Nissan VH engine
Encyclopedia
The VH series consists of 4.1 and 4.5 liter engines built from 1989-2001 by the Nissan Motor Corporation. The design consists of a 90 degree V8 with an aluminum cylinder block that features a closed upper deck and a deep skirt. The cylinder heads are also aluminum with a DOHC 4-valve design and pentroof combustion chambers. The production blocks and production head castings were used successfully in various forms of racing including the IRL.
Q45
sport luxury sedan (G50 platform) which was released in November 1989. The engine was also used in the Japanese market Nissan President
limousine (JG50 platform) which debuted in late 1990. The VH45DE generates 278 hp at 6000 rpm and 292 lbft at 4000 rpm with a redline of 6900 rpm.
Some of the pertinent features of the VH45DE are:
- Forged steel crankshaft.
- Forged steel connecting rods.
- 6 Bolt main bearing caps with studs.
- Full-length main bearing girdle.
- Lightweight, floating pistons with molybdenum coating.
- Sodium-filled exhaust valves.
- Cross-flow cooling system.
- Hydraulic lash adjusters.
- Single-row silent timing chain.
- Coil-on-plug ignition system.
- Lifter buckets ride directly on cams to reduce friction.
- Redline of 6900 rpm, Or 7400 RPM's with a modified ECU.
- Compression ratio of 10.2 to 1.
- Bore of 93 mm and stroke of 82.7 mm.
- Dimensions: 890 mm(L) x 740 mm(W) x 725 mm(H).
The 4.5 L VH45DE featured variable valve timing
, also known as VTC, from 1990 until 1995. This was due to the "Gentleman's Agreement", requiring all imports to produce no more than 280 hp. Nissan got around this by publishing the hp rating without VTC, meaning it's actual power rating is closer to 310 hp and 330 ft. lbs. of torque. Due to tightening emissions regulations in the US market, the VTC feature was dropped from the 1996 Infiniti
Q45
. In the following year, the VH45DE was no longer available in any US market vehicles. The engine continued on in the Japanese market until 2002 in the Nissan President
limousine.
This engine was used in the following vehicle(s):
The 4.1 L VH41DE was used in the following vehicles:
A naturally aspirated 5.0L version, the VRH50A, was used in the Nissan R391
. The VRH35ADE, was used by Infiniti
in their Indy race car. Another naturally aspirated version, the VRH34A is used by Nissan in their Nissan GT-R
Super GT
race car.
The VRH34A is a 3.4L(3396cc) V8 that produces over 450 ps and over 290 lb-ft (393 N-m).
The VRH35ADE is a 3.5L(3495cc) V8 that produces 650 ps @10700 rpm and 320 lb-ft (434 N-m)@10400 rpm.
The VRH50A is a 5.0L(4997cc) V8 that produces 650 ps @7200 rpm and 470 lb-ft (618 N-m)@6000 rpm.
The VRH engines also formed the basis for McLaren's
M838T engine used in the McLaren MP4-12C
supercar.
VH45DE
The VH45DE is a 4.5 liter V8 developed by Nissan for use in the InfinitiInfiniti
is the luxury division of automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989 in North America. Marketing operations have since grown to include the Middle East, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, China, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Infiniti began sales in additional...
Q45
Infiniti Q45
The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
sport luxury sedan (G50 platform) which was released in November 1989. The engine was also used in the Japanese market Nissan President
Nissan President
The Nissan President was a Japanese luxury limousine produced by Nissan from 1965 to 2010. The car was mainly used by corporate executives and government officers. It was a luxury sedan specifically aimed to the Japanese market, where its main competitor was the Toyota Century.The President was...
limousine (JG50 platform) which debuted in late 1990. The VH45DE generates 278 hp at 6000 rpm and 292 lbft at 4000 rpm with a redline of 6900 rpm.
Some of the pertinent features of the VH45DE are:
- Forged steel crankshaft.
- Forged steel connecting rods.
- 6 Bolt main bearing caps with studs.
- Full-length main bearing girdle.
- Lightweight, floating pistons with molybdenum coating.
- Sodium-filled exhaust valves.
- Cross-flow cooling system.
- Hydraulic lash adjusters.
- Single-row silent timing chain.
- Coil-on-plug ignition system.
- Lifter buckets ride directly on cams to reduce friction.
- Redline of 6900 rpm, Or 7400 RPM's with a modified ECU.
- Compression ratio of 10.2 to 1.
- Bore of 93 mm and stroke of 82.7 mm.
- Dimensions: 890 mm(L) x 740 mm(W) x 725 mm(H).
The 4.5 L VH45DE featured variable valve timing
Variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing , also known as Variable valve actuation , is a generalized term used to describe any mechanism or method that can alter the shape or timing of a valve lift event within an internal combustion engine...
, also known as VTC, from 1990 until 1995. This was due to the "Gentleman's Agreement", requiring all imports to produce no more than 280 hp. Nissan got around this by publishing the hp rating without VTC, meaning it's actual power rating is closer to 310 hp and 330 ft. lbs. of torque. Due to tightening emissions regulations in the US market, the VTC feature was dropped from the 1996 Infiniti
Infiniti
is the luxury division of automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989 in North America. Marketing operations have since grown to include the Middle East, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, China, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Infiniti began sales in additional...
