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View Poll Results: 5 Speed Swap or 3.5 Swap?
5 Speed Tranny
41
56.16%
3.5 Engine
32
43.84%
Voters: 73. You may not vote on this poll

5 Spd Swap vs. 3.5 Swap

Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:06 PM
  #1  
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5 Spd Swap vs. 3.5 Swap

Ok my max has about 132,000 miles on it and itz an autotragic. I don't know if I should convert my car to a 5 spd sooner or wait longer and drop a 3.5. I figured that maybe i should wait and drop a new motor in since my car has high miles, but i'm so sick and tired of driving my autotragic everyday and its really starting to **** me off. I've found somebody that would do a 5 spd swap to my car for $1600 including the parts and tranny. I really also want to get the 3.5 but i don't kno anyone around in Vegas that would be able to do the swap (I highly doubt that i will be able to do it). If i do get tha 3.5, i mite as well get the 6 speed tranny with the motor ryte? or would it be better to just get a 5 speed swap in now and use the same tranny for a 3.5 motor later...opinions fellow org-ers?


Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:10 PM
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The 6 speed is NOT a direct drop-in. You will have to have different mounts fabricated at the very least.

You can also swap in a 5 speed with the VQ35, but you'd need a stronger clutch. The 5sp also has less drivetrain loss than the 6sp.

Personally I would wait and do it all at once. Your tranny might be annoying, but it's not about to die on you, right?
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:11 PM
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132,000 isnt a lot on our engines but a 3.5 would be nice. I would say if it aint broke dont fix it. If anything you will want a 5speed tranny even with a 3.5 so the question is would you rather have a 3.5 with auto or 3.0 with 5speed? I would say 5speed conv.
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:24 PM
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nah i don't think my tranny is gonna die on me yet..
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:26 PM
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thanx 4 the opinions so far
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by 9maxima5
132,000 isnt a lot on our engines but a 3.5 would be nice. I would say if it aint broke dont fix it. If anything you will want a 5speed tranny even with a 3.5 so the question is would you rather have a 3.5 with auto or 3.0 with 5speed? I would say 5speed conv.
Yeah, i'd rather have a 3.0 5 speed than a 3.5 auto...driving an auto is driving me insane
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:41 PM
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so then does anyone know where I would be able to have a 3.5 swap done to my 4th gen? bcuz i don't know anyone around that would be able to do it around here (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:43 PM
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Didn't I just see this poll?
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 01:47 PM
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LoL yeah i think that waz from a different orger and his situation
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 02:23 PM
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not to spam or bump or anything but...

...does anyone know where I would be able to have a 3.5 swap done to my 4th gen? bcuz i don't know anyone around that would be able to do it around here (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 03:12 PM
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Check the regional forums. I'm sure there's someone who can do it
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 04:04 PM
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cool thnx

Old Apr 13, 2006 | 07:24 PM
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5spd conv. first then 3.5 swap
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 07:44 PM
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5speed first.
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 07:56 PM
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go with a 5-speed swap first, you will like it.
Old Apr 13, 2006 | 08:23 PM
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save more money and do 3.5 with 5spd
Old Apr 14, 2006 | 04:17 PM
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My only complaint about the 4th gen. 5-speed is that it's geared so highly... it's not that bad in 5th at 70/75 mph, but when I get to 145-ish (past the 140 hash so I can't say exactly how fast) and have it to the red, I'm just dying for that 6th gear...
Old Apr 14, 2006 | 04:19 PM
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5 speed man! ur engine has another 100k if you treat it good. and by that time buy a 5.5 gen instead for about 5k =)
Old Apr 14, 2006 | 08:12 PM
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kewl thnx for all tha opinions
Old Apr 14, 2006 | 08:16 PM
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i'm most likely gonna go with the 5 speed swap first (which is soon) then 3.5 later (wenever that may be). I guess $1600 is a good price for having someone do the swap including parts and tranny right?


