I'm guessing someone before me has thought about this, but I was wondering if a VQ35 swap in to a fiero. The vq35 is the engine out of the nissan 350z, altima, maxima, and many many other nismo vehicles. Now don't get me wrong I think a 3800 would be fun too, but the revvy nature and the fact that the engine is still available in more than one fwd car makes it interesting. The only problem I can see is that the DOHC arhitecture would be to wide for the stock engine space. Comments?

For as much as you would spend on a VQ35 swap, you could easily build a SBC to that same high revving motor but with actual torque. A SBC with a mechanical cam, and appropriate valvetrain parts, can roll as high as 9,000 RPM before valve float.

The pencil thin connecting rods on the VQ35 make it very unreliable under performance loads exceeding stock power. From what I have heard, very few 350Zs have escaped shooting nitrous without replacing the engine.

Are there any articles stating that or is it just something someone told you? I've read of 350z's getting 400-600+ hp from twin turbo and I couldn't find anything written about a 350z blowing up from nitrous. I did only check the first page on google since I'm about to leave for work.
http://www.fast-autos.net/featureCars/2/

Although you maybe could build a sbc instead of the vq35 (this model series of engine doesn't like to rev high at all thesmaller 3.0ltr model does some what more ) you would actually be able to drive the vq35 around, because they make pretty sweet gas mileage, vs. the sbc that would only be a one day a week cruiser because it would suck back the gas pretty quickly . I have been looking into this swap myself, a couple of people have actually had them running using a megasquirt 2in a 240sx mind you).And if you were to do this swap get the fwd model of the engine because they are much less expensive than the rwd models. The vq engie series has been on the wards ten best engine for the past 12 years, that is every year since it's conception.check out these site about the vq engine:
www.nicoclub.com
www.350z-tech.com
www.freshalloy.com
www.maxima.org (the most in depth and vast info resource)
www.engineswaptech.com (has info on swaping a vq35 into a 240sx using megasquirt2, same principles for engine management)
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Jason Merkl

[This message has been edited by fatmerk (edited 08-22-2006).]

I have seen amazing power being made with the VG30E (single cam 3.0 V6) thats found in 89-92 Maximas. Under boost, I've seen maximas reach 13.20s @ 109MPH! ::VIDS ON COMPUTER:: As far as in a Fiero....that would be killer to watch those motors hook up in a Fiero under the right PSI, with the right gear, etc. etc. I dunno much about the VQ motors though...can't say much about them....-Ben

one of the vq's best qualities is its all aluminum construction making it incredibly light weight. (about 315 pounds all assecories, no oil or water) compared to the vg engine series which is iron block/ al head construction. the vq35 engine has 4 bolt mains and a main stud girdle stock. The connecting rods(useally fail at ~425-450hp) are the weakest link in the engine followed by the pistons, sleeves(semi-closed deck construction needs to be sleeved for 650hp+), crank, block.

Well SBC would be wonderful. I drive an LS2 daily and I'm well aware of the pluses vs. my mothers G35 with the vq35, however, I'm not sold on the amount of work that the fiero would need to accept the sbc. So, the question was, can the vq35 be fitted on to the fiero's pan without the modifications needed to fit and LS series small block v-8. No offense to those of you running proper iron block lt1 and older sbc's I just see it as a waste of time. The vq would be a decent engine and tranny (it is a five speed tranny) with plenty of horsepower and torque. I'm not really comparing it a balls to the wall sbc swap but more to a 3800 s/c swap.

I was wondering the same thing, but with another import engine. Don't get me wrong, I love nismo, but I was thinking about the vtec line of engines. They are smaller, reliable, can push quite a bit of HP without too much work, and would definately be pretty simple to install. I personally would rather a r-34 spec skyline engine in my fiero though! Assuming there was a way to all wheel drive the r-34 in a fiero, I would so be there! But I would have to make the r32 with a front wheel, drive work. Im going to definately look into each option closely as possible to my budget. I think the v-tec might push through as being the easiest, cheapest, and most valueable in my case.

Not to be a killjoy here but the RB26 DET is an inline longitudinal engine. To mount it in a fiero you would need either a custom transmission/ bellhousing or a car that used an inline six in a fwd setup which never existed. If you feel the need for low weight but with even a little bit of torque (honda's are absolutely torqueless until near redline) I would recomend an ecotec swap which people are readily doing on this board. Eco's can and have pushed more horsepower and torque than any honda including the h22 and the monster crv/b18c engine. The reason for the vq is just that, I want a good torquey lightweight engine, the s/c 3800 provides that but in a 60 degree amalgamation which I'm simply not entirely fond of and some maintenance issues (I work at a pontiac dealership and yes they have them) that I'd rather not encounter if I can avoid them.

quote the s/c 3800 provides that but in a 60 degree amalgamation

Umm... if you work at a Pontiac dealership why do you think that the 3800 is a 60* V6?

quote and some maintenance issues (I work at a pontiac dealership and yes they have them) that I'd rather not encounter if I can avoid them.

Every engine has "some maintenance issues" that nobody would like to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I love Nissan but the amount of work for the amount of return putting a VQ in a Fiero leaves something to be desired... although, I would love to have the 350Z variant behind my back

quote I'm not sold on the amount of work that the fiero would need to accept the sbc. So, the question was, can the vq35 be fitted on to the fiero's pan without the modifications needed to fit and LS series small block v-8. No offense to those of you running proper iron block lt1 and older sbc's I just see it as a waste of time. The vq would be a decent engine and tranny (it is a five speed tranny) with plenty of horsepower and torque. I'm not really comparing it a balls to the wall sbc swap but more to a 3800 s/c swap.

