Nissan's Turbocharged 4-Cylinder Is Holding It Back

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Seeker80@reddit

A 3cyl based on the VR30 architecture would be neat. Something that doesn't have the disastrous variable-compression setup.

It could even be a Silvia engine.

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I agree that a 10 year old I4 is in need of an update, almost regardless of context, but this very "feelings" take of focusing on looking back at a V6 that wasn't as quick, was still paired to a CVT, got worse in town fuel economy, was never fun because it's still a Murano, and isn't coming back through rose colored glasses seems like something you can sum up more quickly by yelling the neighbor kids to get off your lawn.

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NotoriousLZB@reddit

I was just having this conversation with someone. Nissans engine strategy has been so odd lately. So for everyone saying bring the VQ back, may I remind you the VR exists. Just like the VQ it could be had anywhere from 3.0-3.8 with modern DI and turbos. The 3.8(gtr) is obviously at the top and I wouldn’t want that everywhere and the 3.5 is new and seems to be doing well I. Everything it’s in but the 3.0 is criminally under utilized. It was a great fit in the Q50/60 and is a good match for the Z, but there is absolutely no reason it shouldn’t be in everything like the Vq was. Especially pathfinder and qx60 and as the article talks about the Murano. Obviously there are some packaging concerns, but with the VC turbo being such a meh engine in all forms they should invest to bring something character full back.

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mustangfan12@reddit

The VR isn't a great engine, sure its based on the GTR engine, but sound wise it just sounds like a Toyota Camry V6. Everything is also packaged in way too tight for serviceability

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FrankReynoldsCPA@reddit

But man if you listen to the VR30 crowd on FB/Tiktok/Instagram you'd think the VR30 is the B58 killer.

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MisterDoctor___@reddit

The VR30 isn’t in everything because it’s crap and Nissan doesn’t wanna deal with blown turbos across their entire line.

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NotoriousLZB@reddit

Actual question. This isn’t me doubting you. In early VR30s I knew of the oil consumption and some turbo issues but as far as I know they were rectified. In terms of packaging I don’t think it’s much tighter than other similar engines. Is a b58 or other comparable turbo 6s (v or inline) much easier to work on?

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MisterDoctor___@reddit

B58 is far easier to work on. With the turbo out, I can stand inside the engine bay of the Supra. If you have any experience working on VQ’s, you’ll know that there is zero room in the engine bay. The VR30 did nothing to fix that.

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FrankReynoldsCPA@reddit

One of the reasons IMO that it's easier to make power from a B58 is that swapping turbos in the VR is apparently an engine-out procedure.

It's like a 1-2 hour job on a B58.

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manilove__frogs@reddit

The VQ38DD also still exists or am I missing something

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velociraptorfarmer@reddit

The VQ35DD exists in the Pathfinder still

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

It's also not like the VC engines have been a paragon of reliability

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ScienceMechEng_Lover@reddit

I agree. They should turbocharge the VQ instead and create a hood classic.

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RiftHunter4@reddit

This might sound insane, but I was expecting Nissan to move to an Inline-6 by now.

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GymLeaderMatt@reddit

They ain’t got no money for R&D bro. It’s why every model, platform and engine they have are over a decade or two old.

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ScienceMechEng_Lover@reddit

Just bring back the RB26 with an aluminium block./s

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kstetter@reddit

Put it in Infinitis and make it a BMW competitor

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knight_prince_ace@reddit

Actually, that could work

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GymLeaderMatt@reddit

I used to be a Nissan guy. My 93 maxima SE was the tits. I would kill for a 510 sedan/wagon revival with a small i6.

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ZaheerAlGhul@reddit

They should've done this in the mid 2000s and kept it for the sports cars and Infiniti

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mustangfan12@reddit

My guess is the VQ engine is too big to easily turbo it and package it in. They would be better off supercharging it

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velociraptorfarmer@reddit

The VR35DDTT is basically a twin turbo VQ35 that they've been making for 25 years.

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mustangfan12@reddit

The car that engine is in is super huge though, its able to retain decent service ability because of its big engine bay

A Nissan Murano or a sedan can't do the same

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IRideZs@reddit

The recent VQ has turbos I thought?

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ImBiginKorea@reddit

The VRs are the turbo v6s.

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ScienceMechEng_Lover@reddit

Yesn't. IIRC, the VR38 (the engine in the R35 GT-R) is built upon the VQ and uses the same engine block. The VR30 and VR35 use a different block and design and are only called the "VR" name because it's a twin-turbo V6. It's like how the RB26 shares little in common with the RB20 beyond the inline 6 layout and belt-driven valvetrain.

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Word_Underscore@reddit

Honda F22 Accord, Honda F22 S2000 - very different

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3rdreprieve@reddit

Those are the VR30 engines. Similar to the GT-R’s engine, but destroked/bored to 3.0 liters instead of 3.8.

