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Rugged Rocks Pathfinder VG33 Engine Build


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The pathfinder has had a little bit of a rough year, but in the end has ended up being better than ever!

I'm hoping this story / build will actually help other people that are planning on rebuilding VG33E or VG30E engines.

If anyone has any questions along the way, please feel free to chime in and ask questions.

 

Back in Feb. we were out at the King of the Hammers race in Johnson Valley, CA like we do every year.

We had plenty of people gathered around at camp, a few short trail runs to do, and even a magazine shoot scheduled.

 

Leading up to going to KOH, I did notice that the pathfinder started to smell like it was starting to burn oil. it had been going on for a little while but it wasn't anything super concerning at the time. it was still running strong and I'd periodically check the oil level.

The second day in JV, I got up and met Ken Brubaker to shoot the Pathfinder for a magazine article. the shoot went great, and it was cool to meet Ken who was impressed with the build. Right around the time the shoot was done I noticed the burning oil smell was getting worse. I knew a new an engine build was in my future but I didn't think it would be quite this soon. The following night we were leaving camp to go run a trail called Elvis. It would be one of our last opportunities to run the trail since the 29 Palms Base would be expanding soon to encompass this area, therefore being shut off to wheeling forever. So we rounded up our friends and headed out. Before we even got to the nearest road, my friend michael pulled up next to me, signaled to roll down my window and then ask, "Does your truck always smoke like that when it's cold?!". Puzzled as to what we was talking about, I looked behind us and what I first thought was dust, was about 20% dust cloud and 80% smoke. I immediately turned off the rig, looked around underneath and saw oil actually dripping from an exhaust port. Needless to say at this point the rig barely started and had minimal power. I pulled it onto the trailer back at camp, rode with someone else the rest of the trip and then started the new build as soon as I got back home. After all, GoneMoab was only a few months away.

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-412_

 

The hunt for a rebuildable engine started as soon as I got back home.

I actually had the original vg30E that came with the truck that I had been planning on rebuilding.

I originally thought it would be cool to have the origina motor back under the hood. but when it came down to it... I opted for the VG33.

I thought it would be nice to have a little bit more power.

After a few days I had a vg33E that I was hoping would be rebuildable. the crank turned smooth so I took that as a good sign and picked it up for if I remember right... $350

It had a blown head gasket but figured the parts would all still be good after some machine work.

 

My goals for this eninge were simple, keep it a basic rebuild, rebuild it as a VG30E so it drops right back into the truck and make it reliable.

reliable as in, large overbore, heavy head work, and massive cams were out of the question. It also must pass smog and not get much worse gas mileage than what what the truck was getting with the 3.0.

I wanted this to be more or less a budget build.

 

so here was the plan:

-I wanted larger cams, but not super huge so I opted to use the 3.0 cams instead of the 3.3L cams because they are larger and I was able to source them from one of my old VG30 engines.

-Since the heads were going to be machined and taken apart I figured I'd take the opportunity to do some minor head work. just to smooth things out and make it more efficient but not do a full port job.

I want the torque to stay at lower RPM's since we won't be bouncing this thing off the rev limiter. I typically wheel / crawl at about 2000 RPM's

-have it look bone stock when it goes back together includig putting the oil filter on the side of the block rather than on the front like most vg33E engines.

 

so the adventure turning wrenches begins.

I pushed the old VG30E to the side and got the VG33 on the engine stand. I flipped it over and started taking it apart.

I needed to get down to the bare block.

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-223_

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-223_

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-223_

 

 

I was going to need some part from the VG30 as well.

So I tore it down too:

 

It basically looks the same just.. older and stinkier.

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-303_

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-303_

 

 

Both cranks were sent out to the machine shop, the vg33 crank would get reground, balanced etc.. as well as some machine work to the snout to accomodate the VG30 oil pump. this is neccessary to relocate the oil filter to the side of the VG33 Block.

