Never really posted up a whole topic with pictures of mine, so I thought I'd share a few from the project. Not that it's over.

I've been getting countless emails and people telling me I need to update my project. I had good intentions of documenting the whole thing, but after working on it for almost year I got a little burnt out and starting documenting less and less. All I've got left is pictures, so here's a few from the hundreds that I've gotten over the entire project.

Here's how it started...hydrolocked VG33. The VH45 won't be THAT much more work...right?



Picked up a VH45 locally that had low oil pressure from worn bearings. Entire engine got rebuilt....bored .040" over (It's now a 4.6 liter), rebuilt heads due to leaking valves (one was slightly bent), and all sorts of other parts.



Updated guides since the older ones didn't have a metal backing and were prone to cracking and ruining the engine.



Heads are on, new knock sensors installed, starting the cooling system.





New injectors from the later model VH45s. The older ones are more prone to failing than the new ones.



Almost complete



First test fit. It's going to be close.



Started the engine mounts...all I had was some 1/4" wall DOM. :laughing:



Engine is finally in.



Started on the steering. Decided to go full-hydro since I already had most of the parts and the oil filter housing on the VH interfered with the stock steering box. Cutting the rack and pinion mount off with a grinder was horrible.







Steering valve mount



Onto the wiring. At this point all of wiring is labeled but needed to be spliced into the body harness.







New DXD stage 2 clutch. Good for 480 ft-lbs of torque. I will recommend these clutches to ANYONE. Good prices and it drives awesome.



Transmission needs installed. After sending half my transmission to Florida for machining I get it back and it won't work. Send another transmission to Florida and get it back. I now have a "hybrid" transmission that uses the front half off a NA Z32 300zx since the starter is now mounted on the side of the transmission instead of the front.



More pictures on the way.

Once the transmission was in, there were a good 2 or 3 months spent on getting it running right. I had a large vacuum leak and I kept cracking the lower runner for the #6 cylinder. Turns out a hose clamp on the IAC valve was keeping the plenum from sitting flat, so when the bolt was torqued it would crack the runner. Vacuum leaks appear to be gone now.

I've got a huge oil leak from the oil pan. The entire underside of the car is covered in oil. It has a UV dye in it so people like to tell me it's antifreeze.





Haven't taken the time to install the other 3.5 to 3" coupler I waited 3 months for on the intake.



How I ended up routing the upper radiator hose since this one is a little shorter than the stock radiator.



How my interior looks:

WOW! I was wondering what you were up to since I thought you had sold your Frontier. I guess a one of a kind R50 will keep you busy? As for swapping motors (as well as other stuff) I never believe anyone who says it will be easy! If it were easy, every hack in the world would be doing it. Looks like your almost there, good luck.
Lator....

Thanks Gator.

I guess kind of have a thing for R50s. Never had a Frontier.

You're right on about it being far from easy. I'd never done anything even close to this magnitude before though including building an engine. If I did it again (which I hope I never have to) I'm sure it could be done much quicker.

Can't wait to get a 60/14 bolt under this thing.

I thought you had the solid axled crew cab long bed? Oh well, I'm getting old and forgetfull. (not like DR who is old and ugly )

Hopefully this thread will get you some of the motivation you need to finish it.
Lator....

Must be thinking of someone else.

This is the first (and only) car I've ever owned. Got it in pristine shape when I turned 16 and look where it's at 3 years later. Looks like you know that story all too well with your own. Hah.

I was thinking you were Cameron. Sorry. Anyway, who and where in Fl. did you get your trans work done? I have a spare automatic that needs a rebuild and would like to beef it up if possable.
Lator....

No worries. I can't keep anyone straight on here anymore either.

The company that did the machining is called Mazworx. They seem to do a lot of 240sx and race car type stuff. They'd be worth getting in contact with to see if they can do anything.

If not, are you familiar that the Q45 this engine came out of uses the same/similar transmission to your automatic? The bellhousings are interchangeable and I wouldn't have even needed a transmission adapter had I gone with an automatic. Since these engines are rated at 340hp I think it would be beefed up from yours. I wonder if you could use one of those, put your bellhousing on, and swap the rear housing for one that would bolt to the TX10?

If that doesn't work, check out IPT transmissions. They make beefed up Q45 transmissions and I wonder if their kit would fit your tranmission? I think their transmissions are about $2k, though. Not that your truck is really budget friendly.

I'll do a little research to see if they're actually the same transmission with different internals or just the same family so some parts interchange.

Looks like Mazworx is right down the highway in Orlando. They even do engine work, I wonder if they have any tricks for a VG33 since I have a spare one of those too? I'm still not even sure what I will do next to the rig. Anyway, this is about yur build, keep it going!
Lator....

The bellhousing bolt pattern is the same as the VG's, but the start sits along side the engine rather than the transmission? is that the only reason that engine doesn't work?

What about:

A/C ?
cruise?
other creature comforts?
Did you have to go hydro? or did you do it just because?

Weight?
Reliablity?
OBDII?

Thanks for the photos. That's gonna be awesome.

Once again as this has me somewhat excited and gives me ideas.

How will you get this inspected if you have to? Here I have to have an OBDII port and a later VH41 might fit that need even at the reduced power.

Did you have to use the thick adapter plate to get the tranny to mate to the engine? or did the tranny mate and the Z32 tranny bell housing has a spot for the starter?

What about the ECU? To my knowledge the VH45/41 never came without an auto. Did you have to send the ECU in to get adjusted so it would work with a manual without throwing a CEL?

Hey Keith....

Sorry I didn't see you'd replied before I had to spam the board with my burnouts.

I'll try and answer what I can...feel free to ask anything else.

A/C? No. Could have hooked it up, but I never used it anyway. The Q45 AC compressor would work as I still have that whole bracket on the engine and nothing would interfere.

Cruise? No. I used to use that a little bit, but I took it out the other day when we were looking for a motor to pull a cable for a friend's winch. With the full hydro I can't really just let it drive itself like I used to anyway.

I went full hydro due to the location of the oil filter. It sits RIGHT where our steering boxes are. I think the threaded portion of the oil filter housing hit the steering box without an oil filter on it. My placement of the engine is as close to stock as I could get it and the transmission mount still lines up with the stock bolt holes.

Weight...This engine is lighter than our VG33s I think. Even though it's quite a bit larger it is all aluminum. Most of the discussion with weight I see compares the VG30DETT to the VH45.

Reliability...Surprisingly with as many issues as I've had it ALWAYS starts on the first try. Even if it doesn't want to run right, it always starts. Most of the reliability issues were due to mistakes by me when assembling the intake and I had some bad vacuum leaks. The intake manifold design on these engines kind of suck since the top plenum has to be removed to access 6 of the 8 injectors.

OBDII...This engine was only available 90-96 but the 90-92s are supposed to be the best models. 96s really went down the drain since they lack the variable valve timing because of emissions. This added somewhere around 60hp.

Very cool! Great job on pulling this off.