87 200SX SE swap questions

Hey everyone, i have a few questions that i hope can be answered. Pretty new to the s12 game. I know tons more about s13 & 14's I have a 87 200sx se shell that originaly came with a VG30. If im not mistaken, the vg body has different mount positions than the 4cyl models and if they do people dont really specify on other swap threads. Basicly i would like to know how difficult or simple it would be to perform a CA18det or KA24de swap on my s12. Also what would be some easier/cheaper swaps could be done. Thanks guys looking forward for some answers.

The chassis is the same as the 4 cylinder models, but the front cross member is different... I don't recall the differences, I think it pushes the mounts forward.
With a little modding, swapping any of the usual suspects shouldn't be too hard... Or you could find someone willing to trade you cross members.

BTW, some one will probably crap on this thread saying not to ruin a "rare" SE with a shitty 4 cylinder, don't listen to them... The SE isn't that rare, nor is it that special.

I tend to be one of those who prefers to keep the V6 as a V6, but not gonna crap on the idea of this kind of swap. I say do it if you like. There's lots of info on here about the crossmember. If I understand right, you want to go FROM the V6 TO the 4-cylinder... which will be easier since there are lots of 4-cyl S12's out there to snag the crossmember from. The rest is pretty simple. If you run a KA you need the front half of an S13 manual driveshaft, attached to the back half of an S12 driveshaft (S12 and S13 are two-piece shafts). KA and CA18DET and SR will all require a custom trans mount buut the SE's chassis will mean the mount is pretty simple (just a straight piece of steel stock). Also, you'll have to modify the trans tunnel to accommodate the shifter because it'll be further back (which is more comfy anyways).

Lots of info on this on the forum... read around and you'll find it, along with pictures.

Well im not to blame for taking out the vg because i bought it as a shell lol. but thanks for the info guys.

If you do swap to a 4 cyl motor keep a hold of the vg crossmember ! they can fetch a decent penny from memebers that want to swap a vg into the non vg chassis also in case you ever want to go back to the original powerplant you don't have to search for a crossmember

my old panda was a vg and when it died i sold it to a friend who put a KA24DE in it, and loved it.  i say do it

Slideways87Panda on 09:38:18 AM / 21-Oct-13
my old panda was a vg and when it died i sold it to a friend who put a KA24DE in it, and loved it.  i say do it

no i put a s12 XE crossmember in it, wiring it is going to be different than the guides on here becuase alot of them are from ca18et ca20e to KA24 CA18DET SR20, its not that difficult

Slideways87Panda on 02:17:24 PM / 21-Oct-13
no i put a s12 XE crossmember in it, wiring it is going to be different than the guides on here becuase alot of them are from ca18et ca20e to KA24 CA18DET SR20, its not that difficult 

normally i would say ya swap it and blah blah but since your username is Hoonigan and I just got back from All Star Bash and witnessed first hand how well a hopped up VG30E drifts I say find another VG and bolt it in. Its a great engine for cheap drifting and hammers way better than 90% of the KAs and SRs I've ridden in. The member here Ju_S12_Turbo ran the event. his car is the most beat up and awesome SE ever. My car and his car both make about 185 hp to the wheels but he has waaaaaaaay more usable torque. I was shocked and impressed with the engine. I have a whole new respect for the VG and without a doubt the SE is the best budget drift chassis there is.

you can snag another VG out of a Z31 and drop it in. A couple small things will have to be swapped or modded but its nothing dramatic or complicated.

