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Super Nissan 3.5 Engine Reliability, Benefits & Problems in 2024

Nissan engines are top-notch engines that are very reliable. Nissan started the production of their engines in the early 90s and since then they have produced several top-notched engines that almost everyone likes.

An example of a reliable Nissan engine is the Nissan 3.5 engine, the 3.5 engine fits in most of the Nissan cars and works perfectly.

Nissan 3.5 engine reliability cannot be questioned because it has proven to be one of the best over the years.

If you are a car owner, even if you don’t use a Nissan engine, you would overhear other car owners talking about how reliable Nissan engines are, ranging from their longevity, reliability, performance, and horsepower.

Without further ado, let’s get straight into the purpose of this article which is Nissan 3.5 engine reliability.

Contents

Nissan Vq35de 3.5 Engine Specification

The Nissan 3.5 engine has some wonderful specifications that make car owners want to go for it.

The 3.5 vq35de means there is a 3.5-liter v6 engine having 3 cylinders on the right side and another 3 cylinders on the other side.

The engine has a variable timing solvent on the top of the engine to control the intake side of the camshaft.

Nissan designed the VQ35DE engine as an upgrade to the VQ30DE engine because it has a lot of setbacks. The Nisaa VQ35DE specifications are listed below

  • 6 Cylinders engine
  • 24 valves in total
  • 230-300 Horsepower
  • V engine configuration
  • 235-274 Torque
  • 315lbs engine weight
  • Gasoline fuel system

Common Nissan 3.5 Engine Reliability  

The issue of engine reliability is very important before someone invests in the engine.

The question of how reliable the Nissan 3.5 engine is has been asked by so many new car owners that are looking to buy/ replace their car engine and probably want to go for the Nissan 3.5 engine.

So in this section, we will be discussing the Vq35de Reliability.

The answer to the question if the Nissan engine is reliable is yes, the engine is reliable.

A survey was conducted by Nissan back in 2000 about the reliability of the engine and the result was well above most other engine reliability marks.

The Nissan 3.5 engine has been in since for over a decade now and it’s still very much relevant in the market.

Although, Nissan engines may have problems too, It’s normal for engines to develop faults after some years of constant use but these problems are not common and can be corrected easily.

The reliability of the engine also depends on how you maintain the engine, if you maintain your Nissan 3.5 engine very well, you are sure to enjoy it for a long period of time without any issue.

The maintenance required to increase the longevity and reliability of the engine is to fix any problem that arises immediately before it affects other parts of the engine, top up the oil when it’s down and so on.

By doing all these, the engine will serve you better.

Vehicle Lists of Nissan VQ35DE Engine

In this section, we will be talking about different Nissan cars that use the VQ35DE engine. There are lots of cars that use the engine but we will only list a few of them here.

  • Nissan Murano.
  • Nissan Altima.
  • Infiniti QX4.
  • Nissan 350Z
  • Nissan Quest
  • Infiniti QX60
  • Nissan Maxima
  • Infiniti JX35
  • Infiniti QX4
  • Nissan Pathfinder
  • Renault Vel Satis
  • Renault Espace
  • Renault Laguna Coupe
  • Dallara T05
  • Dallara T08
  • Tatuus Formula V6

These are some of the cars that use the VQ35DE engine. Some of the cars have been using the engine since early 2000 till date.

Nissan VQ35DE Engine Fuel Consumption

In general Nissan engines do not consume much fuel, the fuel system is regulated and the fuel consumption per km is minimal.

The rate at which an engine consumes fuel is directly proportional to the mode of driving, for example, the fuel the engine will consume when it’s in a mixed-mode is different from what it will consume when it’s in the highway.

Also, the generational make of the engine also plays a big role in determining the rate at which the engine consumes fuel.

The Nissan 3.5 VQ35DE engine will consume 18litre when traveling 100km, 10 liters when traveling within the country, and 13 liters when the car is in mixed mode.

How Long Will VQ35DE Engine last

Typically, if we say VQ35DE can last a lifetime, that will be like an exaggeration, but VQ35DE is very durable and can last you for a very long time if used properly.

Not only the VQ35DE engine but all Nissan engines, in general, are very reliable and will last for a very long time.

Back to how long the Nissan VQ35DE engine last, the engine is expected to last 200,000-250,000 miles if used properly, when you take care of your VQ35DE engine properly, I.e fixes any problem that arises with the engine immediately, top up the oil when it’s down, refills the carburetor water and all.

By doing so, the engine will last you for a very long time and won’t give you any problem.

Benefits of VQ35DE Engine

Some of the benefits of the VQ35DE engine include

Efficient performance

The engine is very strong and does and does not break down easily like some other engines.

It has a horsepower of about 300 which helps improve the overall performance of the engine.

Little fuel consumption

Another benefit of the Nissan engine is that it consumes less fuel when compared to other engines.

It consumes about 18 liters of fuel when traveling 100km. This is very minimal.

Reliable engine

Overall, the VQ35DE engine is reliable, does not break down easily, and is very durable.

If it develops any fault, it can easily be fixed with the help of a Nissan expert.

Downfalls of The Nissan VQ35DE Engine

As the engine Nissan engine has some advantages, it also has some of its downsides

Consumes a lot of oil

This is one of the downsides of the Nissan engine, if you top up the oil tube and you take a drive around the neighborhood l, you will notice a drastic reduction in the oil level. This is not too good.

