Z32/Z33 engines

[Rob Gaskin]

Does anybody know if the 350 engine was developed from the 300 and are any of the major components interchangeable e.g. cylinder heads, cranks?

I know this seems a very basic question but one of my neighbours is asking me. He's involved with a racing car that uses a Nissan V6 3ltr engine but they can go to 3.5 now. Any useful internet links?

 

[zpuppy]

With the little knowledge I have on the 300 block I would say that the newer engines are based on the earlier 3 litre , but it seems to me that there would be very little interchangeability between the two ? ie, clearance issues with longer crank throw and water jacket proximity when over boring ? I may be completely wrong Rob as I dont have tech specs for the 3.5

 

[Coopers-swb]

Rob

try posting this on the 300zx-club sister site.

Some of the guys on there may know, I certainly don't.

Darrell

 

[Mr.F]

There is no cross-over of parts whatsoever - VG series came out in 1984 and we saw it in the Z31 and the Maxima. It was developed further with the DOHC heads as seen in the 300ZR and then the Z32 300ZX.
The VQ series was developed as a separate line - they have chain driven cams, different head design, totally different block design. Introduced in 1995, it ran alongside the VG engines up until 2004. Now all V6 Nissans are VQ or VR series (the new GT-R derivative).
Successive developments of the VQ series have had, in some cases, as low as a 20% cross-over of parts even before being enlarged to 3.7 litre.

Plenty more to comment on I'm sure.

Don't anyone dare quote Clarkson and say the VQ is a Renault engine...

For your mate's racer, the VG engine did come in a 3.3 litre version, but I don't think we saw any over here - bore and stroke may provide that capacity. The production 3.3 was in the Pathfinder and Frontier for overseas markets, although power output was low. A production supercharged version is known:

 

[Wyn]

Don't anyone dare quote Clarkson and say the VQ is a Renault engine...

Unlike other Nissans in the UK that deffo are

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Thanks Mike .

 

[RobZ32]

If they have about £8K plus outer costs to play with (which would be nice) search for this: -

JUN Stroker Kit 3.2L Nissan 300ZX VG30DETT

The JUN Stroker kit includes a long stroke crankshaft, JUN Super Forged aluminum pistons, and JUN Super connecting rods. The JUN Stroker kit provides more power and torque capabilities for your Stroker Assemblies. JUN Stroker kit gives your engine more power with low compression Turbo pistons. Stroker Kits offers the advantage of lightness and high balance rate on your NA engine together with our high compression pistons. Stroker Kits can be used broadly in various fields: circuit driving, drag race, and etc.

Stroke Kit Includes:
6 Forged Pistons
6 Piston pins
12 Snap rings
6 Piston rings set
6 I-Beam Connecting rods
1 Crankshaft

Specs
Bore: 89.0mm
Stroke: 87.0mm
Engine Disp.: 3247cc

 

[malcolmpaul]

Unlike other Nissans in the UK that deffo are

I was always under the impression they were Renault engines, is this a myth then?
Not that I have anything in particular against Renault engines, Red Bull seem to do quite well with them

 

[Mr.F]

Not a myth, but a lie perpetrated by Clarkson in the 2003 Top Gear test of the 350Z...

 

[MCMLXXXV]

as Mr. F mentioned, the VG series engines are completley different to the VQ engines in the 350z

however I'd have a VG30DETT over any other engine

 

[JEZ 280ZX]

VQ35 series engines were/are used in some Renault cars howerever....Cars such as the Vel-Satis, Espace and Laguna!

 

[Mr.F]

VQ35 series engines were/are used in some Renault cars howerever....Cars such as the Vel-Satis, Espace and Laguna!

This was Renault buying the engines from Nissan at the start of the relationship that has brought us to the current partnership.

 

[jimmer]

This was Renault buying the engines from Nissan at the start of the relationship that has brought us to the current partnership.

What is strange though is more Nissans use Renault engines than Renaults use Nissan? You would have thought Nissans engine technology was far more advanced than Renaults but whos to say,Nissan dont race in f1.

 

[Mr.F]

The Nissan / Renault Alliance was signed way back in 1999 and the relationship continues to evolve. The current statement with regard to powertrains from nissan.co.jp is:

"In the area of powertrains, Nissan and Renault are also seeking to rationalize and make better joint use of their ranges of engines and transmissions, at highly competitive prices. The objective for 2010 is an average production volume of more than 500,000 units per powertrain family based on a common range of engine families. This figure could reach a million units for mainstream powertrains (versus 320,000 units on average currently at Renault and 140,000 at Nissan). Teams have started to study and make action plans for this strategy and have already addressed together important issues:

-

joint development of a new small diesel engine;
-

use by Renault of Nissan's V6 engine;
-

in the area of transmissions, Renault will use four-wheel drive units from Nissan and CVT technology from JATCO TransTechnology Ltd. Nissan will use manual transmissions from Renault for its small vehicles;
-

other joint developments are currently being considered."

Many models are now based on a common platform - the B platform (Micra, Cube, March, Twingo, Clio) and share transmissions particularly and engines in some cases.
Feedback from the Nissan dealers I work with is that it is the Renault components which are proving inferior and causing them problems. Carlos Ghosn's comment on taking over as CEO for NIssan / Renault was "How do you expect to make a profit when you make your cars so reliable...?"

 

[Wyn]

You would have thought Nissans engine technology was far more advanced than Renaults but whos to say,Nissan dont race in f1.

Means nowt imo
F1 one thing, road car another

Renault still make sh1t engines and gearbox's
Trust me, i've seen a few

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Folks, an update:

My neighbour went for a late (High Reving) 350Z engine in the end. He really is a clever guy and self employed working on Ulitma's etc.

Anyway he invited me round to see progress. So this is a race car running a fairly standard 350Z engine but with throttle bodies and tubular exhaust. The engine is dry-sumped and mated to a trick paddle operated sequential 6 speed Hewland box.

It has a full carbon fibre body and weighs 700kg.

Guys this car will give about 400hp, less than some on here have in their 240Zs but ever bhp will be useful

 

[RobZ32]

Don't think it would qualify for the zclub drag races unless they fix on a Z car VIN plate.

 

[Paul_S]

What a coincidence. I was playing around in my boot this weekend and guess what I found under some of the plastics - a Renault air vent! So there is some Renault in the 370Z...

 

[SKiddell]

Guys this car will give about 400hp, less than some on here have in their 240Zs

True....but I would rather have 400 NA HP over 400 turbo HP anyday particularly with a car weighing 700 kilo, thats nearly 600HP per ton....yippeeee

 

[Wyn]

So there is some Renault in the 370Z...

I wouldn't have told anyone that, you might find it harder to sell when its times up lol