Why Do VQ30 Timing vs VQ35 Timing When Doing a 4thgen VQ35 Swap?

Credit: Victor Dragos

• If you are very proficient at wiring.. like you’ll need to rewire the whole car in order to run 02+ ECU, add electric gas pedal, a different cluster, different fuel pump module + a lot of other small things.
• Or You’re good at mechanically to swapping to 3.0 timing and only need to wire up/change 6 injector plugs and iacv plug.
• I’ve done way too many 3.5L motors on 3.0 timing and only 1 full 3.5L wiring swap.
• If you consider that +15hp difference.. I’d rather do 3.0 timing everytime. If boost is involved forget the 3.5l wiring.. too many issues too many things to tune.
• 2020 motor 3.0timing 5spd vlsd gearbox below. (Mijo Too Wavy build)

Credit: Rick Eggers

• Simple, no replacement for displacement. Variable time is usually not for added HP, is for low end torque, emissions and fuel economy. If you’re looking for HP getting rib of variable times is usually a good thing. Plus, when you do a VQ30 to VQ35 swap and reuse the VQ30 timing you can reuse the VQ30 wring harnesses, sensors and ECU with slight modifications. If you keep the VQ35s timing it’s a totally different ball game!

Credit: Rob Tilley

• This is a 99 vq30 timing vq35 with cams/pistons. Stock rods. 6spd. @11# on a jwt ecu maxing out a z32 maf.