VQ35DE Engine

Which VQ35 do you have?

Nissan built the VQ35 in plenty of flavors, including low-rpm truck and SUV versions. This guide is about the performance engines found in the 350Z and the V35/V36 Skyline. The difference between them matters, because it decides how many cam sensors you wire, whether the exhaust cams move, and whether Haltech can run it at all.

The ECU to use is the Elite 2500. It's the only Haltech model listed for this engine, and it's also the one with the CAN support these cars need. The base DE usually came with the FS6R31A six-speed manual, the Rev Up with the CD009 six-speed, and a five-speed automatic was also offered.

The basics: six cylinders, 3498 cc (213 ci), firing order 1-2-3-4-5-6. Cylinder numbering on a V6 isn't obvious from the outside, so check the bank layout for your engine before you wire coils and injectors.

Keeping the dash and body electronics happy

On the 350Z and Skyline, the gauge cluster, ABS and the IPDM (Nissan's intelligent power distribution module) all talk to the engine ECU over CAN. Pull the factory ECU without replacing that conversation and you lose a surprising amount of the car. Haltech has added VQ35 CAN support to the Elite 2500, covering:

• Tachometer and coolant temperature gauge
• Radiator fans and the A/C request and compressor output
• Cruise control and the economy signal
• Vehicle speed plus all four wheel speed sensors
• Steering angle, brake pressure, yaw and lateral G
• The VDC switch and the check engine light

Those chassis channels are also handy for traction and launch strategies later, since they arrive without extra sensors.

Trigger setup

The crank sensor reads a toothed ring built into the flywheel. It's a missing-tooth pattern, but every gap is the same size, so the crank signal alone can't tell the ECU where it is in the cycle. The cam sensors fill that in. Because the crank can't stand alone, Elite Quick Start adds nothing here, and we switch it off.

There's one cam sensor for each variable cam: two on a standard DE, four on the Rev Up and HR. Both the crank and cam sensors are Hall effect types.

Always confirm the offset with a timing light before tuning. A published offset gets you close, but verifying it is cheap insurance.

Sensor pinouts (Haltech trigger and home 4-core looms)

Note that pins 1 and 3 swap roles between the crank and cam sensors. That's the classic way to cook a Hall sensor, so double-check before you power up.

Ignition

The 350Z coils have the igniter built in, so they wire straight to the ECU's ignition outputs with no external igniter module. There are two coil types, one for the DE/Rev Up and one for the HR (which uses the same connection as the R35 GT-R coil), and both share this pin layout:

• Pin 1: ignition output from the ECU
• Pin 2: ground to the cylinder head
• Pin 3: switched 12V

Start with a conservative dwell and confirm the coils stay cool in use. We don't guess dwell on unfamiliar coils; if you want the base values Haltech published, ask us.

Drive by wire

The DE and Rev Up use one electronic throttle body, which the Elite 2500 drives directly.

After wiring, run the DBW calibration and check that both throttle sensors and both pedal sensors track each other across the full range before you start the engine.

Other sensors

MAP sensor

The VQ35 has no factory MAP sensor. The Elite's internal sensor covers naturally aspirated and mild boost builds. Plan on an external sensor such as the 5 Bar TI MAP sensor for serious boost. There's a blanked vacuum port on the intake plenum that makes a clean pickup point.

Coolant, air and oil temperature

• Coolant temp: two wires, either way around. Use the Temperature - Nissan Z33 Coolant.cal calibration, which is built for Haltech's 1k pullup to 5V.
• Air temp: lives in the MAF housing on pins 5 (signal to an AVI) and 6 (signal ground). Pins 1 to 4 belong to the MAF itself. Polarity doesn't matter.
• Oil temp (Rev Up and HR only): the factory uses it to decide when exhaust cam control can run. Wire pin 1 to a spare AVI and pin 2 to signal ground, and use the same Z33 coolant calibration.

Knock sensors

The factory knock sensors care about polarity, and internally they tie their ground to the block. Signal ground should never be shared with the block, so leave pin 2 unconnected, the same way Nissan did. Pin 1 goes to the knock input. See knock control for the setup side.

MAF sensor

Most Haltech VQ builds delete the MAF, but you can keep it as an input if you like. Pin 2 is switched 12V, pin 3 is sensor ground, pin 4 is the 0-5V signal, and pin 1 isn't used.

Oxygen sensors

There are four O2 sensors. MY03-04 cars use narrowbands everywhere, and those are really only good for catalyst monitoring, not tuning. From MY05 the front pair are Bosch LSU 4.2 wideband sensors, which the Elite can't read directly.

Our fix on either year is a WB2 dual channel wideband kit, fitting its LSU 4.9 sensors in place of the two pre-cat sensors so you get a wideband reading from each bank. The sensors are only reachable from under the car and come out with a 22 mm wrench or socket.

Rev Up specifics: exhaust cams and steering

Exhaust cam control

The Rev Up moves its exhaust cams with a magnetic retarder instead of oil pressure, but the ECU controls it the same way it controls the hydraulic intake cams. It's sensitive to oil viscosity and temperature, so stick with the recommended 5W-30 and don't let exhaust cam control run until the engine is warm. Around 167°F (75°C) coolant temperature is a sensible rough threshold.

Power steering assist

Rev Up and HR cars add an electronic assist to the hydraulic steering. Even though that module is on CAN, it still wants an old-school tach signal (a 5V square wave) for engine speed. Without it, the steering is heavy at parking speeds. Set DPO1 on the Elite 2500 to Tacho with the pullup to 5V and run it to the steering controller. On Australian Rev Up cars the factory ECU pin for this is unlisted but sits at pin 110; US-market cars appear to use pin 103.

Getting the factory ECU out (RHD cars)

On right-hand-drive Australian cars, the factory ECU hides behind the passenger airbag area. In short:

1. Peel back the door protector strip near the kick panel, then unscrew the plastic nut near the firewall and pull the kick panel inward from the bottom.
2. Remove the Phillips screw from the lower dash panel.
3. Lift out the card and cup holder near the console. A small tab at the back center holds it; a thin bent pick and patience helps.
4. Remove the 10 mm bolt under the card holder and the one near the lighter, then ease the lower panel off and unplug the lighter.
5. Release the ECU connector lever, then take out the two 10 mm nuts on the bracket.

To route a MAP hose or new wiring into the cabin, a small slit in the horizontal firewall grommet in the battery area does the job neatly.

Troubleshooting

VQ35DE FAQ

Can I run a VQ35HR on a Haltech Elite?

Not with the Elite range. The HR uses two electronic throttle bodies and the Elite doesn't support twin DBW.

Do I need a MAF on my VQ35DE with a Haltech?

No. Most builds run speed density off a MAP sensor. You can keep the MAF wired if you want the data, and the air temp sensor in its housing is still useful.

Comparing Nissan platforms? See our notes on the SR20, RB20/25/26 and TB48, or book a free 30 minute consultation to plan your 350Z build.