So I was planning on doing a swap into my 97 maxima this spring since it just blew a head gasket and needs $3000(estimate) to get up and running. My machanic says that the swap is a big job and will never be in good running condition and there will always be something wrong with it. He says none of the wiring will hook up and that i will have CEL on all the time and might not pass emisions. My dad is also saying the same thing but only becuase the machanic is. I really wanna do teh swap becuase I think it will be better then fixing the orignal engine. I need help on this issue. Please give me all the PROS and CONS of doing the swap. People with the swap done give me your opinion and how did the whole prosses go?

 

I don't know why the mechanic is talking you out of it. If you replace it with the VQ30DE, you will not throw any codes as long as everything is hooked up. If you put in a VQ35DE, you may throw some codes, but if you are replacing the motor with the same one, I dont know what the hell he is talking about.

 

http://forums.nycmaximas.org/showthread.php?t=19270
Quoting this page but...
"Any ECU will work with this swap, I’m running a 1998 auto ECU (stock), but I do have some Check Engine lights. Personally, they don’t bother me, but a bit more work and planning has to go into the swap if you don’t want check engine lights. I have codes for the IACV (not connected), and EVAP system (not connected)"

"You cannot use a strut bar with the 3.5, the manifold sits too high."

"Is it worth it?

In one word: Definitely."

The mechanic isn't talking about the swap for another 3.0 throwing codes, but that the 3.5 will. This is true but the codes can be corrected if more time is spent swapping the engine.