Update on VQ35 6 speed swap
Dammm, I used to live in SF and Oakland CA, the Bay area. DAMM... I would so go check u out man. keep truckin!
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Last edited by Maximeltman; Aug 31, 2011 at 01:11 AM.
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You look like a ramada inn.. Im coming!!! 
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
heck no, do i look like a holiday in? but there is nothing really to see right now. when the engine goes in and all the wiring, then there would be something to see. but i am still waiting on parts and ups takes too long.
I have done a 6spd conversion on a 00 Maxima and the tranny mount will not line up 
Check out my cardomain website. Also you gonna need to swap out the ignition switch- since your 4th gen has no immobilizer and all 5th gens have it. You are gonna have to cut the firewall up to pass the shifter cables throught it- they don't fit. I recomend doing this now as there is no room behind engine to drill once the engine is in the car. I would just slide in a VQ35DE block under the DE-K heads and use the variable manifold, keep all the wireing and dissable the troublesome VTC system. I'm gonna do a similar thing to mine soon with the new VQ40DE, but I'm not gonna put in the crappy 6spd tranny in.
Check out my cardomain website. Also you gonna need to swap out the ignition switch- since your 4th gen has no immobilizer and all 5th gens have it. You are gonna have to cut the firewall up to pass the shifter cables throught it- they don't fit. I recomend doing this now as there is no room behind engine to drill once the engine is in the car. I would just slide in a VQ35DE block under the DE-K heads and use the variable manifold, keep all the wireing and dissable the troublesome VTC system. I'm gonna do a similar thing to mine soon with the new VQ40DE, but I'm not gonna put in the crappy 6spd tranny in.
What the difference between the VQ35 and VQ40? Crank and piston size? I bet you it has lower compression than 10:3:1 like the 3.5 maxima. What kind of tranny are you going to use Black Bird?
No specs have been released on the VQ40 engine, the heads are totally different from the current 3.5L. Nissan has its R&D department around my work and I talked to Yiko the guy who does alot of testing for Nissan at one stop light. I got to check out the new Pathfinder in person a month ago. The intake manifold is different and resembles more of a VK56DE than the 350Z one. I'm gonna use my rebuild-15K miles ago 5spd tranny with 100K miles on it. 6spd tranny sucks up too much WHP compared to the 5spd in the 3.5L Altima- ever notice how Altimas put out way more power than Maximas with bolt ons ?
I removed it cause I noticed some metal shavings coming off the block- aka the PhantomGrip. I tried to install a PG in Y2K Max Luv's Maxima, and it didn't fit- required gridning down the spider gears which weakens the diff. Both of our Maximas- Brandons and mine are PhantomGrip less. I no longer recomend them on Maximas
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yeah but then i will not have all 245 horses form a vq35 and no pint in the swap then. and what other tranny is there that i can use? and you want to buy the kit for the vq40de?
and i know that i have to drill a hole but my bro and i didnt do that on hs max when we converted to a vq35 6 speed in his 2k max. everything went perfect.
and i am using all the wiring from the 2k2 max so i hope everythin works. plus i will get all the neat features that the 5.5 gens have in a 4th gen.
ohh and a little secret, the 2k engine is out as of saturday.
and i know that i have to drill a hole but my bro and i didnt do that on hs max when we converted to a vq35 6 speed in his 2k max. everything went perfect.
and i am using all the wiring from the 2k2 max so i hope everythin works. plus i will get all the neat features that the 5.5 gens have in a 4th gen.
ohh and a little secret, the 2k engine is out as of saturday.
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Yay!! Cant wait until everything is done!
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
yeah but then i will not have all 245 horses form a vq35 and no pint in the swap then. and what other tranny is there that i can use? and you want to buy the kit for the vq40de?
and i know that i have to drill a hole but my bro and i didnt do that on hs max when we converted to a vq35 6 speed in his 2k max. everything went perfect.
and i am using all the wiring from the 2k2 max so i hope everythin works. plus i will get all the neat features that the 5.5 gens have in a 4th gen.
ohh and a little secret, the 2k engine is out as of saturday.
and i know that i have to drill a hole but my bro and i didnt do that on hs max when we converted to a vq35 6 speed in his 2k max. everything went perfect.
and i am using all the wiring from the 2k2 max so i hope everythin works. plus i will get all the neat features that the 5.5 gens have in a 4th gen.
ohh and a little secret, the 2k engine is out as of saturday.
