Q45 swap: 4.1-4.5?

I know there has been threads about Q45 swaps and I checked NICOClub already before making a redundant post. My question is what would it take to replace the 4.1 from my 97 with a 4.5 from a 99-01. I know that a lot of the reason people do swaps is for the performnce aftermarket support, or lack there of with this vehicle, but I just want a simple same make swap that will have a bit more power and better gas mileage.
Is it simply a matter of replacing the longblock, or would I need to replace the harness, ecu, and transmission. I believe that the ignition coils are the same which I plan to replace probably before this swap happens. What about water pump, oil pump, mounts? 
Would this swap even be worth the trouble?
Thanks in advance for any light you may shed.
(mods- my apologies if this thread needs to be in the nissan/infiniti forum rather than here)

It is impossible since the 99-01 also had the 4.1L in them...but there is  the 4.5 VH45DE from a first gen( pre 97).  You could also be asking about the 4.5 L VK45DE from the 02-06 though so I am not sure which you are talking about.  Then there is the VK56DE from the Nissan Titan which is the swap I would like to do...?

99-01 still had the 4.1 (4.5 came in the Q from 02+ and Ms from 03-04) and with the trouble involved in a swap like that, it would be easier to just buy an F50 or Y34. Not to mention, it won't get much better gas mileage. Edit: ^ beat me to it. And yes, same is true for the G50.
 
If you wanted to consider an LS1 w/ T56 swap you would get much better power and better gas mileage and it would be relatively easy, but anytime you swap anything but the original powerplant you will spend quite a bit of money and time getting it running, not to mention all the time to work out the bugs. And, this comes from someone who has done an engine swap before. For a daily, you do not want to swap it out.

ok, I was under the assumption that the 4.1 was only in the 97-98 for some reason... I am just trying to find options that will make this car worth keeping for a long time. I love the styling of the Y33 and I haven't really had problems yet, but I am a realist and this is a 13 year old car. I am open to other swaps but I am not sure what options I have. Are there swap/conversion kits available? I would love to have a Y34! I was on my way to pick up an 03 when I was car hunting, but it was sold out from under me. I can't find an 04 and don't want to deal with the oil consumption problem of the 2003.
I may just see what I can get for this thing on CL and pull the trigger on a newer M45.

ok this prolly isnt the best question to ask but can you do a 1J/2J or SR20 swap in these fairly easy? If this is the car im thinking of.....

if you have the $$$$ anything is possible. we have enough engine room to put 2 sr's it looks like.

You could do the TT motor from a Cedric/Gloria or an RB swap too. it is all about the $$ you want to spend..

It would take a lot since the 99-01 doesn't have a 4.5, but has the exact same 4.1 we have.  :P

The 2002 up Q and 03-04 M45 have a VK45, it's not the same. IMO, if you want to do a swap, either do an RB twin turbo, or a Chevy LS, which would probably be an awesome swap: a Q w/ a Vette motor.

I'd imagine the VQ30det which is the jdm engine would be the easiest swap, and the most fuel efficient and reliable.

I swear to God, when I posted, no one had replied to this thread yet, but now I have been treed by about 4 other people. LOL

The 4.1 is an extremely reliable engine, all the Nissan V8's used in Q's are exceptional engines. They're just not the most powerful in comparison to current engines. That VH41 is still the smoothest engine I've ever felt though.

Anything you do as far as a swap is concerned, you'll be the first person in the US to do it. There are no kits, no one else has done it. I've been active on forums related to Q's since I got mine in April 2004, if someone had ever done a swap, I'd know about it and most of us on here would know about it.

RB26............NAHHH DO A 2J

RB sounds better. =) and it's GODZIRRA!!! So then it'd be GODCIIIIMA!!!

I was not aware that a swap had not been done in a Y33. I guess I will just rebuild the motor when I have problems

I've been dreamin about doin a swap into mine but my pockets are only mm's deep :sad: and needs more work than an engine at this point

yeah the thought is crazy, i've flirted with the idea as well, a VQ30DET, typical in the leopard and laurel, i've heard of a AWD CIMA

The AWD Cima was on the VH41DE

I was just looking for something with some aftermarket support, but I also want something with readily available parts. A jdm engine wont offer the replacement part availability I would like.

secrects.......
:innoutrofl2:

People have done the swaps, just gotta know where to look :D I have seen various motors in them. 

