The 3.8-liter Nissan VR38DETT engine (or VR38 for short) has been assembled since 2007 at the concern’s plant in Tochigi, and the assembly is carried out manually and only by highly qualified specialists. This twin-turbocharged powertrain is used in GT-R series sports cars.
The VR38DETT engine has sports 24 valves with variable valve timing (DOHC). Die-cast aluminum block with 0.15 mm cylinder liner coated to provide a protective layer for the piston rings. Two turbochargers are integrated in the outlet manifolds to reduce weight and improve vehicle balance. The engine also features a thermostatically controlled sports pressure lubrication system.
The VR family also includes an internal combustion engine: VR30DDTT.
The engine was installed on:
- Nissan GT-R 1 (R35) in 2007 – …;
- Nissan Juke-R 1 (F15) in 2012 – 2015.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Tochigi Plant |
| Also called | VR38 |
| Start of production | 2007 |
| Cylinder block alloy | aluminum |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Configuration | V6 |
| Valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 88.4 |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 95.5 |
| Compression ratio | 9.0 |
| Displacement, cc | 3799 |
| Power output, hp | 480 – 720 |
| Torque output, Nm | 580 – 780 |
| Fuel type | 98 |
| Features | Twin-Turbo |
| Hydraulic lifters | yes |
| Timing drive | chain |
| Phase regulator | at the CVTCS inlet |
| Turbocharging | two IHI RHF55 |
| Euro standards | Euro 5/6 |
| Weight, kg | 225 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Nissan GT-R 2015) — city — highway — combined |
16.9 8.8 11.7 |
| Oil consumption, gr/1000 km | up to 1000 |
| Recommended engine oil | 0W-40 / 10W-40 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 5.5 (2007-2011) 5.0 (2011+) |
| Oil change interval, km | 10000 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~200 000 |
Disadvantages of the VR38DETT engine
- The engine is assembled by hand and is of very high quality workmanship;
- A number of owners have already experienced timing chain stretching on short runs.
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