Has Anyone Successfully Coverted VG30E Exhaust Ports to M10 Studs?

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-05-2009, 11:26 AM

Taking my cylinder head to another machine shop today. A EZ-Out is broken inside the stud and it's too hard for me to do it by hand, i've already enlarged the hole sightly at near the surface. 2 Shops had it and they wouldn't do it, but I found a guy who says they can do it.

He said they usually move the holes one size up, instead of an insert, so I'm wondering if anyone has done all the holes to M10 and everything fit fine.

**Matt93SE** · 10-05-2009, 12:52 PM

Might look at the twin turbo studs- I'm not sure if they're M10 or not. I'd be wary of going much bigger than stock though. It's not far from the water jacket on some cylinders.

Find a shop that can do an EDM on it. it won't be cheap, but they can get it out without FUBARing the head. search for machine shops and EDM in your area. should be able to find one somewhere.

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-05-2009, 03:07 PM

I just talked to the shop - even more unexpected cost now. The exhaust manifolds need to be decked on some belt type machine. When we put them on the bare metal they were rocking from left to right - the center flange on both seems to be raised higher then the outside ones. Thank god we put them on there just to check the stud - could you image if I put it back together after using the straight edge on the head but didn't think of using it on manifolds. The sound would STILL be there - put put put put.

**Matt93SE** · 10-05-2009, 05:35 PM

Yup. it's pretty common for the manifolds to warp over time when you keep driving on broken studs. it shouldn't cost you more than $50 to have it surfaced.

nyc_ink · 10-07-2009, 04:10 PM

2 of my exhaust manifold studs broke flush so i took it to the shop today and their going to take the studs out and put new gaskets and new studs all for $200

**Matt93SE** · 10-07-2009, 04:15 PM

damn that's a good deal... price on just the parts is $150 or so if you get it all from the dealer.

nyc_ink · 10-07-2009, 04:23 PM

yea the guy is real cheap and he has big shop. im getting my mufflers installed there too, im a get two mufflers one on each side.

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-07-2009, 05:15 PM

Really? That must be a big shop - he has the machine shop AND they do mufflers too? Most of the machine shops i've visited are just pure machining - I'm going to try and post some photos. Any photos of the huge shop?

nyc_ink · 10-07-2009, 05:58 PM

ill take some tomorrow when i pick up the max

nyc_ink · 10-07-2009, 06:10 PM

off topic real quick, can some one please answer my question in the noobie sticky thread. the post is #4271

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-07-2009, 06:48 PM

Beleive it or not, for yrs, the only thing holding my exhaust manifolds on were 3 hex nuts PER side. New there are 6 per side. So basically I had leaks on pretty much each port. No wonder the manifolds warped. I'll try to take a photo of the black buildup on the ports, looks like it tries to escape out the side.

nyc_ink · 10-07-2009, 06:51 PM

i had to get mine fixed asap cuz it leaked exhaust and it smelled real strong and it made an ugly a$$ sound when i accelerated

nyc_ink · 10-08-2009, 10:30 PM

just picked up the max from the shop and the broken studs were taken out and everything got replaced.

pics of the shop for 1993-VG30E-GXE

left side of the shop

right side of the shop

CMax03 · 10-10-2009, 12:29 AM

Thought I saw some OBX headers over on the right side wall!!!

burhan92SE · 10-10-2009, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nyc_ink

off topic real quick, can some one please answer my question in the noobie sticky thread. the post is #4271

u have 1990 NISSAN MAXIMA GXE with VG Engine....and that digital cluster and sonar adjustable suspension are VERY RARE in Maximas u dont find them everyday....u probably have BOSE sound system, auto climate control and leather seats as well....ur Max is fully loaded with everything ever came in 3RD GEN Maxima except high output VE Motor which arrived in 92 to 94 only...

nyc_ink · 10-10-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burhan92SE

u have 1990 NISSAN MAXIMA GXE with VG Engine....and that digital cluster and sonar adjustable suspension are VERY RARE in Maximas u dont find them everyday....u probably have BOSE sound system, auto climate control and leather seats as well....ur Max is fully loaded with everything ever came in 3RD GEN Maxima except high output VE Motor which arrived in 92 to 94 only...

yea i have all that u mentioned, i want to get an engine swap but dont know which one to get.

the sonar adjustable suspension, i know nothing about it please tell me about it if you know. cause if i change my shocks how would i get them to work in the adjustable way.

*Maxpwer* · 10-10-2009, 07:21 PM

Sorry to get back on topic....... but the VG33 engines all had M10 exhaust manifold studs so it shouldn't be an issue to convert the VG30 studs from M8 to M10. However, as Matt93se stated the bolts are very close to the coolant ports so be SURE not to drill any deeper than the stock holes.

1993-VG30E-GXE · 10-10-2009, 07:36 PM

I picked up my exhaust manifolds and the guy did a pretty good job - less than .005" flatness. It came out to more than expected though, total cash deal came out to $150.00, decking both manifolds and removing the broken stud + easy out inside it. I even asked him to throw the cylinder head in the cleaning booth and he did it for free.

It appears the M10 studs can work, but I'm not sure if one could use a torque wrench to finally attach them. If doing by hand though it would likely fit, or maybe with a crowfoot. He said just to leave the remaining ones as M8, as the cost would have been much higher for him to enlarge all the holes. He said the center flange was way off on each one, like 2mm off from the warping.

(The setup was preset to not go deeper than the original depth)