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mustangfan12@reddit

Its the VR engine that is turbo

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Jin_Ezawa@reddit

Nope. But there are turbo versions of the VQ in japan and some of nissan's old race cars (VQ25DET, VQ30DET, VQ30DETT). Stagea and some of the JDM sedans

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SnikySquirrel@reddit

Now they just need to shove it in an Altima to make a WMD.

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Old_Ad_881@reddit

Yeah the VC-Turbo is such a confusing choice. Everyone else is using \~200hp hybrid drive trains. Nissan could've easily brought over their E-Power drive trains that gets good reviews, instead they develop a complicated new four cylinder turbo.

The Rogue, Murano and Altima should be E-Power, and all the QX60 and QX50 need a V6.

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rewardingsnark@reddit

Well yeah it had one of histories all time great V6 engines.

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kstetter@reddit

You mean their inline six? I haven't heard much on their V6s

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rewardingsnark@reddit

What? The VQ(and earlier derivates) is a multi Ward's winning V6 and one of the all time great V6.

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kstetter@reddit

Never heard of it, stopped paying attention to Nissan when they went to the dark side (changed from I6 to V6).

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mrk240@reddit

So you stopped paying attention to Nissan in the early 80s?

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kstetter@reddit

For the most part, except the V8s. The V8 Patrol was pretty cool.

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mrk240@reddit

Picking and choosing there, Patrols were traditionally inline 6s.

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rewardingsnark@reddit

Hey I am all for the I6, it's what every engine should be, but Nissan made a great V6, still does

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

I have this engine in my wife's/family car and can confirm it's not the best.

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pistachiopias@reddit

I don't know why they chose to keep the V6 only for the Pathfinder for the post-refresh models. Figured it'd be the other way around. Having test-driven both, the V6 feels much smoother and luxurious, IMO.

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

Someone thought it was a good idea, that person was wrong.

Still, for 399 a month I can't complain too much.

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pistachiopias@reddit

Lease I'm assuming?

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

Yep, 24 months. For a nicely appointed 3 row it's a crazy bargain, notwithstanding the engine.

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pistachiopias@reddit

Nice, 0 down? If so, that's a hell of a deal.

I've been looking to replace an aging 4Runner with something more modern and road trip friendly. I test drove that and the Pathfinder. I thought it was nicely equipped and comfy enough, but the Wife wasn't too in love with it. She's also very attached to her 4Runner. However, for that price...she might reconsider it.

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BeigeChocobo@reddit

It was 2700 DAS (taxes and tags and such), so not as good as zero DAS, but still a great deal for a 60k car. I figure at the end of this short term we can reevaluate what we want/need in a family car (bigger, smaller, more fuel efficient, sportier, etc) and take it from there.

Other than the engine, besides being the antithesis of driving fun, it really is a decent car.

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pistachiopias@reddit

Fair enough, that's still pretty solid. Might have to take a second look at these lease deals.

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Trades46@reddit

The Nissan VQ has always been a pretty stout motor for all the criticism it gets. It is usually the fact Nissan tied the torquey V6 to their made from glass CVT that seems to cause most powertrain issues.

However NA V6 are going wayside as emissions and fuel economy is becoming paramount in every corner of the world (that isn't the US at least with this current administration but I digress). It simply doesn't make sense to keep it around.

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unmanipinfo@reddit

This is the whole industry though? Just be glad they don't do something like bring back the Laurel and make it a hybrid SUV

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mgobla@reddit

Rav4: reliable 2.5 hybrid

Crv: reliable 2.0 hybrid

Forester: reliable 2.5 hybrid

CX-5: reliable 2.5

Rogue: horrible VCT engine

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leedle1234@reddit

Can't be a coincidence that Nissan's is the newest engine of the bunch (2017).

Toyotas 2AR is almost 2 decades old now.

The R series engines Honda resurrected for the hybrids are as well.

Subarus FB is over 15 years old now.

Mazdas skyactiv g is as well.

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unmanipinfo@reddit

Horrible doesn't mean unreliable. I'm saying it's an industry wide trend to ignore driving dynamics in economy vehicles, and even worse resurrect beloved cars as bloated corpses

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dissss0@reddit

Laurel would be a perfect candidate to come back as a crossover - it never had any sporting pretentious anyway

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unmanipinfo@reddit

It was a RWD V8 luxury sedan, if you can somehow get all that into a crossover, sure. I'd love to see a low centre of mass crossover in a sedan body style, packing a v8.

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dissss0@reddit

Laurel never came with a V8.

While it did at various times come with turbo I6 and V6 engines many of them were the good old n/a RD28 diesel.

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unmanipinfo@reddit

My bad I must have been thinking of a President, or I'm just ignorant

Yes I've definitely seen a couple around with sooty rear bumpers lol

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