OK, I'm gettin there, but couple questions first.

Dandymax, thanks for your help with the cam timing questions, I went ahead and got the adaptors from KRRZ though lol after all that. I want to swap cams later, so I'll put all that info to use then.

3.0L valve covers. Is there any reason you can't use them on the VQ35? Other than cam journal clearances from being off a 170k mile motor, or maybe they'll hit the intake? I really didn't see a reason they wouldn't work on the 3.5L heads? At this point I'm going to use the 3.5L covers anyways, too much work into them already to abandon them now, just curious.

Secondly. I'm assuming you'd use the 3.0L secondary tensioners, but could you use the 3.5's?

Third, this is off the wall, but if you wanted cams in the fully retarded setting , then couldn't you just retain all the vq35 timing epuipment and unplug the oil controllers since the VTC's default setting is at the fully retarded position anyways?

 

I can answer this one.

You can do this IF you use the 3.5 ECU, but the 3.0 ECU needs the reading from the Bank 2 camshaft intake sprocket in order to control the engine. The 3.5 doesn't provide this unless you swap out the intake cam sprockets from the 3.0.

 

They have different bolt patterns than the VQ35 VCs. There are some other differences as well (clearancing for the VTC solenoids/bracket), but that's a bit of a hurdle there.

http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.php?p=6320912

Why are you bringing up cam journals in reference to valve covers?

 

You're right, I didn't even think about that.

For exactly the reason that the thread you linked showed. Why not just use the front cam cap from the 3.0L with the 3.0L valve cover? As I said I didn't actually pay attention close enough to see whether the oil passages lined up, but if they do then you wouldn't even need to enlarge the hole on the 3.0L timing cover since it would mate right up with the 3.0L cap. And the gap wouldn't be there either.

Hence, why I mentioned cam journals and clearances.

 

After a little more searching, I retract my question about the secondary tensioners. Found my answer.