[SandToy05]

So, just to check in on this again... is there anyone who has performed this swap with a pre-2007 Consult II truck who swapped in a 2007+ Consult III motor? Inquiring minds want to know.

Bigger power to be made with the 2007+ motors, and I'm ready to pull the trigger on one as soon as I finish my brake and radiator projects.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

So, just to check in on this again... is there anyone who has performed this swap with a pre-2007 Consult II truck who swapped in a 2007+ Consult III motor? Inquiring minds want to know.

Bigger power to be made with the 2007+ motors, and I'm ready to pull the trigger on one as soon as I finish my brake and radiator projects.

I really don't think consult differences should be a worry. I think a as long as you have a matching ecu engine and engine harness you should be good. I can't possibly see a reason nissan would re invent the wheel so to speak just for a consult based system. Maybe consult 3 has more control of functions, from a marketing stand point it makes no sense to make parts incompatible for a consult change.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Removed in anticipation of coming conversion harness. Nissan changed up various terminals through the years. A conversion harness will just simply make things easier.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Finished the harness completely here is the finished product:


And all the wires I removed that weren't used:

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

I randomly got a email newsletter from Titan talk. In it this thread got my attention:

How To: Column to Console Shifter Conversion - Nissan Titan Forum

More importantly, this question followed by the OP's answer:



So it looks as though you can use a column shift trans and still retain manual mode, you shouldnt have the problem as described above where the gear indicator doesn't show as there is a wiring difference in the body harness of the titan where ours does not.

 

[Guts]

This is getting really technical.... so lets just say I get a salvaged titan that was totaled because of rear end damage... what do you think it would cost me to have a good mechanic take the engine-n-stuff out of the titan and plop it in my fronty? ... rough price of course...

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

This is getting really technical.... so lets just say I get a salvaged titan that was totaled because of rear end damage... what do you think it would cost me to have a good mechanic take the engine-n-stuff out of the titan and plop it in my fronty? ... rough price of course...

It's not that technical. As of right now the swap is pretty straight forward, buy a matching year engine, harness and ecu and a transmission. Repin harness, swap engines and tow to nearest dealership for ecu reflash.

I would imagine it being pricey as the chances of a average mechanic wanting to take on such a swap will be slim to none. Price would be hard to say as rates are not universal mechanic to mechanic

 

[Guts]

It's not that technical. As of right now the swap is pretty straight forward, buy a matching year engine, harness and ecu and a transmission. Repin harness, swap engines and tow to nearest dealership for ecu reflash.

I would imagine it being pricey as the chances of a average mechanic wanting to take on such a swap will be slim to none. Price would be hard to say as rates are not universal mechanic to mechanic

hmmm well i guess i will stay tuned and see how the rest goes. AndrewVK started a thread like this and eventually shut it down cause everyone kept harassing him about updates. Never got to see a write up on the final project. Good luck! Seems like this will be a really well done write up if it keeps going like it is now.

 

[frontin40]

Any new updates?

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Any new updates?

Unfortunately not I'm working on gathering parts for my other project which can be seen here if anybody cares: My Datsun Roadster Remake

I started this project long before I started planning the VK swap so I want to finish it first. As you can see I haven't updated the blog in almost a year because I have been working on remodeling my shop. I have been buying parts left and right for it lately and will have updates soon.

As far as the VK swap goes I simply wanted to put the information out there for anyone who has the resources to start this swap before I can. The more information we have on this swap and the more popular the swap becomes, the more doors will open when it comes to aftermarket support.

 

[SandToy05]

Sinister,

Just to give an update; I have been doing some research and so far, the 2008 V8 Pathfinder engine harness appears to be a direct fit for what we need.

Going through the factory service manual the pinouts for the F14, F32 and F33 plugs are identical to the Frontier. Hopefully, if the actual plugs themselves are identical to the Frontier (they should be), we can do this swap using a 2008 Pathfinder V8 harness and no wiring changes at all. The Pathfinder engine harness will plug in and since all of the Pathfinders were console shift and gasoline engine only, it shouldn't have too much variation from year to year.

Only hard part at that point is finding a Pathfinder V8 ECU, although I am willing to bet a Titan ECU will work.

 

[SandToy05]

Update: the 2011 Titan ECU and the 2008 Pathfinder V8 ECU have the exact same pinouts according to the FSM diagrams. The 2008 Pathfinder has the later version of the VK with variable valve timing on the intake cams, so it looks like any 2007+ Titan ECU will work with the 2008 Pathfinder V8 engine harness, which should plug directly into the Frontier main harness.

