Old VQ30’s oil pump gave out at about 180,000. Swap conducted purely for low mileage reasons and not for performance. There is not a single mod in this car. As bone stock as the day as it rolled out of the asssembly line, albeit, with a VQ30DEK.

I swapped the DEK in a method I thought was simplest (to me). I chose to tap the VQ30DE lower plenum versus keeping DEK plenum and finding injector clips, getting an AFPR, removing swirl valves, filling holes with epoxy, etc. Only maintenance items were changed (spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, pcv, etc). VI is currently not plugged, but will be once summit rpm switch arrives.

Vehicle Specs:
-1998 Maxima GXE, Automatic

Parts list:
-VQ30DEK (20,000 miles)
-Custom TB/IACV Plates
-Flex tubing to connect TB to stock air box
-Random hoses to reach IACV relocation

All else was plug and play.

Impressions: Engine is ridiculously quiet, much quieter than my VQ35. It’s got some decent low end grunt, and fair high end (when I tied the VI open). Exhaust sound is similar to the old VQ30.


Engine on stand:



Somewhere half way through:


About done (minus hood):


Very Close to Final Product:



Thanks maxima.org for the numerous swap threads and special thanks to Matty for the quick responses to my PMs

 

Hi Andreas. Good stuff, how's the VQ35 running?

 

I am curious as to how much you paid and where you got it. I am always about keeping up with prices.

 

when I did my de-k swap, I kept the de-k injectors. I also had a 2.5in pretty much open exhaust and it backfired when I let off the gas. U think if I go back to the de lower and fuel injectors and rail it will get rid of it?

 

VQ35 is running great after a year. Its about to run much better, but you know me, I don't post plans, just results.


I didn't pay for it, I just did the swap. My customer found the engine through a friend that works at a local junk yard in Houston. Total spent was less than $900 for the engine and all maintenance parts, including spark plugs, new belts, all filters, engine/tranny oil, gaskets, etc.

 

are u going to add to the write up list???

 

I dont' have detailed pics of the whole job, but anyone conducting a swap can feel free to PM me. If you are in Houston and want a DEK swap, shoot me a PM for a very reasonable rate.

 

have you done any transmission swaps? i'm most likely going to need help with an engine and transmission swap in the future. and i dont know anyone with any experience or knowledge thats local.

 

I've have made numerous replacements for both manual and auto, but not a full tranny swap. I have seen the swap threads and there isn't much to them. If you bring everything needed for the swap, I am sure that I won't have a problem swapping them.

 

Do you have a shop? I'm really into this stuff but I'm a first timer to everything so there's no former experience but I'm learning as I go.

 

Any way to get these pics back up?

 

I'll shoot him a text, but I doubt even he has em still