I am thinking of swapping a 2001 (the 2001 has VI- right?) engine into an 97 maxima-is there anything I need to know? or is it plug and play granted I will have to raise the ecu reve limit to 7200rpm?

 

The DEK motor (00'-01') is a bit different from the DE (95'-99')...

One obvious difference is the Intake manifold. Different injetors, different and better cooling system and different cams.

Its pretty much plug and play as long as you have all your sensors switched over to the DEK motor along with your IACV, and cam sensors and things like that. If you plan on using the DEK injectors, you will need the DEK plugs off of the DEK harness and will have to splice them into your factory harness.

There is alot of information on this DEK swap in the All Motor forum

-matt

 

The only way it is a plug an play is if you use the im off the de. Injectors are different, EVAP is different, egr is different, its not too difficult but its not a slam install.

 

it is not a difficult install providing:

1. you use a 2000 fed spec engine, because a 2001 does not have EGR on it.
the 2000 cali spec, is different, it has different oxygen sensors (but no problem getting around) and swirl valves in the lower intake manifold and that is bad for performance.

2. reuse all the vq30de sensors.

3. make sure you do all the research and get ALL the facts from several people who did it, and not just jump into it because it's another maxima vq30 engine

4. most overlooked- make sure you completely understand what needs to be done, and make sure you have the RIGHT tools, don't try to lift the engine out using some Macguyver technique, a system of pulley's, a friend's truck, etc.

5. it is much easier to throw the 00vi onto a vq30de (dek cams are less aggressive on the intake side than de) - make sure dropping a whole engine is EXACTLY what you want to do (make sure you explore your options)

 

The DEK is nice though...most refined motor Nissan ever put into a Maxima, in my opinion

-matt

 

The intake cams are dimensionally identical to DE cams, but the intake cam timing is retarded a bit for better low-end torque.

 

They have the same lift, yes - but the duration is less with the DE-K cams. IO is the same, too.


ref:http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=414267

 

thank you, Stephen

when i wrote the intake cams were less aggressive, what i meant was:
same exact lift (8.55mm), but less duration (224 vs 232deg), intake valves stay open a shorter period in the DEK than in the vq30de. (exhaust cams are different too, providing 9.0mm in the DEK vs the 8.55mm in the DE with the same duration, that is a good thing about the DEK)

(the 4th gen is also lighter than the 5th gen) with the 00vi in a DE the longer duration will help in midrange and TOP end where the 00VI makes MOST power.

If it were up to ME, and i would be doing a 3.0L, not a 3.5L swap, I would go all out on the DEK motor of course, with the 3.5L Maxima cams, titanium valve springs other lightweight components, AND certainly headers (especially if the motor is OUT of the car! so much easier to work on it) but that's just MY way of doing a 3.0 engine swap.

HOWEVER I would NOT be doing an engine swap if i DON'T have to, if the engine if Fine, without problems (and VQs are VERY strong, even up to 200K+), throwing a DEK manifold on it will give very similar results, without having to: remove the axles, remove the tranny, remove the motor mounts and lift the engine out of the car, THEN do everything in reverse order with the new motor, connect all the sensors back up and have an interesting time getting it started - that is a more practical approach to getting DEK-like hp out of a 4th gen maxima.

i definitely would NOT put the 4th gen intake manifold on the DEK motor.

i'm just providing information for crewchief264, and anybody else who is gathering information on doing an engine swap, the differences between the DE and DEK cams have already been discussed many times.

-Vadim