VQ.... Fab new mounts, custom axels, merge 80s GM wiring with 2000s Nissan wiring, gauges, etc... Does it fit? The 3.4TDC is a shoe horn fit in the fiero width and height wise...

I don't see the arguement for less work getting a VQ in there... doing a foriegn motor swap is going to be much more complex than any GM swap. The Fiero's pan? You mean the cradle? You can do anything if you know how to weld... but you are going to need to cut, weld and modifiy the Fiero to get it in there, heck you have to cut the passenger side strut tower and deck lid to get the 3.4TDC in there...

If you decide to do it.. good luck! It would be a great motor to have, but its going to be anything but easier than a V8 swap...

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 08-25-2006).]

quote Originally posted by Bluemeaniews6: Well SBC would be wonderful. I drive an LS2 daily and I'm well aware of the pluses vs. my mothers G35 with the vq35, however, I'm not sold on the amount of work that the fiero would need to accept the sbc. ...

Archie makes a kit which should make it easier to install the SBC... http://www.v8archie.com/v8fiero.htm ... I agree with Carbon that it will be much tougher to merge 80s GM technology with '00s Nissan technology than a GM to GM swap. But if you have the $ and the will to do it, go ahead.

The only advantage to running another motor like that would be the fact you can run any trans you want, and not limited by the fiero trans. Just be prepared to get some very fancy custom axles, as It could be very hard to make some from junkyard parts like us gm-gm swappers can.

I'd love to see the Maxima 3.5L/6speed manual drivetrain installed in a Fiero. Electronics, custom axles, mounts, and shift assembly are the main things to be concerned about. To my knowledge the engine has the proper rotation direction for the transaxle to remain on the driver's side. It would not be a very hard swap if it is possible to run the ECM without traction control modules, body control module, etc.

i just remembered, don't know how much good it would do but i know of someone working on putting an older 4cyl nissan engine in a fiero. i think from a turbo pulsar?

anyway, look up brocephus on this forum. he only posted a few times, but he posts more here...

www.louisvillestreets.com

last i heard he had been activated for military but still posts off and on even if he's not working on the swap right now (or at least i haven't seen any post about it lately). might be someone you can compare notes with anyway.

I'm sure a N* would be a lot cheaper and easier than any non-gm motor. It's going to require some serious cash to figure out how to do that and like most people here who did stuff first before anyone else, you will probably flush a lot more money into it by trial and error than someone who came after you who had your write-up. It's always much more expensive to be the first to do anything.

If you want revvy and something people actually have done before and can have someone do for you go with a N* and check out design one.

quote Originally posted by Scurvy: I'm sure a N* would be a lot cheaper and easier than any non-gm motor. It's going to require some serious cash to figure out how to do that and like most people here who did stuff first before anyone else, you will probably flush a lot more money into it by trial and error than someone who came after you who had your write-up. It's always much more expensive to be the first to do anything.

Trial and error? What ever happened to research? There's tons of information available on the VQ35..

^^^ Cool, I'd like to see a write up on how to install it in a fiero. How to wire it up, what motor mounts to use, what cradle modifications need to be used, what kind of transaxle will fit, how to make an adapter plate if necessary, where and what kind of custom axles you need.

I'm sure there's plenty of info on any engine out there but just from reading on here for a while there are plenty of people who tried DIY swaps or first time swaps and will tell you if they had to do it again they could have saved so much money by knowing what works already.

I'm not trying to flame but the LS1 and the Northstar are the hardest swaps that have been done and I imagine swapping a non-gm motor in would be even tougher than those. Probably on par with the 2.0 S/C ecotec motor swap.

Yeah yeah, I know this is probably going to make me the king of "dead thread" revival, but I am the guy Philphine spoke of earlier.

Since I don't post here a whole lot and therefore am not a "contributor" in the true sense of the word, I have chosen to simply link to a thread that has all of the major links with information on my project (as opposed to eating up all of this site's bandwidth for the next two months by copying all of the posts about my car from Louisvillestreets.com to here.)

http://www.louisvillestreet...=541437&postcount=18

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My Fiero ate an import. No, seriously.

I am a Nissan fanatic. And when I mean fanatic, I mean I may have to go to therapy at some point to get over my Nissan / Datsun collectors habit. I have my old VQ30 and non-LSD transmission just sitting and I have debated playing with it in the Fiero. I would definitely put a turbo on it, as I has a GT35 pushing it when it was in my Maxima. That will be a long while from now, as I have a L36 in there now that I am going to play forced induction with. We'll see how that goes...

I definitely want to hear more about your CA18 swap. Positive to you!!

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1985 Fiero Sport Coupe 3800SII L36 Turbo Project.
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1999 Nissan Maxima-> 3.5L, T3/T4 Turbo
1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder-> AWD Swap, GT35 Turbo (Wife's Car)
1992 Nissan 240SX Roadster -> S15 Frontend, RB30(D)E
------------------------STORED------------------------
1969 Datsun 240Z -> L28ZX Turbo
1968 Datsun 1600 Roadster -> SR20DE