Q45
Infiniti Q45
The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
. In the following year, the VH45DE was no longer available in any US market vehicles. The engine continued on in the Japanese market until 2002 in the Nissan President
Nissan President
The Nissan President was a Japanese luxury limousine produced by Nissan from 1965 to 2010. The car was mainly used by corporate executives and government officers. It was a luxury sedan specifically aimed to the Japanese market, where its main competitor was the Toyota Century.The President was...
limousine.
This engine was used in the following vehicle(s):
- 1989-1996 Infiniti Q45Infiniti Q45The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
, 278 hp, 294 lbft - 1991-2002 Nissan PresidentNissan PresidentThe Nissan President was a Japanese luxury limousine produced by Nissan from 1965 to 2010. The car was mainly used by corporate executives and government officers. It was a luxury sedan specifically aimed to the Japanese market, where its main competitor was the Toyota Century.The President was...
, 278 hp, 294 lbft
VH41DE
The VH41DE is a 4.1 liter V8 that was based on the VH45DE. The bore of 93 mm remained but the stroke was shortened to 76 mm. Power output for the new engine was 268 hp at 5600 rpm and 278 lbft at 4000 rpm.The 4.1 L VH41DE was used in the following vehicles:
- 1997-2001 Infiniti Q45Infiniti Q45The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...
266 hp, 278 lb-ft (370 N-m) - 1992-1993 Nissan LeopardNissan LeopardThe Nissan Leopard is a line of luxury sports cars built by Japanese carmaker Nissan. The Leopard began life in 1980 and was discontinued in 1999. Leopards were initially based on the Japanese market Nissan Skyline and Nissan Laurel and the American Datsun 910/Nissan Maxima, then later based on the...
, 266 hp, 278 lb-ft (370 N-m) - 1991-1996 Nissan Cima Y32Nissan CimaThe Nissan Cima is a large luxury sedan produced by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. for the Japanese market. The car's name is derived from Spanish for "summit". The hood ornament uses an image of an acanthus leaf. The acanthus leaf was commonly used by classical Greeks to make a wreath for use as a...
, 266 hp, 278 lb-ft (370 N-m)
The VRH Racing Engines
The VRH engines are racing variations of the production VH engine.A naturally aspirated 5.0L version, the VRH50A, was used in the Nissan R391
Nissan R391
The Nissan R391 was a prototype racing car built by Nissan and their motorsports counterpart Nismo for competition at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans...
. The VRH35ADE, was used by Infiniti
Infiniti
is the luxury division of automaker Nissan. Infiniti officially started selling vehicles on November 8, 1989 in North America. Marketing operations have since grown to include the Middle East, South Korea, Russia, Taiwan, China, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Infiniti began sales in additional...
in their Indy race car. Another naturally aspirated version, the VRH34A is used by Nissan in their Nissan GT-R
Nissan GT-R
The Nissan GT-R is a sports car produced by Nissan released in Japan on December 6, 2007, the United States on July 4, 2008, and the rest of the world in March 2009.-History:...
Super GT
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
race car.
The VRH34A is a 3.4L(3396cc) V8 that produces over 450 ps and over 290 lb-ft (393 N-m).
The VRH35ADE is a 3.5L(3495cc) V8 that produces 650 ps @10700 rpm and 320 lb-ft (434 N-m)@10400 rpm.
The VRH50A is a 5.0L(4997cc) V8 that produces 650 ps @7200 rpm and 470 lb-ft (618 N-m)@6000 rpm.
The VRH engines also formed the basis for McLaren's
McLaren Automotive
McLaren Automotive, commonly referred to as McLaren, is a British automotive manufacturer of high-performance vehicles. The company was established as McLaren Cars in 1989 as a producer of road cars based on Formula One technology...
M838T engine used in the McLaren MP4-12C
McLaren MP4-12C
The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
supercar.
See also
- Nissan VRH35 engineNissan VRH35 enginethumb|right|250px|VRH35Z Engine.The VRH35 is 3.5L V8 piston engine from Nissan.It was developed newly by Yoshimasa Hayashi.V=V engine configuration R=Racing H=The eighth of the alphabet = Eight cylinders-1987:...
- List of Nissan engines
- Nissan PresidentNissan PresidentThe Nissan President was a Japanese luxury limousine produced by Nissan from 1965 to 2010. The car was mainly used by corporate executives and government officers. It was a luxury sedan specifically aimed to the Japanese market, where its main competitor was the Toyota Century.The President was...
- Infiniti Q45Infiniti Q45The Infiniti Q45 was a full-size luxury car sold by Nissan's Infiniti marque from 1990 until 2006. It is a rear wheel drive, four-door sedan powered by a V8 engine. Early generations were based on the automaker's Japanese-market flagship sedan, the Nissan President, while models produced after 1997...