alco3

Hello everyone ... it turns out NissanNut was working on a similar project and told me all I need is the stock 1994 D21 VG30 4wd pan and oil pickup part number 15050-4S103 for a bolt together install ... he even made a YouTube video ... https://youtu.be/4K1enEnZhdg I don't know if the AU balancer is the same as the Canadian balancer, but it works great for running v belts and all of your accessories when installing a flat belt VG33. You do need to do a bit of machining as the center flange of the AU pulley is larger than the VG30 and the 6 attaching bolt circle needs to be redrilled as its larger too ... Thanks again NissanNut and everyone else here!

Hello everyone. You haven't heard from me in awhile ... I built the VG34 and installed it in my 1994 D21 4wd pickup. Last posts of mine were about bizarre running issues and I finally found out what was happening when the the crank key & key-ways finally broke completely ... valves hit pistons etc.etc. The pulleys were rocking on the crank for awhile hence the weird running. The cause of it all was a broken crank pulley bolt ... or maybe the bolt broke later ... who knows. So the engine is all back together this time with a VG33 crank, & oil pump, AU vibration dampener to allow stock V-belts & accessories and the oil pan & pickup from a 1996 Pathfinder ... But when I go to put the engine in today the pan (from a 96 PF) hits the front differential! This is a 1994 4wd D21 I’m putting this (3rd) engine into and I’m doing it at a friends shop as I don’t have a lift etc. etc. (Truth be told I’m old enough that I need some help in muscling that engine too). He is a friend but his shop is a full on commercial shop and I’ve got a lift bay tied up as I type this …The ’96 PF pan is somewhere about ¾” too deep at the third member. Does anyone know of a pan that will let me put this engine in? Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello Everyone. In an effort to get the VG34 installed in my 1994 D21 to idle I gave up on running the later VG33 (1999) idle control components and installed the components that are native to the VG30. As the VG30 uses two components rather than the one on the VG33, adding the second air control valve to the manifold was a job ... especially as it relies partially on the temperature of the water in the manifold to close properly. I used new oem valves, turned the key, and it started! This may not seem like a big deal but without the secondary IAC valve starting was previously more than a turn of the key. Then it goes right to a fast idle at 1000 - 1200 rpm then it drops to 700 rpm ... a little low given the Wolf S2 cams but wonderful just the same. I've got the IAAC adjustment screw in its stock from the factory setting and I'm not going to change it until I figure out ... driving it I have almost NO throttle response. Coming off a stop requires wot to get it moving ... and I'm just able to keep up with traffic ... until it hits 2500-2750 rpm... then its as strong as its ever been. I've cleared the ECU and adjusted the TPS and no change. I know the TPS is working correctly and the timing is correct. I suspect the throttle body butterfly adjustment is the culprit ... if its out of adjustment that would in turn make the TPS out. My problem is that I can't figure out a starting point for the butterfly. There is a bunch of warnings about never ever adjusting the sealed screw, but mine has been adjusted repeatedly to just get it to idle when I didn't have the correct components. Now I need to get the butterfly back to something like stock. I've got it set to just barely touching ... using the hold it up to the sun routine and I know that has to to be wrong ... unless I've got some other issue lurking. The engine has the S/C injectors / JWT ECU / a bunch of other mods ... all running great with Airmist methanol/water injection it just wouldn't idle or start worth a damn. Ideas?

The power is pretty good ... I've installed an Aquamist meth/water injection system recently and that helps both the power and the cooling that can use some assistance when it gets to be over 100 degrees and I'm running the air ... I've got the largest radiator possible ... a custom copper crossflow and that Spal twin fan setup and the gauge would creep up to 3/4 running up a long highway grade at 80... I've installed a 10 gallon water meth tank so I can set the injection curve low enough that the long pull on the grade gets the power boost as well as enough cooling that the gauge sits in the middle. On the idle issue I just can't leave it alone. I've got the ported VG33 manifold off and I'm modifying it to accept the secondary idle control valve from the VG30. That coupled with a stock VG30 IAAC valve should allow the Wolf ecu to be within parameter and maybe ... maybe the idle problem will be fixed. Another question for you guys: Do you know what the butterfly in a stock VG33 throttle body is set at from the factory? Mine is new but has been adjusted back and forth so many times I've no idea where to set it to be back at a factory starting point.

