The VQ35 engine is considered to be one of the most mass-produced engines by Nissan. This engine has received more than one award, as “the best engine of the year.” VQ35 replaced the VQ30DE, which belonged to the first generation of VQ engines. This new engine, 3.5 liters in the most common version has a capacity of 280 forces. It should be added that in its (second) generation VQ35 had versions with a capacity of 230-250 forces, and in the third – 260-300.
The versions of the engine differed in the variants of the intake manifold, the various channels of the head of the block, the cylinder blocks themselves, and various valve springs of different rigidity, and also in detail.
Stock VQ35 already has a forged crankshaft and connecting rods, its pistons are coated with molybdenum, the motor is equipped with a system for changing the gas distribution phases, and has phase shifters on intake camshafts.
There are no hydraulic compensators for this engine, which means that every 100 thousand km it is necessary to regulate the valve clearances by choosing the dimensions of the pushers. But, as a practice has shown, these motors can pass more than 100 thousand km, and gaps, in this case, will remain within normal limits. The timing of this engine is driven by a fairly reliable chain.
VQ35DE Engine Specs
| Manufacturer | Decherd Powertrain Plant Iwaki Plant |
| Also called | VQ35 |
| Production | 2000-present |
| Cylinder block alloy | Aluminum |
| Configuration | V6 |
| Valvetrain | DOHC 4 valves per cylinder |
| Piston stroke, mm (inch) | 81.4 (3.21) |
| Cylinder bore, mm (inch) | 95.5 (3.76) |
| Compression ratio | 10.3 10.6 (VQ35HR) |
| Displacement | 3498 cc (213.5 cu in) |
| Power output (horsepower) | 160 kW (217 HP) at 5,600 rpm 170 kW (231 HP) at 5,600 rpm 172 kW (234 HP) at 6,000 rpm 176 kW (240 HP) at 6,000 rpm 179 kW (243 HP) at 5,800 rpm 187 kW (255 HP) at 5,800 rpm 191 kW (260 HP) at 6,000 rpm 197 kW (268 HP) at 6,000 rpm 208 kW (283 HP) at 6,200 rpm 214 kW (291 HP) at 6,200 rpm 219 kW (298 HP) at 6,400 rpm 223 kW (304 HP) at 6,400 rpm 225 kW (306 HP) at 6,800 rpm 230 kW (313 HP) at 6,800 rpm |
| Torque output | 314 Nm (232 lb·ft) at 3,500 rpm 333 Nm (245 lb·ft) at 2,800 rpm 318 Nm (235 lb·ft) at 3,600 rpm 330 Nm (243 lb·ft) at 4,200 rpm 328 Nm (242 lb·ft) at 4,400 rpm 333 Nm (245 lb·ft) at 4,400 rpm 352 Nm (260 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 345 Nm (254 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 366 Nm (270 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 371 Nm (274 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 365 Nm (269 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 353 Nm (260 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 363 Nm (268 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm 363 Nm (268 lb·ft) at 4,800 rpm |
| Redline | – |
| HP per liter | 62.0 66.0 66.9 68.6 69.5 72.9 74.3 76.6 80.9 83.2 85.2 86.9 87.5 89.5 |
| Fuel type | Gasoline |
| Weight, kg (lbs) | – |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (mpg) -City -Highway -Combined | for 350Z 16.8 (14) 8.8 (27) 10.7 (22) |
| Turbocharger | Naturally aspirated |
| Oil consumption, L/1000 km (qt. per miles) | up to 0.5 (1 qt. per 1200 miles) |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30, 10W-40 |
| Engine Oil Capacity, L (qt.) | 4.7 (5.0) |
| Oil change interval, km (miles) | 5,000-10,000 (3,000-6,000) |
| Normal engine operating temperature, °C (F) | 90 (195) |
| Engine lifespan, km (miles) -Official information -Real | – 400,000+ (250,000) |
| Tuning, HP -Max HP -No life span loss | 400+ ~350 |
What Cars Have The VQ35DE Engine?
- Nissan 350Z
- Nissan Altima
- Nissan Maxima
- Nissan Murano
- Nissan Pathfinder
- Nissan Skyline (V35)
- Nissan Teana
- Infiniti I35
- Infiniti EX35/QX50
- Infiniti FX35/QX70
- Infiniti G35
- Infiniti JX35/QX60
- Infiniti Q50
- Infiniti Q70 (M35)/Nissan Fuga
- Nissan Presage
- Nissan Stagea
- Nissan Quest
- Nissan Elgrand
- Infiniti QX4
- Renault Vel Satis
- Renault Espace
- Renault Samsung SM7
- Renault Laguna Coupé
- Renault Latitude
What Does VQ35DE Stand For?
