- 1). Decide what is most important to you in an engine. If you're upgrading or replacing a damaged engine, you should establish exactly what size of engine is suitable for your car. Take account of power and performance. For example, the 2002 3.5-liter Nissan Maxima is capable of delivering an impressive 255 horse power. Consider mileage, cubic capacity, age and weight. Putting a heavy engine in a small car can cause handling problems. The engines in Nissan's VQ engine range are aluminum and are relatively light. Write down the three most important criteria for your engine comparison.
- 2). Discount engines that don't meet your criteria. If you are looking for a cheap replacement engine for an old Nissan, don't spend lots of money on a high-performance GTS engine. The 2.5-liter 2003 Nissan Altima and Nissan Sentra were recalled due to temperature fluctuations that caused the engines to shut down. Be wary of engines that have been subject to manufacturer recall.
- 3). Use impartial reviews and manufacturer specifications to supplement your comparisons. You should use your key criteria to make comparisons, but note any other beneficial features to help you decide between two similarly suitable engines. Something as simple as the location of the seller may be enough to swing the deal one way or the other.
- 4). Make a short list of three engine types that you've identified as suitable. Make your ranking process more precise by using a higher grading threshold for the criteria you determined most important: Rank each engine according to your three main criteria. Allow 1 to 20 points for each engine you're considering's proficiency in your top criterion. Allow 1 to 10 points for each engine's proficiency in your second most important criterion, and allow 1 to 5 points each engine's proficiency in the third.
- 5). Take account of the cars the engines were in previously. For example, Nissan's SR20DET engine is used in various Nissan cars, including the DT Turbo, the Bluebird and the Silvia (these are Japanese versions of Nissan cars). An engine powering a lighter car will have less wear per mile than the same engine powering a larger car. It's the same method of operation you would use if you had two identical cars but one had been used to tow a trailer: You would dock points for engine wear on the engine that towed the trailer due to the extra weight the car pulled and the extra effort the engine exerted.
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