So, a 2008 V8 Pathfinder engine harness, combined with any 2007+ computer, should start up a 2007+ VK56DE with a floor shift Titan transmission with no cutting or splicing at all.

In addition, I took apart a spare key that I had lying around to see what the chip looks like inside the plastic key housing. The key itself can be popped out of the plastic housing and epoxied back into a different plastic housing with a little effort. SO... if you can get a Titan ECU, BCM, and key from the same vehicle you should be able to start the engine without having to go to the dealer. As long as the ECU, BCM, and key chip are from the same vehicle it will all match up for the anti-theft system. Simply pop the plastic housing off your own key, pop the housing off the Titan key, and then snap your Frontier key into the Titan key's plastic housing.

You can manually reprogram your keyless entry clicker to the new BCM without going to the dealer; there's a procedure for this outlined in the factory service manual.

Awesome news!

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Update: the 2011 Titan ECU and the 2008 Pathfinder V8 ECU have the exact same pinouts according to the FSM diagrams. The 2008 Pathfinder has the later version of the VK with variable valve timing on the intake cams, so it looks like any 2007+ Titan ECU will work with the 2008 Pathfinder V8 engine harness, which should plug directly into the Frontier main harness.

So, a 2008 V8 Pathfinder engine harness, combined with any 2007+ computer, should start up a 2007+ VK56DE with a floor shift Titan transmission with no cutting or splicing at all.

In addition, I took apart a spare key that I had lying around to see what the chip looks like inside the plastic key housing. The key itself can be popped out of the plastic housing and epoxied back into a different plastic housing with a little effort. SO... if you can get a Titan ECU, BCM, and key from the same vehicle you should be able to start the engine without having to go to the dealer. As long as the ECU, BCM, and key chip are from the same vehicle it will all match up for the anti-theft system. Simply pop the plastic housing off your own key, pop the housing off the Titan key, and then snap your Frontier key into the Titan key's plastic housing.

You can manually reprogram your keyless entry clicker to the new BCM without going to the dealer; there's a procedure for this outlined in the factory service manual.

Awesome news!

Good find! Only issue I see is being lucky enough to find a V8 pathfinder where someone didn't cut the harness anywhere in the bone yard lol. Great info on the BCM, I didn't think of that one. Would be great if you happen to be in the right place at the right time where you would be able to snag the ecu, bcm, keys, wiring harness, Trans and engine out of a rear ended Titan.

All great fail proof methods, and not to shoot them down but there has to be easier ways to piece together this swap and there is! As we cover more ground on this swap the interchange list will grow.

 

[murphy]

I'm always excited to see activity on this thread. I wonder at what point is it easier to put a frontier body onto a Titan frame/drivetrain. Sinister, it seems like the only thing that will be left on your 'frontier' is the frame, bed and cab.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

I'm always excited to see activity on this thread. I wonder at what point is it easier to put a frontier body onto a Titan frame/drivetrain. Sinister, it seems like the only thing that will be left on your 'frontier' is the frame, bed and cab.

Well... Yeah! I want to create the baby titan nissan never created and pick on unsuspecting truck guys, especially the ones who think their full size trucks are superior to us midsize folk.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

There has been some new developments when it comes to the repinning of the harness. Nissan uses the same connector housings for all years of Frontiers/Titans/Xterras but I have found during construction of a harness for a forum member that the pins (terminals) types vary from certain years. No worries though I am getting all the pins and links to them together as I type this. All you will have to do is pull the pins out of your harness and match them to the pictures of the terminals and order accordingly. I am also working on trying to source the parts needed to construct a jumper harness for a plug and play application. Stay tuned!

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Jumper harnesses are coming... Well hopefully, lol 2 connectors down 3 to go.

 

[Crazyace07]

i always enjoy reading this thread. It would be so much fun to convert a frontier to a TITANIER

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Located 2 more connector housings this morning, got 1 more to locate and jumper harnesses for a plug and play application will be available. I will be revising the write up very soon.

 

[SinisterFrontier06]

Ok the last connector I need to source has proven hard to get ahold of as it supposedly is a OEM restricted item, meaning only Nissan can order the connector housings from the suppliers. I have been knocking on all the doors of the China suppliers that I have found in hopes that someone will answer the door.


Some hope for the 6 spd manual 4x4 guys, there is an adapter plate available for the 350z manual transmissions where it allows you to use a VK56 bellhousing I suspect it is possible to use on the VQ40 trans, so here is a link if anyone else wants to do some further investigating:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VK56-to-VQ3.../351130530970?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item51c102b49a&vxp=mtr