SlyI35

Just got my new Motor Trend today and am not entirely surprised when I read that the 3.8 in the Hyundai Genesis is "no-doubt a refined engine--arguably more refined than Nissan's VQ."

Seriously, what happened?

I've had several VQ equipped cars; my much missed '97 Maxima SE and my current Infiniti I35. These two VQs are the paragon of smoothness and refinement; however I must agree that this new version is seriously lacking the great sounds and smoothness of the older versions. I've had G35s and G37s for loaner cars several, several times, and while ridiculously fast, they sound, I dunno, JUNKY, as they reach redline. You feel it too, and not in a good way. Basically what the experts say is 100% true. It's just hard to see this engine that was once called, "Simply the best V6," and, "Revs like no other engine this side of a V8 Ferrari" has become so crude.

Don't get me wrong, I'll drive off with any new "unrefined" VQ engine in a heartbeat and be just fine, but I'm gonna have to agree, and wonder, "What happened to the qualities that made this engine famous?"

anomaly117

iTrader: (3)

nothing happened to the technology that made the VQ famous, they just havent advanced upon it with new and upcoming technology. There is just newer, advanced things coming out now, and nissan engineers havent made any improvements to the VQ to compete. as for the sound of the G's you were driving, im sure that has everything to do with the tuned exhaust they put on those things. they probably only tuned it to sound good at lower RPM's to impress the consumer who more often than not is a rich guy in the city whos not gonna be redlining any time soon. That would be my guess anyway

SlyI35

It's not the exhaust I'm talking about(that part is MORE than okay), it's the engine. It just sounds junky when you really push it; it reminds me of the 3.5 L in the '96 Dodge Intrepid I used to drive.

Just like Automobile said:

"How can something that sounds so good on the outside sound so bad on the inside?"

The exhaust is seductive, and the engine is fine for that "consumer" they are trying to impress. But get it in it's upper ranges and it just sounds like crap.

I thought it was just limited to the loaner G's I'd drive when my car was in the shop. You know, like, "Oh, they're loaners, I'm sure they only use 87 octane and they generally aren't as 'good' as regular g35s."

Now that my same issue has been universally criticized for a while now, I'm like, "Ohhhh."

MY old Maxima, that thing sounded like heaven at redline, and my I35 now is as smooth as silk. Just wish they'd catch up, considering these very things are what made this engine famous in the first place.

PulsarGTS

iTrader: (6)

The intake track makes a big difference in how a cars sounds particularly when it is stock. Most car makers tune the intake to be quiet at all times. The 2zz in my old celica was thought to sound unhappy in the upper rpm by Car and Driver. BUT in the tuner world when you slap a CAI on it, its thought to be one of the best sounding 4 bangers around.

SlyI35

Yeah man I could see that. Although.....

You shouldn't have to slam something aftermarket on a freakin' new g37, 370z, etc. not to make it sound like $hit.

Or any car for that matter, but especially 330hp sports cars.

And especially when your engine used to be the finest around.

modenaf1

iTrader: (3)

The new versions are basically improvements to the VQ35 for better breathing and ability to rev higher. I am not really sure if the VQ's were really designed from the get go to be smooth up top. Keep in mind the rev-up and the HR rev over 7000RPM, something our engines do not do.

I bet with stiffer valvesprings if you were to rev a VQ30 or VQ35 from a maxima/i30 up to 7500 it would probably sound and feel just as unsmooth or moreso than the VQ35 and 37 HR.

vqmaxman

I am a big fan of the VQ but, I am sure Nissan has fixed the 3.5 L that was

burning oil and they are workng on the 3.5 L HR and there other one I forgot

the name lol. I am sure Nissan does not have anything that's wrong with

there VQ and there is no major problems for it to not making it in the top

Ten's list in 09, maybe besides the exhaust noise in the cabin. I seriously will not

base the engine on just on the sounds or the looks and how much HP It produces.

It should be honered for it's production and how it's getting in and out of the

traffic 0-60 times and the handling and not having any engine problems, and

mechanicial problems It should be honered for It's great liability and

trustability and performance it has and no techincial problems forcept the

minor wear and tear components like hoses and some small seal ect. and

some minor schedule maintance.

