OK, I hydrolocked at Rausch Creek, found a new engine, and am swapping it in this weekend.



I have not done an engine swap since, um, the '70's...and the new fangled stuff looks a bit intimidating....that, and I am having to wing this, as my work schedule has precluded normal prep work/research.

That, and I'll have to do it in my driveway, as the garage still has my house in it since the tornado...

:rolleyes:

So - any one who's done this who has advice / helpful pointers for me?

I'm putting a VG33E from an auto tranny 2003 with only 15K on it (Rolled to total), into a 2001 5 speed.

I figure the pilot has the auto tranny torque converter adapter/ thingie where I don't need it...but that the rest should just bolt on?

What stuff should I have on hand for this?

help?



(I do have the 2001 FSM - but no time to read it yet...)

Spark plugs, gaskets for any parts that may have to come off to get the replacement in (and of course if you see any suspect ones on the new motor), clutch parts if you have a manual transmission.
Also maintainance items.....how close is the new motor to needing a timing belt?

The new engine has only 15K on it, from a 2003.



So the timing belt/water pump stuff should be OK.

I'm going to try to get some new transmission cross member bolts incase the old one's are crapped.

speaking from experiance.

You will have some harness things to deal with. Nothing major.

Any examples of Harness Things?

I am in the middle of this sleep deprivation study/work thing...and details are where I could use the advice.

Good luck. I'm beginning to wish I was doing an engine swap. Not sure which is easier.

The swap might be easier/harder to screw up.

leftie tighty rightie loosey..

Its not nice to tease lexdysics.

One of the problems I ran into was that the newer engine had a few differant sensors that required me to get creative with the wireing harness.

In particular a temp sensor for the exhaust manifold.

You will need to remove out old eng and set it side by side if its not on the new motor swap it out with the old motor and can you get part of the harness so if the clips are diffrien you can change aswell if you have swapped out a motor in the past (1970`s) you will be fine .
Walt
Good Luck

What?

Where's Waldo?

I have no idea yet what condition the ECU is in...

My question, should the ECU be toast...is a replacement ECU better to be matched to the 2003 VG33E donor engine, or, to the 2001 truck its being installed into?

I would suggest the ECU be matched to the truck. You will be making the new engine the same as your 2001 (if anything needs changing).

BTW and sorry to hijack but what was the name of the stuff you used for the leaking headgasket?

figgers...Nissan says the ECU needs to match the ENGINE, not the truck...so I need a 2003 ECU from a VG33E 5 spd truck...and, the soonest I can get one seems to be monday or tuesday.

And its expensive.

Tj when i have done motor swaps i tryed to get the ECM and the harness from the other truck or car so if there where any problems diffrent clips or connectors you can swap them out but you may need to use same set up in your rig (ECM) so check with your local wrecking yard or go here car-parts.com local or national for ECM ect.ect.

If you sit the motors side by side and make the "new" motor the same as the old motor (by changing anything that is different) you should end up with a 2001 motor and be able to use your existing harness and ecm (assuming it's not bad)If there is something very different about the motors that make you use the 2003 harness that is the only time I would consider a same year ecm.

Yeah - that's the issue...they (Nissan) are telling me the harness for the 2003 and the match for the 2001 are different, so I need an ECU from a 2003 for it to work.

I would have thought the quest/frontier/xterra VG33E's were the same mechanicals, just accessorized to fit each application...and that the ECU's would be interchangeable.

Nissan says no...I figure they should know?

Maybe?

My old one was under water, looks a bit oxidized, probably iffy anyway...what the hey.

:rolleyes:

Just wondering...your dropping another 3.3 liter into it right, couldnt find a sc? Or would that just be too much work all together, i.e. hood and whatnot?

Well, its more $, and, more work, and, I want to finish in time for the NIORA Fall Run, etc.

My engine is out of a 2002 and I still use the ecu from my 2000

I think that if you swap the ecu you may have more problem because the wireing harness might not fit properly.

You would be better off just making the engine work with the existing harness and ecu.

The engine itself is not differant just a few sensors here and there.

That's what I thought too...So, we both disagree with Nissan.



But I ordered a ECU from a manual 2003 anyway...according to the FSM, the jacks are the same...and according to my eyes, the old ECU looked to have been really soaked/showing corrosion...and was most likely fried anyway.

:rolleyes:

BTW - I removed my skid plates from the front end of the X to make access for the swap...and discovered that the tow truck driver had sheared off one bolt end from the d side LCA.









My skids were a bit banged up too...





I have to say though, the Skid-Row plates are bashed in pretty good, they get a work out, but, they took all the hits, not the truck...so, they did their job!



I AM worried I won't be able to get them back on though...most of the bolt heads were converted into security bolt heads by various rocks, etc.

Jesus! That's a lotta bashing!