In reply to NGTD:
Yes-I agree
In reply to NGTD:
Yes-I agree
Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to do a compression test on this thing and see if it confirms my suspicions.
Either way, I've been researching the 3.5 swap a lot, and I think you guys are right (of course)...the swap is a no brainer! I've found quite a few of them for sale, I just need to find the right one for the right price. There are definitely more 3.5's available than 3.0's. I think with some weight reduction, basic bolt-ons on a 3.5, and sticky tires, this thing should be pretty quick. Once I get the motor things should progress pretty quickly... I'm already itching to drive it!
Well, it's official...the 3.0 is toast. I did a compression test this morning, and here are the numbers I got: #1-90 psi; #2-60 psi; #3-105 psi; #4-30 psi; #5-150 psi; #6-35 psi. Definitely no hope for this, other than stealing the timing covers and components for the 3.5 swap, and selling the rest for scrap metal to put back in the budget. I've found a few motors relatively close by for good prices, I just need to decide on one and pull the trigger. Stay tuned!
So this happened this morning:
Yes, that's a terrible cell phone pic of a 2002 Maxima VQ35. Supposedly has 112k miles on it, for $650. Yes, in case you're scratching your head, I did have a complete change of heart from earlier in the thread where I was going to just put a stock motor in. My friends and you guys here made me reconsider, so here I am. I'm committed now! I have until October to make it work!
Did a bunch of pricing and budgeting last night...hopefully I can find some good used parts to use! Rock Auto will be getting my business for some seals and timing chains and such, but I'll do some hunting online and on craigslist for the rest. And probably USDRRT on eBay for some slicks. Getting excited now!
A 4th gen maxima with a 3.5 swap is probably the best speed/dollar ratio in the FWD world if you're not planning to turbo. It should run low 14s with the auto, full weight, and stock motor on a good tune, but could end up significantly faster depending on what else you do to it.
In reply to Vigo:
Yup, I'm thinking it should be pretty quick! It will be semi-gutted (no carpet, no sound deadening, only a driver's seat for the Challenge, and any other weight savings I can think of), and will have a few bolt-ons (aftermarket y-pipe, intake, etc), but other than that it'll be a stock motor. I'll have to get it tuned, though, like you said, but I'm sure getting excited!! 
Nice!
Not much going on yet. I finally ordered some parts for my Suzuki so I can get it ready to sell so I have freed-up cash to order the parts I need for this. If I have a nice morning soon I may start ripping out the interior just so I can make some progress. Stay tuned!
Hopefully I'll be ordering all my swap parts for this in the next few days. Now I just need to get the cam spacers/adaptors that are needed, but I'm having trouble contacting the right people on the maxima forum(maxima.org). Every time I'm on another forum I am so thankful for this one. People complain about the formatting of this one, but it's so easy to use! The maxima forum seems practically dead, especially in the performance area, and it's super frustrating!
The car should be heading to my buddy's barn next weekend, and things should begin shortly thereafter!
I think it all started to go to crap when Nissan E36 M3 out the 6th gen car. If the 6th gen had never existed and the 7th gen had a manual trans the state of the maxima community would be much different. 
In reply to Vigo:
I think you are correct. If I can find some precise specs/dimensions on the spacers I need, I'm sure I can have a machine shop fab them up for me. We'll see...
The car is moving to a barn with a lift in it on Sunday, parts will be on their way soon, and work should commence this week! Still trying to source a few swap-specific parts, but I'm getting closer.
Anybody have any recommendations on tuning? The car will be running on the stock '95 ECU, and it will be stock with just a couple small bolt ons. I simply want the least expensive way to get a good baseline tune. Some sort of piggyback system? Can a '95 ECU get "chipped", and if so, how? Jim Wolf ecu' are 600 bucks, so that's out. Tuning is new to me, so any advice would be helpful.
The real work has finally begun! I got the car over to my buddy's place on Monday, and today I started things off.
I got the new motor up on a stand and started tearing off the basics.
The motor looked nice and clean inside, just a little varnish which is to be expected. The next trip over to the shop will focus on getting the old motor out, as I need the timing covers to swap to the "new" motor. Hopefully this thread will get much better now that actual work has started!
I really love the way that car looks. It was a good looking body, those wheels are good without being over the top, it sits right, etc. Can't say I love the champagne paint color, but all else is spot on.
In reply to DILYSI Dave:
Thanks for the compliments! I have always loved the simplicity in styling of the 4th gen Maxima, and although the color isn't my favorite either, it is pretty inconspicuous and will heighten the "sleeper-ness" of the car!
The wheels are from an older Infiniti I30t, and it just has Tein lowering springs.
Got some good work done this morning. Hopefully next week I can get it on the lift and get the motor out...I just spent a few hours today disconnecting everything from the top.
I started taking apart the new motor this morning. It looks good inside, nothing unusual, about what I would expect for a 110k motor. The plan is to pull the old motor on Thursday and Friday mornings, as I need to get the timing covers off to put on the new motor. And I still need to get my cam spacers/adapters made up. Gotta scrub the new motor down too...she's a little gunky!
Good looking cars. And I third the bring what I like, not what will win.
Got a decent amount done this morning, but no pics. I was hoping to have the motor out, but I got a late start and some old exhaust bolts held me up. Should be out pretty quick next time I work on it, but my in-laws are coming into town on Thursday so I won't be doing any work on it for a few days. After that I need to get my cam adapters machines so I can start putting the 3.5 together.
Also, I have mini-meister #2 on the way, due the beginning of October. Let's just say that October will be a busy month! My wife still wants me to go to the Challenge, I just need to find someone else to come along with me...I'm pestering my brother at the moment. Can't wait to meet all of you down there and put faces to screen-names!
Finally some progress! I haven't had much time to work on the car lately, but I got a few mornings free and was able to get the old motor out!
Now the real work begins. I need to scrub the engine bay, replace a few odds and ends while I'm in there, get the cam spacers/adaptors for the new engine and put it together, get a new rear motor mount, and put it all back in. Then there are just a few other things to make it run. Slowly but surely!
You messed up his nice garage floor!
Lock the doors!
Someone has murdered this poor Nissan engine!
J'accuse, Carlos Ghosn, or should I say... Jack The Ripper Jr!
Haha, yeah, I felt really bad about the floor. We soaked it up as best we could...they are planning on putting epoxy down soon, I guess they will just have a little extra prep work on this spot. No fluid came out when I pulled the axles, but a little tilt to the whole bit had it gushing out. Pretty clean fluid for a 230k trans!
Believe it or not, I have gotten some work done on this. Not a much as I would like, but it's getting there. I've declared May to be "Maxima month", and I'm hoping to have her up and running by the end of it. Fingers crossed, I still really need to talk to a machinist and figure out my intake cam adapters. I've got Jim Wolf Technology spacers for the exhaust cams, I've got an eBay FPR ready to go, and I ordered some liquid polyurethane to fill my motor mounts-it's WAY cheaper than buying 3 or 4 mounts, plus all racecars have solid mounts, right? I got a medium stiffness, so hopefully it won't be too rough. Still have a lot of cleaning to do, and of course putting the "new" motor back together. Just gotta get those darn adapters...
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