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Carburetor on a VG30


JamesRich
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The carburetor vs fuel injection discussion has always been an argument. Some people prefer fuel injection and some people like the simplicity of a carburetor.

If you want to run a carburetor you can get a modified intake from vg30.com but you needed a saudi distributor to be able to keep it simple and have a vacuum advance.

Well not anymore thanks to Performance Distributors! http://www.performancedistributors.com/

 

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They built a chevy HEI distributor to fit a Nissan VG30 or VG33. I’ve been testing it for them and have close to 1K miles on it with no problems at all. There isn’t a more simple distributor to hook up, if you give it 12 volts and a ground it will spark while turning it in your hand. I’m also using a set of their live wires which look strong enough to use as a tow strap!

They haven’t listed it on their web site yet but give them a call to let them know you want one!

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It is just a little bigger diameter than a factory distributor for port injection but it fits perfect with a driver side valve cover from a port injected vg30.

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I used a VG30.com intake and made a spacer with a tail to mount the throttle linkage on.

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I used a modified throttle bracket and cable from a chevy TBI engine.

For fuel I bought a fuel pressure regulator made for the high pressure of fuel injection that has a return line to dump the extra pressure. I just connected the factory fuel lines to it and ran a hose to the carb.

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James

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The power is much better but the fuel mileage is almost the same. 12 mpg in town and 17 mpg on the highway. I still have the crappy Y pipe with the experimental engineering headers. The pipe steps down from the 2 1/4 collector to the factory Y pipe really screwing up the flow. This crap was the best I could get done locally to get the truck rolling back when I put the headers on. I've finally located a guy that makes Y pipes for titans with mandrel bends and factory located flanges. I haven't called him yet to ask him to make one for the pathfinder but I don't see why he wouldn't. The only problem is he is a 4 hour drive one way from my home. We don't have any good muffler shops around here. I'm sure once I get the exhaust right it will really open up the potential of this setup.

 

I don't know if it's the first mr510 intake on a pathfinder but it's definitely the first chevy HEI running on a nissan! I wish I could share this with David but he must still be pissed at me for not being happy about him selling me a pair of headers without the Y pipe like we discussed. I wasn't joking when I said I couldn't get a decent Y pipe made locally. I'm sure anyone in my situation would have been pissed but I didn't hold any grudges against him. By the way he won't talk to me now I guess he does hold a grudge. Anyway, I sent him an email with pics. Weather he reply's or not I just hope he has some intakes ready for in case other people want to buy some now.

 

As for why, the fuel injection was shot! The motor ran smooth but hardly had enough power to get out of it's own way and the fuel mileage sucked too. I didn't see spending the money for fuel injection parts when the TBI setup wasn't that efficient to start with. I still have the cat on the truck and I bought a wide band setup that I will mount on the dash. First to tune the carb to where its burning it's cleanest then to monitor it after. Also guys like cool gauges in their vehicles! So don't worry B I'm probably polluting less now than with the old fuel injection system.

Another good reason is it's almost EMP proof now! If we get a big pulse I should only need a new distributor module. A fuel injected vehilce will be a chicken coup after a large EMP pulse. Every good BOV needs to be EMP proof!

 

James

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Curious, what's the base timing set at and what's the advance range?

 

Just spoke with David, the gears in those new units are ones he sent them. They've been in the works for months now so yes he's aware.

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Yes this has been in the works since october last year. The gear on this distributor is from a used one I sent them. They were having trouble finding gears, did David find them a source for new gears?

The VG loves timing! I'm running a base of 25 and it maxes just a little over 50.

James

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James,

 

What were you running for timing when it was set up with the stock TBI system. I've considered doing the same conversion in the past, however locating the distributor was a huge PITA! Also wondering what size, and type of carb did you wind up using with this setup.

 

Any other tid bits of info you care to share!? Cost of the distributor?

 

BTW, it does look great. But I am wondering why you just didn't convert over to a MPI system.

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those are some monster wires for sure !!

 

Years back Jim Connor Racing offered a manifold, holley carb kit and also a stand alone distributor, but those are long gone.

 

catalog page below:

 

59srxy.jpg

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The power is much better but the fuel mileage is almost the same. 12 mpg in town and 17 mpg on the highway. I still have the crappy Y pipe with the experimental engineering headers. The pipe steps down from the 2 1/4 collector to the factory Y pipe really screwing up the flow. This crap was the best I could get done locally to get the truck rolling back when I put the headers on. I've finally located a guy that makes Y pipes for titans with mandrel bends and factory located flanges. I haven't called him yet to ask him to make one for the pathfinder but I don't see why he wouldn't. The only problem is he is a 4 hour drive one way from my home. We don't have any good muffler shops around here. I'm sure once I get the exhaust right it will really open up the potential of this setup.

 

I don't know if it's the first mr510 intake on a pathfinder but it's definitely the first chevy HEI running on a nissan! I wish I could share this with David but he must still be pissed at me for not being happy about him selling me a pair of headers without the Y pipe like we discussed. I wasn't joking when I said I couldn't get a decent Y pipe made locally. I'm sure anyone in my situation would have been pissed but I didn't hold any grudges against him. By the way he won't talk to me now I guess he does hold a grudge. Anyway, I sent him an email with pics. Weather he reply's or not I just hope he has some intakes ready for in case other people want to buy some now.

