1997 3.5 swap

[sidescrollin]

I have a 97 with a 3.3 that recently blew up. After looking, the cost to fix it is the same as just buying another one, so I went looking for another engine. I came across a 3.5 out of a 2003 with transmission. The guy said it had 75k on it and it was the engine,transmission, wiring harness and computer (and all accessories) . So i got it for $700 bucks yesterday. There is no way it has 75k on it, maybe 7,500 lol. it was taken out because the car rolled over and was considered totalled.

Anyways the old was isn't out yet but in the meantime I was wondering about some differences in the two. I can't do alot of research myself because I am on dialup. I have a '97 with a 3.3 and 4wd. The engine and transmission I just got are a 3.5 from a '03 with 2wd.
Is the bellhousing different on the two? Is the transmission different and how is the 4wd setup? I wld really like to use the new transmission if I can. Does the end (don't know what its called) of the 2wd transmission unbolt or simply mate up to the transfer case somehow? And if not, can I use the old transmission or does it need a different bellhousing?

My other question is the throttle body on the new engine looks like it is controlled electronically, the 3.3s is mechanical. How is that setup? Is there a potentiometer the old cable to the pedal goes to or something?

also anyone have tips on unbolting the drive shafts? They just move and pickup slack and im about out of strength to turn the wrench by the time they stop.

Thanks


here is one of the heads. This isn't "the problem" but its what caused it. Its like the PO thought the oil and filter it came with from nissan was good enough to last 80k miles or so. i know this at least caused it to spin a main, ill find out what else after its outta the car.

[Buzzman]

I don't have an answer to your questions, but I'm stunned by the pics of the old engine. What the hell was the previous owner thinking?
Did you buy it with the blown engine, or did you buy it still running?
Every new car owner should see something like this in order to get it into their heads that oil changes really are important after all. Good luck BTW.

[Towncivilian]

If you had a faster internet connection I'd suggest posting those pics on Bob Is The Oil Guy, I'm sure people there will go nuts over them. That's one of the worst cases of sludge I've seen by far. I've also got no input, only here to marvel at the pictures. Sorry. Do take a look here for some info, though: http://npora.ipbhost.com/index.php?show ... 0&p=568173

[ARKQX33V6]

You now have both 3.3 and 3.5 near to you. Take the dimensions from mount to mount, position and be accurate. You bought the 3.5, can you remove the 3.3 and put it side by side to see how . Get a layout from Nissan for both engines, trans, and drive shaft sizes. The 2 speed transfer case and the 2WD probably are different. Try to get all info, drawings before working on them, and I'm assuming you are doing the work.

[sidescrollin]

yeah im doing it all myself, the 3,3 and transmission are still in. After looking at it abit today, I believe the gearbox is exactly the same in both and they just change the tail end of it for 2wd and 4wd. So I shld be able to just unbolt the 2wd output from the gearbox and bolt up the transfer case. I don't know if the bellhousing is different or not but hopefully it won't matter.


i looked down the wiring harness today and the cables that run from the throttle control end up near the pedal he car with some kind of spring loaded pot. it looks like it either has a small linkage or maybe the pedal even presses againt it, ill have to look inside a 3.5 car to see.


the power steering resavoir in the 3.5 is on the opposite side from the 3.3 but its mounted just the same on the shock tower and nissan even drills the holes out on every car and just plugs the unused ones. So ill have to get a PS line from a 3.5 car.

[sidescrollin]

the inlet and return on the radiator are different and same with the condenser, luckily it came with both XD. The mounts are the same.


So far it looks like it should be pretty smooth thanks to nissan not changing things around for the sake of doing so.


ill post those 3.3 pics on the site you mentioned when i have the time. I got the car with about 150k on it from my uncle already broken. When I said PO i actually meant the woman he bought it from at around 70k miles. According to him there wasn't any indication the engine was like this, later on it started getting crappy gas mileage and was low on power but since he has heard the 3.3 doesn't make much power, he figured it was normal. He changed the oil every 2-3k miles in it and treated it well. So it says alot about the car that it was in the condition it was at 70-80k miles and still ran for another 70. a few months ago the engine blew and it was given to me for free

hes a couple pics of the 3.5
its actually got dirtier from sitting outside in the driveway for 2 days

[Towncivilian]

Have you put threadlocker on the power valve screws yet? If not, you should take off the upper intake manifold and put some red threadlocker on them since they could eventually back out and get sucked in the engine. Read here. This info applies only to A/T models and I can't discern whether you've got an auto or a manual there (trying to look for the variable induction air control valve control actuator but difficult to tell from your pics).

[sidescrollin]

thanks for the info towncivilian im definitely going to do that.

if anyone here has a 3.5 could take a picture of there gas pedal or more like everything going on behind the gas pedal, that would be awesome.

haven't done much yet, it's been really hot out. but i started unbolting the transfer case, it looks like it has a kind of bellhousing that mounts up to the transmission and you have to disconnect the transfer case to get to the bolts inside it on the transmission itself. Gonna take off the driveshaft and cut the rusty bolts off the exhaust/tranfser mount and get the transfer case out soon.
i plan on taking plenty of pics for future reference + a look at whatever is inside that 3.3

[Innovazn]

QUICK!! GET SEA FOAM! that way well know if Seafoam really works haha. anyways.. jesus christ the PO is stupid as hell for not changing the oil... that sludge looks terrible... now that i got this out of the way... im going to read the rest of the posts.

[sidescrollin]

ill see, do you think just pouring it on the head should break all that stuff down? I want to see what the bottom end looks like, basically i think this s*** caused the oil passage ways to be blocked so the bottom end dried out. My uncle said he put engine restore stuff it in once which probably broke it down and jammed the screen on the pump up as well.


I may get the driveshafts off 2morrow, the tips i was asking for were really in regard to it being difficult to turn a wrench on them. I got a breaker bar on a bolt today and pushed it with my leg and it broke free. I guess ill roll the car back to give me access to the other bolts. After that i can get the t-case out, transmission out, and finally pull the engine.


yeah the PO was really stupid, its my understanding it had only one owner before my uncle had it. I can't say he did anything to worsen the matter because he wouldn't know unless he had some reason to pull the valve covers and since it happened before he had it i guess all of the sludge got trapped in the top end because he said he never had any come out of the drain.

also...he said he used quaker state in it. I use mobil 1 so if anyone is wondering about quaker state...Exhibit A.

[Innovazn]

beats me... i mean we put seafoam in crank case, fuel tank and the vaccuum line... and gets the stuff everywhere in the engine... just douse the thing in a can or two and see if it breaks it all down. its supposed to "liquify" the sludge... so i guess have some cat litter ready