I am just wondering why the VQ did not make it also. I

am sure there were no major mechanical problems either.

Roca Fella Bryan

I didn't have much of an issue with the sound of the VQ37VHR in the G37. Perhaps I was just amazed as how much it made my VQ30 seem like a weedwacker motor.

Leo_Koneval

iTrader: (4)

We shouldn't put all the blame on Nissan, I mean you cannot create a dependable, reliable, strong, quiet, cost-efficient, and good sounding throughout all RPMs, without shooting the price of the car into the hundreds of thousands.

To me I think what they've done is better, although it does not represent the legendary engine that we all used to know, its enough.

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

Maybe the VQ is becoming too big for what it was originally?

If you consider that maybe Nissan just bored and stroked the 3.0 into a 3.5, and did the same thing to make the 3.7 (which I cannot confirm, just a theory) and obviously made necessary intake/exhaust/cam changes, it would sure as hell make more power and make for a much faster car, but it would just as surely take away from the smoothness of the smaller, yet better optimized 3.0L.

And the VQ37VHR is awfully close in size to the VR38DETT (new GT-R motor) which was purpose built to that size, whereas the VQ may have just been pumped up bigger and bigger without optimizing the relationship between bore and stroke as well as they could, thereby increasing NVH and rev un-happiness.

Maybe. Thoughts?

dauntlessmax

That is a really good point.

SlyI35

The VQ30 was all of those. Not to mention the VQ35. The engine in my I35 is every bit as good as the (pretty much perfect) motor in my 97 Maxima. It's the same, just a whole lot stronger.

PulsarGTS

iTrader: (6)

Now, I never really noticed it but the unrefinement. But this is what i found today. Under WOT into redline the engine sounds great and feels fine. HOWEVER, hold the engine at a constant 4K+ rpm and you can feel the vibration from the engine. Its more of a balance issue. The K20s in the rxs and had the same issue, honda addressed it in the Civic-R where they added weight to the crank shaft to better balance it, took away the vibration or "unrefinement" and lost 5 in the process. I think someone else said. The engine keeps getting punched out, and the block wasn't intended for it. Curious does the VQ37 hold the meager 4.4 quarts of oil like the 3-3.5?

MoncefA33

iTrader: (6)

QFT. Post #10.

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

They are different blocks.

Nearly all of them.

Norm Peterson

A V6 is not an inherently balanced arrangement. Make the moving bits inside big enough and make them travel far enough and you WILL get vibration.


Norm

Jreed2008

iTrader: (5)

I agree the VQ30 was a work of art - Light,powerful,fuel eff,quiet,and durable as hell I remember my first car a 1990 SE with 190k everything was wrong with that car but the engine pulled like a champ. Took it in the shop one time and opened the hood and all of the mechanic praised it like it was a corvette or something.

Dont get me wrong I love my 3.5 and haven't had the pleasure to drive a 3.7 yet(waiting for the 2011 M37) But the original VQ was a legend hands down. Hopefully Nissan makes more refinements to the 3.7 or soon it will be in gas guzzling tax range Lol

turbomirage

I don't think it has anything to do with the actual long block and unhappy rev's. To me it sounds more like an unhappily designed exhaust and some of the crappy plastic intake manifold creating the interior resonance. The 3.7 is a beast of a motor and still deserves all the respect of past vq's, pehaps they could have spent a little more time on resonance but for the price, its hard to beat.

SSJVegita

dont get my wrong...i havent driven one of the new 3.7s but god do they sound that bad puched to redline??? isnt it somethhing that a decent high quality exhaust could fix if its just the sound that sounds "cheap"........all i know is the 3.5s sounded sick with an exhaust......loved my maxima 3.5......oh i miss u so lol

vqmaxman

I have been thinking about this lately, I think Nissan did a exellent job on

there engines as usual, but the sound deading objects they use to kill the

road noise and the engine noise from the firewall and there cabin is probally

why the VQ is not on the list this time and the exhaust is probally not thick

or refined enough to make quiet exhaust notes.

a33i30

iTrader: (4)

The VQ37VHR and VQ35HR aren't bad engines but they sound bad. There way to raspy and load for a luxury car.