I am tryin to get some info on doing a swap on my car. It is a 2001 JDM maxima( known to u guys as the Infiniti I35 2001 model). Currently it has a VQ20 in it which really lacks punch. Now i am considering getting a VQ35 and would like some expert opinions from people who have done swaps. Now i have read probably all the articles pertaining to the swap but alot of the articles assume the fact the u have a VQ30 already an jus swappin the motor.

My situation is different as i have to change everything. Let me tell u what i getting. A VQ3.5L motor with engine harness, ecu, axles, 6-speed box, shifter cables, will need the rods also. Have not confirmed if its drive by wire throttle as its from a 2004 maxima SE.

Some stats on my car. It's RHD, has no cruise control, TB is cable driven, Auto transmission with a TCM and CAN system, has the NATS system.

The I35 never came with manual option so there is my first concern, if the rods, clutch pedal an brake pedal would fit and work on a RHD car.

Second concern, If the 2004 maxima VQ is drive by wire throttle then would the accelerator pedal fit and work also.

Don't no if this would help i have the 2001 FSM, and should be able to get the 2004 FSM also. Also the person doing the swap will most likely be someone from the dealer as he would most knowledgeable.

Now there are no maximas before 2003 in my country with the VQ35 in them. I would be the first(stand out from everyone else), which is y i am very interested to see if it could be done. There are a few 2003 an up cefiro's(nissan teana http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Teana ) in my country with the VQ35 and none with manual option.


I would like to get your opinion, feedback, advice(let me no if i wasting time), on this project.

Rodney

 

there was no I35 in 2001. Only the I30, and the Maximas DID come in 5spd, so you would have to find a 5spd maxima to get the parts you need. The 2k4 is drive by wire, and I reccommend reusing your stock harness, it's alot less headache to take apart the engine for the timing components to swap to the 3.5 than to rewire the whole damn car.

 

Keep in mind that model years are different elsewhere in the world. They are typically a year "behind" us (which in some cases is actually more accurate since ours are sometimes a year ahead).

 

Funny you post this, I just read through the thread on your trinituning site the other day by chance. I was searching for somethign on google and that thread came up, so I read the entire thing. Cool to see people in other countries modding their VQs too. I don't have anything to add as I'm a turbo max guy not an engine swap guy, but I wish you luck. VQ20-VQ35 will be a huge step up in power for you.

 

Your best best is to search the threads with the FULL VQ35 swaps. Yours should be easier since it is a 5th gen.

 

you will need to look at the auto to maunal swaps then i would think go with a 3.0-3.5 swap if your harnes is the same. if it isnt then i would think that u might have a better chance doing a full 3.5 swap. either way keep us updated with pics or anythign new you may find out...we never know what might benifit us as well

 

The full swap will be the hardest option no matter what.

 

He will prob have to change ecu reguardless tho.

 

Don't see why it would be different from any other hybrid 3.5 swap. If his ECU can control the VQ20 it can control a DE-K and/or 3.5 as long as he keeps his VQ20 timing equipment.

 

yeah but isnt that assuming that the 2.0 timing equipment is anything like the 3.0 setup. i've never seen it so i dunno how it looks and if it even fits onto a 3.5. but maybe you might have more insight upon the 2.0 motor then i do.


i would honestly say for him to turbo the 2.0 and be happy with that. maybe he could take a pic of his engine bay for us so we can have an idea of the layout.

 

Thanks for the response guys. Actually my car even though it's a 2L engine it came with the VIAS system. I will take pics on the engine bay and put it up for u guys. It looks absolutely no different from the 3.0DE-k.

What i am basically concerned about is if the drive by wire accelerator pedal will work on my car seeing that its a RHD. Also i would be getting the ecu for the motor and 6-sp box. i've heard the e-gas wiring is tied into other harnesses which i may not necessarily get.

 

You will need the Key and nvis system too.

 

And the MAF, dash harness (unless you feel like hardwiring a crapload of wires), retrofit the 3.5 timing ring onto your auto driveplate, the 6-speed mount and shifter assembly, etc. The wiring on it's own will cost you mucho $$ because it's not a 1,2,3 thing by any means. Prepare to have your car down for weeks. Install price will likely be in the thousands if the labor rates are anything like the ones over here. Also, to date no one has installed an A34 ECU into a previous generation maxima.

 

Why timing ring stuff?

 

I misread. Thought he was keeping the auto.

 

I've got the non-US A33 parts catalog & ALL the timing equipment is exactly the same between the VQ 20 & 30. The brake & clutch pedal stuff is all different from a LHD car.

 

This is my main concern. I guess that project is off. Will have to look for a VQ30DE-k then cause my car already has the variable intake so it should be a straight swap.

 

i say vq-30 DE-K with a supercharger, get a regular 5 spd(vlsd preferable). Look for an accidented one in the U.S. or in canada and ship over the entire car to trinidad and then, strip it, and put all u need into your car...enjoy

 

then why not just do a normal 3.5 motor swap and reuse your timing equipment and your variable intake. all you would have to figure out is how to get your 2.0 ecu to work a 6cyl car...maybe the 3.0 ecu would pulg in with minor work.


then boost that sucka

 

The VQ20 is a V6. This is why i suggested using the VQ20 ECU in the first place.