Old Apr 15, 2006 | 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by VQPower702
nah i don't think my tranny is gonna die on me yet..
but it might once you put in the 3.5 on an auto....i really would wait and do both a 5 speed swap and 3.5 swap at the same time....if you are going to do the tranni first and plan to do a 3.5 swap i would use a stronger clutch so you wouldnt have to worry about it later....
Old Apr 15, 2006 | 07:56 PM
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my maxima has a quarter mill on the miles with stock drivetrain and runs like a raw dog just keep it serviced and it will service you lol
Old Apr 15, 2006 | 10:52 PM
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why not find a 95 that is stick and buy it... your just wasting your money converting it. the car is only worth 2-3.5g anyway.
Old Apr 20, 2006 | 02:06 PM
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I would go with the 5spd then the 3.5. If you do the 3.5 with the auto don't you have to upgrade the trans so it can support the 3.5's torque?
Old Apr 20, 2006 | 07:57 PM
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132k, that engine ain't going anywhere, do the 5spd conversion.
Old Apr 20, 2006 | 08:26 PM
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how many threads do we have with the SAME TITLE?

DONATE AND SEARCH.
Old Apr 20, 2006 | 08:41 PM
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Like someone else said, go for the 5-speed swap and upgrade a few years down the road to a 5.5 Gen, 6-speed. I suspect a good percentage of the miles on your car are highway and 132K on a VQ is nothing.

Forget about the 3.5 swap.
Old Apr 21, 2006 | 06:33 AM
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Originally Posted by WielkiWaac
save more money and do 3.5 with 5spd
Old Apr 22, 2006 | 08:09 PM
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autotragik

Get the 5speed convertion, i want to do this too.
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 05:09 PM
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3.5 swap makes it the same car, just a little louder and faster in a straight line. After a while you'll get used to the speed and it won't matter.

5-speed swap, on the other hand, makes it a totally different car. It's fun in a way that you will never get with an auto, no matter how fast it is.
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:46 PM
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Like someone else had said... just buy a stick 95 max. Im sure whatever you can get for your car + the 2g ur willing to spend on a 5spd swap will get u a good 5-spd 95 max.

But if your like me and really like your car, then 5 spd swap for sure.
Old Aug 27, 2006 | 06:58 AM
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i have an idea....why dont you sell it. buy a 5spd, and then do a 3.5 swap?
Old Aug 27, 2006 | 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by willard00
i have an idea....why dont you sell it. buy a 5spd, and then do a 3.5 swap?
For what its worth i like this idea the best. You are getting the best of both worlds.
Old Nov 15, 2006 | 07:57 AM
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save ur $$ , wait and do it all at once..... you never know wut might happen

good things come to those who wait
Old Nov 15, 2006 | 12:07 PM
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I say drive your car till it dies. You could potentially end up with a bad tranny doing a tranny swap or a bad motor doing an engine swap. If it aint broke don't fix it. Once you save up for some real money you can get a better car that you'll be satisfied with. After you get done the swap(s) you'll probably want a whole new ride anyway and you'll end up $2000+ in the hole.
Old Nov 15, 2006 | 12:25 PM
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i wanted to buy an infiniti i35 motor.. (2002) but i thought since that the maxima's are 6 speeds in the 3.5 years my 5 speed max would need a new tranny? can anyone enlighten me on this matter
Old Nov 16, 2006 | 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by ouzo99max
i wanted to buy an infiniti i35 motor.. (2002) but i thought since that the maxima's are 6 speeds in the 3.5 years my 5 speed max would need a new tranny? can anyone enlighten me on this matter
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=430880
Old Nov 16, 2006 | 03:05 PM
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5 Speed...all the way.
Old Nov 16, 2006 | 03:46 PM
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how well do you know this person and how good is his work, if your not sure about the answers to these questions, then I would see if any 5-speeds in your area are for sell for around 3000-3500 and sell yours. If you do the swap and get a scrappy job you'll have problems and hate yourself
Old Nov 16, 2006 | 07:40 PM
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If you haven't driven stick before for extended periods of time, I advise you to strongly re-consider a 5-speed swap. 2 days in a row of stop-and-go traffic has convinced me that 5-sp is NOT the way to go if I don't want repetitive stress syndrome...


Why not consider boosting (if you haven't already)? The VQ is incredibly durable, and a 3.0+ FI> stock 3.5 every day of the year....

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