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Fast road/Track 350z 3.7ltr HR built


350Butcher

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On the dyno there were a few issues that we struggled with that, without boring you with the whole saga, took quite a few phone calls and couple of days to sort which after all said and done came down to engine latch points not being set correctly in the base map supplied so L\R bank were out relative to each other........not the result we were wanting at this point but as time wasn't on our side we decided to just make the engine safe and usable and get it installed in the car and finish the mapping through remote logging and live use on the road.

 

The engine had already made 370hp at just under 7000rpm with 300 ft/lbs at this point despite being nowhere near finished and with plenty more to come I was pretty happy it!

 

So now it was time to get the old short block out..........

 

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and finally get the new 3.7 engine bolted to the chassis!!..........

 

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  • 350Butcher changed the title to Fast road/Track 350z 3.7ltr HR build

I bet it sounds epic. Looks like you've done what Nissan should have done and built an engine with great power and for want of a better word "character" (think bmw m3's s54). Looking forward to hearing it.

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Great work - I've fantasised many times about getting a proper HR build like this done (I don't personally possess anywhere near the knowledge or skills to work on engines myself), but it's probably never going to happen in reality. Good to see others are willing to put in the effort (and money!) to make it happen.

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8 hours ago, Bry said:

I bet it sounds epic. Looks like you've done what Nissan should have done and built an engine with great power and for want of a better word "character" (think bmw m3's s54). Looking forward to hearing it.

 

Cheers!

 

Yeah its a big step on from stock HR and although I've only really tickled it on the road so far its much keener, sharper and more responsive engine than stock HR engine

 

I'll get a vid up when I can get a volunteer to stand road side for me  

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1 hour ago, BobbyZ said:

Great work - I've fantasised many times about getting a proper HR build like this done (I don't personally possess anywhere near the knowledge or skills to work on engines myself), but it's probably never going to happen in reality. Good to see others are willing to put in the effort (and money!) to make it happen.

 

Thank you!

 

The stock HR engine is such a goodn that it's crying out to be fully unleashed eh. Never say never, a good man once said to me "if you can undo a nut and bolt then you can do anything"..........the VQ may not be the engine to start on as its so labour intensive but it's really well engineered so its more about patience and taking time with every step than being super complex.

 

Reading your signature you've got a nicely specced Z yourself 

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44 minutes ago, msitpro said:

peaking at just under 7000? what cams are in it?

 

You've read it or I've worded it wrong but its certainly not peaking there it's just as far as we went and had time to go on the dyno as there were a few software issues. They have been addressed now and its getting better n better with every map tweak.......the way it rips it's not going to be running out of puff anywhere below factory rev limit but I'll probably cap it there for reliability.

 

Cams are the same Tomei 272 degree 10.8mm in/ex as before this bottom end build  

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2 hours ago, 350Butcher said:

 

You've read it or I've worded it wrong but its certainly not peaking there it's just as far as we went and had time to go on the dyno as there were a few software issues. They have been addressed now and its getting better n better with every map tweak.......the way it rips it's not going to be running out of puff anywhere below factory rev limit but I'll probably cap it there for reliability.

 

Cams are the same Tomei 272 degree 10.8mm in/ex as before this bottom end build  

👍 I did wonder if that was the case or what you meant.

 

I'd guess peak power would be around 7500-7800rpm , provided the OEM HR plenum flows well enough. 🤔

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35 minutes ago, msitpro said:

👍 I did wonder if that was the case or what you meant.

 

I'd guess peak power would be around 7500-7800rpm , provided the OEM HR plenum flows well enough. 🤔


 

HR plenum flows 420hp..........I’d really love that to be the weakest link. 
 

That’s also why I kept the cams as they operate over the best rev range for use and with the gains in torque the increased capacity and compression bring it all works very well. 

Edited by 350Butcher
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42 minutes ago, 350Butcher said:


 

HR plenum flows 420hp..........I’d really love that to be the weakest link. 
 

That’s also why I kept the cams as they operate over the best rev range for use and with the gains in torque the increased capacity and compression bring it all works very well. 

Well I suspect you'll be around 390hp once you map it above 7k. 👍

 

Shame we can't easily run massive lift (12-13mm) cams on these engines like OEM Porsche GT motors. Maybe you can use more lift at higher rpm where the cam is best at zero advance anyway? Just not in the mid range because you want cam advance for best torque. 🤔

 

The VHR with VVEL opens up so many more possibilities - stock max is 280 deg and 11.5mm lift and physically adjustable to 12.7mm!

