How to Install a VE into a 98 B14 (very long)
How to Install a VE into a 98 B14
I thought I would give my insight into the install I just did into my 98 Sentra SE. To give you a little background on myself I am no expert but I am also not a novice with working on a car. All my previous experience with engines removal was on RWD vehicles. This was not that different. I say in the header 98 B14 because I know there were some minor changes in the 95-97 models. I do think if you follow this guide you will have no problems with the B14 install.
What you will need before you start.
1-foot ¾ inch heater hose
2 MSD rpm triggers/JWT with trigger built in
Soldering Iron
You will also need some other heater hose depending on what throttle body you use.
Grinder (if you use the DE distributor)
Drill
Aluminum Angle Iron to fabricate the throttle cable bracket (may not be needed, especially if you don’t have cruise.
Engine host
A couple friends to help
FSM or at least a Haynes-Chilton’s manual
Wire (18 gauge at least two colors)
Electrical Tape
Throttle body gasket (if you use the DE TB)
Rope
Brace yourself. This is not that hard. Take your time and mark everything you remove from the engine. I bought some tags from office depot and tied them to each sensor as I unclipped it. I labeled 2 tags with the same number. I then attached one tag to the engine and one to the sensor. That way I knew where that wire went on the DE. This actually took quite a while. Some of the clips have a metal retaining ring that needs to be pried loose first before you can remove the wire from the sensor. Usually you can just pry the silver wire up a little and it will come loose. DO NOT FORCE IT. Most clips don’t have a wire and simple unclip with a push of a button.
Also, I would consider figuring out the RPM trigger items before you start the install. You cannot use the MSD triggers to directly trigger the cam solenoids. They need to trigger a relay and then the relay triggers the cams. This can all be done in advance weeks before you do the install. After the install is done you would only need to attach the 4 wires to the solenoids.
This is a general guide, read the Manual and use common sense. Plan to have at least 2 days, but it might easily take more.
1. Pull the fuse to the fuel pump and start the car. Wait for engine to die.
2. Disconnect the battery and remove (don’t set it on concrete it will discharge).
3. Drain the oil from Transmission and Engine and radiator.
4. Disconnect all the wires from the sensors on the engine and the transmission labeling everything.
5. Raise entire car and place on Jack stands.
6. Remove all the plastic under trays and wheel skirts.
7. Remove wheels
8. Remove both axles
9. Rremove the radiator.
10. Disconnect all vacuum and cooling hoses (label everything)
11. Raise the front of car about 29 inches of the ground. You might need to use some blocks. Support it on some Jack Stands. It will only stay this high while you remove the engine.
12. Disconnect the two rods from the shifter to the transmission
13. Disconnect the AC from the DE. Do not remove the AC lines. Support the AC compressor with some rope.
14. Attach engine hoist to the head of the DE. There are several good spots to do this on the DE. Support the engine with the hoist.
15. Remove the engine support that attaches to the dog bone mount and the rear engine mount.
16. Be sure hoist supports the engine and remove the last two engine mounts on the transmission and passenger side of the engine.
17. Place a piece of cardboard or rug under the engine
18. Lower engine to ground (keep a eye out for any wires you forgot)
19. Slide DE out the front of the car.
20. Disconnect the transmission from the DE. Using the manual and install the flywheel onto the VE and install the clutch. There is a special lube for the pivots on the clutch. Also, you need a torque wrench. Do this right. Don’t try and guess.
21. I went to a local fastener shop and bought two long bolts the same thread/pitch as the transmission bolts. I cut the heads off and screwed them opposite each other onto the VE. These bolts helped me line the engine up with the transmission.
22. Install transmission onto VE.
23. The hard part is getting the VE back into the engine compartment. You need at least 2 helpers IMHO.
24. Switch the DE A/C bracket over to the VE.
25. Slide the engine under the car and hoist it into its place. The car has long bolts going thru most of the mounts that should help you line things up. It takes some pushing and shoving but all the mounts are in the same spot.
26. Once you have the engine in place you just reconnect all the transmission sensors/axles/etc.
27. There will be several sensors you do not use. Most of the sensors under the intake manifold by the firewall are EGR sensors. These just don’t get connected because the VE has no EGR stuff. Don’t cut them.
28. Switch the US single wire temp sensor (its by the oil filter on the DE) onto the VE in the same spot.
29. I used my DE throttle body. It was an easier match to the throttle cables.
30. You can rewire the VE distributor using the wiring diagram on the forum provided by Chuck or use the DE distributor and grind away the tab facing downwards that hits the VE. Its up to you.
31. You need to either move the connector for the O2 sensor to the down pipe or buy the extra long sensor off a Pathfinder 3.5. I chose moving the sensor wire by peeling the electrical tape back and then re-taped everything. I used a new 300ZX NA sensor that has a longer wire (18 inches or so) but cost half the Pathfinders O2 sensors cost.
32. I use a aftermarket VE header that had a O2 sensor connection. I also had JWT wire a resistor into the ECU so that I did not need the rear O2 sensor (this was free). Otherwise you will need to use a DE header or the stock VE header and find a place for your O2 sensor to be welded in.
33. You need to take the fuel injector sub harness for the DE and put it on the VE. Run it in the same direction as it was on the DE. This then plugs right back into the original connector in the same basic location. You will need to snake the connector for the AIV through two of the intake runners to get them to reach the AIV valves. One of the AIV valves plugs right into the DE harness the other does not. You can omit this one or solder the connector from this sensor onto the VE harness and make an adapter.
34. Everything else is plug and play. The only sensors that don’t hook up are the egr sensors. If you marked everything it is not hard. Take your time and use zip ties to keep the harness from just hanging loose. Most of the OEM harness attachment points do not line up but they are close enough to use a zip tie on.
35. Attach the ¾ inch hose to the heater outlet on the VE that is about 8 inches from the bottom outlet for the heater on the firewall. The other hose should connect like it did on the DE.
36. Don’t forget the Oil in the engine and transmission.
37. Reconnect the fuse to fuel pump
38. Install JWT ECU
39. Install MSD switches. Use the blue wire for the MSD trigger. Follow the direction in the manual and solder everything. I use a MSD 6AL and hooked the MSD RPM triggers to that. That is another topic all together. It’s not hard just follow the directions supplied by JWT. Ask them to e-mail them to you that way they are in color and nice and clean.
40. Install your old intake to the VE.
41. Connect the throttle cables to VE. I made some brackets and will post pictures. My cable was to long to attach to the stock VE bracket. For the cruise control cable I drilled a hole and cut a slit in the holder on the DE that held the spark plug wires apart. Again a picture will be added to help with this.
42. Fill radiator
43. Install Battery
44. Start car
Well that was it. I didn’t describe what was in the manual only the stuff particular to the VE. Use a manual for the transmission, clutch, axles, etc. You will need it. Also, MSD has a great tech line in the manual they supply, The JWT directions for installing the MSD 6 were excellent and detailed. Just do one wire at a time. I will be posting pictures of all this in a bit on my image station account.
So what do you guys think of this install guide. Give me some feedback. I am sure I forgot some things, I will be happy to incorporate your suggestions.
__________________
Steve
06 G35 6MT
Last edited by 98sr20ve : 08-23-2002 at 01:18 PM.
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