The VG33E information thread

One belt to rule them all! I'm kind of jealous of the one belt thing lol.

Alright, got confused from reading multiple threads again so I have two main questions I need help with. Heres the situation.
1) I'm in the middle of VG33 build and I ordered a Gates Timing belt (Square tooth) and I am using VG30 cams with square tooth gears. As I understand, the crank snout size differences from VG30 to VG33 are 28>32mm meaning I can't use a square tooth timing gear from Z31. I couldn't find any information from online sources other than all VG33's from 96-02(I think?) were round tooth style. Will I be forced to have the Z31 Sq. tooth timing gear on the crank "bored out" for lack of a better term to 32mm to run my Gates Sq. tooth T belt or are there 32mm crank timing gears that are square tooth out there off of other VG33 vehicles that I have overlooked?

2) After the crank timing gear issue is resolved, I have the problem of lining up the timing gear marks in line with the VG33 oil pump as the VG33 pumps don't have the timing dot on them to align with. For those running VG33 oil pumps, did you guesstimate as close as you could with the VG30 oil pump mark and then mark it on your VG33 pump?

1) - If you want to use the square tooth crank gear, you either swap to the vg30 crank or bore out the gear like you mentioned. ALL VG33s have round tooth.
I personally run the round tooth because its a design improvement over the square. The timing belt replacement intervals for the VG33 is 100k where the VG30 is 60k.
If I was you, return or sell the Gates belt and go Nissan OEM for the round tooth belt.

2) - No truck VG30 or VG33 have the timing dot on the oil pumps. What I did on mine was guestimate placement, then counted the belt teeth 3 times to be 110% sure.
After it was installed, I took a center punch and then placed my own timing dot for future timing belt replacements.

Pretty much.

Yup. I counted teeth. I should have used a punch, but I marked it with a sharpie.

They work the same, until you try and hammer the sharpie

Thanks for the quick responses guys. Took your advice Alex, cleaned up my round tooth gears and have them on, timing belt from Nissan should be here Thursday and I can wrap up that situation on it. As far as the mark goes, I believe once I have it set I will use a punch to be safe =p

Hey guys, so I am currently sourcing all the parts necessary for my vg33et swap for my SS #562. I just want to make sure I have everything I need and all my bases covered so I don't hit any bumps while doing my swap as I intend to get it done over a weekend before the end of this month. I already have about 90% of the parts needed. Please look at my list and feel free to give me feedback or suggestions that I may benefit from.

Thanks in advanced.

-VG33e out of a 2003 X-terra
-VG33e crank/pulley/oil pump with MR.510 modified oil pick up tube
-VG30et oil pan
-VG33e Gates Timing Belt Kit with VG33e water pump; round tooth timing belt, etc. (I'm a click away from ordering but wondering if I'm better off with VG30e water pump)
-VG33e round tooth cam gears
-VG33e OWO Heads w/ Schneider S2 cams and Schneider Valve Springs (VG33e victor reinz HG set)

-VG30e lower intake manifold w/ welded satan racing plenum
-VG30et passenger side manifold, crossover pipe, satan log turbo manifold

Questions:

1) I'm trying to keep my VG30 accessories (alternator, power steering), will using a vg33e waterpump and the 33 wp pulley affect/prevent me from running the vg30 alternator and power steering. I see Alex (amrebot) is using a vg30 waterpump with the 3.3 pulley… is this ideal to keep vg30 accessories? What is YOUR setup using the VG33 crank and what would you do differently next time (for simplicity).

2) I see there is some debate whether or not a Pathy oil filter bracket is necessary, or not. Has this been cleared up? Will I need the Pathy bracket or will my Xterra oil bracket work just fine.

Thanks again for the feedback

1) Use the 3.0 water pump with the stock 3.0 pump pulley because the offset on the 3.3 water pump is not correct alignment for the stock Z accessory pulleys. you will have to notch the water pump to clear the 3.3 oil pump.
1.1) See if MR510 can make you a 3.0->3.3 pulley? I think he's developing them right now? Because I don't know if 3.3 crank pulley has the correct arrangement for running stock accessories.
1.2) Alternatively, MR510 does have Crank Pulley Hub adapters for 3.0 Pathfinder pulleys (All 3 V pulleys unbolt from the hub/balancer on pathfinders) I think You can run that will all 3.0 pathfinder V pulleys for your accessories.
1.3) OR run all 3.3 accessories with 3.3 water pump and crank pulley.

2) I think either filter housing works ? The X housing is angled and the pathfinder housing is nearly straight down (smaller spills when changing filters, you can fill the new filter all the way to the top before installing)

See my post about what pulleys I'm running. The xterra should be the same as the frontier. The frontier. I even posted belt information.

I stand corrected. This is from PAGE 1 of THIS THREAD

1) There has obviously been different combinations that people have been using.
IMO - follow my setup because it works with all accessories and uses stock z31 belts
So VG30 Z31 Water Pump w/ VG33 Water Pump Pulley

2) If you are using the VG33 crank, you will need the pathy or quest oil filter bracket.
If you use the bracket from your xterra, you will not be able to change the filter because the front stabilizer bar will be in the way.

Again, I recommend following my setup for 2 reasons
1) It works
2) I am biased towards it

yep! go with MR510's hub and all V pulleys. I have one as well and i'm very happy with it.

Men under stress are fools, and fool themselves
-Michel de Montaigne


You can literally buy an entire engine with accessory set-up and so many of you choose to run haggard ass combos

I'd hardly call mine a haggard ass combo. The only thing changed on mine is the power steering pulley. Hardest part of my setup was determining belt sizes which I've provided. One belt is from a early 90's Quad4 the other is a 3.3 Quest alternator belt neither are rare. The added benefit is you get wider belts over the stock Z31 belts as well.

Haggard ass he says.

v-belts are teh suck!