Nissan Motors uses a straightforward method of naming their automobile engines. The first few letters identify the engine family. The next digits are the displacement in deciliters. The following letters identify features added and are order specific based on the type of feature.
The features/letters follow a specific order and not all features are necessarily listed all of the time. The basic, common features follow this general order:
[Engine family character(s)] [two-digit engine displacement in deciliters] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
1 = Camshaft
2 = Fuel delivery
3 = Power adder
4 = 2nd power adder
5 = Special
A good example to start with is the Nissan VG30DETT engine. It belongs to the VG engine family, displaces 30 deciliters (3.0 liters), and the feature letters describe an engine with dual overhead camshafts, electronic port fuel injection and two turbo chargers.
The next example is the Nissan VQ35DE engine. It belongs to the VQ engine family and displaces 35 deciliters (3.5 liters). The feature letters describe an engine with dual overhead camshafts and electronic port fuel injection but leaves off any power adder descriptors because it is a naturally aspirated engine. The (single) turbocharged version of the VQ displaces 30 deciliters (3.0 liters) and is logically called the VQ30DET.
Not all features are necessarily described in the name. For example, the SR20VE engine has dual overhead camshafts but the variable valve lift design of the camshafts takes precedence in the naming scheme even though the "V" feature designation doesn't necessarily describe a DOHC arrangement. Many standard DOHC Nissan engines featured Variable Valve Timing, such as the VG30DETT, and as such do not use the "V" designation. "V" designation is only if the engine has variable valve lift.
A good example of an engine where not all of the feature designation spots are used is the L28ET engine. The two features listed being electronic port fuel injection designated with the "E" and the presence of a turbocharger designed with the letter "T". The engine has a single overhead camshaft so there is no "D" listed in the name; the camshaft type designation place being left out completely. Nissan does not have a letter designation for the SOHC configuration so the camshaft configuration type is assumed as SOHC if no letter is present.
Lastly, the MR16DDT engine has feature designations that describe an engine with dual overhead camshafts, direct cylinder fuel injection and a single turbocharger.
1971–1983 Nissan UD engine — Diesel 3.0 L — UD3
2010–present Nissan HR engine — 1.0/1.2 L — HR10DDT, HR10DE, HR12DE, HR12DDR (See Straight-4 below for other HR engines)
Nissan's Straight-4 engines include:
1952–1966 Nissan D engine — 0.9/1.1/1.2 L — D10, D11, D12
1955–1975 Prince G engine — 1.5/1.8/1.9/2.0 L — GA-4/G-1, GB-30/G-2, G-15, G-18
1956–1960, 1962–present Nissan H engine — 1.9/2.0 L — H, H20 (See Straight-6 below for other H engines.)
1957–1960 Nissan C engine — 1.0 L
1958–1964, 1982–1988 Nissan E engine — 1.0/1.2/1.3/1.5/1.6 L — E, E-1, E10, E13, E15E, E15ET, E16, E16E
1961–1970 Nissan G engine — 1.5 L — G
1964–1987 Nissan SD engine — Series One — Diesel 2.2/2.3/2.5 L — SD22, SD23, SD25 (See Straight-6 below for other SD engines.)
1965–1970 Nissan R engine — 1.6 L — R16;K21, H20, H20 II.
1965–1982 Nissan J engine — 1.3/1.5/2.0 L — J13, J15, J16
1966–2008 Nissan A engine — 1.0/1.2/1.3/1.4/1.5 L — A10, A12, A12T, A12A, A13, A14, A15
1967.5–1970 Datsun U engine — 2.0 L — U20; K20
1968–1988 Nissan L engine — 1.3/1.4/1.6/1.8/2.0 L — L13, L14, L16, L18, L20B (See Straight-6 below for other L engines
1971–1983 Nissan UD engine — Diesel 4.9 L — UD4
1979–1989 Nissan Z engine — 1.6/1.8/2.0/2.2/2.4 L — Z16, Z18, Z18ET, Z20S, Z20E, Z22E, Z24
1982–1991 Nissan CA engine — 1.6/1.8/2.0 L — CA16, CA18i, CA18DE, CA18DET, CA18ET, CA20
1983–1985, 1991–1997? Nissan CD engine — Diesel 1.7/2.0 L — CD17, CD20, CD20T, CD20ET, CD20E
1983–1986? Nissan FJ engine — 2.0/2.4 L — FJ20E, FJ20ET, FJ24
1983–1992 Nissan MA engine — 0.9/1.0/1.2 L — MA09ERT, MA10S, MA10E, MA10ET, MA12S
1986–present Nissan TD engine — Diesel 2.3/2.5/2.7 L — TD23, TD25, TD27, TD27T
1987–present Nissan GA engine — 1.3/1.4/1.5/1.6 L — GA14DE, GA16E, GA16DE, GA16DNE, GA16DS
1987–2007 Nissan SR engine — 1.6/1.8/2.0 L — SR16DE, SR16Di, SR16D, SR16VE, SR16VE N1, SR18DE, SR18DET, SR18Di, SR20DE, SR20DE GT Spec, SR20DET, SR20Di, SR20VE, SR20VET
1988–present Nissan KA engine — 2.0/2.4 L — KA20DE, KA24E, KA24DE
1989?–present Nissan NA engine — 1.6/2.0 L — NA16, NA20 - replacement of Z series and mostly used in commercial vehicles. Designed based on Z series.
