Leaderboard

Clean is a good start, but given their history, you should at least put a straightedge on them. The flatness spec (from EM-24 in the '97 manual) is 0.01mm (0.004"). Put a straightedge across the head (corner to corner, diagonal and parallel) and see if you can get a four thou feeler gauge in between anywhere. If the feeler fits, resurface or replace the head. Don't cut more than 0.02mm (0.008") off the head. If the cam doesn't spin freely in the head, because the head is warped to where the cam bearings don't line up anymore, replace the head. The difference in lobe height between the VG30 and VG33 is only around 0.3mm on the intake, 0.6mm on the exhaust. You're gonna need calipers to see that. Measure from the tip to the base circle on the far side (the full height of the egg, if that makes sense). The '95 manual says the VG30 lobes (intake and exhaust) should be 39.537 to 39.727mm. The '97 manual says the VG33 lobes should be 39.242 to 39.432 on the intake, 38.943 to 39.133 on the exhaust.

Well according to the website it says they will work i guess I'm gonna give them a shot thank you.

I've never worked with the 2WD parts, but I had a look at the parts diagrams on NissanPartsDeal, hoping to see the same part number between them. Instead I found six of them. 4WD shows 40202-0W094, 40202-0W091, and 40202-0W092. 2WD shows 40202-1W091, 40202-1W092, and 40202-1W094. Naturally I have no idea what's different between those six part numbers, or if it's significant enough to stop one from fitting the other. If you can't find a used one, NPD does have one of the 2WD part numbers still available. Punch in your info and see if they reckon it'll fit.

Looks like progress! Bet that manifold leak was noisy. If it was blowing hoses from exhaust gas getting into the cooling system, that suggests you were right about the head gaskets. Check for cracks and warpage while it's apart. The oil in the valley probably came from the valve cover gaskets. That depends on how far you go. The VG30 and VG33 service manuals have identical specs for the valve springs, so the stock springs should handle VG30 cams just fine. JWT even recommends the stock springs with their S1 cams, which if post #7 in this thread is correct, are a larger jump in lift from the VG30 cams than the VG30 cams are from the VG33 cams. JWT's S2 cams do spec harder springs. And yeah, if you're pulling the heads apart anyway, that would be a great time to clean out the gunk and lap the valves. Mr. 510's VG34 thread has some info on porting if you want to give that a go.