OK! I've had it up to here with my motor, It's got to go. Too many issues to get into. So for now I'm looking into a remaned engine, although the price is steep. $3149 + 295 core on http://www.Jer-us.com

Has anyone gone with a reman as apposed to a rebuilt or rebuilding?
Is the price too much? Have you seen a lower price?

Any thoughts or inputs please.

 

ummm.....okay.
1st off what engine you have ve or veggie?
(dohc or sohc)
and why are you tired of it??

 

1. DIY
2. save $$$

 

teah youll save a ton (2000) doing it yourself.

 

Engines aren't that hard to pull. Even if you have someone rebuild it for you, pulling it yourself will save a lot of $$$. Pull the tranny (just did it the other day in 1 1/2 hours), disconnect the fuel lines, secure it, and pull the crossmember / motor mounts.

 

VE30DE and the main reason I'm tried of it, is the VTC's. They are grounded and still they are beyond clacking, more like jack hammering, aside from that, the head gasket is going, I'm also losing oil somewhere. and there may be other issues.

I know I will save money by rebuilding it, and I do have capable people to pull it. But my main concern is the whole VTC assembly. Would hate to have it rebuilt with the same problem.

 

Rebuilding them works very well, I did both of mine. Your leak is probably the front main seal or oil pan gaskets, have you had a look?

 

i say get a jdm ve motor and before u install it rebuild the vtc

 

i agree w/ Beez. My VE is burning oil. ( cant complain w/160K on it) I`m a Nissan tech and to do the valve seals, i was planning on removing the head to have em rebuilt.For all that headache, I`m better off droppin the engine and installing a JDM VE changing all the gaskets and water pump and might as well convert to 5 speed while i`m at it ..lol. It would be cheaper and easier.My Local spot has em for bout 6-700 complete. I remember rebuilding the VTC for a customer .. pain in the a$$ job in my opinion. The timing chain was bad too and i had to drop the whole engine because there is not alot of room between timing cover and frame. Was one of those things where I wish I had a VG gain ...lol

 

My JDM engine is very strong, however, after only about 10k miles, the VTCs started to clack. They are at the early stages of it and I had the engine replaced in 2004. Right from the get-go I was using Toyota filters.

I will add that I am into it for far less than $3k, though.

Everything came to a little under $2k. That was with paying another .org member to do the work for me (long story) at a reasonable rate. That included all new water pump, belts, hoses, seals, gaskets and all new turbo exhaust manifold studs, plus swapping over a lot of other parts, including the variable intake (JDM was an automatic engine). The engine itself was about $900 and that included free delivery to the where it was installed.

There is a thread in the stickies about installing a JDM engine. A lot of the thread was written by Keelan (spipedong) who I know personally and Jeff, who did my swap.

 

right... to my understanding,all the JDM VE`s are auto. I would definately service the VTC prior to install.

 

Just my two cents. The idea that there is something special about a "JDM" engine is crap and that does come from personal experience. Am I mistaken in the fact that for the years we are talking about, that all engines were manufactured in Japan anyway? So what's the difference/benifit? I'd just say this, regardless whether it is from a car sold in US or engine shipped from Japan to US, if you can SEE the engine and INSPECT it before buying, do so!
My personal experience was not getting to inspect the engine I bought and the company refused to replace it despite failing a leak down test on 5 of 6 cylinders and rust pouring out of coolant system. This was all before I even had it off the shipping crate! Don't do business with MIDWEST ENGINES!!!!

 

so the real reason people get JDM engines is not because of the "JDM specialness", but rather because in Japan the engines are always pulled w/ low miles, and therefore, are much fresher than most engines we can get our hands on otherwise. Other than that an engine is an engine is an engine.

 

I appreciate you adding to and reiterated my point. There is some delusioned idea most have (I know I had it) about JDM. Fact is, they are thrashed and abused.....disposable. Therefore, JDM truly lacks the "fresher" benifit one would hope and expect. My experience is not limited to me. I concede that there are those JDM engines which have been maintained and are worth the cost. But again, that goes back to my main point that one should always take the option where they can inspect the engine first hand. This should be done for exactly the reason "an engine is an engine is an engine." Never buy sight unseen. Nuff said.

