Will the pathfinder 3.3L fit the Frontier?

[Krythoth]

Hey guys, I just picked up an 01 Frontier with the NA 3.3l and the motor is toast. I can't find one local, but I can find the the VG33e out of the nissan pathfinder. Does anyone know if that engine will work? It looks to be the same engine and the same platform, but I would like to know for sure before I go spending money. I don't care about the sensors so much as I have them all in the current truck.

[Rev_D21]

The blocks should be the same. You might have to change the intake and sensors over from your old engine.

[Krythoth]

The blocks should be the same. You might have to change the intake and sensors over from your old engine.

Thats what I figured. As long as the long block is the same, I can handle the rest. Thanks.

[Rev_D21]

No problem. Let us know how it goes!

[Krythoth]

Will do. I do mechanic how to videos for youtube and I will be filming the removal.

[Rev_D21]

Awesome! We look forward to seeing the vids!

[Krythoth]

Ok, it turned out to be a major pain to get it out, so I stopped filming, it was just taking too long. The removal wasn't so bad, but every single piston had melted to the cylinder wall, so I had to pull the engine and transmission together and then fight it to get the torque converter off. Picked up the new engine today and as expected, there are minor differences revolving around the intake. I got the engine from a 98 Infinity QX4 and it has an EGR valve where the Frontier doesn't. The flexplate is also slightly different, but I don't think it will affect anything. Looks like swapping the upper intake is all that it will take to get this engine to work. Will post back when I get it running.

[Rev_D21]

This is great news! Looking forward to you telling us "IT'S ALIVE!!!".

[Krythoth]

Man this thing has been a grade A son of a b****. Everything LOOKS the same, but if you take a tape measure to it, certain clearances are off. Like the motor mount brackets are off by an inch, the power steering bracket is slightly off, and the latest is the oil pan being a 1/2 taller on the pathfinder, making it sit on top of the steering shaft. The only things that are the same are the heads, cams, and block.

[Rev_D21]

That sucks but not completely unheard of. So what's the plan from here?

[Krythoth]

That sucks but not completely unheard of. So what's the plan from here?

I overreacted. I had the tail of the transmission jacked way up to get the crossmember in and that was the reason the oil pan was hitting. Set it down on the crossmember and I have some clearance on the oil pan. A long couple of days and having a bunch of little stuff pile up on me made me crack a bit. The biggest thing on this truck is that it's never been worked on. Take the O2 sensors for example, I figure that they might need to be replaced, so I broke them loose before reinstalling the exhaust. The passenger side required heat and a large pipe wrench to break loose. Previous mechanic broke the heater core spouts off. Just been one of those jobs where murphy's law is in full effect. I will get it done, hopefully fire it up tomorrow.

[Rev_D21]

You always have to account for Murphy.

[Krythoth]

Victory. For the most part. Before putting on any accessories, I wanted to hear that engine run. It does. So yeah, to anyone that is looking to swap a pathfinder/qx4 engine into a Frontier. The block and heads work, but nothing else does. No brackets, no accessories, not even the oil filter adapter or harmonic balancer works. The oil pan does work, but it's a tight fit. $2000 in an 01 Frontier XE Desert Runner with 95K miles.

[Rev_D21]

Awesome, thanks for being the test subject! Glad it worked out and it runs!

[Krythoth]

Awesome, thanks for being the test subject! Glad it worked out and it runs!

Always glad to be a test dummy. Got all of the accessories on and it runs silky smooth. Just have to change the oil filter adapter gasket, tighten my 02 sensors back up and toss the hood back on. Oh and I took the heater core grommet off and that got me a whole lot more pipe to stick the hose on, so I shouldn't have to change the core. Job was seriously labor intensive. Oh what else uses the frontier transmission? My dipstick is MIA and there are none in the pick N pulls.