Trimetal connecting rod bearings Nissan 350Z Murano VQ35DE

The Nissan VQ35DE V6 engine

The VQ35DE is Nissan's naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6, with 24 valves and double overhead camshafts, fitted to the 350Z as well as the Maxima, Murano, Altima, Pathfinder, Skyline and Elgrand. All its versions share the same crankpin diameter: a single bearing set covers the whole family.

From the factory, this engine is fitted with standard production connecting rod bearings, sized for the loads of the original engine: as soon as power, engine speed or boost pressure increase, they reach their limits.

Trimetal connecting rod bearings

A trimetal bearing stacks three layers: a steel back, a copper-lead intermediate layer with high load capacity and an anti-friction running surface that protects the journal. The complete set contains 12 half shells, six pairs for a six-cylinder engine.

The original bearing relies on an aluminium alloy over a steel back, intended for low to medium loads, whereas trimetal is designed for high, sustained loads: an aluminium bi-metal takes around 8,000 psi, a performance trimetal up to 12,000 psi, 50% more. Hence better resistance and better durability on turbocharged, supercharged and high-revving engines.

Technical specifications

Technical guide

The ACL and King rod bearings shown here are trimetal bearings, designed for engine building and racing. Compared with an original bearing, they handle far higher loads: they cope with increased power, high rpm or the addition of a turbo or supercharger, where a standard bearing quickly reaches its limit.

The two brands

	ACL Bearing Company, an Australian manufacturer of high-performance engine bearings since 1949, offers with its Race Series precise trimetal bearings, available in many sizes and proven on built engines worldwide.
	King Engine Bearings, an Israeli manufacturer of high-performance engine bearings since the 1960s, offers with its pMax Black trimetal alloy bearings designed for heavy loads.

Construction and advantages

Criterion	ACL Race Series	King Racing
Cross-section
Type	High-performance trimetal bearing	High-performance trimetal bearing
Country of manufacture	Australia	Israel
Construction	Trimetal: steel back, copper layer, soft surface	Trimetal: steel back, copper layer, soft surface
Alloy	Race Series (copper-lead)	pMax Black (hardened copper-lead)
Protective coating	No	No
Available sizes	Standard to +0.25 mm (+ increased clearance HX)	Standard to +0.25 mm (+ increased clearance STDX)

Vehicle compatibility

This connecting rod bearing set fits the VQ35DE V6 of the following Nissan models: