Originally Posted by HAVOK_RLS2

1990ls1rx7,
You're not attempting this swap on a fully functional car are you? I was under the impression that you were doing this swap because you were faced with the same issues that I once was and needed/wanted another option because your motor had popped. If that is indeed the case and you motor is in full working order then I would advise against this kind of swap. I would feel remiss if I didn't say that much. Fact is that you still have options with the VQ V6 that can make just as much power and be just as fun to drive without having to settle with so many compromises. Truth is that as much as I love my car now I would have never considered it in the first place if not for blowing my first motor. Summers are sure HOT without A/C even with the windows down as I'm sure you already know just how hot LS motors run. LOL Having added up all your figures you're already thinking about spending about $14,645 just in parts. (Don't worry its going to cost more than that) That much money could go a VERY long way on the VQ block with all top of the line parts and 600rwhp+. I'm just saying please be wise and consider everything.
Well that’s all for my disclaimer/warning. Let's get down to business shall we.
Now I'm only going to assume that you've done a swap like this before because of your RX7 swap but I'm still going to write as if you know nothing of swapping into a Nissan platform so if I come off as a little condescending I truthfully apologize before hand because I honestly don't intend any disrespect.

For the most part you have a pretty clear idea of what you'll need for the basics. You have some options open to you while you're still in the "saving" stage. As you know Sikky and JE Performance performed my swap. I could have done that work myself but I wanted peace of mind knowing that if something went wrong I could take it back to them to have any issues resolved. I don't know if Sikky has completed a mail order swap kit for either cars (350z and G35) yet. Pretty much all the swap parts except for the oil pan and motor mounts had to be custom cut and finished at JE Performance. You'll need to contact Sikky directly to check the availability of their completed kits and don't be surprised if it's more than $2250 with headers (it will be). Another options would be Hinson Super Cars (HSC). HSC also has all the parts required for this swap and they were the first to do it. In the past there were issues with leaking oil pans but it seems that they have addresses this issue with an all new custom fabricated old pan with filter on the pan instead of having to use a remote oil filter system (VERY NICE). HSC mounts sets the engine farther back in the firewall which can benefit the balance of the car but getting to that rear pass side spark plug will probably be that much more of a pain in the a$$ then it is with the Sikky kit. The Sikky kit make the car a little more nose heavy and this is a bit of a clearance issue at the front radiator and fans. Fans shroud had to be custom cut to make room for the LS water pump pulley. I measured it as a little over 3/4" clearance between the tip or the water pump pulley and the radiator core. So yeah the Sikky kit sits much farther forward then the HSC kit.
The Sikky kit also have solid motor mounts versus the HSC which use a combination of their mounting brackets and Nissan rubber mounts. Who's to say which one is better really? I like the solid personally.

List of other parts you'll need for this swap that no one tells you about and that you better get.
Upgraded Clutch Master and Slave cylinder = $400+ (Because the stock Master WILL NOT WORK with the T-56 trans and the Slaves will fail when you upgrade the clutch)
Clutch Master cylinder adapter = $100
Fuel return system = $600+ (you could get away with not using one if you're wanna be cheap but it'll really benefit maintaining a constant and more accurate fuel pressure when you get into tunning)
Headers = $900+ - $1500 (Sikky and HSC kits do not come with headers and both are kit specific)
Exhaust System = $$$??? (More money but 3" minimum)
I only noticed you only allocated fund to tuning the G35 ECM but you'll also need to have the GM PCM tuned as well unless you already own tuning software like HPTuner.
HPTuner $500+ with 8 GM credits.

Areas of interest that you should really consider as part of the build are Suspension and Brakes. Having added an additional 100lbs of extra weight on the front end and a full 8inches or so beyond where the front of the VQ motor use to set I had issues with the front end diving deep under hard breaking. The stock suspension and some aftermarket system were not designed to handle the extra loads. I had to contact Swift Spring and ordered a set of custom springs to handle the extra weight and had them mounted to my Buddy Club racing spec coilovers. No more nose dives. I prefer the Buddy Club over the other coilover systems on the market for a number of reasons. One being that they are race proven parts, two they are a true coilover system with spring on the dampener, three unlike Stance and BC they are steal construction while other are aluminum dampener bodies, and forth fully rebuildable.
The stock brakes are trash and should have been upgraded before the car left the showroom floor unless you drive like my grandma in which case they'll suit you just fine. LOL The stock brembos aren't much better IMHO. Trying to stop at any real speeds will just cause you to warp rotors and burn out pads and won't stop you any quicker.

Now back to Sikky vs Hinson. I chose Sikky/JE Performance I know the reputation and the work that comes out of that shop. Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service Customer, Service Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service, Customer Service, and attention to details is the name of JE performance and Sikky's game. Hinson acted as if they didn't even want to bother with me unless I was willing to ship my car to them with a blank check. Hinson (Brian) was also very reluctant to answer any of my questions always telling my "someone will have to give you a call back" or "we'll send you an e-mail" which most of the time I received neither. James, Chris, and Seth at JE Performance spent hours on the phone with me every step of the way even when there were delay (very few) in my build. And when everything was said and done they exceeded my expectations 10 fold.
James Evans (Owner of JE Performance) also races and drifts this very same platform and swap so he knows firsthand what works and what doesn't. It didn't hurt that they were right down the street either. LOL

So by the time everything is said and done you'll still be closer to 20K then you might like even if you do the work yourself. Anyway you slice it it's a big dollar build. Just consider everything first and you'll be find. When in doubt you can always ask me in a PM or call the guys at JE and ask for James, Chris, or Seth. Tell them that Robert sent you.


http://www.jeimportperformance.com/
http://www.sikky.com/
http://www.hinsonsupercars.com/
http://www.swiftsprings.com/

Originally Posted by RS777

Just keep in mind the weight... the whole point (one of the major ones) of the LS swaps into miatas, RX7s and 240SXs is because you can achieve 350-450whp easily while in a 2400lb-2600lb-2800lb car or so (as in the 240sx case you're taking out a cast iron 4 cylinder and dropping in the aluminum v8 so weight is pretty similar). If you're in a G35 that weighs 3400lbs, taking out a lightweight all aluminum v6 and putting in a v8, i would think you'd wind up in the 3500-3600lb range. So now you're in a corvette that's 300lbs heavier than a corvette (if you only gain that much from the swap). That and the money to drop an LS3 into one (even ls2s are around ~$6500 for a full pullout - 05-06 gtos) you might as well just buy an LS3 corvette. Least then it'd be lighter, still luxurious and gets great gas mileage

This just happened at IA where a guy with an LS swapped WRX (3300-3400lb curb weight before swap) was beaten by a supercharged miata (buddy of mine... ~220whp). When you take a 3400lb car, add a few hundred pounds, even though its the almighty LS motor, you're still in Mach 1/fbody weight territory (nothing wrong with this), but its just a lot of money to end up as "slow" or slower than a stock corvette or something. You easily gain (&lose the stress on components) "70-100hp" by losing the 700-1000lbs between that g35 setup and the FD/FC/240 etc setup (no where near as nice though) if it ends up where I think it would weight wise.

Not shooting it down, to each his own, its not stupid (before the flamers pop out), but just think it through is all I am saying. You might as well just twin turbo the stock engine, still get the same if not better gas mileage than stock and have it adjustable from 400whp-600whp without having to change everything over to make the LS3 work in the car.