vq35de swap or new car?

[Brandon8965]

I really want to do the engine swap but i do like the '02 style.. help??

[DevonD]

well swap it into what? The 99 Max you have listed? And if that is what your talking about I would just go for the newer one with the VQ35 already in it, plus with an 02 you can get the six speed! And ya, i think it has the potential to look better than a 4th gen. Stock it doesnt but it easily can.. check out lightsout' his car looks sick!

[THT]

I really want to do the engine swap but i do like the '02 style.. help??

I love the power of my 4.5gen. I didn't do just an engine swap but threw in ARP rod bolts, modified the IM, Pathfinder throttle body and put in a set of JWT S1 cams. This things pulls like there's no tomorrow and easily overpowers my Quaife in first and second gear at WOT. In fact, I can't hit WOT in first otherwise my 245 with Toyo T1R tires break free. I still manage to get 26mpg on the highway a 70mph so it's not like having the 5spd vs. 6spd is causing me to lose that much in the way of fuel economy.

[DevonD]

Ha ha I bet that thing's a monster! what do you mean it over powers your LSD though? like it cant keep both wheels spinning and just completly looses traction on one or what? But that would be fun! A 3.5 in a 4th gen... haha

[Gman8990]

Go for the swap... its a fun project... the 4.5th gen is the classiest and coolest gen ever made hands down...

[Brandon8965]

i might just do the swap because of tha hassle of getting a new vehicle.. and it costs less and is more fun.. if i'm not mistaken is 4th gen. lighter than 5th?

[DevonD]

Yes but there are alot of things you need to consider. How long is it going to take you to do the swap? How much custom fabrication is going to need to be done (welding, cutting) and can you do this? In the time you are doing the swap are you going to need the car to get to and from work?

And as far as it being cheaper... Im not so sure. you can probably sell your max for around $5000 if its in good shape and not super high miles. and just looking on e-bay quickly your probaby going to spend $2-3 on a new engine. So you mind as well spend $8000 on a new car that was built that fit that engine...just my .02...nobody needs to rip my face off for my opinion...

[G4nismo]

well swap it into what? The 99 Max you have listed? And if that is what your talking about I would just go for the newer one with the VQ35 already in it, plus with an 02 you can get the six speed! And ya, i think it has the potential to look better than a 4th gen. Stock it doesnt but it easily can.. check out lightsout' his car looks sick!

if you have the resources, knowledge, tools, and time, i would all out go with the swap. plus who says you can't put a 6sp in the 4rth gen? i think a 4.5 gen would be a whole lot more satisfying then justing getting an 02. plus the 4rth gens are lighter

4rth gencurb weight:gle: 3,097.49478 poundsgxe: 3,000.49139 poundsse: 3,071.03931 pounds

5th gen 02:curb weight:gle: 3 236.38601 poundsgxe: 3 218.74903 poundsse: 3 223.15827 pounds

[THT]

Ha ha I bet that thing's a monster! what do you mean it over powers your LSD though? like it cant keep both wheels spinning and just completly looses traction on one or what? But that would be fun! A 3.5 in a 4th gen... haha

Quaife's do not fully lock so it's possible to overpower it and pull to one side. In my case, it pulls to the right at WOT through second gear. It was a little unnerving the first time because I didn't think I was making enough power to cause that.

Yes but there are alot of things you need to consider. How long is it going to take you to do the swap? How much custom fabrication is going to need to be done (welding, cutting) and can you do this? In the time you are doing the swap are you going to need the car to get to and from work?

And as far as it being cheaper... Im not so sure. you can probably sell your max for around $5000 if its in good shape and not super high miles. and just looking on e-bay quickly your probaby going to spend $2-3 on a new engine. So you mind as well spend $8000 on a new car that was built that fit that engine...just my .02...nobody needs to rip my face off for my opinion...

No custom fabrication necessary unless you're going to use the 6spd but that opens a can of worms. Cheap way to score a HLSD though. My swap was done by two people in under a week in 30-40 degree temperature. We worked about 10hours a day. I got my engine with 10,000 miles on it for $750 from a local salvage yard. The FWD VQ35 is very abundant in salvage yards thanks to Nissan using it in so many vehicles. My total swap was $3,500 but that was with me doing a lot more than just the engine swap. I could have done it for $1,500 if it was just to put the engine in. And because it's all-motor, you have a perfectly reliable car no less. And the look on the Nissan service tech's face when you take it in for an oil change is PRICELESS.

[DevonD]

So THT, everything just bolts up? like stock 5spd to 3.5 engine, engine mounts are the same everything!! Becasue if thats the case then I want to do it too!! haha. And what did you do about the computer? just pull the one from a 3.5? I was just thinking there would be alot more work to do than that! just becasue of the stuff like new electronic throttle controll, variable valves, just everything!

[THT]

So THT, everything just bolts up? like stock 5spd to 3.5 engine, engine mounts are the same everything!! Becasue if thats the case then I want to do it too!! haha. And what did you do about the computer? just pull the one from a 3.5? I was just thinking there would be alot more work to do than that! just becasue of the stuff like new electronic throttle controll, variable valves, just everything!

Yep, everything bolts right up. 5spd to 3.5 and 3.5 to chassis...no modifications necessary. I use the 4th gen ECU because I didn't want to rewire the car to use the 5.5gen ECU. This requires that you swap the VQ30 timing components into the VQ35. I used the Pathfinder TB so you don't have to convert the throttle control mechanism. And the method of my swap results in not having the VTCs but honestly, I have enough traction problems as it is, I'm not worried.

[Brandon8965]

i knew it had to be lighter... ok swap it is... and yea i found tha engine for much cheaper than that hopefully they'll still have it by tha time i get the money... but thanks for all the opinions don't stop there tho cause i'm still new to this

[Gman8990]

The 3.5 should pretty much just sit into the 4.5 gen... with a little work obviously