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You've got a lot work ahead of you! If you don't have strict emissions where you live, I'd highly encourage you to take far more liberties with your swap, even if it is a USDM GTE
Yes, I imagine he can source you the same shroud depending on what's in his scrapyard. I went through Import Nation Australia. Listed on eBay and Facebook (why are some companies doing Facebook-only websites now?) I'm sending you the contact info in a PM but it's easy to find them.
I'd give you a part number but, curiously for Toyota, this part has no identifying number. Refer to the notes on page 8 of this thread regarding the shroud's fitment to various SMICs.
I wish you good luck! Hopefully you can keep the biggest benefits of a USDM 2JZGTE with the twin turbos and do away with some of the more limiting components. Do you plan to make a thread of your own?
To answer your question Kahn the car I was so **** about was my first build ever. Nothing extravagant. It was my 1993 Maxima SE 5spd. Pretty phenomenal car.(doesn't get the credit it should) I was ordering and taking inventory of all parts/part #s. Ordering 2 of everything and categorizing everything. Tried to reframe from using as many used parts as possible. Car was worth $4-6k but I had to spend $10k in parts. It was was worth it to me. I enjoyed the restoration. Somethings I upgraded (stereo system,brakes,wheels & suspension). Yes I still have it and no it isn't ever for sale.(I've had several people ask) I have way too much of myself tied into it.
^^ That's a nice car! I am well aware of the 5-speed Maximas. Great driving cars. I believe they all have the early 3.0L VQ engines? And am I correct in that there are LSD's for them as well? I know the later 6-speed models came with HLSDs. Any of those years is are FAR more deserving of the "4DSC" badging compared any of the current Maximas. I totally agree that you should keep and enjoy it. That's the same way I feel about mine.
Yeah. The SE from 92-94 came with the VE30DE (only available in the US) yeah it had a VlSD (not wasy to come by these days). Yes the 1st and true 4DSC. Now my SC. I've wanted one of these since they 1st came out. Knew one day I'd get one. Well last month that came true. Finally. I'm gonna build thehell out of it/restore the interior to my liking. But ultimately this car is for the woman in my life. I have my Z but still gonna enjoy my SC.
I knew about the Maximas long before I began paying attention to SC's.
Sounds like you can both enjoy a great classic car experience. As detailed as you are used to being (coming from the Maxima), address the engine as you see fit but focus on the interior and cosmetics as your foremost priority. It's easier to restore a tan interior with used parts but there are still handfuls of parts in tan and black available through the dealer system (at elevated prices). Interior upper door trim surrounds that have little or no cracking, for instance, I recommend looking for used on ebay before trying to buy them from a dealer. Seat leather can always be redone aftermarket. SC interior parts is a discussion unto itself.
There is a wealth of mechanical support for SC's but the cosmetic parts are not always easy or cheap to find in near perfect condition. Good luck!
I took a break for a bit to focus on other things for the last month. Right now it's looking like I may have my harness built through Panic Wire. I may or may not pick up a used USDM OBD1 GTE harness for this soon as it seems like that company can supply one for me given the work needed anyway. Will see about that soon.
I also bought a very slick custom billet aluminum TRAC butterfly deletion kit (set of plugs and plates) for the USDM GTE throttle body. Since I don't have TRAC to begin with and I don't want to wire it up this will clean up the engine bay that much more. Though I may hold off installing until after I get my car inspected just in case there's a chance the absence of TRAC being hooked up to the harness might look "wrong" to a BAR tech
But I doubt that. It isn't directly related to emissions. Edit: confirmed from vigman that this particular part is not anything they care about. Will test this on my own when my BAR appointment finally does get scheduled.
Anyway, here are some sample pictures from the kit seller's page to give an example of what it looks like on a car. Pretty clean, and I can't wait!
Last edited by KahnBB6; 08-18-15 at 07:15 PM.
Reason: Information addition.
Not much new to report. Things are at a trickle as I wait to hear back from Panic Wire regarding my engine harness order. Picked up a new 2JZGTE water pump and have a #2 TPS sensor (the actual throttle TPS sensor, not the TRAC TPS sensor) on order, plus a couple of random seals and gaskets and a spare airbag convertor cable. Oh, and a new inside door handle since my original one appears to have developed some cracks.
I'm also trying to determine if there is any way to fix my current original antenna (without replacing the whole assembly) which works but refuses to go down completely.