I can not give out all secrets, for it will ruin me and my business let alone the reputation of having wacky crazy stuff know one has thought of.

All i can tell you, is if you really want the 4.5, dont get the M series one from a older M, they have oil consumption issues.. which not sure why cause it is the same engine from the 02 and up Q. Even my motor puffs a bit of blue smoke on every 40th start up or so. Dealer says it is normal ha.. w/e

[QUOTE=Kouki Monster;314365]People have done the swaps, just gotta know where to look :D I have seen various motors in them. 
 
I can not give out all secrets, for it will ruin me and my business let alone the reputation of having wacky crazy stuff know one has thought of.
 
All i can tell you, is if you really want the 4.5, dont get the M series one from a older M, they have oil consumption issues.. which not sure why cause it is the same engine from the 02 and up Q. Even my motor puffs a bit of blue smoke on every 40th start up or so. Dealer says it is normal ha.. w/e[/QUOTE]
 That is whati found through my research while I was looking to buy a M. Supposed to have only been the 2003 that had oil consumption. Interesting that you know what it takes to do the swap but can't share the "secrets"...

Hmmmmm LS1 huh I wonder how much this would really be I am interested.

LS1+Q45+NOVI2000 Blower=WTF

People and their "secrets" is about as 3rd grade gay as it gets IMO. Sorry, but that's how I take all the secretive BS from wheel offsets to suspension, to alleged engine swaps on Y33 Q. Never heard of one been done in USA that's for sure.  Until I see it, I don't believe it.

Anyhow, my secret Infiniti master technician told me they have one they service at the secret Infiniti dealer with over 500k on the original engine. Changed trans a few times, but still on original engine.  So you really don't need to worry too much about ever having to rebuild the engine.

i'm not a big y33 fan but i do keep an eye out for a mint q (among other chassis) with a blown engine to throw this bad boy in.
 
[IMG]http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/VQ30DET/DSCF0392.jpg[/IMG]
 
i agree the vq30det is the most sensable swap since the engine was available in that chassis. this one is from a 98 gloria.

[QUOTE=F.L.S.;314426]People and their "secrets" is about as 3rd grade gay as it gets IMO. Sorry, but that's how I take all the secretive BS from wheel offsets to suspension, to alleged engine swaps on Y33 Q. Never heard of one been done in USA that's for sure.  Until I see it, I don't believe it.

Anyhow, my secret Infiniti master technician told me they have one they service at the secret Infiniti dealer with over 500k on the original engine. Changed trans a few times, but still on original engine.  So you really don't need to worry too much about ever having to rebuild the engine.[/QUOTE]


Haha. My thoughts exactly. This isn't a race to the moon it's supposed to be support. But whatever. I have a ninja powering my Q but I'll keep his identity a secret. :smiley-rofl:

[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;314436]i'm not a big y33 fan but i do keep an eye out for a mint q (among other chassis) with a blown engine to throw this bad boy in.
 
[IMG]http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc188/BLACKonBLACK98/VQ30DET/DSCF0392.jpg[/IMG]
 
i agree the vq30det is the most sensable swap since the engine was available in that chassis. this one is from a 98 gloria.[/QUOTE]


That's the vq? Damn that shit is ugly. Haha. Gotta retro fit the covers on it. :biggthumpup:

If you are going custom mounts anyway and would like to make it all nissan, why not use the Titan motor? 

I don't like secret BS.

secrets are made because no matter how much you try and explain it, your shop always end up doing it.. and that is what my business strives off of, to make money not tell everyone how to do it. If every shop did that, well no one would make any money.. and since i am not a paying sponsor I keep my business end out of it. 
Here is why:
02 F50 engine, takes what to start it? nats system, which you need the ignition module obviously the ecu, some of the body harness, things that wont come with the engine. you buy the engine with the the engine harness, go to put it into your ride wire it all up the theoretical way to wire it up, and doesnt start.. cause you dont have the nats box, ignition module and the you dont have the key. You also have to make sure all of it comes from the same car. Sounds like a big head ache right?

You could maybe.. take all the sensors, and harness off your motor, and rig them up to work on the new one you just got, use a tuning software to remap the stock ecu to the maps of the newer ecu to run the new full potential of the engine. 