Hello. First off thanks for the response and thoughts on this strange problem. I was hoping that someone else had fought the same battle because that often occurs and I spend hours reinventing the wheel. Yes it is a complex interrelated system ... in my case it also has relatively low vacuum given the JWT S2 cams and my 4750' elevation 17 - 18" is the highest I see ... and then there is the 10.5:1 compression, ported heads and intake manifold, VG33 throttle body & MAF , the VG33ER injectors and fuel pressure regulator etc. etc. JWT has taken the injectors and other mods into account after I sent them some recordings from my innovate wideband. To determine what I could do to get past this stumbling off idle I completely blocked off the EGR system. The fuel regulator and PCV system are the only devices attached to vacuum ... the canister is blocked off and the gas cap is off ... I adjusted the IAACV to maximum which is about 2 1/2 turns out from the seat. After this the problem was still with me. If the TPS was unplugged it would start fine cold but when fully warmed it would barely idle at 250 rpms. So I got brave (or foolish) and broke the paint seal on the top throttle body screw and adjusted the speed to 800 rpm warm with both the IAAC and TPS unplugged. Then I adjusted the IAAC to the 2 1/2 turns out and adjusted the TPS. Wow! what a difference! The cold start is still great and the warm start problem is almost completely gone ... I've got a livable ... heck almost not noticeable ... flat spot off idle on a warm start and it's gone within 15 seconds. I suspect the IAACV is operating as good as its going to give the mismatch between all the components ... I'm good with it! Thanks Again!

The problem begins with the disparate design of the two engines control systems: The VG30 is OBD1 and the VG33 is OBD2. The IAC systems differ physically as well: The VG30 uses two parts: 1) an IACV-AAC valve with a two wire connector and 2) an additional IACV-Air Regulator with a two wire connector. The VG33 uses a single IAACV valve with two connectors with 2 two wires each. The best I can do is to have a excellent cold start and an excellent hot restart with a smooth idle at 800 RPMs if the restart is within 10-20 minutes... after 20-30 or so the engine starts with a really low idle - 300-500 RPMs and has almost no throttle response. It doesn't matter if I nurse it down the road or if I keep it running parked after about 20 seconds it acts as if a switch has closed and the idle instantly goes up to 800 RPMs and it has all the power it normally has. Maybe this is as good as it gets.

Hello everyone. I have a 1997 based VG33 (actually a VG34, but that's a whole other story) intake and IAAC valve I'm trying to get to work in my 1994 VG30 D21 that has stock wiring and ECU (actually a JWT ECU, but the basis is the correct MEMC). Has anyone been successful at this? Maybe someone has proved it can't be done and I'm just wasting innumerable hours. I have the factory manuals for both including the electrical supplement and access to both alldata and mitchell so the answer is probably right in front of me ... Thanks in advance.

I've posted the FSB on the infamousnissan forum ... you can find it by searching my user name alco3... apparently it is not possible to post pdf files here ... if it is just that I can't figure out, let me know how and I'll put a copy here ... I'm the first to admit I don't know all about forum operation. I'm running the VG33 intake ... it flows much better and uses a significantly larger throttle body. Additionally by cutting holes in the bottom of the VG33 intake it was possible to port the intake throughout then fill the access holes and then refinish to provide improved flow ... there is no way to match the runners perfectly given their individual lengths and shapes but using a flow bench they were improved significantly. This error code 32 issue has taken a new twist. I've unplugged the egr systen tried running the egr system with a known good solenoid and I can see it turns the system on and the egr valve operates and it still shows CELs with a 32 error code. There doesn't seem to be a reason ... it can be full throttle and it can code at light throttle too ... hot or just started ... and the CEL stays on for varying amounts of time before going out ... All while I'm driving along. So for now I'm doing nothing more until I receive the reprogrammed ecu from Wolf and install the new sc injectors and fuel rail. Who knows what sort of problems will turn up? But I am close! I'll keep you posted and hopefully next I'll have a real performance report. Once it's running correctly its going to get run on Wolf's dyno. Thanks for all your help.

Hello everyone! After over a year I'm back for some more advice. I have a 1994 D21 4wd auto CA pickup with a 1997 VG35 ... a VG33 bored to 96mm with CP pistons & rods / 10.5:1cr / ported heads with +1mm Manley valves / ported intake to match heads / Wolf S2 cams / and ECU etc. etc. It has been running for 1000 miles ... It was a VG34 with trick DPR heads that made it 30 miles before a piece of welded combustion chamber got loose with disasterous results. My 1994 truck is OBD1 and the engine is OBD2. Nevada is a "Cooperating State" with next door California but we don't have to dyno every car ... but all smog equipment must be present and accounted for ... so I have managed to wrestle my way through all the sensors with the last problem being a recurring Code 32. Currently the truck is running with an ECU & MAF from a VG30 4wd Federal Pathfinder. (Wolf is programming another identical ECU for the engine utilizing the soon to be installed SC injectors that proved to be necessary along with a hi-cap fuel pump). I thought that a Federal ECU would ignore all EGR codes but I'm wrong. So I guess this means that all D21s and Pathfinders in 1994 had EGR? Anyway, the FSM for the '94 shows a diagnostic for code 32 to only involve one component that the ECU controls - the EGRC solenoid. I've got one of those from a VG30 CA car and I know it works & it is wired correctly but I still get CELs for code 32. However there is no way to utilize the rest of the VG30 EGR system on the VG33. Different components. Different mounts. I had the EGR system on the VG33 operating but it was on all the time ... and I got the same frequency of CELs code 32 and the engine ran noticably warmer so I disconnected its vacuum source and plugged the exhaust pressure pipe. Another clue that a Federal ECU expects EGR is that I was getting Code 35s for the EGR Temp sensor and a new temperature sensor took care of that CEL. So is this code 32 popping up for some random reason or is there something else that could be triggering it? The truck smogs fine without EGR but it can't even be checked with a CEL. I'm attaching a Nissan FSB that IDs ECUs. It has proved really useful and I haven't found it here ... sorry if it is just a duplicate. Oops! I can't figure out how to attach a file to a post ... I'll figure it out and post seperately. Thanks for your help.

