[Matt Howell]

[WIP] *UPDATED* 2006 Flex Fuel Titan 4x4 with 2009 Flex Fuel VVT Engine Swap

Posted this in electrical, but this is also engine related, so hey more the better.

Hey guys, *second* time poster here but we have came to a screeching halt outside on my dads titan. I am here to ask for help because i need to get him back going. His motor locked up SOLID (breaker bar will not budge it) the other night while mud riding and in that causing him to slide into a tree. all i knew at the time was engine code B should work. So i found one with 40k on it for 1700 bucks and we went and picked it up 5 hours away. This is indeed a 06 with Flex Fuel, so i found a flex fuel engine vin B and this is what i get.

New MOTOR (Cam position sensor moved to front of head

Old MOTOR, (Cam Position sensor is on the back of head)

Now the new issue, we finally got the engine pulled and you guessed it, wiring was looking a little different. Got to surfing the web and it seems that 07+ has VVT and VCT Solenoids in the engine. I have a ford so i know what all that is of course, but the help i need from you guys is simply this.

What computer model do i need to make this work? It has to be a 4x4 computer w/ tow mode of course i comprehend that, but does anyone have the part numper or model??? There are like 10 different ones, the latest looking one being like a 5J ECU. If at all possible i need the wiring harness part # too because i am searching everywhere and am currently unable to find one. This truck is a beast and needs to be back on the street ASAP as it is his DD. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[dhowell3621]

Hello, my son has posted this thread for me and I want to add my request for help. In order to not have to swap the heads or ECU/harness, can we simply not make the connections to the variable timing solenoids making the vvt inactive?
What would the results be? I am not a mechanic at all, but my logic is that my truck computer isn't looking for these sensors, so no error codes? I just don't know what the mechanical issues would be?
As my son reported, he has a ford, which I have found there is vvt lock that is placed in the cam phaser therefore making it static timing. Is this possible with nissan?

Or, to simplify question? Which path is best course? Make engine heads compatible with current truck harness? or Make truck compatible with newer engine?

 

[Matt Howell]

We have an update

the theory on that was, the computer doesnt know the government crap is there... so cool hopefully wont throw a code.

The build

We have been studying the heads over and over, and we finally got tired of staring at it and threw that engine in there.

The 2006 head with the cam position sensor next to firewall has 3 notches that are in the camshaft, these notches were moved to the front of the cam when the sensor was moved.

With that said, we cut the wire and extended the sensor because the cam was at the same location when it needed to be.

We havent got her all put back together yet, but she does run!

THE VIDEO HERE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SERiGxRySu4

 

[LUBECAKES]

I would seriously consider taking the engine back and getting an '06, but since it's probably too late, good luck!

 

[Pale Rider]

there is more to it than just not using those connections. The ECU controls the timing events in the VVT system via solenoids, actuators, and sensors inputs. I would think (without looking up the part numbers) that maybe the 2006 cam profiles are different from the 2009 as well...

this is a Daily driver with all that Mud everywhere? do ya`ll own a pressure washer?

 

[nightowl]

Yes As others stated I understand there is a lot more to it like engine harness and correct ECU as the 06 ECU will not work. 07+ is a totally different deal than 04-06 years. Keep us posted on the progress

 

[Matt Howell]

we looked it over and over, i have a f150 and the cam timing stuff is identical, just a extra camshaft on each side.
It unlocks at a certain rpm to give more power yada yada, they dont have a lockout kit for nissan, so if the computer never tells them to do anything, it will in essence be the same thing as the 06 engine...

Just bypassing them wont hurt it and the timing is all the same, people unplug the vct solenoids on fords all the time and nothing happens.

Also we got it to run for a minute or two and noticed no oil pressure on the guage, so we got a new sending unit, crunk it over with it out and no oil squirted out.....
so we are going to have to step back a step and prime the oil pump somehow, we got some ideas in the works to prime it without tearing it apart again so stay tuned!

Will post again when we get to that point tomorrow, Involves a air compressor, air regulator, PVC pipe, oil, a tube, and the oil filter pickup line

Also she did run with no check engine light for about a good minute! But we didnt run it anymore since it wasnt pumping oil....
Didnt notice it right away until after we had already fired her up so we hope we didnt hurt the engine.
But no knocks or anything and didnt run long enough to get hot. The pump definitely didn't prime itself by cranking it like stated in these forums...

It is alot of work to go, the interior will be cleaned eventually lol, but he wants his truck back so it will be done real soon!

PS: We called nissan and talked to a lead mechanic over the shop, said even they couldnt be able to give us the right computer for the job because they have specific programming for each little thing and would physically have to program it to the truck. Said they had a car in the shop that they just put a transmission in, but the transmission was 3 months newer than the car build date and it wouldnt work because they changed transmission programming.... Also a wiring harness is 800 dollars just to "attempt" to get it all working with the wrong computer. So that got threw out the window.

So in other words, nissan computers are a mess

 

[2wdFL.TITAN]

Or you could of gotten the correct engine.. Or not beat the snot out of the truck.

 

[LUBECAKES]

Also she did run with no check engine light for about a good minute! But we didnt run it anymore since it wasnt pumping oil....
The pump definitely didn't prime itself by cranking it like stated in these forums...

If you keep screwing around you're gonna have another engine that won't budge with a breaker bar!

I've never heard of an oil pump that couldn't prime itself.

I think you had pressure though, because if you didn't have pressure the timing chains would've been super loud during that minute.

Also, you can crank an engine with the accelerator floored and it will not start until you release the throttle.

EDIT: I hope you soldered the wires that you spliced, CAN systems are very sensitive to resistance.

 

[LUBECAKES]

Any luck? I'm curious as to whether or not this will actually work.

 

[Matt Howell]

Any luck? I'm curious as to whether or not this will actually work.

we have been too busy to take the oil pan off and see if the feeding tube was cracked, we think its either that or the pump doesnt have a oring or the key isnt lined up right. We have to tear the entire front off again. I will post any updates i promise ya!

We tried forcing oil up the pickup tube and it just squirted everywhere and wouldnt take it. Ill keep you posted


We are going to work on it this weekend. We still have the old engine and pan if it needs it, but that motor was ****ed metal shavings all inside and its locked up good. Had a rod bearing going out as well

 

[Matt Howell]

See this post for updated information
http://www.titantalk.com/forums/tit...6-flex-fuel-09-vvt-flex-fuel-engine-swap.html