Or, you can find a whole F50 q45 use the entire harness of the car and put it in your chassis, by re pining all the plugs to the tail lights fuel pump door window switches, sometimes nissan is nice enough to leave those things cross breed into other plat forms they make so you can maybe plug and play. You could try and make your cluster work with the new harness by unpinning the plugs and wires or use the new cluster.. but not sure if the old cluster will work with the new engine.. so this is why you use the old sensors from your motor, like the water temp sensor and ect.

If this sounds like one big head ache.. your right... it is. But there is your options. It is easier to put a older engine in a newer one than the other way around.. Even a ls7 is hard to put into a old 240 and get it running, s15 engine the same way if you want all the other small things to work.. Everything can be done.. but the question all goes down to.. how bad do you want to do it.

[QUOTE=VI IX;314448]That's the vq? Damn that shit is ugly. Haha. Gotta retro fit the covers on it. :biggthumpup:[/QUOTE]
 
the pic was when i was cleaning it.
 
[IMG]http://www.vondrachek.org/automotive/datsuns/vq_project/yasuda_y33_cedric_vq30det.jpg[/IMG]
 
looks a lot better with the covers (not mine, but i have em).
 
[QUOTE=Garage7RP;314467]If you are going custom mounts anyway and would like to make it all nissan, why not use the Titan motor? [/QUOTE]
beauty of the det is there's factory mounts, harness, ecu, etc. it's just a matter of sourcing them and swapping it all over.

yeah^ that is pretty tight. det you can boost control it bigger turbo and make it faster than the 4.1 and get better gas milage

[QUOTE=Kouki Monster;314468]secrets are made because no matter how much you try and explain it, your shop always end up doing it.. and that is what my business strives off of, to make money not tell everyone how to do it. If every shop did that, well no one would make any money.. and since i am not a paying sponsor I keep my business end out of it. 
Here is why:
02 F50 engine, takes what to start it? nats system, which you need the ignition module obviously the ecu, some of the body harness, things that wont come with the engine. you buy the engine with the the engine harness, go to put it into your ride wire it all up the theoretical way to wire it up, and doesnt start.. cause you dont have the nats box, ignition module and the you dont have the key. You also have to make sure all of it comes from the same car. Sounds like a big head ache right?

You could maybe.. take all the sensors, and harness off your motor, and rig them up to work on the new one you just got, use a tuning software to remap the stock ecu to the maps of the newer ecu to run the new full potential of the engine. 

Or, you can find a whole F50 q45 use the entire harness of the car and put it in your chassis, by re pining all the plugs to the tail lights fuel pump door window switches, sometimes nissan is nice enough to leave those things cross breed into other plat forms they make so you can maybe plug and play. You could try and make your cluster work with the new harness by unpinning the plugs and wires or use the new cluster.. but not sure if the old cluster will work with the new engine.. so this is why you use the old sensors from your motor, like the water temp sensor and ect.

If this sounds like one big head ache.. your right... it is. But there is your options. It is easier to put a older engine in a newer one than the other way around.. Even a ls7 is hard to put into a old 240 and get it running, s15 engine the same way if you want all the other small things to work.. Everything can be done.. but the question all goes down to.. how bad do you want to do it.[/QUOTE]



my only thing with the whole keep it a secret thing is will it work, can it be done, or has it been done. then theres the answer with enough money, anything can work. yeah but wouldnt you want to sell your services? or are you trying to make a sleeper Q45 just incase we run into each other at a stop light and launch on us? OR... are you waiting to show it at a show?!? :shrug:
      I just dont see what the secret would be? The fact that your swapping something, or what your swapping. Im sure it wouldn't kill your business, it should in fact help it. You would be the guy to go to for swaps right? As for all that stuff your saying with the harnesses and everything, thats expected. We're fckin with luxury cars not rolling S chassis and hondas. 
    but its whatevers, to each their own, im just trying to see how can you post on these boards, and not be willing to help. Arent we on here to inspire each other and to push our own limits? I only expected  that attitude on nico. or as they would say... look up the FSM. :thelaw:

[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;314493]the pic was when i was cleaning it.
 