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3 hours ago, msitpro said:

Well I suspect you'll be around 390hp once you map it above 7k. 👍

 

Shame we can't easily run massive lift (12-13mm) cams on these engines like OEM Porsche GT motors. Maybe you can use more lift at higher rpm where the cam is best at zero advance anyway? Just not in the mid range because you want cam advance for best torque. 🤔

 

The VHR with VVEL opens up so many more possibilities - stock max is 280 deg and 11.5mm lift and physically adjustable to 12.7mm!


It’s got all the ingredients to break 400hp really but I was happy at 100/ltr which it’s safely going to be above that and a responsive, keen engine too which is what I wanted to create. 
 

All depends on how crazy you want to go suppose. Got to remember these modern bonkers n/a engine are running individual throttle bodies and direct injection too and there’s a point where we can’t install these things on our old VQ’s.............not without a bottomless pit of cash anyway! I did ask about proper set of itb’s for my engine as that would be +25-30hp straight away but when it got to £7k and was still going I thought no thank you!!!

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2 hours ago, itsLeon said:

@350Butcher do you have by any change a dyno sheet? Would like to compare it to mine.


No I didn’t get one from the engine dyno run, as said it wasn’t by any means a final thing, it was a quick squirt to make sure it was safe to install. Was amazed by the numbers in the circumstances.
 

I may put it on the chassis dyno one day when it’s fully finished out of interest to see where it’s at. 

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So with the engine back in I always wanted while it was apart so fully sort the clutch actuation as is such a weak part of the HR Z.

 

I did loads of homework and had already decided I was going to throw in the OS Giken STR clutch so that it would be able to soak up everything I could throw at it and not be a weak link itself...........

 

Flywheel mounted with ARP bolts

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Twin plates all stacked up (with all the balancing marks lined up)

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And cover plate on and all torqued down

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..........So the hunt was on to make something work with that, I looked at technical drawings and options from AP racing and Tilton before settling on the Tilton 1200 series with 44mm bearing. I already had an Extreme clutch kit installed before and the replacement release bearing that comes with them (and other kits) is just an old tried and tested GM unit, the bonus is that it also comes with an adaptor plate to take it from the oem Nissan slave to the GM "saab 9000 type" bolt pattern, the very same bolt pattern used by the Tilton 1200 series!!

 

Now to get all the measurements off the gearbox and clutch kit (as mounted to the engine) as you are looking at the bearing to clutch cover diaphragm springs gap being in the region of 4-5mm when the gearbox is all bolted up.......this is the allow room as the clutch plates wear down.

 

Tilton sell many different height release bearing assembly's to aid with this but I needed the shortest one of the lot plus 2.5mm machined off the adaptor plate to get me where I needed to be! 

 

and the result

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I added a Tilton 7/10" 76 series master cylinder with adapter plate and then went shopping for all the fittings I'd need for piping it all up together

 

Nice stainless fittings

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Master cylinder mounted

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Hose run in oem hardline location

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And onto gearbox with bleed line

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Attached to new Tilton CSC

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All bled up on PFC 665 fluid it all works perfectly! Nice feel and engagement.........Well happy with that!

 

Edit: Forgot to add this pic of it all mounted up

 

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Edited by 350Butcher
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With engine and 'box now installed came a little cherry on top item for me! I enquired a couple of years ago and it wasn't available, but a quick check on their site and finally CAE had added the 350z to the lucky list of cars they now produce their ultra shifter for and although pricey I just had to have one.......I knew working this new engine and stirring the 'box with one of these would be amazing!

 

They are made to order so it was a hefty wait but it was a pleasure to unwrap on arrival

 

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The only downside was the amount of hacked up car dashes I'd seen to get these installed.....I was really hoping that I could make it work on the 350 without too much destruction. Bit by bit I trimmed and refitted the gear surround so's to only remove what I had to

 

and the result was promising

 

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With that all in I connected up to the 'box. The shifter is so well engineered the fit is perfect and the install is very simple. The rear cradle that holds the factory shifter is removed for this shifter and it uses the oem universal jointed selector rod directly. It's fully sealed so no smells, water, excess noise etc are gonna come up through it which was good to see also. 

 

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I was really happy with the results but I had an idea that would make the already pretty special a little more mine and that would be if I could redrill and tap the Nismo gear knob that I have to use on the CAE. With boot refitted too I was so happy with the results..........and to drive with it is absolutely awesome, it connects you to the mechanics of changing gear in the most brilliant and rewarding way

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
13 hours ago, GodISmE said:

My fav HR build thread worldwide these days! Can't wait for more :) Good job Martin!


Cheers Simon!! Been tons of work, time and money but so good to get back behind the wheel again. Not sure I can do a whole lot more to it but I’ll keep you posted

 

Thanks!! 

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  • 350Butcher changed the title to Fast road/Track 350z 3.7ltr HR built

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