I doubt U didn't have to drill a hole in a 00 Maxima to do a 6spd conversion, got any pics to prove ? I know this from experience, I just put a 6spd into a AUTO 00. Check out my CarDomain site for pics, I aint BS here. 2K engine is out as of Saturday ?? it don't look like a 00 engine in any of the pictures... its a plane jane non-K motor you have. 245 horses ? Maximas had 255 and Altima had 240 in 02 and 245 in 03. 6spd only dyno 200-205WHP stock, which aint much more than the 00-01 5spd. Also how are you going to run returnless fuel system in your 4th gen ? Your going to run into ALOT of trouble pretty soon with all the emission equippment, shifter cables and motor mounts There is no kit for a VQ40DE, there is an actuall 4.0L VQ in the 05 Pathfinder, Frontier and Xterra. If your bro had a 5spd manual and went for a 6spd... that has to be one of the dumbest moves ever... you LOOSE power with that tranny. Compare dyno charts of Altimas vs Maxima and you see that 6spd makes less HP, same thing goes for the Spec V SE-R and just plane Jane SE-R, Spec has the same tranny as the 6spd Maxima, and on paper it has 175HP vs 165 for the normal SE-R, yet for some reason the normal SE-R puts out 5WHP more than the more powerfull Spec V. Good Luck with the swap, and I would like to see your brothers 00 6spd Maxima pictures.
There is no kit for a VQ40DE, there is an actuall 4.0L VQ in the 05 Pathfinder, Frontier and Xterra. If your bro had a 5spd manual and went for a 6spd... that has to be one of the dumbest moves ever... you LOOSE power with that tranny. Compare dyno charts of Altimas vs Maxima and you see that 6spd makes less HP, same thing goes for the Spec V SE-R and just plane Jane SE-R, Spec has the same tranny as the 6spd Maxima, and on paper it has 175HP vs 165 for the normal SE-R, yet for some reason the normal SE-R puts out 5WHP more than the more powerfull Spec V. Good Luck with the swap, and I would like to see your brothers 00 6spd Maxima pictures.
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well i guess u havent been reading up on the posts from a long time ago. it is a 2k engine that was in my car but not he VI intake manifold. i was thinking of putting it on since people did it already but decided to go for the vq35 instead.
and u didnt read right. my bro went from a auto to a 6 speed. and he didnt cut a whole cause he used a vq35. he has a 2k 6 speed maxima with vq35 in it. he replaced everything including the harness inside the car.
and actually maxima is 245 horses. not 255. nissan only says that. a 2k2 max has been dynoed in numerous magazines at 245 horses. nissan lies on their #.
and i know the motor mounts and tranny mounts are different but i have all tht from a 2k2 parts car that i bought. so this swap is going to be alot easier cause i have evreything i need including the emission stuff. and i didnt have any emission problems with my 2k engine.
and i dont care if a maxima makes a couple less horses than a altime .i rather have a 6 gear for freeway cruising.
and then u are telling me i will have problems. look at the swap you are talking about. if it ever gets done.
and u didnt read right. my bro went from a auto to a 6 speed. and he didnt cut a whole cause he used a vq35. he has a 2k 6 speed maxima with vq35 in it. he replaced everything including the harness inside the car.
and actually maxima is 245 horses. not 255. nissan only says that. a 2k2 max has been dynoed in numerous magazines at 245 horses. nissan lies on their #.
and i know the motor mounts and tranny mounts are different but i have all tht from a 2k2 parts car that i bought. so this swap is going to be alot easier cause i have evreything i need including the emission stuff. and i didnt have any emission problems with my 2k engine.
and i dont care if a maxima makes a couple less horses than a altime .i rather have a 6 gear for freeway cruising.
and then u are telling me i will have problems. look at the swap you are talking about. if it ever gets done.
pictures, I would like to see a 00 Maxima with a 3.5L 6spd in it. Especially since you say there was no firewall cutting. What swap are you talking about here, that will ever get done ? My VQ40DE ? I guess U have not visited my Cardomain site and seen the cars I have. Engine swaps for me are like doing oil changes on Maximas.
Black bird, when you say "I would just slide in a VQ35DE block under the DE-K heads and use the variable manifold, keep all the wiring and disable the troublesome VTC system."
I agree it would be easier. But i still hope this Vq35 project comes three due to a couple reasons. Combining the motors will make the compression shoot to a 11:1 i believe. This isent too good for us people with forced induction. A Vq35 would put down the same power at a safer compression for us to run our forced induction and it would be perfectly tuned by Nissan.
Just my 2 cents
-Chris
I agree it would be easier. But i still hope this Vq35 project comes three due to a couple reasons. Combining the motors will make the compression shoot to a 11:1 i believe. This isent too good for us people with forced induction. A Vq35 would put down the same power at a safer compression for us to run our forced induction and it would be perfectly tuned by Nissan.
Just my 2 cents
-Chris
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Blackbird, you remember that huge thread we had with us 3.5 guys trying to get a lawsuit in for missing HP? Well thats what hes trying to say. Vsamoylov, I think the max engine make around 255hp, but there too much powerloss by the time it get to the wheels.. If not, nissan needs to buy all the 5.5 gen 3.5 maximas back.