IggyEGuana on 12:28:59 AM / 22-Oct-13
normally i would say ya swap it and blah blah but since your username is Hoonigan and I just got back from All Star Bash and witnessed first hand how well a hopped up VG30E drifts I say find another VG and bolt it in. Its a great engine for cheap drifting and hammers way better than 90% of the KAs and SRs I've ridden in. The member here Ju_S12_Turbo ran the event. his car is the most beat up and awesome SE ever. My car and his car both make about 185 hp to the wheels but he has waaaaaaaay more usable torque. I was shocked and impressed with the engine. I have a whole new respect for the VG and without a doubt the SE is the best budget drift chassis there is.

you can snag another VG out of a Z31 and drop it in. A couple small things will have to be swapped or modded but its nothing dramatic or complicated.

its been done i think once theres a picture floating around somwhere of it, extremley tight with a VG TT swap, better off with a VG30e KA SR CA

IggyEGuana on 12:28:59 AM / 22-Oct-13
normally i would say ya swap it and blah blah but since your username is Hoonigan and I just got back from All Star Bash and witnessed first hand how well a hopped up VG30E drifts I say find another VG and bolt it in. Its a great engine for cheap drifting and hammers way better than 90% of the KAs and SRs I've ridden in. The member here Ju_S12_Turbo ran the event. his car is the most beat up and awesome SE ever. My car and his car both make about 185 hp to the wheels but he has waaaaaaaay more usable torque. I was shocked and impressed with the engine. I have a whole new respect for the VG and without a doubt the SE is the best budget drift chassis there is.

you can snag another VG out of a Z31 and drop it in. A couple small things will have to be swapped or modded but its nothing dramatic or complicated.

Vg30de will fit like a glove but no room for the turbos if I read right.

Honestly really sorry for asking 1000 questions lol. But im really considering a vg now. i know the dett will be a really tight fit but im not so conserned about that. im very confident that i can pull it off since someone else already has. Now what troubles would i possibly run into other than the clearance issues? would the mounts bolt right in? if im gonna have to sink a lot of cash into it just to get the dett in than i might have to settle with the vg30de from a z31. Now would the only problem i run into for the vgde would be the headers right?
and once again sorry for the noob questions. just new to the s12 game lol. I really do appritiate all the help. im just trying to get my s12 ready for the drift track down here in Orlando.

The vg30de the mount points are the same as vg30e as from I have researched the shock towers to the heads is the tightest but hood clearance se hood should fit no problem be very tight. I was thinking about the swap a while back. Headers I belive driver side has to be custom to clear the steering rack. Just like the z31 headers. On a vg30e mr510 makes headers for the 510 that bolts to the vg30e in the s12 clearing the rack / column.

From what I have seen you really have to be OK with busted knuckles if you go with VG30DE.  If you have big hands it will be difficult to work on.  You might try a VG33e with VG30e cams and intake.  It would bolt right up and makes a huge difference over the stock VG30e.  Mr. 510 makes a line of parts for VGs that make the hybrid swap pretty easy as swaps go.

I got nothing but scars all over my hands i can handle it. Thanks guys i think thats all i need unless anyone has anything else to add

If this helps any visit this forum it shows pictures of the clearance. http://club-s12.org/retro4/index.php?topic=23474.0

you're missing the point of tossing a VG30E back in it. EASY AND CHEAP! If ur gonna go thru the expense and fabrication of a DOHC VG swap then just go with a V8 or a 1J or a built SR. No point in spending all the money and adding all that weight for something that isnt worth what you spent and doesnt make the power. I'm swinging a guess to say you're fairly new to drifting. Take my advice and toss a cheap vg30e in it and spend money on suspension and chassis. Thats where it counts. Headers and cams for the vg are a great idea tho and dont cost that much compared to the benefit.

That said if you REEEEEEEAAALLY want to go dohc VG (which it sounds like you do for whatever reason) then go NA and build it for NA. Push for the 300hp mark and enjoy the NA life. You can rag the piss out of it and feel fairly confident its not gonna blow up. Not true for turbo setups. Plus with some well done headers and blast pipes it'll sound like a v6 sex machine

Yeah or vg33e is also beast mode too, that you can toss the supercharger on.

ya a VG33ER would be dope. Its been done once or twice. A couple non supercharged VG33 swaps have been done as well. Its more complicated to do but at least the framework has already been laid down on how to do it