Then I think it's time I also get my rear windscreen covered in Llumar CTX to match the rest of the car's glass.
Great to hear everything is coming along..... We have been battling heating issues... We have a new Mishimoto radiator.. and bought the shround and dual fan kit ( waste of $$$ ) we HAD G-35 fans in there and that worked OK...
So we UPGRADED the electric fans in the MIshi " kit " still SUCKED.... So we went stock... much Much MUCH better.... and just installed the 8" electric factory AC boost ( cooling ) fan... last thing to do is go BACK to the stock stat.....I moved on to a 04 350Z vert ( salvage ) That was a " working girl's " car. I think I have the ONLY Z with the BLACK SILK panties, pink hand cuffs & Cal Trans colors lipstick.... n the trunk mod. ( needed the HAZ MAT gear to get rid O that STUFF ) ......RE the wiring harness, you have to make SURE that the new harness covers ALL the " factory" engine management sensors. INCLUDING all the EVAP BS... I'm REALLY glad we went the USDM "LEGIT" swap... NOW we have that STICKER so IF David gets pulled over it's not up to a subjective PO-LICE call if we are modded or not....
Mike
Thanks, Mike! It's like watching paint dry, only the evaporation of moisture in this case stems from my wallet
Responded to the cooling comments in your thread. Yeah, there just aren't many good electric fan options available that you'd call reliable. The IS300 factory fans are the only ones most people recommend for a street/DD car because they don't have issues but you and David were very wise to stay with the factory TT clutch fan. It still flows the most CFM of all.
You sold your G35? That's funny about the extra options your Z33 came with. How do you like it compared to the bigger Infiniti wheelbase? And 6-speed this time?
Yep, I've discussed all the details with Mark @ Panic and he agreed that what I am asking for is pretty extensive. Yes, including the EGR and EVAP connections. He said he has an OBD1 USDM TT harness already that will be the basis for the job. I'm going to go over all the sensors needed one more time when he's ready to begin.
Just to recap though, I can COMPLETELY leave out any wiring for the TRAC system, correct? BAR will not care about that being present at all, correct?
Well it's the middle of October and I'm still inching along. Haven't had much progress lately on parts other than some new crush washers for the used TT engine side fuel line and a pair of factory SC400 center seat heater switches (the assembly will bit the 5-speed bezel) I plan to re-wire, sand and relabel for an electronic TTC on/off and possibly an intercooler water spray on/off function.
I've still been working on the engine harness phase. Currently still wanting to use Panic-Wire but where things are at currently he doesn't have but one USDM TT engine harness in stock that's not in good enough shape to use as a base for a rebuilt harness. Mark has been enormously helpful and communicative.
In light of this I've been looking around for donor USDM 6-speed harnesses to pick up but I can't ever seem to find any for sale that still have the twin turbo VSV wiring or any of the EGR, MAF, Resistor, Evap and other stock wiring I need.
As a last resort I might reconsider on contacting Tweak'd to build me a harness from scratch since they seem to be able to do this more easily. However I wonder if I'll run into the same issue since few customers ask for all the restrictive factory turbo and emissions wiring.
I can also buy a new USDM TT engine harness for about $1,400 but then I'd have to spend half of that amount or the same amount to get it converted.
I'm sure a solution will present itself soon enough. Meanwhile I'm holding off on the cylinder head inspection and eventual rebuild until I know that all of the TT electronics are fully covered.
Still a few easy parts left to buy but I've been holding off on those since the engine harness seems to be the most difficult remaining part of this swap.
Thanks, man! Patience and focusing on the much bigger fish in my life are key. This swap certainly isn't happening fast.
As of now if I do end up taking the car down and reusing my 237k mile GE block it will be getting just about everything other than the rotating assembly replaced. Oil pump, water pump, alternator, entire top end, etc.
When I have everything ready it will be a completely new top end from the block upward with either brand new or reconditioned parts down to the bolts, vacuum hoses and OEM clamps.
On the bright side, my SC is still always a joy to drive even in its current state of tune
Change of direction with my swap harness. I will have myself an intact USDM TT 6-speed wiring harness soon, thanks to Gerrb who has made one seemingly fall from the heavens! Thank you very, very much sir!
And as he's reminded me, going USDM to USDM and swapping body plugs is not nearly as complicated as I've imagined it to be. So I think I will be doing that myself after all.
It wouldn't be possible without a good starting base though. Very excited!