AWD 6MT TT build
 

So here it comes, as of early november 2021(its not done yet so might as well date this lol) I have the awd subframe in the car, the shortblock is built, and the trans is 90% and just need to be put back together. Gtr turbos are out getting rebuilt, and all the expensive stuff is paid for so lets do this.

Car is my original 2009 370z sport i bought brand new, drove out to CA and had to sell when I got Sam'ed(and I worked for him). I kept in touch with the new owner, he got divorced so I flew out and bought it back. Did more work to the old setup known by many as "I spent too much on an N/A build" world-record-na-vhr-build and we eventually hit 400wheel and it was finally driving...

And thusly I was assailed by the itch and 35days later it was apart in my garage again getting a different motor, this time with stock cams, widened ring gaps, clearanced bearings, mr16ddt head bolts, and an awd oil pan ;)

For turbo's I will be using husam/BTW's GTR setup albeit with many changes because I'm a machinist who owns a tig welder and if it's gonna be crazy it might as well be full crazy. We are expecting full boost of 12-14lbs in the low mid 2krpm range which remains to be seen what sort of hp i end up with through the AWD system. I intend to dyno it both ways for comparisons sake anyway but i don't see using 2wd very often.

As far as the AWD swap i purchased a donor g37 coupe from copart that someone in TN took the front drive shaft off of and had a ticket for a drift night in the center console and the rear quarter of the car was walled REALLY BAD, so bad in fact that the motor mounts shattered, oh and it had over 200k on the odometer. I rebuilt the engine and did a valve job, had to cut .004 off the valve/seat to get it to seal again and reassembled it with all new bearings, clearances, rings with low mile q50 rods and pistons and opened up the top ring gaps to around .02 and the 2nd ring gap .002 wider than the tops. The front differential was changed to a 3.7 unit from I think an 03 fx35 to go with the manual rear gear on the 6mt 370z, and then i drilled out over 100 spot welds to transfer the subframe mounts from the g37x to the 370z frame rails. I am currently on the hunt for the lighter q50awd aluminum front subframe instead of the heavy g37 unit, but otherwise it is straight forward once the frame mounts are transfered over. the radiator core support mounts in the same place as well as the ends of the rear brace bar that supports the awd lower control arm and you just need to remove and swap the 4 main subframe mounts from the g and remove the ones on the z as they get in the way. for the rear LCA mounts I don't think i will be swapping the entire structure from the g37 and instead will just fabricate the mounts on the z as the spotweld strategies and panel shapes are vastly different between the two. I also had to widen the trans tunnel on the side with the front driveshaft and weld new mount nuts for the trans crossmember. Because I'm using a manual i had to modify the cossmber and comup with a mount that would work with my custom transfercase adapter for the g37 transfercase.

on the transmission, everything in front of the center plate is stock 370z cd009 except the countershaft was changed out for the awd one(this might be optional as it is the same length and spline but the z one has a much longer splined section and is gun drilled), everything behind the center plate is a mix of billet custom parts and oddball nissan stuff from the truck transmissions. the shifter control linkage including the main selector rod int the transmission is custom and unfortunately i have not figured out how to save the rev match so it is getting deleted and maybe replaced with a different auto blip solution yet to be determined. transfercase controller is currently stock g37x but I might try to see if i can get one of the new syvecs boxes AMS has.

As far as supporting mods goes it already has id1050's, OSGiken Grandsport Twin clutch, and I'm adding a full return setup, TI Automotive 535lph pump, flex fuel sensor, and its already got Ecutek software for tuning. I will be reusing my prototype GTM intake manifold and 75mm trottlebodies although i may end up going back down to the stock throttles. The coilovers have been changed to a custom BCRacing Digressive setup, with AWD Fronts and True coil 370z rears. The drysump was sold to finance the turbos so the 25row cooler is going back on the car to keep oil temps under control. The GTM Ron Davis radiator is staying on the car until i decide to switch to a lighter one as it weighs a shitload with 4 gallons of coolant in it lol but because I'm no longer drysump I am able to put the A/C back on the car because it was sorely missed when i had to drive it through death valley on a 125 degree day in the late afternoon relying on just a coolshirt and a 10lb bag of ice and a case of water.

The piping will be getting full wiggins style clamps and the turbo oil and water lines are going to be fabricated from stainless and aluminum hard line for reliability.