 

... seeing doesnt yet mean all would be ok. Compression test etc can carry some way, but still working warranty & trust is needed. (I bought fine looking used truck tires - proved to be balloons - how do ya test em?)

Buyer should heed to Danger & Co signs: "Don't do business with MIDWEST ENGINES!!!!"

 

I think Chris is pretty much right here about the "engine is an engine" and you should try to check it out before buying. They engines from Japan can be abused just like the engines from a boneyard.

The difference with mine is that it had a 1-year, unlimited mile warranty. That's something most junkyards will not do.

With the VE, just finding an engine can be sort of tough. I think the JDM ones tend to be in a little better shape than USDM ones (most of which are over 150k miles now) but that's not a guarantee.

Some of the benefits of buying a JDM engine are: 1) it's already pulled 2) it's usually ready to be delivered 3) it's sold by a company that can get another one 4) most are at least compression tested.


When I got mine replaced, they dropped one off at Jeff's and it was total crap. He threw a fit and they let him go pick out another one. He had to drive quite a ways to the warehouse. He took off the water pump and the valve cover to at least see how clean it was. They both had been compression tested, but there was a lot of sludge and rust developing in the first one.

Keelan had some of the same issues (sludge, rust) in his JDM engine, but he had his shipped from Arizona (?) so he couldn't get another one. He cleaned it out and the engine was fine. I don't know if he still owns it, but he used it in his red car, then swapped it into the black car MrGone had.

 

No matter what, when getting a used engine, you really dont know what condition it`s in until u tear em down. I had a friend get an engine frim a junkyard that had a spun bearing.What I did from back in my Small block chevy days was get an engine, tear em down and rebuild/refresh em. That way I had a sense of security.

However, VE`s are not as abundant as VG`s and Small blocks. So either rebuild the current one or get a reman. JDM or USDM, it`s still a junkyard engine. Do we all agree ???

 

I agree that you are still flipping a coin and a used engine is a used engine.

In my case, I did get a 1-year warranty by buying the JDM, but that will be case specific on where you buy it from. I think they know up front that the engine was tested running fine when the car was dismantled in Japan. Some of them might sit in a container or warehouse for some time, though. That's where the rust/scaly crap comes from. Cars end up in the US junkyard for a number of reasons, including dead engines.

The original poster said that he would have to pay over $3k for a reman. The KBB private party value on the car would still be below that. Taking your chance on a JDM engine is the next best thing. If you can do some of the work yourself, the total cost would be more like $1k to $1500.

As for the VE, personally I wouldn't feel comfortable rebuilding it myself and I don't know anyone that would do it cheaply, either. It is pretty complicated as engines go. I would love to have a rebuilt one in my car, but it's just not practical for most of us.

There are about a dozen people I know that could just about rebuild a SBC in their sleep, but none would touch my VE.

 

Again, I've purchased several JDM engines and had a friend who imported them.

I think what you're seeing with JDM engines as they pertain to the Gen3 Maxima is the AGE of the engine more then whether they were import or domestic models.

The NEWEST GEN3 Maxima engine is now 14 (almost 15) years old. The Japanese use their cars for 3-5 years and by then the cost to pass their annual tests becomes too great. Their cars may be flogged but they MUST be well taken car of to pass the test each year. It is a VERY rigourous test that encompasses emissions, safety and general condition

So if the Gen3 engine you bought truly is a JDM then it has likely been sitting somewhere in Japan for 8-10 of those years. How they are stored will make a marked difference in the engine you receive. However, there are vendors who will simply troll the local US junkyards pulling engines, cleaning them up and reselling them as "JDM".

In either case, you shold always treat a JDM engine as a longblock, swapping ALL the use manifolds, sensors and other and peripherals from your original. Whatever engine you buy will be >14 years old.

As I've said before, JDM longblocks USUALLY have little difference from export models. Changes are usually found in manifolds, sensors and other exterior pieces. These changes are due mostly differing emissions laws from country to country. But I've also found some JDM models that never made it to North America that have had significant changes to the internals. This is NOT the case with either the VG or VE.

