Questions about the non-interference VG30E

Forum for the Xterra, Frontier and Hardbody, the smaller workhorses of the Nissan lineup!
UFS207
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:28 am
Car: 1991 Nissan Hardbody

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I was reading that the VG30E V6 motor used in the late 90's Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager minivans was converted to be a non-interference design. What exactly was changed to achieve this in comparison to the VG30E used in the 90's Nissan hardbody pickups/pathfinders?

I've got a 1991 Nissan Hardbody in really nice shape with this motor and was wondering if converting it to a non-interference motor like the minivans would be as simple as a cam swap? Or are the heads completely different?

Any info appreciated. I wouldn't mind losing a few HP to ensure that I'd never have to worry about a snapped timing belt ever again.


CPS
Posts: 162
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2008 6:08 pm

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It would be so much more cost efficient to just regularly change out the timing belt. 60,000 mile swapout is cheap insurance to me. I've seen them break 3 different times in the 110-130 range, once on a non-interference Quest and twice on Xterra's. You already know which one of those three we were able to save. One of the Xterra's was so bad it actually cracked a piston.


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