Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

I just purchased a complete VQ35 for my swap ($800), and the guy said it has 29k on it. I'm really not worried that they are lying to me, as this is a big salvage corporation (LKQ), I just want some assurance here.. I tend to get a little paranoid over small things like this. So is there any way to check the true mileage of the eninge? Can I go through Carfax with the VIN# on the block? What should a 29k mile engine look like?

Fred Allen Burge

Call LKQ back and ask them nicely to fax you a copy of the title, that will show the mileage the last time the title was transfered which would be when they bought it. If you don't have a fax number I've got one turbosforsale@hotmail.com let me know.

allen

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

Do some metallography and forensic analysis on the cylinder wall surface. j/k

eng92

iTrader: (3)

I have free carfaxes for another 21 days. What is the VIN?

Did they give you the results of a compression test?

EDIT - Most likely the CARFAX will not tell you anything as it only showed 22 miles on the car I bought my 3.5L out of. That was recorded back in Aug 2002 when the car was first registered.

sryth

There's no way to tell mileage 100%, even with the VIN. You can get the last reported mileage, but it could have been in a few cars since the original.

There's definitely no way to tell by inspection.

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

I will PM you once I recieve the engine. LKQ tests and make sure their engines run good before they list it. I didn't ask for compression test numbers.


The engine was pulled from a 2k2 maxima. As Allen22 mentioned, the last mileage recorded should be when LKQ bought the car. I highly doubt that this engine has already been in another car, and back into LKQ's hands. But you never know its possible, but highly unlikely.

eng92

iTrader: (3)

Probably unlikely, see my edit post #4.

sryth

LKQ also inspects the parts they ship to verify they are the correct part...but they didn't in my case. About 6 months ago I ordered a VLSD tranny from them. They sent me an open-diff tranny, and corrected their mistake by sending me another open-diff tranny...after I told them how to check for VLSD!

I'm still waiting on my $150 refund for the mixup...I hope it arrives today!

Good luck!

Kevin

call the DMV where the car was registed and get the insurance company's name. if you contact hte insurance company they are usually more then willling to tell you everything you need to know about the vehicle when it wa declared totalled at what mileage etc etc.

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

Would it be possible to get this info from looking up the VIN? Or would I have to call LKQ to get that info?

Armani

lol. That's funny. You bought a motor so of course you cannot possibly know the true mileage. And you never will too. Do you realize how easy it is to rollback odometers in cars today? All you need is a device that sells for approx. $8k (these are usually european devices in the 6k euro range) and you can reprogram the mileage on our ECU which is of so called "EPROM" type. BMW's and other Germans use different ones. There are a total of 5 different. Some require you to weld stuff, but most don't. For all you know, the engine may have 69k or 129k miles. Just thought I'd let you know and be straight with ya. Good luck.

2 Da Max

iTrader: (2)

count the lines on the insides of the cylinder







or you could carfax, but the lines are better

Kevin

yeah they shoudl be abel to do it with the VIN.

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

When I bought the my motor I asked for the VIN before hand, I did a carfax on it and it showed its last title transfer as going to the salvage yard I purchased it from and its mileage and that it was a total loss.
I It also showed the owner who had it before the yard and its mileage when he purhcased it and when he totaled it. The carfax listed the mileage at the time it was decleared totaled and it matched the mileage that the yard transfered the title with.

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

I'll definantly have the VIN checked out.

Curt

iTrader: (27)

The problem is that a yard can sell as many VQ engines as they have claiming any one, particular, low-mileage VIN number is for the car which all those engines came out of.
NissanUSA (not the dealer - you'll have to look them up on Google and call them) has told me that they have a database of production info, and that if I can give them either the chassis VIN or the engine SN, they can provide the matching/opposite number for when the vehicle was produced.
Once you have a valid match of VIN and your engine SN, a CarFax on the VIN will be able to give a reasonably valid figure for the mileage (subject to any odometer rollback, which may be revealed in the CarFax history).

Nismo3112

iTrader: (12)

Thanks for the response everyone. I am picking up the engine at the dealer today. Hope all goes well!