Visible oil leak

When you drive your car with the Nissan engine, you will notice an oil leak from the rear gear gasket.

Clicking noise

After a long period of time, the Nissan engine gives a clicking noise from the engine, the engine becomes loud at times and may become inconvenient to the driver.

Nissan VQ35DE 3.5 Engine Modifications

As a car owner, you might notice some glitch in the performance of your car engine and you probably need some modification on the car engine.

It is possible. You might want your car to increase the speed of your car, add more power, increase fuel efficiency, and so on. All these are achievable through engine modification

The modifications that can be made to the Nissan VQ35DE are listed below

  • Exhaust
  • Header
  • Plenum spacer
  • Performance chip

Nissan 3.5 Engine Reliability

Photo Credit: wikimedia.org; C.C

Nissan 3.5 VQ35DE Reliability

The Nissan VQ35DE has some common problems that affect the engine.

These problems are known to affect all cars using the vq35de engine.

Nissan has been using this vq35de engine for up to 2 decades and is not planning to switch yet.

This tells us how reliable the engine is and how acceptable it has been by the users.

With all the advantages, the Nissan engine possesses some setbacks. In this section of the article, we will discuss some of the common problems affecting the Nissan VQ35DE engine.

Increased oil consumption

This is the first noticeable problem of the Nissan engine is the increased rate at which the engine consumes oil.

A Lot of factors can result in an engine consuming fuel at a higher rate.

When the rate at which your engine consumes rate becomes very high, please seek the attention of an expert and get it resolved.

Burning smell

This is another issue common to the Nissan engine, when you travel by your car to a far distance, you begin to notice a burning smell from the engine.

If this issue persists, please seek the help of a mechanic

Leaking oil

The issue of leaking oil is common to almost all engines and not the Nissan engine alone.

The gasket that covers the oil chamber of the Nissan engine is made of rubber, so when the engine gets heated up, the rubber melts and releases oil.

Nissan 3.5 VQ35DE Engine Replacement & Service Cost

After some years of use, your Nissan engine might be giving you constant issues and the need for it to be replaced arises.

You can be stocked between replacing the engine or rebuilding it, but the truth is rebuilding the Nissan engine is very expensive.

Buying a new engine will save you more money and help you get rid of any recurring issues.

To replace your Nissan engine, you will spend around $1950-$2000 to buy the new engine and the service cost will be around $200-$300 depending on the mechanic.

Nissan 3.5 VQ35DE Engine Tuning- How often and cost

Nissan 3.5 Vq35de engine can be tuned to produce the desired performance, for example, to increase the engine speed, general performance, and engine durability.

The common forms of Nissan engine tuning are exhaust running, air intake tuning, exhaust manifold, and turbochargers running.

All these running modes help to increase the overall performance of the engine. If you use your vehicle not only for moving to office and back home, but also as the main mean for your job to be done – for example, for deliveries or as a driver, don’t think twice and do contribute to engine’s tuning so that you won’t experience any surprising problems that can influence your productivity. For example, long distance riders must be sure their vehicle’s engine won’t break during their trips and affect their professionalism and job. Browse Jooble to learn more about available long distance rider jobs and ways you can earn money using your car.

The cost of tuning the Nissan engine is around $700-$1000 and the service charge is about $200-300.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the VQ35DE a good engine?

Yes, The VQ35DE is a good engine. This has been testified to by many car owners.

Its outstanding power output coupled with durability has made it an outstanding engine.

The vq35de is used in many other cars such as the pathfinder, Nissan Murano, Altima and Infiniti, and so on.

The engine boasts of about 250-300 HP which is responsible for its outstanding performance

How long will my VQ35DE engine last?

Nissan engines are known to last for a very long time if used carefully, the VQ35DE can last 100,000-200,000 miles if used properly.

When you take care of your car engine, it will serve you better and will not give you any reason to visit the mechanic.

The engine has been used in many cars apart from Nissan, which suggests that the engine is durable.

Is the VQ35DE engine reliable?

The engine is very reliable and many car owners have expressed their delight about the engine for its reliability.

Although it has some downside, overall, the engine is reliable and does not pose too much issue to the owner.

Can the VQ35DE engine handle tuning?

Tuning deals with increasing the overall performance of the engine, although there are different tuning modes, the exhaust tuning, internal performance tuning, and so on.

So, the VQ35DE can handle any form of tuning if done properly.

Does the VQ35DE engine have any problem?

The Nissan engine is very reliable and durable, but it also has some issues that affect the engine.

The problems do not only affect the VQ35DE engine, all the engines are liable to suffer one problem or the other.

The common engine problems of the vq35de are oil leaks, oil-burning at a faster rate, and so on.

All these issues can be easily resolved if noticed early enough.

How much does the VQ35DE engine cost?

The engine is very reliable and durable so you don’t expect it to come cheaper, it can also be used in other cars and not Nissan cars alone.

The price of engine vq35de ranges from $3200- $4000.

Final Thoughts

Nissan VQ35DE engines are very reliable, no doubt about it. If you want to replace your car engine and you want the engine that will serve you better, we recommend the VQ35DE engine for you.

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