I'm planning my motor swap. It's going to be a 3.5 in some capacity. Most likely all motor.

So here's the question:

Should I go ahead and use the 3.0 heads and MEVI on a 3.5 bottom end. Will the higher compression and ability to port and polish the MEVI and lower intake manifold prove better gains than a 3.5?

Keep in mind I would most likely keep the 3.0 cams, since I am trying to leave as much timing equiptment alone as possible.

Does anyone have a similar setup?

 

To my knowledge gutting the 3.5 stock IM will flow better than the MEVI. I know there is no dyno proof of this, but better results have been reported using the 3.5 heads and IM. I really think the re-designed heads flow much better than the 3.0 heads. If you think about it, other than minor differences its mostly heads and IM manifold differences between motors.

I would stick with a straight up VQ35 and gut the IM, that's what Im going to do.

 

If you go his route you can transplant the TI valve train from the VK and run a high rpm motor get some cams/mevi and your on your way.

 

from what has been seen and guessed, using the inferior(at least to the 3.5 heads) 3.0 heads will negate the increased compression. and if you WERE to use 3.0 heads why not go with a 00vi instead of mevi?

 

I was thinking Krismax or someone recently mentioned how much better the 3.5 version was....

 

doesnt mardigrasmax have the 3.5 with the mevi turbo i believe

 

i think he used 3.0 heads but i dunno what manifold he was using

 

I thought Mardi was using the USIM. Not sure, havent seen his setup since he switched to turbo from SC.

TO answer your question, why use the MEVI. I already have one. I am also a little intimidated about dealing with the cams/timing equiptment when doing the swap. ANd it seems to me, you could port out the 3.0 heads and remove more material from the MEVI than you could from a 00VI.

So, in a nutshell, I am trying to go with as much bolt-on as possible. If that makes sense.

I would be tempted to try it just to see the difference since I dont think anyone has this exact setup. But honestly I think I am going to loose out without more agressive cams.

thoughts?

(thanks for the replies so far)

 

im pretty sure thats a 3.5 with a mevi

 

^ I think he used 3.0 heads.

 

That(the use of 3.0L heads) can be seen by the metallic look of the head(from the pic), since FWD VQ35 heads are black plastic in stock form.

 

the coilpack only have one bolt holdin them down which a 3.5 has compared to the 3.0 has 2 bolts holding them down

 

..

It is the details that separate us

 

Plastic heads FTL.

 

if you want slightly more aggressive cams just go with the 3.5 cams. They will provide an extra ~1mm lift and longer duration for intake and exhaust.

 

So you've got the 3.0 now and want to swap in the 3.5, the best power will be the 3.5L with its own VI and cams, and of course you need the 3L timing equiment. Its really not that hard.

With the 3l heads it'll choke off in the top end from what Ive seen and been told. Im debating the ported and higher CR vs lower CR and higher flow. But my application is alot diffrent. Im going to find out if there is a huge difference in flow for a fact.

If your going NA Id get an ITB setup, or make one. Also you'd have to use a plenum to make it like a standered style intake so you can still use the maf. Ive seen some people are trying to start using a map, that would be very beneficial.

I thought it was plastic valve covers, but yea WTH was nissan thinking?

~Alex

 

Who's telling you this stuff? Seriously...

 

3.0 = aluminum covers

3.5 = plastic covers

3.0 and 3.5 = aluminum heads

 

Plastic vavle covers is a GREAT idea, Nissan knows what they are doing with the engines most of the time. They are lighter which is perfect

 

I was wondering how long it was going to take for someone to say these guys have no idea what they are talking about.

Perhaps all of you who think that the 3.0 heads and IM (mevi or not) will give you more power than the 3.5 heads and IM, should do research on the subject. When the 3.5 swap initially started that's what others thought too, then soon realized that the 3.5 heads & IM flow better and produce higher gains. The only good thing about the 3.0 heads is they produce higher compression but that is negated by the crappy flow.

In a nut shell, you are wasting your time with the 3.5 swap if you do not swap the heads and IM along with it.

 

Yeah, the FWD VQ35 IM is very high flowing when it is modded. I would say more then the loved 00vi.

 

Another reason for me to step in and ask for the word MEVI to be removed from this forum ... such a terrible IM. You said you would swap in the heads and IM because you are intimidated? WTF. Swapping back the 3.0 heads and IM would be MORE work. In addition, you already have a MEVI so you can remove the vaccuum parts and what not and just use the RPM switch to control the 3.5 IM. Done deal!

 

Do not count the MEVI out just yet.


A bolt on MEVI'd 3.0L WILL make more power past 5500RPM than a bolt on 3.5L w/ stock 3.5L IM.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=422992

I don't know of too many MEVI cars with over 200hp...

 

Not many bolt on(no header'd) stock IM'd 3.5L make anything over 200 on the right side of the tach.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=137438


What did your car make?

 

I'm not saying the MEVI is crap, I have one on my car and I like it alot. What I am saying though is that trying to use the 3.0 heads & MEVI on the 3.5 engine would be crap compared to the 3.5 heads & IM.

 

I agree with this and did not want to give the impression about the MEVI being ebtter, just taht the MEVI isn't all crap.

I've never dynod without my headers. With headers only, I was @ 190 @ 6500, (peak was @5600)

 

what if u did the ssim or u had the rpm swtich programmed to keep the butterflies open on the 3.5 manifold?

 

Keeeping the butterflies open would hurt mid range (1800 - 3600 RPM)

 

Keeping the butterflies open loses top end power (if I am remembering this correctly, otherwise it's opposite and loses low end power but I think it's top end)

Thus keeping the butterflies open or closed at all times is ill-advised.

 

The 3.5 power valve is open by default. Vacuum is applied to close it.

 

Page EC-676 in the 03 FSM.




Double poster

 

I heard u loose low end but guys out here in my hood r doing it becuz they say the power they get from top end like past 5500 rpms makes up 4 it, just wondering if that was true, I guess to each his own

 

Your hood eh?

How loose is your low end?

It also depends on what type of driving you do. Around town, or lots of highway.

 

You must be talking about the 00VI. You are, right?

 

nah actually I was talking about the ssim, when they dremel the 3.5 intake manifolds and take out the butterflies

 

I know what the "SSIM" is........

 

mardigrasmax actually has 3.5L block, 3.0L heads and lower intake manifold/mevi

 

These N00bs have me lol'n