sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/1175776342.html

Well, saw this craigslist ad..and was wondering if it is a good deal. I test drove it and it seemed pretty good but it was raining out and only gunned it up to 55-65mph, not sure but how likely is this, it ran smooth except for clicking I heard and it was coming from the front passenger side especially when I was turning. He said it was the cv axle and had receipt to replace it because he purchased it not too long ago. He popped the hood and I checked it out but did not actually see the engine number. I guess what I'm trying to say is...how likely is the swap because he said he was there when his best friend swapped it over time and he mentioned everything pretty much bolted on except for upgraded wiring. The engine looked in good condition and didn't notice any oil leaks, but then again it was raining and I'm not much of a mechanic. The only thing that did look weird was the wiring to the actual engine...and I was thinking it should be going faster than it was..I'm a Maxima noob so all input is welcome..


note: this isn't the actual pic of the engine bay but the blue wiring are the wires that look weird on the engine of the one I posted..

edit: thanks for quick/prompt own thread-making xP

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

If it has "regular" plug wires like the picture you posted above, then he's lying to you. the VQ30DE engine (the engine series in the 98 maxima) is a coil on plug(distributor less ignition) type engine..in "lay" terms, this means it doesn't have plug wires..it has ignition coil packs on each individual cylinder..It is most likely the VG30E engine..

did the engine itself look like this? (minus the cone filter/etc)

infinitiblast

iTrader: (2)

I saw this car too. I highly doubt he is selling a VQ swapped 3rd gen, for this price specifically. If you saw those blue wires its probably a VG, and at best a VE series. The VE series doesnt have plug wires where as the VG does.

Niccos89

iTrader: (2)

The clicking is definately a CV joint / CV Axle.
Engine number or a picture would have been handy.
You can look up a picture of what a VQ30DE looks like, its very similar to the VE30DE (in appearance, from the top).
The swap has been done a few times, but its certainly not "most of it just bolts straight on" kind of work. I dunno about upgrading the wiring either...generally you swap the works, so one would take the wiring loom, engine, ECU, transmision, etc...

Get a picture, or check the vehicle's paperwork for total weight and engine number.
Typically a J30 with a VG or VE weighs in between 1350-1450kg (depending on trim, options, transmission, etc), not sure about how less the VQs weight, but it'll be a fair bit lower than 1350.

PS: Tan seatbelts FTL :P
Those external door liners look pretty sick painted black.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

vq is a v6. the pic you posted is an i4. (yes, I know not the same car)
vq (98 maxima)doesn't have spark plug wires
make sure that it's a 93, and if there are spark plug wires, run (god knows what kind of butchery was done to get a non-ve engine in a 93 SE).
there are no such thing as coilovers for 3rd gens.
headlights look stock, not hid

grill looks chrome on my monitor (may be mistaken). if it is, inspect for front end damage.

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

Like I said it was raining, and the engine did look like this except the wires were crappy/cheap-looking on top of the engine and I told him to call me while I'm at work tomorrow because he's going to see if it'll pass emissions, because I was requesting to have it done after I got off work.

edit: I don't mean to mislead you all with the information I gave you, but they didn't appear to look plug-type, it just looked crappy...and I'm not too familiar with cars that don't use plug-type wires.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

No problem..

This is a picture of the VQ30DE engine found in the 98 maxima

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

Is there any possible way the VQ engine would have the same intake+filter layout in the first picture you showed me?

if not, then he's probably lying to me or mistaken but he was sure of it that his friend got the engine/transmission shipped from Japan and it was out of 1998 Nissan Maxima, but I'll probably pass this offer up

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

The filter would be in the same place, that's about it..To put it in more simple terms, if the car you drove has regular plug wires like in your first pic and my first pic, then he is lying through his teeth to you about having a 98 maxima engine in the car..walk away..

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

BTW, i just flagged the ad as spam..