 

As for why, the fuel injection was shot! The motor ran smooth but hardly had enough power to get out of it's own way and the fuel mileage sucked too. I didn't see spending the money for fuel injection parts when the TBI setup wasn't that efficient to start with. I still have the cat on the truck and I bought a wide band setup that I will mount on the dash. First to tune the carb to where its burning it's cleanest then to monitor it after. Also guys like cool gauges in their vehicles! So don't worry B I'm probably polluting less now than with the old fuel injection system.

Another good reason is it's almost EMP proof now! If we get a big pulse I should only need a new distributor module. A fuel injected vehilce will be a chicken coup after a large EMP pulse. Every good BOV needs to be EMP proof!

 

James

Power wise, do you think it is because you are getting greater and more immediate flow, or just because it is a fresh system compared to the old one? Yeah, a better Y pipe would certainly make a huge difference. I know you can weld, so have you considered piecing together your own? I know Tungsten did out of off the shelf parts, and no slight on him, but if he can do it, you can!

 

David is... David, and yeah, from what I have seen miscommunications and/or ruffles feathers occur.

 

I fully agree that when the stock system is shot, it is a good time to do swaps like this. I am no fan of the TBI set up and would never want to own one here in California! I don't have an issue with the carb swap, I just see it as a lot of work and expense without understanding the benefits. :shrug:

I'm not worried about poluting either, I know you aren't the 'hack the cat off to go faster' kid mentality. :D A well tuned carb can run quite clean as well; I'm fairly sure the reason for the FI swap is the whole OBD2+ requirements that wouldn't work well with a carb.

 

LOL about the EMP, but you are right. I've been looking at old trucks and that would be one of the benefits... :D

 

B

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I was running a base timing of 15 on the TBI system.

I'm running a 350 cfm holley which should be more than enough for a 3L motor. I'm not sure about the cost of the distributor, I didn't pay for this one. I have a MPI system ready to put on, modified wiring harness and all. With all the wiring I was concerned about it not being dependable and I have very little time to work on it. I use this truck for hunting and would not be happy if it left me 5 miles back in the woods! You can't beat the dependability of an old school carb and one wire distributor. I know it will always start.

 

That Jim Connor racing setup was a VG30S intake, I have one of them too.

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It originally came from a car in saudi arabia that had a two stage two barrel carburetor. That's why the carb opening is lengthwise and you must mount a two barrel holley sideways. I didn't think the carb would have worked right sideways but if Jim Connor sold them for racing I guess they did. I'd be concerned about all the gas rushing to one side of the bowl when I'd step on it. I plan to try and make a four barrel adapter for it later and run a 390 cfm holley. I'm afraid it will end up with the carb sitting too high though.

James

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yes this has been in the works since october last year. The gear on this distributor is from a used one I sent them. They were having trouble finding gears, did David find them a source for new gears?

The VG loves timing! I'm running a base of 25 and it maxes just a little over 50.

James

 

I called them this afternoon and he told me that they would be in mid to late october.

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Maybe my question will get answered on this post... I'm doing a vg33e swap in my pathy in the coming months. I'm starting with obviously a vg33e from a junkyard pull, moving on I’m using pretty much everything in this post accept for one twist I want to build an AWD street/off-road monster. To do so I am going to modify the infamous Holley 2300 like the one above for blow through use. Then I want to take a set of 300zx vg30et exhasust manifolds and a combine it with a gt35 turbo, intercooler, and all the other goodies. I just want to do something differerent.

 

I'm thinking I should use the 350cfm but I might use the 500cfm depending on my fuel/ air needs.

 

As for the question, since I'm using a carb do I have to change the distributor or will the Nissan coil and distributor work off of a MSD 6al box? (Just trying to save money)

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They never found a source for factory distributor gears so they are having a machine shop make some. If you search the web for carbureted VG you will find a few ways others handled their distributor issues. This is just the easiest most dependable option. Just stab it in the motor and run a power wire thats it. I'd like to see a blow through turbo setup, they did it years ago and it worked.

James

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Thanks much for posting this, I have to say, it looks like alot of fun, I'm seriously contemplating doing this, if only for the simple fact that it would be fun. Not to open that can of worms, but I really have to wonder what power would be like compared to the later EFI as well - guessing it would still be more, and you can have fun with some more radical cams too. Anyway, I mentioned the distributors to mr. 510 via his ebay store (when asking about this manifold) and he said they [Davis Unified] was predicting 6 weeks out yet until these are ready, and that he would be a distributor (no pun intended) as well.

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Your planning to mount the carb sideways? I think something like that might work but won't flow too well. With atomized fuel you want to get it into the cylinders as quick as you can before it condensates. Doesn't look like you will be able to close the hood either!

James

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Your planning to mount the carb sideways? I think something like that might work but won't flow too well. With atomized fuel you want to get it into the cylinders as quick as you can before it condensates. Doesn't look like you will be able to close the hood either!

James

I was going to mount it normal with an adapter. But if all else fails, sideways. So to improve flow can I take out the center baffles and let it flow direct to the cylinders? As for the hood I was going to cut it and put a cowl over it.

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