That's all for now, I have taken a bunch of pics but I need to put them all together which could take weeks. estimated completion is before i will be able to actually drive it due to salted roads but if we get some nice weather in Jan-Feb I might get to take it out for a bit.

:tup:

Can't wait to see the next iteration. Rooting for you :driving:


So when will the kit be ready? :wtf2:

:eek:

Excited to see the Z-TR take form!

This is something that had been talked about for YEARS! Glad to see someone is finally pulling through with it. Living in a winter state I can get behind this 100%.

AWD is fun. I have that Q50 turbo kit running now and its an entirely different experience.

Wow, what a build!

What is your plan to control the AWD module?
Unless it sees the required CAN bus data from the ECU, it will not direct any torque to the front.

Holy crap Batman! Where is my popcorn!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

It is my understanding that everything the Nissan controller needs is already in can. There is no awd logic in the ecu. This remains to actually be tested though

I see you too love falling into black holes. lol

Can't wait for pictures and more documentation to come in.

I think you can make your own shifter position sensor assembly for the rev-match if you want to. The output is just 0-5v on 2 axis. Maybe you could simplify it with some microswitches and resistors to hit somewhere in the middle of the expected position ranges

You bring up a good point.

I dug up some old research and you are correct.
All the inputs needed for the AWD module are on the CAN bus. Nice!

The only thing you won't have is an AWD warning dash light.

The issue is the ecus calibration procedure and that the ecu sees it like a joystick with live x,y values. I thought I could relocate it externally but I would have to make a rotating and translation rod that moves and rotates the same amount as the main selector shaft and fit it between the shifter and the trans and room in the tunnel is already tight. There is also no room for the reverse gear speed sensor so that would need to be relocated as well and a new trigger wheel made to emulate the pulses of the gear teeth.

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...urbo-motor.jpg

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...frame-g37x.jpg

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...ilover-bcs.jpg

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...-awd-cd009.jpg

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...e-mounts-z.jpg

Come
Be my nieghbor

Sooo....
This would be a bit easier if one were to begin with an actual G37x AWD?

Also, did you consider the early-2000's Nissan Pathfinder that had both a MT, AWD and VQ power as a parts donor? I've always wondered if there's any usable MT swap parts from that platform....

Nah it's a lot harder to turn a g37x into a Z than it is to swap awd lol the Pathfinder, Xterra, frontier box has the transfer case drop on the wrong side, has the wrong bellhousing bolt pattern, and generally doesn't work. If I were to do this all over again I'd say get an R34 box or an r33 5 speed and a bellhousing adapter.

I have access to one of those but the 5 speed will **** the bed unless you get the quaife gear set

I hadnt considered the calibration procedure, perhaps it could be skipped though. We planned to use the DCT controller to emulate the X/Y axis voltages for rev match, but so far have not bothered (revmatch isnt going to be able to hit target RPM before a preselected DCT shift, though it would probably be helpful when a downshift was not preselected), so I cant say if it would actually work or not.

What is the relationship of the reverse gear speed sensor? I dont know if I even realized there was one. I thought S-Mode was comparing engine speed from the crank trigger, to input shaft speed on the trans.

There is a speed sensor that reads off one of the reverse gears teeth and is used by S-mode. Don't ask me how it's used but if it's not there I guarantee you rev match will be dead

Well at least it's stronger than a Subaru 5spd lol, and the R34 box is a tough call because they can go $8k now.

You could probably sell a whole lot of your transfer case adaptation kits for this transmission.

I saw something similar not long ago when a company produced a kit to install the Getrag DCT I used into the RB Skylines. They had to take this RWD only trans and make it accept the RB transfer cases. When they showed it off, it seemed there was a greater number of people wanting just their transfer case kit, for various non-RB powered cars.

With how popular the "CD009" style transmission is, I bet you can sell your transfer case adaptation kit 10:1 more to people who will use it in the most random ****.

I am guessing the sensor on the reverse gear is the "input shaft" speed sensor. They just have it down the line for packaging or something. I couldnt find any other speed sensors on that trans.

