i know a million people say not to put an engine from a 2000/2001 max into a fourth gen...but my engine scattered and i can get a 5th gen 3.0litre for real real cheap.if anyone has succesfully done this and CAN PROVE IT please let me know.maybe give me some suggestions.i work on cars for a living so im going to do it myself.

 

If one can be put in an RX-7, you can do it in another Maxima.....

 

i think it can be done, no one has tried it from what i know but everyone assmes it can't be done. my logic is if someone can fit a 3.5 from 2003 5.5gen maxima into a 4th gen maxima you can surely fit a 2000/2001 VQ30DE-K into a 4th gen. the engine bay in the 5.5 gens are the same size so why wouldn't it work. maybe the wiring may be tricky but i am sure it can be done and i think if you give it a shot it can be done.
good luck

 

its all in the wiring, getting the VI to work properly. A 3.5 is acutally exactly the same size as a 3.0 and 5lbs lighter. If you manage to get the VI in and working please post how you did it.

 

The engine itself is basically the same, other than another coolant pipe that comes out of the valley between the heads, on the driver side of the engine. Most of the changes were made to the inner working, cams, etc. Hell, if all you need is a new engine, and are worried about getting the VI to work, swap the upper and lower IM's and run it with the DE IM. I have the '00 VI on my '96 at this point with the rest of the engine waiting to go in. Hopefully, it won't be too much longer.