From the very first post, the first think to come to my mind was the timing chain or other related issue. I assuming if he never mentioned that the transmission was about to shift into second, no one would have even suspected the transmission.

Anyway, I think this maybe a sure way to check if it's a timing chain related problem: (I never tried this, and don't know if it would work, but if you know how the engine operates, theoretically it should be a good troubleshooting technique.)

Since you said you removed one of the valve covers, you should have a good view of the valve camshafts... now underneath your vehicle, there should be a cover/plate (between the motor and tranny) that hide's the flywheel. If you remove that cover and take a large screwdriver and try to turn the flywheel by its teeth, the camshafts above should also turn! obviously you need a friend to help. (Honestly i dont recall if there's a plate/cover to the flywheel under the car, but if you remove your starter you can definatly access it from there)

Again i don't know if this is a good check but theoretically it should be. I'm not mechanic so if anyone knows anything about this for sure, please speak.

 

ok well i am thinking the worst so i was going to put a 3.5 in it. I was planning on having redlinemax do the swap. anyone had experience with them. How do the swaps look???clean????

 

what was the out come when you tried turning over the motor by hand?

 

i can turn it one way but then i go the other way and it hits...

 

. . .and you hear an audible noise? and will it contiue to move or wont go past that point?

 

it will crank but wont start if the timing chain went...my VE on the 3rd gen bent valves and man what a noise it made remember we have interferance engines - but my timing chain tensioner broke. and BOOM !

all well no VQ no care...



when you turn the key to start it what does it do ? does it crank ? does it do nothing ? if it cranks what noises does it make ?

 

I would vote that it's the tranny. I bent every valve in my VQ once when I missed a shift passing someone, and the thing still ran. It also means the timing chain is very strong when it doesn't break from the force of every valve hitting a piston when the engine has 140k miles.

 

yes there is get a 10mm wrench and it takes two bolts to remove.

 

no i can't hear anything it just stops like something is in the way. Idk if its the trans because my friend and i pushed my car home in neutral or would that matter??? Also when i try to crank it the motor doesn't spin, it sounds like the batt. is dead (click sound) but is not....i had 12.65 volts

 

anyone had experience with redlinemax or tilley and how long is the turn around period

 

everyone is trying to help you, andswer some of the questions.........have you tried starting it more than that one time, did you hear anything,or did it crank, but not start up.....

it might acually be the battery......my battery went bad and it caused the car to shut off a couple times. it might be at 12.65 volts, but the amps could be low, and the battery will be bad. try swaping your battery with a friends or something and see if that gets it going

 

This doesn't seem like something that would happen to a VQ, ESPECIALLY if you had no prior signs(clicking/hesitation etc.). But if it is the motor it doesn't necessarily have to be a valve....could be lots of thing, maybe you SPUN a rod bearing(but the car would usually make a clicking sound and continue to run). Starter just doesnt make sense, the car was already running. CHECK YOUR FUEL SYSTEM. It could something as simple as a blown fuel pump fuse. Could also be something with timing (chain/gear?).

Has no one thought of fuel??

 

If its fuel, itll still cran but wont turn over.

 

If not fuel then it's spark.....

 

got an update i30dvr?

 

not yet, im having my friend come over, he is the head nissan tech so hopefully he can help me somehow. I will keep u updated

 

It doesn't crank??

 

everything is likely.

A guy with who keeps missing his oil changes by 3k everytime can cause oil passages to become clogged with sludge and therefore the outcome is boom.

 

no the starter is trying but the motor is locked, again it sounds like a dead battery (click click) when i tried to turn it over by hand it won't go either way

 

That statement doesn't make any sense....everything is POSSIBLE.

 

If you have access to a mechanic, then have him look at it, he has the car infront of him and will be able to help you more than us....

 

if ur on compression stroke it can be super hard to crank by hand....

 

Spark is the same thing as fuel. same results ...

 

Click click for most car means the starter.

 

ok guys i finally found the problem. I def. shot a rod b/c there is a hole in the block and now that is has set i see some oil coming out. So i guess its new engine time. Quick question, does tilley have some sort of guarantee on the 3.5 swap in case of problems...?? thanks

 

He might have some type of warantee, best way to find out would be to call and ask him.

Tilley maybe hard to get in contact with and to get a prepped 3.5 from him might take longer than you want (this is all an asumtion based on the large number of people who just wanted to get some adapets and spacers from him, and its taking a few months).

Whats your time frame on trying to get a 3.5 prepped for you? Since the swap has gotten more ppopular, there are more people able to prepp and motor for you to drop in.

 

well i would like to get it in the next month or so because i am going to school at the end of august but it doesn't have to be done that soon, i just want the swap done right....no problems, clean wiring etc..

 

Understandable, there are someone the org who can help and help you. I'm trying to wrap up my swap so I finish, could prep up a motor for you.

 

ok did u do ur swap??? Also now this isn't a hit at you but lets say i get a motor that says it has 30K on it...how do i really know the mileage of the engine.

 

Yes I'm doing my swap, putting timing equipement on.

There is support to be a vin# on the motor. You can run that and check and make sure the motor has the moilage its suppost to have.

 

how long has it taken u, like i said i would like to get it done asap but i want it right...

 

Doing it right naturally will take time. Its taking me longer than other because I work 12hrs days a lot (overtime to fund this swap), and small other things pop up here and there. Not to foget I'm pulling parts off the DE and I'm baggin and labeling it so I dont lose it and have to try and find a replacement some how.

But let say a full day morning to night, with a few brakes, the timing equipment could be pulled off the DE and the 3.5 a long with Oil pans. And probably install the timing equipement back onto the 3.5 and seal it up. With patients and careful eye I could see a motor getting prepped in a 3-5 days.

 

ok cool, well i left a message for tilley at his shop, obviously here is not there now cause its sunday but hopefully he can give me a call back tommorrow and give me some more info

 

Cool, hopefully he gets back in contact with you.

 

yeah me too, one more question for anyone that has 3.5 swap with 3.0 ecu and wiring. Is the car reliable, how long have you had it done for, how does it idle....thanks

 

if the motor doesn't turn over and you can hear the solanoid of the strater ingage, that means the motor is toast. Meaning something is bent inside preventing any movement of the motor

 

I'm still doing my swap, but as for reliability its just as reliable as the 3.0 or the 3.5 in a 5.5th gen or 6th gen. A proper install will give the motor a long life in your max, just as if it was a 3.0. I know that might not mean too much at this point since yours just gave out on you, but You'll be set for quite a while.
He found the problem . . .

 

ok thanks for the info. i will let you know when i get a hold of tilley

 

ok guys i just got a 2001 vq30de out of i30. The motor has 4,000 miles on it and got it for $1900. What do you think??? Also because my car is a 99 should i have problems passing emissions???

 

lool, you got ripped off