[IMG]http://www.vondrachek.org/automotive/datsuns/vq_project/yasuda_y33_cedric_vq30det.jpg[/IMG]
 
looks a lot better with the covers (not mine, but i have em).
 

beauty of the det is there's factory mounts, harness, ecu, etc. it's just a matter of sourcing them and swapping it all over.[/QUOTE]


much better. :biggthumpup:

Secret may not be the best word for someone who doesn't know me.. but motor swaps are dime a dozen now and everyone is doing them with new engines in new things.. but if I wrote out a step by step process of how it is all done then one will just do it. I have worked at a lot of shops prior and learned if I gave out too much info, they would just do it.. and the shop who needs the money to do that swap doesn't get it. Anyone who read the build of my car knows i picked up a vk56 block, so no secret there. And when it comes to actually doing it, I am not gonna write up a blue print, I will leave that to JayZ. I will just tell you i did it.

Shops are different here, they like to keep a lot to them selves cause there are so many shops and customers. Lots of competing!! Like I know how to wire s15 clusters into s14's and did all the tedious work and did the whole diagram my self.. when there was no info on it.. I will tell you I did it.. but I am not gonna hold someones hand when there can be money to be made off of it. Not today, not tomorrow.. but in the past when the economy was better.. I would have told you.

Look at my build when I did the headliner of my car i didnt show how to do any of it.. Cause it takes fun out of the experience of doing it and learning it as well. I showed certain things here and there.. but not each tuck and cut and stretch. I think Ueno once said anyone can ask how to do something.. the information will be shortly retained. Where as if you were to do the research your self and actually doing it.. you retain that knowledge.

The things I do and think of, no one has done so I cant ask the masses. I have to do it my self. And why tell everyone how you did it, when it was you who put in all that work? Sounds like the whole replica vs real deal doesn't it??

Just like wheels who say offsets are secretive.. They are secretive cause they are tired of people saying oh i need to get that size okay.. and not realize what had to be done to get it. All cars are different, and tires and rims. Each tire has a different side wall so your low offset wheel may not fit the roll you need.

To sum it up, it is different from a business perspective than a non business persepective. Hell, i could not have said anything at all and know one would know that one should just buy the whole junked car and swap over everything into your old chassis. Easier to lengthin wires where need be and switch plugs and find new grounding points and rigging up your air vents and have a lcd screen for your climate in a y33.. (insert happy face)

i can respect that. all you had to say was that you were swapping a (insert motor here) and thats all i was interested in. business is business.

All good, just bad habit form to have to respond in great length to get out every detail of supporting argument that might be left out that someone would question.. on wards to peeling off dead racoon on my exhaust! yes.. at 515am  bbw raccoon has no pleasant smell. not sure how anyone can eat it.

On manswers they said it's pretty good.

It is until you know what it is...:pat:
Kouki- I don't live in proximity to you or your shop, so whether you told me how to do it or not, I wouldn't be able to come to you... The 5.6 would be an awesome swap, but I am not understanding how to get it running(engine management,wiring). I contacted a local shop who does swaps, and they said unless there was a swap kit it would probably be more of a PITA than it would be worth to them! I appreciate their honesty, but it was discouraging. All the Luxury guys in TX seem to be Lexus' so they can't be much help.

hmm, that is where those guys go wrong. Maybe to me wiring is my biggest turn on and fabrication.. I leave that to others. If you told them you had the whole car wiring plus the engine.. they would view it differently i would think.

if you think it.
it has or is being done. 
 
 
 
 
 
[QUOTE=F.L.S.;314426]People and their "secrets" is about as 3rd grade gay as it gets IMO. Sorry, but that's how I take all the secretive BS from wheel offsets to suspension, to alleged engine swaps on Y33 Q. Never heard of one been done in USA that's for sure. Until I see it, I don't believe it.
 
Anyhow, my secret Infiniti master technician told me they have one they service at the secret Infiniti dealer with over 500k on the original engine. Changed trans a few times, but still on original engine. So you really don't need to worry too much about ever having to rebuild the engine.[/QUOTE]
 
agreed.

Swapping to a VK is lots of work. My biggest concern is the engine management as well. If you live in an area where emissions testing is done, there is very few options that are available if you need to keep your car street legal. Otherwise a full standalone is the way to go. 

I'm sure quite a few of you have seen this, the motor I am building up.


[IMG]http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww53/marksportq/Picture009-4.jpg[/IMG]