Very interesting!

 

umm HELL YEAH!

$7500 in 2022 would be nothing!

 

Can't paste in the table, but that was from 2019. Wonder if the person who listed it still has it? Still a cool swap.

JG

 

For a Simple swap, choose a "VK5.6"
If your wanting to modify for peak HP with aftermarket parts, it's difficult to beat an "LS"

I would love to have a 2wd Xterra/Frontier with a swapped LS as a street sleeper.

 

I'd take the LS swap over the VK any day. Cheap and easy power in a relatively small package. I live in a smog county that gets super angry about engine swaps so I get neither.

 

This. LS's are the way to go. There's a reason you see them in everything.

 

I wonder how they got the computers to work with each other and if that made it much more complicated than a vk swap.

if peak power is the goal, LS, but if you just need to replace the vq and want to go v8 i feel like it would be easier to go with a vk?

 

the 4WD computer was bypassed.
Other than that, the ABS is standalone. The stability control needs to see some info on the CAN Bus.
So does the dash because the temp and RPM gauge are CAN contolled.
My guess would be that they are using some kind of ECU that boradcasts the correct info on the CAN bus, or that the dash was heavily modified.

 

i guess someone that has extensive experience putting LS' in various different platforms might find that easier, just because they know it well.

 

I have a 5.3 LS, all aluminum, endless HP available. I keep thinking that it should be in my 6M XTerra. Maybe if I get some time this summer. The XTerra 4L is not particularly powerful, gets awful gas mileage and has assorted problems that an LS will never have. I'll get to it one day. You can leave many computer functions of the X intact, as the LS can run on an aftermarket fuel injection system, all on its own. Helps not to have a slush box (auto tranny).

 

I have an appointment the second week in February to get my VK56 swap, and I am excited!! I thought i may have made the wrong choice when i saw this post, but...... An LS would be great, especially with all the aftermarket horsepower bolt ons. However, I ain't looking for a bunch more HP, just enough to put a sh*t eating smile on my face when I press on the skinny pedal. To each there own.

 

Rock on!

 

Loj performance makes everything you need to LS swap your Nissan. That's all they do

 

VK56 would be an easier swap simply because of more history and documentation for this specific platform. Of course something that has been documented over and over on this forum and others and has known answers to most possible questions is going to be easier. Anytime you follow someone else's footsteps again and again it's going to get easier and easier.

However, that's not to say if you have some skill and mechanical experience you can't easily swap in another engine.

Seems like this LOJ company has things figured out: Nissan Xterra / Frontier (2005-2019) Overview

You'll definitely be able to find an LS engine in good condition significantly easier than a VK. There's also literally decades worth of LS swap experience out there. A VK swap is pretty specific to Nissan Xterras and Frontiers. You're stuck within that community (which is honestly pretty small compared to other communities) if you need help. But LS engines have been swapped into just about every vehicle on this planet so the chances of finding help when you come across an unknown variable is pretty high.

VK56 swap is still a great route.
But if you want something with a heck of a lot of potential that is going to draw a crowd at Cars & Coffee, an LS looks like the way to go. And honestly, considering how popular Xterras are getting lately, I wouldn't doubt it if we start seeing more and more LS swaps.

 

VK56 would be an easier swap simply because of more history and documentation for this specific platform. Of course something that has been documented over and over on this forum and others and has known answers to most possible questions is going to be easier. Anytime you follow someone else's footsteps again and again it's going to get easier and easier.

However, that's not to say if you have some skill and mechanical experience you can't easily swap in another engine.

Seems like this LOJ company has things figured out: Nissan Xterra / Frontier (2005-2019) Overview

If you have the funds and can go with an all in one kit like you referenced, then the LS swap would be a snap. There's nothing to figure out, all the work is done for you and you get everything you need hand delivered. Much easier. When doing a VK swap, you have to comb through hundreds and hundreds of threads and posts and follow other builds and then piece everything together yourself. Not all that difficult if you're experienced, but definitely more work.

VK56 swap is still a great route.
But if you want something with a heck of a lot of potential that is going to draw a crowd at Cars & Coffee, an LS looks like the way to go. And honestly, considering how popular Xterras are getting lately, I wouldn't doubt it if we start seeing more and more LS swaps.

If that's a person's primary goal, they aren't going with an Xterra, lol

 

My buddy Joe wrote the book on LS swaps in case anyone wants a good reference.

GM LS-Series Engines: The Complete Swap Manual (Motorbooks Workshop)

Amazon.com

GM LS-Series Engines: The Complete Swap Manual (Motorbooks Workshop): Potak, Joseph: 9780760336090: Amazon.com: Books

GM LS-Series Engines: The Complete Swap Manual (Motorbooks Workshop) [Potak, Joseph] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. GM LS-Series Engines: The Complete Swap Manual (Motorbooks Workshop)

www.amazon.com

 

The LS swap would be awesome but, for most (including me), it's hard to justify spending another $10-12K over the cost of the VK swap. Xterra owners tend to be working class folks and $ means opportunity for us. If I dumped that kind of dough into the X in other ways I could do a lot of cool stuff.

 

I would do a BT4 swap. You get the diesel power and Tq. It will bolt to any dodge trans and you can get adapter plates to put an Alison on them as well. You get one pre 1998 I believe and it’s all mechanical besides a wire for the starter and the glow plugs. You could run the Xterra on the stock ecu with all the stock accessories. It’s the same deal with a Ls too. You can run a aftermarket engine and transmission controller and keep the stock modules to run the stuff in the truck. For argument sake it is probably easier and cheaper to Ls swap a Xterra.