vq35 motor swap into 00 frontier

[Oliver Hedwayte]

I just want to know the probability/practicality of swapping this motor into my truck. It is out of an 02 maxima. I can pick it up for $100. Right now I have the vg33, which is a little underpowerd. I know the vq block wouldn't work because it's FWD. But could my block be used at all, are any of the parts interchangeable between the 2 motors? Or would I need to get the block from a pathfinder or something along the lines?

Just a little info on my plan for the truck, I don't want to go fast. If I can do a fairly straight-forward swap with a decent enough power increase, that is what I am looking for. I plan on going with larger tires and would like more power without spending $1500 on the vg.

[brianw]

1) throw away your VG33

2) install VQ35

The FWD VQ35 has the starter on the wrong side of the engine and some other stuff, you're best off starting with a RWD VQ35DE. I don't know if the bolt pattern for the transmission is the same or anything. You're going to need to do some serious looking through the FSM's for this one.

Swap would be easier with 3.5 from a Pathfinder, that's for sure.

[Oliver Hedwayte]

Thanks for the reply, this is the info I've been looking for. A guy on my board at nissanoffroad.net is doing a 4.5 litre from a Q45 into the same year frontier. It will bolt straight up to his transfer case being that he's using the transmission and from the 45 as well. So, I find a pathfinder block or even a 350 block would it mate to my transmission? Or am I going to need the transmission from a pathfinder? I'm guessing I could use the 350 or the pathfinder IM as well. I'm wondering if my oem ecu could be reprogrammed to run that motor or would I need a pathfinder ecu and all the harnesses to make it work.

Either way I look at it, I'm better off with the swap. I could spend thousands on the vg33 and not have the power I get from just swapping in the vq35 with the same amount of money or less.

[brianw]

VQ35DE's share the same bellhousing bolt pattern for the transmission with the VQ30DE, I don't know about your Frontier.

Your VG33 ECU should be able to run a VQ35, but you won't have VTC's (not that big a deal) and a host of other more minor issues. The biggest one is feeding the ECU the proper cam timing signal as the VQ35DE system on the Maxima/Altima/350Z/G35 is completely different than the VG, which is also different than the VQ30DE. I haven't ever looked at the VG so I can't say what parts you would need to swap over, would be possible to swap over, or you would have to custom fabricate.

Easiest route is to swap in a `01-`02 Pathfinder VQ35DE (whatever years it is for that bodystyle, is it `00-`02?), wiring harness, and ECU. This doesn't get quite as much stock power as the later VQ35DE's but due to the motor mount/block differences between the RWD and FWD VQ's, it's probably by far the easiest.

[Oliver Hedwayte]

Thanks for your input. I actually have this question posted on the trucks part of the forum as well. DesertRat informed me that it can be done, but I'll need the transmission and transfer case from the pathfinder or QX4. Along with the harnesses and computers to boot to make things easier. I'm just going to fab up some custom mounting locations in the engine bay to keep from having to swap blocks. It's going to be fun to say the least.

Thanks again for the info,Josh