Hi Guys,

I'm working on a little article for my Accord V6 brethren at www.accordv6.com about why the VQ30DE is a Ward's 10 Best Engine and our J30A1 is not. The article is pretty much written (in my head) and one of the things I'm going to discuss is the powerband, since the VQ30DE does have a much wider powerband than our V6. I'm just wondering when the power really starts to pickup on the VQ30DE and how it feels all throughout the RPM range.

For example, the J30A1 in the Accord V6 is completely flat below about 2500rpm. Beyond that it starts to move, but it doesn't really start to get going until after we switch over to our high-performance VTEC cam lobe at 3500rpm. And then we really really start to move beyond 4000rpm. Peak torque is 4700rpm and then we're cooking, but power peak is at 5500rpm for us and after that the torque curve really starts to crap out (bottlenecked by our non-variable intake manifold). It still pulls good up to redline but not as hard as the VQ30DE.

If I could get a similar detailed description for the VQ30DE that'd be great.

Thanks in advance

 

Steve-
I drive my '00 SE 5-speed every day in total gridlock traffic, I have some observations regarding the VQ30DE's torque curve! First off, with the TSB ECM upgrade, it is responsive from about 600 RPM in any gear. It makes serious, shove you in the back HP/TQ from about 3000 to the 6700 limiter in any gear! The engine has ripping upper-end HP that ignites the tires even after a soft launch!
I guess the '02 VQ35 guys will have a totally new perspective, but the VQ30DE is still respectible!
Regards,
David Burnette

 

Just from experience in my 2k1 5spd (aftermarket Y and intake) I would say the higher the RPM the more power it is puts out. The real torque is around 4000-4400rpm though.

I disagree with DAVEB on the 3500+ part though. I don't really feel the power until 4400+. If I was racing on a roll I would like to start at just over 5000+ eg. 3rd gear at just over 80mph. When I have run other cars all the power is in the high end of the rpm. I could be even with a comparable car up to just over 6000 and and I will pull ahead just before redline. It kinda sucks that all the power is at redline but love it too since they think they are even with you and you pull ahead just before the next shift. Bitter sweet...

 

Having the power peak way up top is a good thing because that means the torque curve is still staying pretty flat and not dropping off like it does on most cars. The lower your peak torque RPM the better, and the higher your peak power RPM the better. If your peak horsepower was lower, say 5500rpm like on the Accord V6, you wouldn't have 222HP, but rather something like 210 maybe.

What about low-end response? I'd like to get some more thoughts on this

 

this is for the fourth gen, since accord doesn't have that intake thing, maybe u should compare it to teh fourth gen. From 1500 to 2000 tehres torque to get the car moving (not acclerating) @ 3000rpm it starts pulling a little push u back 2 the seat feel, @ 4000 it really slams u back and pulls all teh way to around 5800(nissna claim peak is @ 5600) then the 6000s+ feels like the 3000s-4000 but revs a little faster and noiser .

 

There is no doubt about high end power. In first gear at full throttle, my tires start to lose traction once the rpm goes above 5000. FROM A ROLL!!!!

I've never driven any car that rushes to the redline as vigirously as my Max. As far as low end is concerned, It is pretty good. I rarely have to use 2nd gear. I usually shift 1-3-5. After redlining 1st gear, I go straight to 4th.

The torque curve is really flat. My favorite zone is 2500-4000. There is enough grunt in that zone to pass virtually any car in any gear.(As long as the gear lands the engine at 2500). On the highway, us 5-speed guys rarely have to downshift to 4th to pass. Yeah, Maxima's 5th gear is really short, but still, I've never driven a car that cruises that effortlessy on the highway. I mean, at 80 mph, the VQ is running at 3000, and just a light pressure on the gas pedal, and as the reves build to 4000(torque peak), the Maximas will just FLY. (in 5th gear, that is.) All because of good low end torque.

And get this, when the torque runs out at 4000, then HP starts taking over. (on 2000+, too bad for you 4th gen guys!).

But in order to get a real objective comparison, we should compare the dynos of both the VQ and the accord v6.

 

My 2k 5spd pulls very hard from 3k to redline, I agree with DaveB.

I think the lowest point is below 700 rpm and somewhere in the 2200-2300rpm range it dips slightly. The car seems to have good torque pull in the 1500-2000rpm range though. If I give it more than 2500rpm and drop the hammer on the clutch I would smoke tires it seems for as long as I kept the gas buried(crap re92's are part of the problem, maybe thats why I can't break 2.4 60's) I can now (after 20k miles) spin the tires for a few yards if shifting into 2nd at WOT from redline.

Hopefully this helps Steve

 

No way 2k-2k1 have terrible low end power compared to the 3.5L and a lot of cars. If you don't launch your car at around 3500 and slip the clutch you will get rocked by a lot of cars from a dead stop. Unless you drop the clutch at around 2500 and hope you get grip with a little gas manipulation. All the power is in the high rpm.

 

Agreed - when I had both the '97 SE and the '00 SE (earlier this year) and would drive them on alternating days, the '97 always felt like it had more low end "grunt" than the '00. '00 came on strong above 2500 rpm. I drive mostly highway miles, the '00 feels stronger at higher speeds

 

I pull VERY hard from a little below 2000 to shift point/redline. Wwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I thought Tommy sent it?

 

What happened?

 

Ohhhh..... OK.

Pick up? I don't think I want to drive to SoCal.

Where are you going?

 

i have 2k auto.
from idle to about 2500 its pretty weak, it pulls but not as hard as one would want it to. but after 2500 to about 4000 it pulls good, much better than 2500 and under. but its not until about 5000 that it takes off all the way to redline, revs pretty fast too.

 

at around 2,500 rpm the max is making 175 ft-lbs of tourque it makes 190.4 (on my car)@4,700. It starts to die off, but not near as much as i thought. It only drops off about 22 ft-lbs all the way up to redline. The horsepower curve you could almost put a ruler on and see how straight and linear it is. Only making about 75 hp @2,500 it is a straight shot all the way up to 6,500 for 204.0 I love this engine. I think the accord V6 is a great engine too, but the smoothness of the engine on the nissan. I loved cruising on the freeway @100 plus, which in 5'th gear is just over 4,000rpm. You can't hear the engine! Now thats a great engine (or NVH people). The fact that I really can't find a car with the same displacement that makes that much hp without a turbo or a blower is interesting to me. Well you can, but not for around 27,000. Oh, how i am jonesing for the 6-speed right now. I drive by the nissan dealer every day wondering if they would just donate one to me. Now if you want to compare service departments......Honda would win hands down, and that is a reason not to own a nissan. I can't believe around here how much of a **** a service rep from nissan could be. I have been denied service from 3 nissan dealerships in the area because of my aftermarket exhaust and suspension. IM NOT EVEN IN WARRANTY! They said they're diagnostic equipment could not correctly diagnose the car. BULL****! I am a certified mechanic and I have a scantool, I just don't have the time to do this crap. AND.....since i have another car to drive to work, I don't mind leaving it at the dealership for a couple of days. SO NISSAN SERVICE SUCKS. sorry people i had to vent