Engines: The VQ.

This one is the front runner in my book as of right now. That might change, but right now this is where my head is at.

This is the VQ35DE/HR.

This is a very special engine. The basic numbers are pretty awesome.

• 285-315hp depending on engine version.
• 6800-7500rpm redline depending on version.
• Compact 6 speed gear box
• Dressed weight of about 450lbs, almost the same as an L26.
• 3.5l of displacement.

It's a V6, so it's incredibly short. Look at how much of it is behind the shock towers.

So why this V6 instead of the Turbo monsters we've seen this week? Lets start with availability. Every 350z and G35 has one of these engines. Every Maxima, Murano, FX35, M35 has one. This engine has been the only V6 that Nissan/Infiniti has been using for the last 10 years. That means parts are cheap and easy to find.

Power. A late model VQ with aftermarket exhaust and camshafts can lay down 320-350 horsepower. At the wheels. In a 3300 350z that's a lot of power. In a 2200 Datsun, it's reckless.

Price. The engine itself and transmission can be had for $2000-2500 and with them being made in such large numbers, there will always be replacements easy to find. A current eBay search turned up over 300 motors ready to ship.

Ease of installing. With no turbo to account for, there's less to figure out. Just give it air, fuel, coolant and oil and it will run forever.

If we ever want insane power, an aftermarket turbo or supercharger kit is available. Rebuilding these motors for big power is pretty easy.

Con's? A couple.

Can't run A/C. The A/C compressor occupy's the same space as the steering shaft.

It's loud. A VQ in a 350z has two exhaust manifolds, two catalytic converters, two resonators and two mufflers and you can still hear it for miles when it's under full load. The good news is the sound is amazing.


Wiring. Because of high theft rates, this car uses a very intricate security system. The Engine Control Unit, Body Control Unit, Wiring Harnesses, accelerator pedal, ignition switch and key all have a random number generator that are sequenced together. That means all of those components have to come from the same car and they all have to be wired in to our Z.

Our, we pay almost a thousand dollars and have the ECU modified to have all the security stuff removed. Then it will run in any chassis, or on the ground.

So in order to do a VQ swap, we would need to do one of two things. Buy and engine and transmission on eBay and try to source all the wiring and control modules from a auto wrecker that is tearing down a 350z.

Or we buy a wrecked 350z and we pull everything ourselves. Crashed 350z's can be had for about $4000. This would actually be a good option for us. We can swap over the 350z seats and the rear differential as well. Then we sell as much of the brakes, suspension and not damaged body panels and scrap the rest to recoup our costs.

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So what engine are we going to use? There's a lot of options and we've got plenty of time to think about it. Next week we talk about what a fuel injected swap entails in an older chassis.