I test drove a 2002 Max today. Don't think it's going to be possible to put a 3.5 VQ from a 2k2 into the 4th gens. Maybe if you don't have a front strut tower brace, but the new intake manifold rides really really high up, looks like it might be be slightly higher than the strut towers themselves. To get a stb into a 2k2 looks like the brackets will need to offset the bar toward the front or rear as where it goes not has no more room between the manifold and hood.

But let me tell you, that new engine has so much midrange. It just pulls, pulls, and pulls. Not only does it pull, but you can really feel the added thrust behind it.

I posted my test drive in the general forums...

-V

 

Whoa? Are the 2002 max's out to test drive, for the general public?

 

The 5th gens 3.0 and tranny will bolt into 4th gen,the 5th gen manual tranny is the same as 4th gen,the only diff is 5th gens have two gears made stronger,i believe 2nd and 5th.
So if 5th gen body takes 3.5 i believe 4th gen will accept it with open arms.
Would you rather have the engine or super?
What would be cheaper engine out of junk yard or super,maybe alty engine?

 

Heh, if I can get that 3.5 engine into my 4th gen... screw the strut tower bar. We all have to make sacrifices.

 

I mean depending on the price of the engine and price to swap it it could even replace the supercharger and almost be giving the same HO coming out of it. The thing I was thinking about this is say you do all the supercharger mods etc you can only get so far. But if you start with the 225 and go super then with that alone your looking at a top of probably 315. Through on other mods maybe nbow we can talk up towards 350 or so. NICE. And if getting a 4th gen Max with 350hp befoer or without nitrous then I say more power to ya because then picture throwing a 70 shot in there. Could have LOTS of power. Never mind if your talkign a 4th gen with 135K or something and you drop in a nwe 5th gen motor with its 20 - 30K or eevn less then your looking at a maxi that will last you another 5 years or more. Not too mention for the strut you can always ebay it and figure out something else or another way around it.

Other than Strut bar what other parts would no longer match up? Y pipe? cat? more?

SuDZ

 

Try it and let us know! I'm just eyeballing the intake manifold clearance and don't know if it'll be possible. The 4th gen uses a different hood than the 5th gen. It looks like the intake manifold rides really really high in the 5th gen engine compartment, meaning it might not clear the hood in the 4th gens.

I'd rather have the SC. Peak power may be the same between the two, but I'm sure the SC has a much flatter torque/hp curve. Also, to get the 3.5 in will be much more complex, involving the wiring harness, ecu, and all the sensors to get everything to work right. The 3.5 also uses a drive by wire system, so you'll even need the accelerator pedal and related sensors for that. So for the price, the SC... Now if it were a 3.5VQ SC, that's another story...

-V

 

yup we all do, but i have one advantage i am stock

 

we talked about this one other time, we thought it may be possible to just get the newer upgraded parts off the 3.5 such as the intae manifol, crankshaft, etc..., if that would work you could push 260hp out of the 3.0 which would become a 3.5 or close bc its still partly a 4th gen. motor,
then if you put all your mods onto the new motor, you could run 300+hp with ease, now that would rule

 

coo..
good idea