So Ive gotten a bunch of tips on what I should do for my car, and it seems to be headers and y pipe. My concern is actually doing it. No one has ever seemed to post anything about this job on the VQ30DEk. So im here to ask if anyone knows or has a write up on this job. Im thinking there can be access by taking the intake manifold and the cross member out and that will be easiest. Still not sure if ill get all of the bolts out lol. At 193k miles I still worry if this is a good idea. Everyone Ive talked to in my area wants to see an HR swap, but if this seems easier by most maybe I should do it.

 

Its the same exact process from 95'-03'. You will 100% need to take the intake manifold and crossmember out to make more room. Using a jack to lightly tilt the motor helps a lot as well. How attached are you to your car? If you are looking to make power gains you are better off with a VQ35, just that switch alone will net you more power than headers + Y pipe ever will on your VQ30.If you just want a very simple and effective mod though just do the y-pipe, its easy and cheap.

 

I didn't remove my crossmember.

 

I've done plenty and having the crossmember removed makes it much easier! Spray the exhaust manifold heatshield bolts and the exhaust manifold nuts down with plenty of PB Blaster it will be your savior!

 

Interesting, I'll have to remember that for next time.

 

Im in love with my car as im sure many are with their 5th gens. Love/hate relationship🤣 I def wanna do the HR swap because I know its something I can do with a few people I know. The motor itself I can probably find for the cost of headers...

 

So im definitely doing the Hr swap. Is there any specific years for the engine I need? Ive heard 2009 but havent heard anything about that being the only motor you could use.

 

2013+

 

Agreed. It may be beneficial, but absolutely not necessary.

 

If you don't have emission issues in your state, I highly suggest you consider Forced Induction instead of a motor swap. It will come out nearly the same as an engine swap $$ wise in the end but you'll have way more HP. If you can find a used supercharger kit for your 01, it's a direct bolt on and 49 State street legal (not legal in CA). Motor swaps are overrated in my opinion. Go FI or forgettaboutit.

 

Except I can do a swap for 850 total on a 5.5 (3.0 timing would be slightly cheaper even) and most people just want to replace a bad engine (3.slow in this case). And you can bet they, in no way, want to deal with reliability issues.
Have fun with supporting mods alone for boost being cheaper than the total swap. Rigging a boost setup together is a sure fire way to make sure the engine doesn't last.

If you mean paying someone to do it...then yeah, but that's pretty irrelevant with a car that's worth 1,500.

 

$850 for a proper HR swap? The engine alone is $700 around my area. Add in all the maintenence parts and you already blew that $850.

 

*Engines are about 5-550 (local or SHIPPED) and should be able to get them locally well under that, so call around. Yes, I checked on car-part.com, too, and like I said, CALL.
*signal inverters are 130 shipped, couple bolts/washers/barb fittings and TB pigtail (junkyard or china) if you need it, so let's say 50 max
*fluids should be about 100 = 830
That leaves you some change for miscellaneous stuff for assembly. Alternator bracket is made from any ol piece of scrap metal laying around.

Did I miss anything?

Maintenance items are on you (clutch, PS hose, etc). A direct swap is cheap. If you're thinking boost and you won't need maintenance/upgrade items....

 

I'm not really trying to argue it can't be done, but let's be a little more realistic. The OP has a 3.0 so that changes everything.

 

Yeah, he's going to use 3.0 timing and not need the inverters lol

 

So that leads me to ask, on 3.0 timing, no VI, stock ecu, how much power would a 09+ make over a 02-08?

 

Maybe im just stupid (ok probably) but why would anyone use 3.0 timing on an HR swap? Why not just swap to a 3.5 ECU and harness?

On second thought, maybe wizard knows best afterall. Forced induction would net more way more power for the same if not less money than having to swap the motor, wiring, ecu, trans, etc... I couldnt see 3.0 timing on an HR swap being worth doing either when you can just straight up buy a 5.5gen and get basically the same result with zero effort required.

 

Engines are garbage in every 5.5 unless you've got a sweet hookup on a low mileage one...or it's trashed. It's better to stick with what you know vs an unknown (aka non-maintained money pit).

There's not many long term success stories with FI on here for a reason. Knowledge and money are a huge limiting factor. IF you can get a complete PnP S/C kit for cheap that's not worn out, sure, go for it.
NO ONE with a rwd claims it's cheap to mod VQs....and they have infinitely better support. Emanages are junk, Utecs are getting rare (but I guess you can find one), and I haven't kept up, but I don't think anyone is reflashing 3.0s, yet.

You know what a low use, complete (minus fuel/tuning solution), vortech kit cost me for RWD? 3,200.
As far as I can tell most people are DDing these things, too. Once you do the swap, you can drive until the tranny ****s out or needs a clutch. FI isn't going to be so simple.

 

So the moral of the story is stay stock or buy a different car.

 

That's what I am currently running on my 4th gen 6mt. Altima headers and everything else (power wise) is stock. As it sits right now I ran 14.3@99 @ 3020 race weight.
I dont have an apples to apples comparison for this and my old swap just yet, current swap needs an intake and exhaust to be comparable to my old numbers.
I do plan to dyno my current setup, but haven't decided when.

That's like asking why do any swap on 3.0 timing, that dead horse has been beaten over and over again.
I consider the Gen II engine to be a DE with headwork and without oil burning (among other minor improvements over the Gen I DE).
Variable cam timing or not, the airflow improvements are still there.

 

That's not bad. You're missing a lot just from tune (assuming you don't have anything). Ignition timing can really be cranked up.
I could log mine if anyone is interested in replicating it. No knock on 93 in summer heat.

 

14.3@99?! It must be begging for a tune.

 

Id argue that my engine is begging for more air just as much, if not more than a tune. Thinking about it, I have an OEM intake and catback installed that were designed for an engine producing 100hp less (from the factory) than the one in there now.

Korn, define summer heat.
I've tuned both my old 3.0 and 3.5 setups - there are always healthy gains to be made on these cars!

 

90s and swamp *** humidity, so not very comparable to your cracked butthole in the desert.