want to see more on this swap. :) Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Indeed pictures!!!! Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Thank you guys for the replies, didn't expect them so fast! i did post this on other forum but didn't get any reply, so all i did was copying my post and pasted it here. it did show readable. my bad! i will clean it and repost it if that is ok. admin feel free to swap the 1st post with the one comming, thank you 1 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Welcome. This is a pretty active forum. Can't wait to see this thing! Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 i will try to post some pictures, hopefully it will work not sure where to start as i didn't take lots of them, next time will take more here i am trying to mount the cab on the hardbody frame, took me one week to get the frame brackets in the right place, lost and lots of measurements, i had to make a template off the cab bolts and extended that frame to the engine bay painting it to a known points, then transferred that template to the frame and bolted the cab brackets upside down, from there and with a steel square tool i extended a straight line from the frame to the bracket. after that its a mater of cutting those brackets shorter and then bolted them back to the template in the right position and tacked weld them. lowered the cab and everything was in place 1 Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 great! pictures are comming after that i raised the cab and time to find a good position for the engine, fabricated a set of new engine mounts and tacked weld them on the inner arms that hold the engine crossmember i have yet to take pictures of those mounts after engine found a sweet spot i lowered the cab again and here you can see how the transmission is entered to the cab almost, the tranny is too big for the tunnel, the cab won't go further down anymore as it is sitting on the tranny. i have to cut the tunnel and rise it few centimetres after cut, i need to fabricate it little more, but it coming good, here is how the engine is sitting right now 2 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 I only one of one other vq swap in a 620. Its a vq25. The truck also has an s13 rear end swapped in. Built by Gary Narusawa, who used to be editor in chief of protect car magazine. Sadly, that build is not on here though. Welcome to Ratsun. This place is a zoo. 1 Quote Link to comment
]2eDeYe Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Thank you guys for the replies, didn't expect them so fast! i did post this on other forum but didn't get any reply, so all i did was copying my post and pasted it here. it did show readable. my bad! i will clean it and repost it if that is ok. admin feel free to swap the 1st post with the one comming, thank you All fixed. Enjoying the pictures that you do have, thanks. Keep up the good work, that motor looks at home in there. :thumbup: I only one of one other vq swap in a 620. Its a vq25. The truck also has an s13 rear end swapped in. Built by Gary Narusawa, who used to be editor in chief of protect car magazine. Sadly, that build is not on here though. Welcome to Ratsun. This place is a zoo. Link? I've been thinking about the 2.5 as a good option, KA's are getting harder to find. 1 Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 after the cab is fully down on rubbers, the space for radiator and find increased (about 17cm ~ 6.7 inches) but I still worry as i aim to mount two electric fans to be safe, how possible is that? Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 I am not sure if i mentioned that i plan to keep the compressor and the alternator of course, but the frame is too narrow to fit them both, so i had to cut half the width (3cm) from both sides of the frame from the inside to give some space. you can see from the above picture how it looks like after cut, also i plane to mount the bumper and the d21 frame is curved down and it would be impossible to keep it that way and mount the bumper, couple of cuts underneath the curved frame to straighten it up. this procedure will effect the tension bars location and therefore i need to fabricate new ones. another thing is if the original steering box of the d21 that came with the frame will fit i will use it and use a corolla electric power steering, i will remove the power steering pump from the engine. also planning on relocating the booster under the frame if possible. 2 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 So cool! Lots of work being done on this. Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 Link? I've been thinking about the 2.5 as a good option, KA's are getting harder to find.The suspension work is in the very last copy of project car magazine. The engine stuff ive only found by stalking mr narusawa across the interwebs. There isn't a dedicated build thread anywhere. But he does teach at a Compton tech school now, you should call and ask him. :) 1 Quote Link to comment
flatcat19 Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 Interesting. Quote Link to comment
FrankRizzo Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 This is so cool!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: . Quote Link to comment
SPIDERSHACKOV Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 That shifter is going to be really far back. Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 That shifter is going to be really far back. The current location is a litte better now, but it can be worse after I cut the transmission tunnel. Relocation of the shifter is a must if I want to keep the center console in the same original place. Once the tunnel is done I should install the centre console and the driver seat, from there I can decide if it is a matter of shortenening the shifter rod or a relocation kit. Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 These are the engine brackets that I came up with very sturdy. I used Pathfinder engine mounts. For transmission, I used d21 mount and crossmember. That crossmember brackets were moved back and a piece of 4x4(cm) steel placed underneath the tranny mount to level it. Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 I am working on enlarging the transmission tunnel right now. What is the required space between the tunnel and the transmission to consider? Thanks Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 11, 2017 Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 The engine and transmission are rubber mounted and twist slightly under loan so it just has to not rub or touch. The seats (assume buckets?) have to fit on either side. The tunnel is a structural part of the cab adding rigidity to the floor/seat mounts, so weld it up well. Other than the above you can do pretty much anything to make it work. Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 Transmission tunnel work Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 11, 2017 Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it is a very large transmission. Quote Link to comment
rastan Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 The engine and transmission are rubber mounted and twist slightly under loan so it just has to not rub or touch. The seats (assume buckets?) have to fit on either side. The tunnel is a structural part of the cab adding rigidity to the floor/seat mounts, so weld it up well. Other than the above you can do pretty much anything to make it work. Would a 3/4" around the tranny good enough? Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 11, 2017 Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 Well I assume if it touches or rubs there will be bad sound and vibration. Three quarters would seem like enough if the transmission doesn't move much. You are in unexplored territory ... a guess is all you get. Quote Link to comment
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