:banghead:

Well, my 87's engine bit the dust at the crank after 263,000 miles.
I only owned it for the last 70,000 or so.

Now I have found an exact match (note: 87 has pre 3/87 and post 4/87 MFD requirements plus vin and 4x4 stuff) for $450 with 138,000 mi.

But!!!!

By the time I may get a response to this I will have already gotten a 92-95 3.0L Pathfinder 4x4 engine (and harnesses,computer,and whatever else I can grab), because I want MPFI.

All I think I know is : 1) Up thru 95 the computer codes are the same.
2) The longblock is the same except for the MPFI intake
3) The engine will mount to my early (87) 4x4 Trans
4) I can do the wiring to make it work
5) The sensor "ports" are the same
If I'm wrong, please let me know (I believe I can exchange the engine back with a restocking fee).

come to think of it ...I think the dash changed in 1993 so might just go 1992 max. That will upgrade me by five years for initial cost of $500.00.

Any help on this matter would help.

I had a real hard time getting my 87 inspected last year because of emissions
failure. I went through everything (Including adjusting mixture @ the ECM).
It turned out to be the choke! That little coolant temp activated plunger cost me a lot of headaches. I was so mad at it , I refused to replace it...I just modified it with a copper coupler to bring it in range.

See ya wouldn't wanna be ya!

Maintenanceme2

The ECU error codes are the same, but the ECU's differ between auto/manual, federal emissions/Cali emissions and year. You'll need an ECU that matches both your transmission type and emissions type. Make sure which transmission you have, in the early models they used an auto 4-speed(RE4R01A) and a three-speed (LN471B(?)) automatic. I think the only manual they used was the 5-speed FS5R30A.

The engine should swap directly in, no problem. The 90-95 VG30E's have a knock sensor in the center of the engine under the intake that the 87-89's didn't have, but that's an easy hookup. The major issues after that are getting all the new intake parts(airbox, etc) and replacing the entire wiring harness, etc.

What's the dash change have to do with swapping the engine?