Replacing an engine options.

[Kurtatron]

I am sure you can get a good used engine out of a Japanese junkyard just like you can here.

The myth they perpetuate is that in Japan they scrap more cars at 50K because emissions are stricter. That might have been true in the 80's, but California emissions are stricter than Japan's, and have been for a while.

If you believe your JDM engine had only 50K on it, that would have to do with the seller only choosing engines from low mileage wrecks, not some intrinsic value of getting it from Japan, just like you can buy a low mileage engine from a wreck here if you look in the right place.

It’s not emissions only. Shaken law is a very strict safety compliance inspection that’s very expensive. It’s why a lot of great Japanese cars come over to the states with low miles. Shaken law makes them widely expensive to drive legally. Here’s an article written by a blogger from 2019 explaining it in detail.

https://www.readyseatbelt.com/blog/2019/1/16/bi-annual-mandatory-shaken-car-inspection

 

[D1dad]

Shipping would probably negate the deal but, there’s a scrap yard out of Indiana that somewhat specializes in low mileage engines and trans. I got an engine for my 09 Altima about 5 yrs ago that had 39k on it for $600. I also snagged a very low mileage cvt and the TCM (just in case) for my 2018 rogue at the same time. Luckily the trans has just sat in the storage building. The engine has 100k on it and has been flawless.

 

[CarbonToast]

OP, did you decide what route you're taking?

 

[MRtv]

OP, did you decide what route you're taking?

Yes I have thanks for asking. I have decided on taking the van to a mechanic who will obtain a used engine and do the swap. IF I had the funds now I would get it done but with my retired financial situation my wife and I have come to the decision we will save up the money the next few months. We both do one of those gig app things. So come April we hope to have the funds together to tell our mechanic to find an engine and do the swap. It will cost us around $7500. Yes we could get a loan but we have decided to go with the save up the money and pay cash route. After we get the engine done I will continue to save up more funds for possible transmission work.

Meanwhile I have filled the tank with fuel and treated it with stabil. I have prepared the van to be stored for a year but hopefully it will only be a few months. Looking forward to getting back on the road.

 

[Kira]

there’s a scrap yard out of Indiana that somewhat specializes in low mileage engines and trans.

Any details would be appreciated.

 

[f355spider]

It’s not emissions only. Shaken law is a very strict safety compliance inspection that’s very expensive. It’s why a lot of great Japanese cars come over to the states with low miles. Shaken law makes them widely expensive to drive legally. Here’s an article written by a blogger from 2019 explaining it in detail.

https://www.readyseatbelt.com/blog/2019/1/16/bi-annual-mandatory-shaken-car-inspection

I think it was a relative of mine that told me that cars also have to go through a bigger inspection at the 8 or 10 year point and requires replacement of major safety and emission equipment, like catalytic converters and air bags? He said that is why people ditch their cars and get new so often, just doesn't make financial sense to keep on older car. Many end up in SE Asia.

I believe the car manufacturers and government in Japan came up with this in the 1970s to support the domestic car industry.

 

[Trav]

I am a big fan of short blocks. $2500 and if you add a gasket set you can get it shipped for free. Warranty is min 12 mo, on short blocks it is usually longer but ask. Don't go by the 4cyl drawing this is the 4.0.
https://www.nissanpartswarehouse.co...9bnYyNTAwJnk9MjAxOSZ0PXMmZT00LTBsLXY2LWdhcw==

 

[andrew_j]

But a used engine or don’t bother and you lose $500.

I would not spend the labor and cash on rebuilt for a 210k van.

 

[JTK]

But a used engine or don’t bother and you lose $500.

I would not spend the labor and cash on rebuilt for a 210k van.

Agreed. More details on the overall condition of this NV3500 van would be my deciding factor. These things turned into total rot boxes very quickly in the rustbelt. If the exterior, interior, a/c, electrical, etc are all really good, it might be worth $8K for some more years of life.

