If you're reading this you know the VQ35DE is a powerful motor in stock form, and with some aftermarket tuning can be VERY powerful naturally aspirated or with forced induction. Many have easily put down 500+ with bolt on turbo kits. The VQ35DE is lighter than the stock KA24DE, fits well into the engine bay, and has one of the most recognizable exhaust notes on the road. These motors can be found for a very affordable price, especially considering what they are capable of. With a US motor purchased in the US its easier to track down where its been and where it came from. Often you can see the gauge cluster from the 350Z or G35 to prove its mileage. 

Now that you know the beauty of the VQ35DE, its time to start saving! We've made the swap extremely simple for you. We have sourced out the companies and/or made the products to bolt this motor in stress free. We've done the dirty work to see what works and what doesn't. 

Lets start with the Mounts. We use McKinney Motorsports engine/trans mounts, we've installed and used these with 0 issues. They bolt in with no modification needed to the OE crossmember (keeping it legal in all racing groups), they fit with stock headers, and there no transmission tunnel cutting needed. You'll have to hit the left and right corners of the tunnel with a hammer, but everyone enjoys that.

Next would be the shifter bracket. This bolts right on the transmission, and requires light modification. A cut and reweld of the transmission to shifter bracket, and cutting of the tunnel. You can see, we cut our mockup car a little more than we had to. If you end up with the same problem, this was fixed and made weatherproof with some Dynamat. 

For the driveshaft we sell a bolt in one piece, from McKinney Motorsports OR Driveshaft Shop. Your option. 

Now, the Electrical portion of this swap. Stay focused, this COULD get confusing. You have TWO options here. Drive-By-Wire w/ modified OEM ECU or Stand Alone for DBW (Haltech), or Cable Driven Throttle with AEM EMS. 

I'll start with the AEM EMS cable driven throttle setup. With this you will not be using the stock throttle body, ECU, or any of the Drive-By-Wire setup. 

You will need to purchase an AEM EMS. We are using the EMS for Honda/Acura V6 w/ coil on plug  (AEM 30-6051) This allows you to run sequential spark, not wasted spark like we've seen on some other setups. The AEM EMS will require a few sensor changes/additions. You will need the AEM MAP, ECT, and AIT sensors, our 75mm Mustang Throttle Body, and Mustang TPS. We also recommend the AEM UEGO Wideband o2 kit, for perfect Air/Fuel readings. The AEM itself will require some modifying internally, and we do that for you...for no extra cost...FREE!

AEM EMS 30-6051                                                                 

Professional Products 75mm Throttle Body w/ modified TPS plug 

AEM Sensors Mounted

How will you wire all this together? Chase Bays offers a full plug and play engine harness. It is made with brand new wire and brand new terminals/pins with ONLY the sensor plugs you need (no dangling or un-used plugs). This of course has the option to plug right in to your chassis harness. All you have to do is plug it in, its that easy. (OEM VQ35 engine harness is required for plugs)

To get the speedometer to work there is a few different options. The 240sx gets a speed reading from a pinion gear in the transmission. The 350z uses a reading from the ABS system. On our mockup car a STACK Dash Display was used. This comes with a wheel speed or driveshaft/axle speed sensor. All you have to do is mount it and run the wires up to the STACK harness. Most other stand alone dash display's will use their own speed sensor like this. If you're not wanting to budget out the $$$ Dash Displays, the S15 differential has a speed sensor in it that works perfectly with the OEM S13 and S14 gauge cluster.

We make a full replacement clutch master cylinder TO slave stainless steel braided & teflon coated clutch line for the swap

The 350Z/G35 uses a return-less fuel system. That means you have to convert it to work with your chassis feed and return setup. We make an AN Fuel Line Kit including filter and optional fuel pressure regulator to completely take care of this. The header is also extremely close to the fuel lines, which the kit also takes care of. 

On the OE motor the power steering pump sits on the drivers side, and with the VQ it sits on the passenger side. Luckily Chase Bays makes a VQswap full replacement Power Steering Kit with Aluminum Reservoir. Functional and Stealthy!

 

For cooling, there's a few options. The OE KA24 radiator outlets work with the VQ. We highly recommend you upgrade to an aftermarket aluminum radiator (Koyo, Mishimoto) or the Chase Bays Tucked Aluminum Radiator that mounts underneath the core support. VQswap will make custom silicone hoses very soon for easier installs. You will also need to upgrade to electric fans.

All thats left after all this is a 255lph Fuel Pump Upgrade (ISIS, Walbro) and exhaust modification. The OEM VQ headers work, and 350Z test pipes/cat deletes work. You will just have to build a Y pipe to join it to your existing exhaust. We've tried using Megan/OBX stainless headers and they don't work. We are working on producing stainless headers for this swap to help with power gains. 

That does it for your parts/to-do list. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you!