VG30E cam swap into VG33E heads. Anyone done? Info?

[Nefarious]

Hey there everyone. I have a 93 XE Path with a vg33e swap. I already have a high flow intake, obx headers, 2.5" exhaust, soon to be a modded vg33e intake manifold/throttle body and an n60 (80 mm) maf. I have a huge amount more airflow in this motor than it had stock and now the only thing limiting me is an ECU tune and a set of cams.

 

I am about to do a vg33e on my girlfriends 93 SE Path and will be taking out her tired old vg30e. I will then be promptly stealing her old cams to swap into my truck to complete the deal.

 

I read the WD21 VG30E cams are 248/248 duration and .393" lift, and the VG33E cams are 240/248 duration and .354" lift. Seems like a decent amount of lift increase with just a little bit of a power band shift with the duration.

 

 

I was wondering if anyone here has done this specific swap? I thought I remember somewhere in a signature that someone had done this and just wanted to know a few things...

 

1. What kind of power increase did you notice?

2. Was there any loss of gas mileage?

3. Did they just bolt in and did you use your factory lifters? My VG33E lifters are dead silent and would like to retain them..

4. How do you like them?

 

Any info is great, thanks!

Edited March 24, 2013 by Nefarious

[BarrLee]

Hey there. This won't really be if much help to you but maybe you could help me?

I'm wanting to do a VG33 swap into my 93 pathy. Could you pass on any tips to start this project?

[Nefarious]

Well I have a build thread on here in the garage section. If u search for "vg33e swap into wd21" read through those pages, there is a lot of info and will go through the options. all the pictures are in the end.

 

Basically, there are 4 options.

 

1) r50 pathfinder vg33e, adapt r50 accessories, this is what I did with my truck and is in the build thread. It is a lot of work though and you need a welder. And some fab skills

 

2) r50 pathfinder vg33e, (or any vg33e really) and Mr.510s crank balancer adapter. This let's you use all your stock vg30e accessories on the vg33 block. Easiest route by far. Just some custom work for the alternator tensioner is required and I think Mr.510 can supply that too if you so desire...(I'm using the adapter and modding my own alt bracket on my girlfriends pathys vg33e swap to save downtime)

 

3) wd22/d22 vg33e, you can use the vg33 from an xterra or frontier since the accessory placement is similar and the lines should work. But I do believe the a/c lines are different... have to do some custom there.

 

4) last option. Is mixing and matching vg30/vg33 engine parts to make a hybrid motor and then use stock accessories. Vg30 crank in the vg33 engine, vg30e oil pump and I think water pump. Something like that u will have to search.

 

There's a basic rundown tho. There's lots of info on this site including my thread.

 

Hope it helps!

Edited March 25, 2013 by Nefarious

[ejin4499]

I didn't notice much difference when I did my vg33 swap vs my 97 pathfinder stock. I used everything from the vg33 cept the crank cams and upper intake manifold.

[Nefarious]

so you were driving a 97 pathfinder before but later bought a wd21 pathfinder and then swapped the 97's 3.3 into the wd21 and at the same time swapped the 3.0 cams into the 3.3?

 

sorry just trying to get the scenario here.. well if it feels the same speed then maybe it would technically be more powerful since the r50 is a lighter vehicle overall than the wd21? is it like...very close or is there more accelleration and grunt in one than the other?

[adamzan]

The r50 is actually heavier

[ejin4499]

I had a 97 and a 95. Drove the 97 while I swapped another vg33 into the 95. I used the cams that were in the vg30 from the 95. I don't notice much of a difference between the 97 and the post swap 95. Huge diff between the vg30 to vg33. It feels like the 95 has a little bit better top end but that might be the CIA and headers that are on it.

[Tungsten]

Well I have a build thread on here in the garage section. If u search for "vg33e swap into wd21" read through those pages, there is a lot of info and will go through the options. all the pictures are in the end.

 

Basically, there are 4 options.

 

1) r50 pathfinder vg33e, adapt r50 accessories, this is what I did with my truck and is in the build thread. It is a lot of work though and you need a welder. And some fab skills

 

2) r50 pathfinder vg33e, (or any vg33e really) and Mr.510s crank balancer adapter. This let's you use all your stock vg30e accessories on the vg33 block. Easiest route by far. Just some custom work for the alternator tensioner is required and I think Mr.510 can supply that too if you so desire...(I'm using the adapter and modding my own alt bracket on my girlfriends pathys vg33e swap to save downtime)

 

3) wd22/d22 vg33e, you can use the vg33 from an xterra or frontier since the accessory placement is similar and the lines should work. But I do believe the a/c lines are different... have to do some custom there.

 

4) last option. Is mixing and matching vg30/vg33 engine parts to make a hybrid motor and then use stock accessories. Vg30 crank in the vg33 engine, vg30e oil pump and I think water pump. Something like that u will have to search.

 

There's a basic rundown tho. There's lots of info on this site including my thread.

 

Hope it helps!

 

I recommend to avoid option 4 and keep the VG33E crankshaft because it's much stronger than a VG30E one and the VG33E oil pump flows better and you get a better filter placement.

[Nefarious]

My research tells me that the WD21 is about 200lbs heavier despite its smaller physical size.

 

1995 WD21:

 

Curb Weight, lbs. 3795

 

1997 R50:

 

Curb Weight, lbs. 3675

 

Those are the official weights via Consumerguideautomotive. So it should feel a little slower in a WD21 for the same given power. About the same as adding a person to the vehicle.

 

Anyways, I'm going to try it out. If I don't like it I can always go back to the stock cams. I do have a lot of air-flow mods (intake/headers/exhaust) and soon to be custom tuned ECU as well as a 2003 frontier intake manifold/throttle body (60mm) and N60 Maxima maf (90mm) so I think the cams will have more gain in my truck as opposed to a closer to stock truck. I'll try it out anyways!

Edited April 6, 2013 by Nefarious

[R3DN1CK]

When I scaled my truck with a few passengers, I weighed in about 4200lbs. Heavy beast!

[Nefarious]

That makes sense. 3795 lbs + 3 adult passengers would be about 4200