That's why I really wanted to make a kit but it's whole lotta Bs.it requires a modified tail housing from another Nissan that has to be pulled from a core trans because Nissan won't sell it separately, as well as the plate, the control shaft, the seal plate, you have to modify the center plate, a bunch of parts for the neutral return springs, the shifter is reversed left to right in the linkage, the neutral switch piece on the control shaft is modified, and more. It would probably take me the better part of a year full time to actually make everything at a quality I would feel comfortable selling as a kit and you would basically need a shop comfortable with rebuilding the trans to do it. Basically the cost to do the conversion would be a toss up with just buying an r33/R34 trans and adapter kit.

The better option would be custom selector shaft and a billet tail housing to use the skyline transfer case and shifter on the cd009 that would fix most of the problems but that tailing housing would be ~$2k machined and the transfer case is at least another $1500 plus an aftermarket controller and the now almost unobtainable hydraulic system for the transfer case.

With a billet tail housing you could retain rev match by adding the provisions for the sensors, since the shifter is mounted in the tcase you would have the room you would just need an extended selector shaft to mate with the shifter.

Didn't say a thing about turning a G into a Z. Just curious because I have an AWD G, and it seemed like a lot of work to deal with some of the unibody aspects of AWD into a Z.

Many moons ago I had a 2002 QX4 with the VQ35 and Attessa AWD system. Didn't realize the transfer orientation was different.

lol..I think?

Subbed.

Yep wrong side and yeah you would just need to swap in a manual trans harness, get your bcm flashed, change the pilot bushing, get the manual shifter trim, redo the cross member, get a clutch and flywheel, change out your pedal assembly for a manual one, drill holes in your firewall and mount the master cylinder, fabricate a clutch line, and adapt in a manual transmission. It's enough work that you aren't any further ahead. It only takes 3 days to swap the mounts weld them in and widen the tunnel. The hard part is the transmission. I thought you were giving me snarky attitude of "why don't you just buy an AWD"

The other problem with the "truck" transmissions is the ratios are literal garbage and your' 2002 was a de so the trans still has the wrong bellhousing bolt pattern(the de, the vq40, and the hr/vhr all have different bolt patterns)

Also you could probably start with getting an FX35 front diff and manual 370 rear diff(non2015 up nismo) and enjoy the 3.69 ratio first

When you're done with this and get bored....you can then switch it to a Safari build ha, already got the 4wd!

Nah I'm not going safari, they tend to get destroyed by all the bottoming out and frame abuse not to mention all the scratches and corrosion and driving like **** when you try to daily them.

I've purchased this car twice now and I plan on keeping it in good shape as long as I can lol

If that is a clutch pack transfer case like a GTR has, it wouldnt last a half hour off-road anyway. Youd want to use a center differential from the trucks.

We need about a dozen close pics of your trans! I want to check out the finished product.

Haha it's not pretty but I know it will work. Once the car is driving the next phase will be making myself the damn billet tail housing and getting rid of the synchros alla-Liberty faceplates

Nope!

Sorry I have been distracted by a potential job change that is really exciting but I can't talk about. If it goes through a vr38 is on the table lol

got a little bit of progress done, got a fuel pump/regulator/fittings/filter just need to decide if i get rid of the dowty seals and go with o-rings on my rails and then bend up some hardlines while the engines out. i will be using a 535lph with a -6 supply line and using the oem line as a return with the flex sensor in the oem line in the engine bay

Starting to warm up back at it. The spooly boys are GO.

http://www.the370z.com/members/1slow...-165006762.jpg

What is the website to purchased upgraded transmission parts?

face plates and 300m input shaft

I will have to make some calls on the carbon synchros, I know they exist but the only lead I have so far is nisformance in NC.

If you want billet headsets call ppg or OS giken, or just buy the direct fit quaife or xtrac box. There is no Amazon listing/staples easy button. You have to actually call shops ask around and do it the old way.

Ty

There are companies now that sell rev match enabling kits for cars.
That input VSS is only for S-mode. It's sole purpose is S-mode.

You could ditch that system and go with the kit. Maybe use that speed sensor for something else.

Im sure this has been discussed however if I'm not mistaken the G transfer case casing is the same as the GTR. Not sure if this is of any help but there are some parts that you can use from the AWD Gs like the upper oil pan for diff mounting.

Unsure what subframe you're using however wouldnt surprise if the G37x coupe would fit or is what you're using.

I think LOJ did a Frontier 6 speed trans work for his LS Frontier. I remember most of his work were bell housing related and shifter axle angles.

He did work to the differentials for better ratios.