VQ: Name of Nissan engine family produced since 1994
35: 3.5L displacement
D: Dual Overhead Cams
E: Electronic Port Fuel Injection
Nissan VQ35DE Engine Problems and Reliability
- High oil consumption. Catalysts of VQ35DE are very sensitive to the quality of fuel. They produce ceramic dust, which damages the cylinders and piston rings. As a result, the engine has low compression, high fuel and oil consumption, and other dead engine problems. This engine needs rebuilding.
- Engine overheating. This is not a common problem, but it has a place to be. Check the cooling system’s radiator condition and expansion tanks for any leaks.
Is The VQ35DE A Good Engine?
The 3.5 V6 generates up to 300 horsepower, depending on the variant. The VQ35DE is a superb performing engine with excellent dependability and longevity. There are no machines without faults, however. This engine is strong but has instances when it doesn’t meet the engine’s perfect specifications, such as oil consumption, timing chain problems, and valve gasket oil leaks as examples.
How Long Do VQ35DE Engines Last?
The Nissan 350Z has a life expectancy of around 200,000 miles. In conclusion, VQ35DE engine owners should be thankful that the engine was utilized in a wide range of automobiles and SUVs over the last eighteen years.
The Difference Between VQ35HR And VQ35DE
Since HR is still a VQ-series, Nissan had the task to consolidate and improve the glory of the motors of this series as “soft” in work, “elastic”, with an excellent response to the gas pedal, “light” in terms of the sensations of the set of revolutions And the work of the motor as a whole. In fact, it was necessary to improve and so a good motor made it the best in the atmospheric V6 of this volume.
The first difference between VQ35HR and VQ35DE was “drawn” from the goal to reduce friction and vibration at high speeds. For the purpose of reducing friction, the piston skirts (with the molybdenum coating at once in DE) in the VQ35HR were made asymmetrical, and the length of the connecting rods was increased from 144.2 mm (DE) to 152.2 mm (HR), which reduced the pressure on the cylinder walls:
The purpose of the vibration reduction was another cylinder block (8 mm higher than the DE block) and the addition of a new powerful block amplifier (from below), which “holds” the crankshaft (the solution that came from the world of tuning and racing). This made it possible to make the structure more rigid in general and to reduce vibrations. In the crankshaft of HR, in turn, the root necks and inserts were enlarged:
The new block also allowed to lower the center of gravity by 15 mm compared to DE, which makes the cars with HR a little more interesting in the management 🙂
The compression ratio was increased to 10.6: 1 (against 10.3: 1 in DE). This means that HR- is slightly more demanding on fuel quality than DE.
Then decided to work on the intake and release of VQ35HR: the inlet was made symmetrical (all known 2 air filters are the simplest visual way to distinguish HR from DE by opening the hood), and the exhaust manifolds are equally long.
Have changed Y-pipe:
The improvements made it possible to reduce the resistance at the inlet by 18%, and at the release by 25% compared to VQ35DE.
The very intake plenum (intake manifold) on HR became plastic instead of aluminum on DE.
Heads of cylinders. But the heads of cylinders are almost identical versions of Rev-Up DE, but with the exception that they are ported from HR they are stronger and the camshaft sensors have changed the location. In theory, they can install a bolt on the HR block and even put in them the shafts from Rev-Up (like if you have a DE – you can cheaply acquire the ported heads of HR), but the VTC and rear covers do not fit with the oil supply.
The system of changing the phases of gas distribution has changed. Now it has become eVTC (the system for changing the phases of the output shafts is made using the electromagnetic friction brake system), plus the gap in the solenoid valve itself has been increased so that it does not jam when the products of wear in the oil become contaminated.
And finally, HR for the first time since the appearance of the VQ-series has blended into the environmental classification SULEV (Super ultra-low emission vehicle) – a car with a super ultra-low “dirtiness” of exhaust. For comparison – the same standard includes a hybrid Lexus CT200H.
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The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only. The author and publisher make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information presented. The reader is advised to consult a qualified professional, such as a mechanic or dealership, before making any decisions related to their vehicle's engine oil or maintenance.
