While it might seem like an odd choice for MAHLE Motorsport to release one of their high-performance PowerPak piston kits for an SUV engine, the VR engine platform is nothing to sneeze at. Smaller in displacement than it’s big-brother VR38DETT used in the R35 GT-R, the VR30DDTT is a twin-turbo direct-injected powerplant capable of making some serious numbers. It’s been on the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list twice, and has far more performance potential than most realize. MAHLE Motorsport realizes it, though.
The recently announced Nissan VR30 PowerPak piston kit (P/N: 930286486) is designed specifically for high-boost direct-injected performance. The pistons are manufactured out of forged 2618 aluminum with a crown designed to create a 10.3:1 compression ratio with the stock combustion chamber volume. The piston is machined with a 1.2mm top ring groove, 1.2mm second ring groove, and a 2.8mm oil ring groove, which are all hard anodized for strength and durability.
The VR30 pistons are coated in MAHLE Motorsport’s signature gray phosphate coating and the skirts have the GRAFAL anti-friction skirt coating that enthusiasts have come to expect from MAHLE Motorsports. In addition to the coating, the skirts have been designed in the now-common “slipper-skirt” design to maximize the pistons’ efficiency in the bore.
The PowerPak piston kit comes complete with heavy-wall tool-steel wrist pins and locks, along with a high-performance piston ring set. The top 1.2mm ring is made from nitrided steel, while the second ring is a traditional taper-face cast ring. The oil rings are standard-tension stainless steel pieces that will control the oil effectively.
The VR30 PowerPak piston kit joins MAHLE Motorsport’s wide lineup of PowerPak kits already available on the shelf. For more information, head over to MAHLEmotorsport.com or check out their application guide here.
