VG33ER->->it might work...

Because I don't actually have the money right now to actually purchase a different engine, I am constantly going through the possibilities for the S12's.

Recently I was looking through the Nissan Xterra brochure, and saw a picture of the VG33ER, and noticed that the looks of it are very similar to the VG30 that resides in some of our cars.

This got the old gears running, and I was wondering if anybody had ever thought about putting this engine in the S12, and also whether the engine would actually bolt to our tranny, or whether this is just a pipe dream...

Im sure its possible with the right amount of money. There is alot of more economical swaps out there though, unless you truly wanted to be different.

I picked up a VG33 long block from my local Nissan dealer for free a few weeks ago. I have to go through it and do all the main bearings, rod bearings, etc., but I'm hoping to swap it in at some point. It's pretty much the same block as the 88 200SX SE V6. It's the W series block with full floating pistons and long snout crank.

yeah.. us V6 guys have thought about it!! i mean really.. even just dropping in a vg33e would be somewhat of an upgrade.. or then just putting the supercharger from a vg33er onto the vg30e is always another possiblity..

the only real problem i could see is the clearance with the hood..

here is a supercharger on eBay for $200.. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33741&item=7905514880&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

So within reason the VG33 should bolt to a S12 tranny??

It absolutely WILL bolt to an SE tranny. With higher compression pistons (stock VG33 pistons look like they make for a very low cr) and the 200SX/Z31 heads, the VG33 should put out some decent numbers. I know a couple places that are starting to machine the Xterra upper intake plenums to fit under the hood of Z31's. They should work for the S12 as well. Those longer runner plenums should make for a bit more torque, and even though the runners are longer, it flows so much better than the stock plenum that you probably won't sacrifice any top end either. I'm not sure about the supercharger setup. That may be very hard to fit under the hood.

My main concern is the Fitting the engine in, and hooking it up part. I could hack my way to make the hood fit. Well onto looking for a wrecked 00 and newer supercharged Xterra, or frontier. It will so work. Now the tranny part...and seeing how easy it would be to retrofit a POss. Z31 tranny to the thing...or to find an SE S12...yah right...8)