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

k, then yeah he's lying, cuz the whole intake is similar to the first pic you gave me. Thanks to all for the input that was given...I was really hoping it was what I was told it was..but for the price I'd rather have bought the 92 Maxima that I drove and found to be alot smoother running altho it had 240k miles a week ago..

infinitiblast

iTrader: (2)

Was the other one you drove this car?

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/1153177689.html

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

meh, meant 1991, was this one in Tucker, GA.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/cto/1173608403.html

boosted97max

get a pic of the engine bay

Niccos89

iTrader: (2)

Black + Sunroof + 5 Speed FTW

Dont worry about 240k miles, if these engines are respected they last until....well....forever....

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

and if they aren't, well, a 5-speed at those prices, it may be worth getting a "jdm" engine for!

Niccos89

iTrader: (2)

He said it went pretty smooth, if it'd been totally thrashed he'd notice.
If something did go wrong, swapping out a local engine and box, or even re-conditioning the current would work out cheaper and faster opposed to being a trendy kid with an 'imported JDM spec engine', dont you think?

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

yeah to be honest..it felt like the one with 240k miles drove smoother, if not faster than the jdm engine...then again the kid said it had a stage 3 clutch..and god knows if he's tellin the truth about that..it didnt feel that stiff or noticeable..

a lil more info on the 240k mile maxima..it was just sitting in driveway undriven for the longest time and needs a new battery..and interior looked ok except for the radio that was wired and hooked up but not in place

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Sleepyeyed, sure sounds like the guy selling the "VQ swap" is either just an idiot or trying to pull a fast one. His ad says the car also has coilovers, and we all know nobody makes coilovers for the 3rd gen.

I would say the engine "swap" is a VG and merely had the wrong year on the donor car, but since the car is a 5 speed and if we're assuming it's actually a '93 it must have at one point been a VE. He has VE tails (92-94 SE) on it, but he has a VG (89-91) grille on it. Nothing about that car seems quite right, really seems just jumbled together. Of course, it could just be a newer VE engine in it, as the VE and VQ look a good deal alike, but then he wouldn't really refer to it as a "swap" or "conversion" or whatever. Who knows.

Can you just ask the guy for a picture of the engine? That'd solve it all. Either way, even if it was somehow a VQ swap, with the looks of the rest of the car and the seller seemingly a total idiot, it may not even be worth the trouble.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

you do realize there is no such thing as a real "jdm vg30e/ve30de from a maxima" anymore, right?

but that's exactly what I meant.

Cliff Clavin

iTrader: (11)

You can still by JDM engines. They have them in warehouses and cargo containers. If you buy one, it came out of a Japanese car, but that engine was likely pulled a few years back.

I agree with James. That white car seems like a BS jumbled up mess. Really, all you need are engine pics to show this board and your mystery will be solved.

I would rather have a fairly well cared for car with 240k than a trashed car with a newer engine, but that's just me. My truck has 250k and it drives great for a 94. The guy I bought it from was honest and told me everything he did to it. I have put $200 in non-regular maintenance in 2 years of owning it (knock on wood).

sleepyeyed

iTrader: (2)

update: he never called me while I was at work to tell me if it passed emissions nor did he answer my calls..so I guess he's trying to pull a fast on someone else or maybe he's on these forums and found out I wanted to do some researching before I bought it

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

it could be a VG30E out a 98 Quest...

Niccos89

iTrader: (2)

There was never such thing as JDM to begin with, seing as every one of our engines, and our 3rd Gen's were built and assembled in Japan.

I was thinking that before, but are the Quests SOHC or DOHC, and do their air intakes ceom from the left, or right side of the engine bay ?

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

sohc. hence "VG30E" as brian said. the quest intake looks more like the 4th gen intake iirc... individual runners and the plenum by the firewall. plus the quest engine is non-interference. but apparently different heads or something and not as good of a performance as the maxima VG.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

SOHC.
you can swap intake manifolds easy enough to keep thing stock if you want