I've also said before that the golden time for JDM is around 8 years after the end of that engines production and that we're WAY past that for the Gen3 VG and VE engines.

 

Not reading all the posts above throughly, but my .02 is if you want a reliable engine that will go for another 300k with no problem, then have your current engine rebuilt, used jdm or local junkyard engines are a crapshoot, period.

/thread

 

I'll stick to buying a motor I can hear run regardless of mileage

 

Greeny: "used jdm or local junkyard engines are a crapshoot, period."


http://www.pyzam.com/funnypictures/details/3625

 

and that clarifies everything! nice to know what goes on behind those junkyard fences and in the "JDM" import warehouses

 

oh the good ol' ve.
thats wierd about the head gasket going, i've never heard of that.

vtc's well there gonna clatter.
and if you get a jdm engine that comes with vtc clatter you could probably catch em before they get worse

 

well people. Bottom line is this .. "whats the car worth to you ?". Yeah the price of a rebuild or replace may be worth more then Blue book value.But the way I see it.. if someone is willing to drop some killer stout engine in an even older Z like a 280zx and rebuild it from the ground up and spend a fortune, Then Y would it be a crime to " refurbish " our now old school 3rd gens???

I once saw an almost all original mint condition 92SE in my shop. the only thing not original was the tires. only had 30k on the clock. Customer would`nt sell for nothing ...lol I was droolin when I saw it ...lol

 

My car is worth about $3800 to me.

It is always great to see someone "restore" a 3rd gen, but it really isn't practical and it does nothing for the car's value.

There is a big difference between an older Z car and a front wheel drive Maxima. The market and appreciation is almost zero for 3rd gens. If you restore and build up the engine in a Z car, it will increase in value at least some.

I have had my car for sale on and off for a couple of years. I have at least $1500 in mods (much more in "retail" value) and the car is in great shape. Zero rust, garaged for at least the last 10 years, etc. I get a lot of "great car, wish I had the money" but no buyers.

My car is cheaper than buying a bone stock 1992 240sx in worse shape. It is also cheaper than buying most bone stock 4th gens with about the same miles on it.

 

I know what u mean. I think alot of that has to do w/aftermarket support for the 4th gen and up. And 240`s..forget about it. the drifting craze made that happen too ...lol

 

fixed..

 

hey! drifting is cool! ever seen nick hogan drift? anybody that can make a suped up viper smack the rear of the car into the guardrail makes the "sport" cool. TWICE in a row! makes it double cool! see?:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=C8w1kIZ3b2Y&feature=related

 

JMO. Avoid like plague and go for a real JDM engine. If you're from LA, your in great lucks because you can get an entire engine lesser than 60K for around $600. ...no core exchange. I don't know if Jeff is still around but he has done it, ask him. You get a lot for $600 man, I have seen them sold along with alternator, water pump...lol just about everything that attaches to the egine ...use the search function and check it out. good luck dude

 

i had a 90 legend rusted to hell with over 230k miles on her.
the engine went out and i put in about $1700 for a jdm.
then had a cat back exhaust and a cai.

then got into an accident.
was gonna save up to pay about $1200 for the damage then about 250k miles the tranny went out.

still drove it wan was gonna keep it.

now if that white 3rd gen is your car with the engine going bad...dude it's looks VERY worth it.

 

Would definitely replace, especially with this car. They are asking a bit much it would appear...that is very steep indeed.

 

if u can pull the motor i reccomend ipp complete performance rebuild for about 2800 all the way up too about 4500 for a real kick

 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/524834/3

I went for the Remaned.... As well as a couple other upgrades. Haven't cranked it yet, but can't wait... SOON!

 

Cost? Looks shiny

 

Wow Alon! You've been an .Org member since '02. That's longer than me, but you only have 51 posts? I guess you're more of a doer than a talker Maybe I should try that

BTW, nice lookin' Max. I hope it runs as good as it looks once you complete the install. Let us know.