 

then a normall 3.5 swap wit his 2.0 timing and ecu and variable intake is calling him

 

does it look like?
photo 1:


photo2:

 

thanks guys for the advice. Seems persistance does pay off as i found a 2001 motor(VQ35) complete with auto trans. Also i found the motherload of install threads that answered all my problems and basically told me it could be done with the 2001 motor. see:http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=400371

So i will be going ahead with the install. Will let u guys no how things go.

 

sounds great, but it think you should go manual if possible. but either way have fun and take pics

 

Ok it's been a while but i finally got the front cut with the engine. Here are some shots. Engine should be going in early next mth as they have to scrap my entire dashboard to install the e-gas pedal.
My car in the pic currently has the VQ20 in it so it's a big step up. It's a JDM Cefiro.

 

us spec i35 front clip...? ftmfw!

 

Swap everything you can, including steering rack, brakes, hubs, ect..

 

That's correct.

ftmfw???

 

It's a US front cut on a JDM car. Steering rack won't work. But i intend to swap as much as could work. I already realised the ABS has different outlets, so i lookin to see how mine work first then i may swap it. The car came with TCS not sure how that would work on mine. Also i didn't get the cruise controls so i not sure if it would throw a code.

 

The cruise control is controlled by the egas so it should work when you swap everything else I thought.

 

more pics of the front clips ...

 

Pics of the front cut i bought before it shipped.

 

dang thats nasty! Im excited for you! what did you give for it..if you dont mind me asking and how many miles? I like all this engineuity(sp?) 3.0's to 3.5 now 2.0's to 3.5's! Good luck with everything!

 

$3GUS for what's in the pic. The only thing that is threatening to give trouble is the drive by wire stuff. Alot of wiring needs to be done as the 2.0 is cable driven. Will post a pic of the current 2.0 over the weekend as most of u guys never saw it. It is a RHD car it going into so it's a very unique swap.

 

Ok guys, it's been a long time, but project VQ20 to VQ35 has begun.

Day 1

Basically pulling the VQ20 out of the car, completely, including harness and ECM.

Vq20 for those who never saw 1


Inside of JDM cefiro, with 260 speedo:


Center console, head unit u seeing is a kenwood 10disk cd changer.


Pics of the tear down process, complete with rain:



Removing the ECM:



Pic very bad, but basically, the coolant hoses on firewall removed, accelerator cable out, engine harness ready to be puled through firewal(not looking forward to that!!) HP power steering line disconnected, jus crossmenber and mounts to remove, gear shifter also and then pull engine .




Day 2 is where its all gonna take place. Was a long day, considerig it was my first time disconnecting an engine out a car...

Look forward to VQ20 out VQ35 In..........

 

Since the brake master cylinder is on the right side of the car.... do you think you will have any clearance issues with the engine ? Can't tell how much room is between the motor and the master.

 

i not seeing a isue, it will be close but from viewing the Vq35 in the engine bay it looks like it will have the necessary clearance.

 

can't wait to see the new pictures of the 3.5 going in.

 

woah im excited for you man that 3.5 has power! where in T&T you from

 

Well guys was a very long and tiring day......

Basically the Vq35 is in, bolted bolt for bolt, had some issues with clearance which i will get to.

to get the 20 out we decided to lift it out whole as i had a tranny with the 35 so it didn't make sense parting it with the tranny to get it out an put the 35 in. takin the 20 out was a real pain in the rear, well it was my first time also....

we basically lifted the whole engine"vq20" out through the engine mount on the valve cover on the "left hand side facing the engine". was a real real pain so we decided to put in the 35 from under the car. so we had to jack the car higher which wasn't a prob. but we ended up maxin out the height of the jack stands.

gettin in the 35 was alot of work also as i had no trolley so we pushed(both with hands and feet) and rocked until it was in. there was a point where we had to lift the chassis with the cherry picker(to clr the intake manifold)as we had no more lift with the jack or jackstands. so we eventually got it in dropped the car back to meet the jack stands and then hooked the cherry picker on the 35 to hoist it in position.

crossmember bolted right on que, other mounts bolted right on que. so LHD and rhd have same mounting points. did have some issues with the left side as my master cylinder is there. first issue was that your guys main engine harness passes to the right then goes behind he engine through the firewall.

my car(and vq20 by extension) passed the engine harness out the firewall over the tranny then in front. so basically it meant that where lil plastic thing is on the back of the engine with all the wires IS where my MS IS also. so i had to remove it and rest it on top the engine. found a way around it though as i removed the plastic housing the wires and pushed the wires under the MS. will post pics of it in a bit to clr up what i mean. the second issue is that the high pressure power steering line to bolt on top the strut passes directly over the master cylinder reservoir. basically mean it can't open with the line bolted. not sure what's gonna happen with it so i left it hanging. another issue is that the 20 uses a 2 pin switch for the PW line and the 35 uses a 3 pin. again not sure what's gonna happen. may have to use back my 20 line or 35 harness(for the power steering line).

those were the only probs so far. car to go to wire in e-gas pedal and (I35)instrument panel as it's much nicer. hope the e-gas pedal fits!!!!

Amy have an issue with closing the hood as the 35 IM sits way higher than the 20. it's basically sitting as high or higher than the strut tower.

will post pics of the 35 in and the issues in a bit.