 

Nissan-Pathfinder-VG33-Engine-Build-303_

 

The 3.3 Heads and block were also sent out. (no pics of this drty stuff)

 

 

 

 

[To be continued]

Edited by SteeevO
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Yup and the passenger side doesn't fit. But if you have a right hand drive R50 you can get headers from Australia.

 

Speaking of SteevO what came about of the Thorley headers for the R50 and the new locker for the H233B 33 spline?

 

Sent from my Moto X

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Sorry to hear SteeevO, but these things happen, eh? So how many miles were on the old ticker when it gave up the ghost?

Are you going with a standard VG33, installing VG30 or Euro cams, or going with a supercharged VG33?

Will the Pathy smogged after the swap, or is it a trailer queen now?

 

Good luck Bud, and definitely keep us informed. Your Pathy is one of the nicest around... ;)

 

B

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Sorry to hear SteeevO, but these things happen, eh? So how many miles were on the old ticker when it gave up the ghost?

Are you going with a standard VG33, installing VG30 or Euro cams, or going with a supercharged VG33?

Will the Pathy smogged after the swap, or is it a trailer queen now?

 

Good luck Bud, and definitely keep us informed. Your Pathy is one of the nicest around... ;)

 

B

This one was a junk yard drop in a few years back when I needed a motor at the drop of a hat after needing to be at a race to run comms just a few days later.

so this motor has about 300,000 on it. the original motor had 347,000 on it.

 

I still drive it around, to lunch, to and from local trails. the intent is to keep it smog-able. so it better pass next year! lol

 

 

 

Yup and the passenger side doesn't fit. But if you have a right hand drive R50 you can get headers from Australia.

 

Speaking of SteevO what came about of the Thorley headers for the R50 and the new locker for the H233B 33 spline?

 

Sent from my Moto X

There wasn't enough demand for them. I need at least 10 - 15 people that are willing to pull the trigger on those with deposits to make it happen.

I'm willing to give it another go, but I need to hear from more of you guys.

 

the 33-spline lockright locker has been one of those projects that just won't take hold by the manufactures.

I've had numerous companies look at it but we would need to build a whole new locker because 33-spl 2 piece carriers are too rear.

we would need to make them for the one piece carier or to possible fit in a LSD case.

 

One company is willing to do it if I order 100 of them.... so far I've had to tell them to jump in a lake.

 

 

Whats the plan for it then? Obviously a replacement, but if you're doing KOH, i would hope you are going to do something special with it.

 

Maybe we can now know if the VG30 headers will fit a VG33

 

-Kyle

I don't actually Do KOH, we go out there every year to watch the race, some years we volunteer. Years ago some of us had a little camera time and ended up on the DVD.

If you've never been to the race, I recommend everyone go atleast once. However this year will be interesting due to the military taking over a good chunk of the land.

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I don't actually Do KOH, we go out there every year to watch the race, some years we volunteer. Years ago some of us had a little camera time and ended up on the DVD.

If you've never been to the race, I recommend everyone go atleast once. However this year will be interesting due to the military taking over a good chunk of the land.

I was gonna say, it's LS's and diesels all day at KOH, lol

 

-Kyle

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  • 2 weeks later...

subscribed! Any updates? Love your pathy!

 

This is probably my next mod as long as I can confirm the engine I'm about to buy will work... its non-CA compliant though so I'm hoping I'd be able to re-use the EGR stuff from the VG30? What else would need to be done?

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The non can block should be fine. It basically all goes back together like a VG 30 including intake egr etc. I don't know why I wasn't getting updates on this thread but I'll have to add to this when I'm back on a computer.

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  • 1 month later...

Hey Steve, great thread. Just saw your rig's feature in Four Wheeler - great write up! Timely too - my VG30E's oil light came on and started spewing oil out of the harmonic balancer area last weekend on a wheeling trip. I'm hoping it's just a bad seal or bad oil pump, but it was sounding rough by the time I got it on the trailer... I may try to go the VG33 route as well, but I'm more hoping to find a lower mileage one that I can just pulley the pulley adapter on and go rather than have to re-build it. Keep up the updates!

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