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
well i guess u havent been reading up on the posts from a long time ago. it is a 2k engine that was in my car but not he VI intake manifold. i was thinking of putting it on since people did it already but decided to go for the vq35 instead.
and u didnt read right. my bro went from a auto to a 6 speed. and he didnt cut a whole cause he used a vq35. he has a 2k 6 speed maxima with vq35 in it. he replaced everything including the harness inside the car.
and actually maxima is 245 horses. not 255. nissan only says that. a 2k2 max has been dynoed in numerous magazines at 245 horses. nissan lies on their #.
and i know the motor mounts and tranny mounts are different but i have all tht from a 2k2 parts car that i bought. so this swap is going to be alot easier cause i have evreything i need including the emission stuff. and i didnt have any emission problems with my 2k engine.
and i dont care if a maxima makes a couple less horses than a altime .i rather have a 6 gear for freeway cruising.
and then u are telling me i will have problems. look at the swap you are talking about. if it ever gets done.
and u didnt read right. my bro went from a auto to a 6 speed. and he didnt cut a whole cause he used a vq35. he has a 2k 6 speed maxima with vq35 in it. he replaced everything including the harness inside the car.
and actually maxima is 245 horses. not 255. nissan only says that. a 2k2 max has been dynoed in numerous magazines at 245 horses. nissan lies on their #.
and i know the motor mounts and tranny mounts are different but i have all tht from a 2k2 parts car that i bought. so this swap is going to be alot easier cause i have evreything i need including the emission stuff. and i didnt have any emission problems with my 2k engine.
and i dont care if a maxima makes a couple less horses than a altime .i rather have a 6 gear for freeway cruising.
and then u are telling me i will have problems. look at the swap you are talking about. if it ever gets done.
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Posts: 2,761
Why not just make a custom hood with raised sections where it may have clearance issues?
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
well i got the engine out and it is in my garage now. now i am wondering if the intake manifold of the vq35 will clear the hood. if not, hood scoop. i get pics of the car and the engines up and the vq35 6 speed in the 2k max also.
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lol.. not the hump.. I dont know I was just picturing something like the Mustang Cobra R where the hood is raised : 
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
you mean like on the eclispe? kinda like a hump? i rather have a scoop.
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The scoop will just make your intentions of making your maxima look from classy and powerful to just being ricey... Im sure youlll figure something out about the hood.. You could always talk to a body shop and see what they can do for you.
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
yeah that would look good but i have no idea of how to make that from a stock hood unless i get aftermarket hood but i like the idea cause a scoop wont look right.
I have a 94 Sentra XE that I put a VQ30DE into but its on hold for now. Need to get some axles fabbed up. I dunno what possesed me to do a such weird swap. The picture you see is PhotoShop of my engine- U can see the 2x4 sticking out from the intake manifold. I use that 2x4 to hold up my CF hood when I work on the car Durring Photoshop it was cut off. I wanted to see what the K motor would look like under the hood.
Durring Photoshop it was cut off. I wanted to see what the K motor would look like under the hood.
As far as 11:1 compression goes, I have a friend who has a 95 200SX SE-R, has 11:1 compression and all the all bolt ons, makes only 227WHP naturally aspirated and shoots 100 shot of JWT NOS into the engine with no problems. The new TL uses 11:1 compression also from the factory. I wouldn't worry bout 11:1 compression on 93 pump gas. There are many secrets of making a detonation free frankenstein 3.5L hybird.... you can add quench area to the heads combustion chamber area. This will lead to a less detonation prone engine. Dan Parramore Racing uses that on his race SR20 turbo heads for all out power. Our killer high HP 600-700WHP SR20s run 10:1 compression with no detonation and insane amounts of boost
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BlackBIRDVQ, i have a quick question for you on headers. my headers on the vq35 were cracked due to the accident and do you think that 2k-2k1 headers will fit?
or should i get some aftermarket headers? what do you recomend? hotshot or cattman? which has more gains and is easier to install and no fitment problems? and what kind of money am i looking at to spend for headers? worht it?
or should i get some aftermarket headers? what do you recomend? hotshot or cattman? which has more gains and is easier to install and no fitment problems? and what kind of money am i looking at to spend for headers? worht it?
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VSA, I think it would be much better in the end if you stick with getting 3.5 headers..
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
BlackBIRDVQ, i have a quick question for you on headers. my headers on the vq35 were cracked due to the accident and do you think that 2k-2k1 headers will fit?
or should i get some aftermarket headers? what do you recomend? hotshot or cattman? which has more gains and is easier to install and no fitment problems? and what kind of money am i looking at to spend for headers? worht it?
or should i get some aftermarket headers? what do you recomend? hotshot or cattman? which has more gains and is easier to install and no fitment problems? and what kind of money am i looking at to spend for headers? worht it?
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oops, sorry for not beeing clear.. I meant hotshot headers.. Your prbably gonna want to mod the 3.5 anyway, so since you have to buy headers, might as well go ahead and get something good instead of wasting money later... (you posted too many threads about headers, I got confused what I was replying to )
)
Originally Posted by vsamoylov
wh ydo you think it be better in the end to just get stock headers for my vq35? just to see the gains it will give being all stock? and then i have to buy and waste more money on aftermarket headers when i can do it now.