Hello Everyone ... well I don't have to admit defeat after all! I found the specs for the deck height on page EM-135 of the 2004 Frontier FSM. It's stated as "Nominal cylinder block height from crankshaft center: 227.60 - 227.70 mm (8.9606 - 8.9645 in)" Once again, you guys are right ... the answer is in the FSM. Thanks for being patient.

OK I admit defeat. I can't find it <anywhere>. This is all part of a long V34 build that got as far as assembly and then I found out about Nevada's adoption of California smog rules ... yes I know they are not quite as stringent ... but almost. Here's the gist of it : I'm using a VG33 block bored to 93mm and have it assembled using a new VG30DETT crank/rods and CP pistons for 8.25:1 compression as I planned to use a DETT setup ... Dan Paramore heads ... Wolf ECU/S2cams ... I've done the suspension, cooling, exhaust/headers, transmission/torque converter and even installed the ecu/headers/exhaust/ with the stock VG30 and took the truck into smog as it was due. Passed with flying colors ... thats when I started chatting with the smog tech and found out that any engine swap must be of the same "series" and year or newer and have the new engine's smog system complete.. For me this would mean that my '94 OBD1 4wd D21 would have to be converted to OBD2 and that is a job I just don't want to tackle again ... I checked to see he knew what he was talking about and sad to say he does .. it's even worse than that ... the first smog for an engine swap requires you go to the DMV itself for inspection ... so I went to chat with them and they are sharp to say the least ... there isn't much getting past these guys... and I don't want to either. So thats when I decided to go NA and went on the search for a set of Q45 pistons. Really hard to find. Can't find any in the US period. Everyone I contacted says they are backordered to Japan. Same for rings. Also Q45 pistons require polished bores for the factory chrome rings and mine are already honed for the CP pistons/rings ... (which are for sale with lots of D Paramore work already done) ... so I got to thinking about using 10:1 hypereutectic cast pistons since a high compression engine with forged pistons clatters like a diesel at 10 degrees below zero ... this is supposed to be a daily driver. To see what pistons might work I've got to have the stock deck height or crank center line to deck number and I can't find it anywhere ... It isn't in the FSMs for VG33s but it is there for VH45DE engines and later R50s ... I've got all the other specs I need to do my calcs ... I'll settle for a tdc measurement down to the top of an installed piston if anyone has one sitting around and wants to take the time ... also if anyone knows where there is a set of Q45 pistons, that would be good too. As always thanks in advance. Hypereutectic

Hello and thanks for the quick response ... I had already checked MY1PATH & MR510 and the FSM before posting, but I might have missed it ... also checked the documentation available at the oldest auto machine shop around here ... even on the shelf in back ... and no luck. The problem revolves around a set of CP pistons ordered in 94mm, stock shape but 9.75:1 ... calcs showed 10:1 based on the 94mm bore and thicker headgasket but what I've got now is 8.4:1 so something went amiss somewhere. My question about how far in the hole relates to the coincidence that if the pistons were flush with the deck rather than .098 below I would have 10:1 Dan Paramore is doing the heads and he suggests welding the chambers as the short block is finished ... Please don't waste any more time on this as measuring a stock piston for piston height shows it to be the same as the CPs ... so the interpolated height is the same as factory. I'll keep you guys posted on how this turns out and thanks again for the help

Hello. Does anyone know the stock distance from the block deck to the piston at tdc on a VG33E? I've searched everywhere and just can't find this spec. and I don't have an assembled engine to measure. Any help greatly appreciated.

Hello and thanks for the quick advice. I don't have a converter yet and plan to buy new ... and pretty darned soon as that engine trans combo is about readty to be installed ... my main concern is I know next to nothing about xterra torque converters ... do you know the factory stall speed? Do you think I have to worry about the engine being built with a lumpy idle and say 800-900 rpm idle? Finally what convertor do you think best and where do I get one? I've got a good source for OEM parts but a cursory search for aftermarket converters wasn't too enlightening in that all I found were for full-on race trucks.Thanks again for your help.

Hello again ... I'm good with the stock converter ... just a bit concerned about it's stall speed ... the VG34 is expected to have a bit of a lumpy high idle but maybe that's just fine with a stock converter? Also, I gather from other trans swap posts I need the converter that matches the transmission - in this case a 2001 Xterra. How about the flex plate? From what I've been able to determine it looks like the stock D21 VG30 flex plate should be used ... at least there isn't a flex plate mentioned in the various transmission swap posts I've found ... just the converter. I see the 2001 Xterra does use a different flex plate so I'm at a loss. Would some oldtimer/guru set me straight please?