NL 3.5 engine & drive line into NH 3.0 SWB

[TEdan]

Hi guy’s,
First time posting on here and don’t use forums much.
If this has been asked before, I’m sorry, but could you please send me towards that link.
Question is, if I had a NK or NL donor vehicle, could I swap all the 3.5 v6 engine, transmission, transfer and f&r diffs into a NH v6 SWB? Also including harnesses and ecu’s etc.
I know about the larger diffs and all that, but would it be a direct bolt in after a body lift? Diff mounts, g/box cross member, engine mounts etc. ?
Would tail shafts swap over/reuse or need custom?
I know I could just go a buy an NL swb, but they are real hard to come by and I may have an opportunity to pick up a clean NH shorty at a good price.
Thanks heaps. Look forward to your replies.
Cheers Dan.


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[erad]

The NL body was lifted to allow them to fit the larger V5M31 transmission (manual version). I am not sure about the auto transmission, but I expect that the body ;lift may well be required for that too.

I know that even with the body lift, access to the top of the gearbox was impossible without dropping the transmission, and even then it was nearly impossible.

[stumagoo]

I have done this swap into a NJ LWB. - if you wish to use the gear box and transfer case you will need to do the diffs and driveshafts as well and you will need to do a body lift to clear these. if you want to make it easier the 3.- gearbox etc bolts up to the 3.5

The engine mount brackets on the chassis need to be cut off and replaced with 3.5 ones (and their engine mount assemblies) as if you use the 3.0 ones they will hit the starter motor (dont ask how I know this) and the noil filter willhit the front diff


You will also need the dash cluster and loom to go with the engine bay loom and ecu - they will plug and play if you remove the NH loom - the cluster is needed as the 3.0 rev counter is not compatible with the 3.5 setup. The NL dash loom is also setup for the immobiliserwhich the NL ecu needs

I can confirm that it is a worth while swap as the 3.5 SOHC is a far better engine in every way as far as I am concerned but if you cant do it all yourself its better to hold out and buy a 3.5 NL shorty --- the cost to pay for this swap would be much the same as buying a NL shorty

[aussieguy]

1" lift for the body to fit the engine.


NL ECU will have air bag stuff, someone in this thread can remove the immobilizer from the ecu maybe they have a hack for airbag.



Otherwise all above info posted is also required.

[tomwithannl]

1" lift for the body to fit the engine.


NL ECU will have air bag stuff, someone in this thread can remove the immobilizer from the ecu maybe they have a hack for airbag.

Otherwise all above info posted is also required.

I don't think the main ECU has anything at all to do with the airbags as they have their own ECU mounted on the trans hump inside the console.

Tom

[stumagoo]

Main Ecu is engine only. Auto trans has a standalone ecu as does transfer case and airbags. you will need the engine ecu and the immobiliser module. This is made easier by using the dash loom as mentioned above. Add to this the NH could have a cable speedo and there is another reason to change it.

As I said I have done this swap into a lwb let me know if you want any genuine info. I do have a post about it here as well

[aussieguy]

Main Ecu is engine only. Auto trans has a standalone ecu as does transfer case and airbags. you will need the engine ecu and the immobiliser module. This is made easier by using the dash loom as mentioned above. Add to this the NH could have a cable speedo and there is another reason to change it.

As I said I have done this swap into a lwb let me know if you want any genuine info. I do have a post about it here as well

Sooooo disconnecting the airbag ecu won't effect the car from driving if you have say a 2000 NL?

[TEdan]

Thanks for all the info guy’s. Good stuff to know.
Would all of the above be the same ( minus the air bag gear) if I used a NK quad cam doner vehicle, or would you not recommend the NK?
If not, why?
Unsure if I would go auto or manual yet, but either way would be a complete swap. All drive line, dash cluster, harnesses etc.
More than happy and capable of doing all the work myself.
Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but does NK/NL have larger brakes?

Thanks again for all the info. [emoji106]


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[TEdan]

Main Ecu is engine only. Auto trans has a standalone ecu as does transfer case and airbags. you will need the engine ecu and the immobiliser module. This is made easier by using the dash loom as mentioned above. Add to this the NH could have a cable speedo and there is another reason to change it.

As I said I have done this swap into a lwb let me know if you want any genuine info. I do have a post about it here as well

Thanks mate.
Any chance you could share that link/post please. [emoji106]


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[stumagoo]

Sooooo disconnecting the airbag ecu won't effect the car from driving if you have say a 2000 NL?

not at all pull the globe and you will never know --- I did the NL engine swap to a NJ and put the factory NL dash loom and cluster into a NJ dash --- just left the ABS and air bags unplugged and took out the globes... never had an issue. (well I did with the immobiliser but that was a separate story)

However if you have a 2000 NL it should not be on the recall list anyway --- recalls end at oct-Nov 99 when Takata apparently rectified the known issue so it would not happen

[erad]

"recalls end at oct-Nov 99 when Takata apparently rectified the known issue so it would not happen"

My NL was first registered in March 2000, but it was built in,Oct 1999. As far as I could find out, no NL's were actually built in 2000 - it was the start of the NM model then, so I assume that if I still had it, my NL would have been on the list.

[stumagoo]

my donor engine came from an JDM import NL with a build date in Jan 00 - from what I have read it would not have been on the list for 2 reasons being an import and being 00 build date - our local club has 2 oct 99 built escapes both with airbags both not on the list

And Japanese market also has 99 built and sold gen 3's there was 12 months of 2 models there