It also seems Nissan will show VQ and VK engine parts as being available online, but it's generally not the case. Or the total price of your parts list will become astronomical. There was a Dave's Auto Center video ahwile back where they had a VK56 V8 equipped NV3500 in the shop that was badly sludged and had bits of metal in the oil. This was the newer GDI 5.6L, not the port injected 5.6. What parts they could find to rebuild it were cost prohibitive. They went the used engine route.

It's a shame too, because the VQ40DE is a great engine. Lots of 200-300K mile examples of them in Frontier/Xterra world. Basic cam on bucket valvetrain, etc. Yes they had the timing chain manufacturing defect on them early on, but re-doing the timing set isn't an awful job on them.

 

[MRtv]

Thankyou everyone for your input. My wife and I have been doing a pick up and deliver gig and we have managed in a few months to put enough money into savings to move on to replacing the engine. I have ordered the engine for the van. It is a used engine. I tried looking at a remanufactured engine but somehow this engine isn't available remanufactured. New was WAY out of my budget. So my mechanic and I decided on a used engine out of California. It will be here in Idaho a few days. The mechanic will go over and run tests on it. I am hoping to have the van back by the end of February My mechanic will be replacing the timing chain assembly. Also there will be a new coolant pump and oil pump installed. Valvoline oil will be the oil of choice along with a new filter of course. Plan is to replace the spark plugs. New boots will go on the coils. Other parts will be assessed and decisions made to move parts off my present engine or to replace outright. If he sees that some parts won't need changed he will use present parts and delete the charges from my bill.

I know that there is a lot of miles on the van but I have a dream and I have made the personal decision that I can live with those miles. Nothing I see on the van gives me pause to go ahead with this exchange. I will be saving money just in case I need to moving on to replacing it also. I fully expect I will need to and I am OK with that. For now the transmission seems to be doing fine. I have changed the fluid with one dump and refill. When I have the money to replace the transmission I will do another dump and refill and see if the transmission likes or does not like having the next one done.

In April my wife and I will be taking a road trip to southern Utah. I will have some time to test the engine and see how it does before the trip. So again thanks for the input and ideas. I will let you know how the engine swap went after I have some miles on it.

 

[tiger862]

Have it pulled and rebuild. Only safe way coming from a 30 year tech. I used a junk yard engine for a Cavalier and took 3 engines. JDM engines have been great just lots of swapping things around. Had rebuilt engines from local parts stores and nothing but problems however they did stand by warranty. Only luck I had was buying a low mileage wreck and pulling engine after running it.

 

[Donald]

I would not spend a lot of money here. Can the current engine be repaired? If not then a used engine is your best bet.

10 years old and high mileage. Other things are probably worn also on the car.

How much work can you do yourself?

 

[MRtv]

Well I got the work done on my van. My wonderful wife and I put our should to the wheel and delivered groceries pretty much 7 days a week for a couple of months and piled up the money to get the engine replaced. Due to availability I had a used engine installed. A well reviewed local mechanic ordered the engine and did the swap. I got the van back today and went for a drive. This engine runs nicer and is more peppy. I do believe the engine that was in the van originally was wore out. The van was a beverage delivery van and I was told by the fleet manager that the van was regularly over loaded with product. I don't know the history of the new engine but it was reportedly at 125k when removed from the donor van.

What I felt was a more responsive feel with the accelerator. The engine also didn't have some usual sounds that I was used to with the original engine. It also has a more throaty sound when running. Overall I am impressed. I think I got my monies worth with this job. Total cost was around $8500. I have no regrets. My goal is to run the engine as long as and as far as I possibly can. I want to pass 300k if I can. I am one to change oil at 3k whether it be blend or full synth. The mechanic said he suggests early changes to all his customers who are serious about running their engines for the long haul.

He did put in new timing chains and guides. New oil pump and water pump was installed. Several new gaskets were replaced throughout the engine. I won't list them all but reading where they went in pleased me immensely. I am glad I had the work done. I had a dream about travel with the van and it did cost me a bit but it was still cheaper than getting another van which I was not going to do. All total I am into the dream van for the tune of $10k including much of the van conversion work I did DIY.