1992–2002 Nissan CG engine — 1.0/1.3/1.4 L — CG10DE, CG13DE, CGA3DE
1999–present Nissan YD engine — Diesel 2.2/2.5/ L — YD22DDT,YD22DDTi, YD25DDT, YD25DDTi
1994?–2000 Nissan QD engine — Diesel 3.2 L — QD32
1999–present Nissan QG engine — 1.3/1.5/1.6/1.8 L — QG13DE, QG15DE, QG16DE, QG18DE, QG18DD, QG18DEN
1999–present Nissan ZD engine — Diesel 3.0 L — ZD30DD, ZD30DDT, ZD30DDTi
2000–present Nissan QR engine — 2.0/2.5 L — QR20DE, QR20DD, QR25DE, QR25DD, QR25DER
2002–present Nissan CR engine — 1.0/1.2/1.4 L — CR10DE, CR12DE, CR14DE
2004–present Nissan MR engine — 1.6/1.8/2.0 L — MR16DDT, MR18DE, MRA8DE, MR20DE, MR20DD
2005–present Nissan HR engine — 1.5/1.6 L — HR15DE, HR16DE, HR12DDT (See Straight-3 above for other HR engines)
Nissan's Straight-6 engines include:
1959–2003 Nissan P engine — 4.0 L — P40
1963–1969 Prince G engine — 2.0/2.5 L — G-7/G7B-R, GR-8, G-11 (See Straight-4 above for other G engines)
1965–1976? Nissan H engine — 3.0 L — H30 (See Straight-4 above for other H engines)
1968–1973 Nissan S20 engine — 2.0 L
1968–1986 Nissan L engine — 2.0/2.3/2.4/2.6/2.8 L — L20A, L20E, L20ET, L20P, L23, L24, L24E, L26, L26E, L28, L28E, L28ET (See Straight-4 above for other L engines)
1971–1983 Nissan UD engine — Diesel 7.4 L — UD6
1976–1989 Nissan LD engine — Diesel 2.8 L — LD28, LD28T
1980–1988 Nissan SD engine - Series Two — Diesel 3.3 L — SD33, SD33T (See Straight-4 above for other SD engines.)
1983–1995 Nissan FD engine — 3.3/3.5/4.2/4.6 L — FD33, FD33T, FD35, FD35T, FD42, FD46
1985–2004 Nissan RB engine — 2.0/2.4/2.5/2.6/2.8/3.0 L — RB20E, RB20ET, RB20DE, RB20DET, RB20DET-R, RB24DET, RB25DE, RB25DET, RB26DETT, RB28DETT, RB30S, RB30E, RB30ET, RB30DE
1985–2009 Nissan RD engine — Diesel 2.8 L — RD28, RD28T, RD28Ti
1987–present Nissan TB engine — 4.2/4.5/4.8 L — TB42E, TB42S, TB45E, TB48DE
1987–2011? Nissan TD engine — Diesel 4.2 L — TD42, TD42T, TD42Ti
1999–2009 Nissan VX engine —
Nissan's V6 engines include:
1984–2004 Nissan VG engine — 2.0/3.0/3.3 L — VG20E, VG20P, VG20ET, VG20DE, VG20DET, VG30S, VG30i, VG30E, VG30ET, VG30DE, VG30DET, VG30DETT, VG33E, VG33E-R
1992–1994 Nissan VE engine — 3.0 L — VE30DE
1995–present Nissan VQ engine — 2.0/2.3/2.5/3.0/3.5/3.7/3.8/4.0 L — VQ20DE, VQ23DE, VQ25DD, VQ25DE, VQ25DET, VQ25HR, VQ25VHR, VQ30DD, VQ30DE, VQ30DE-K, VQ30DET, VQ35DE, VQ35HR, VQ37VHR, VQ38HR, VQ40DE,
2008–present Nissan VR Engine — 3.0/3.8 L — VR30DDTT, VR38DETT
2015-* Nissan VRX Racing Engine (Non-Production) — 3.0 L
Nissan's V8 engines include:
1965–1989 Nissan Y engine — 4.0/4.4 L — Y40, Y44
1966–1967 Nissan W64 engine —6.4 L (Limited Production)
1971–1983 Nissan UD engine — Diesel 9.9 L — UD-V8
1987- * Nissan VRH Racing Engines (Non-Production)
1989–2001 Nissan VH engine — 4.1/4.5 L — VH41DE, VH45DE
2001–present Nissan VK engine — 4.5/5.0/5.6 L — VK45DE, VK45DD, VK50VE, VK56DE, VK56VD
Nissan's V12 engines include:
1969–1970 GRX-III (Non-Production)— 6.0 L—Nissan R382, Nissan R383
1971–1983 Nissan UD engine — Diesel 14.8 L — UD12
1991–1992 VRT35 (Non-Production)— 3.5 L
Diesel Engines in summary (model, displacement)
Nissan BD engine – 2.5/3.0 L
Nissan CD engine – 1.7/2.0 L
Nissan ED engine – 3.0/3.3
Nissan FD engine – 3.3/3.5/4.2/4.6 L
Nissan LD engine – 2.0/2.8 L
Nissan RD engine – 2.5/2.8 L
Nissan SD engine – 2.0/2.2/2.3/2.5/3.3 L
Nissan TD engine – 2.3/2.5/2.7/4.2 L
Nissan YD engine – 2.2/2.5 L
Nissan ZD engine – 3.0 L
Nissan QD engine – 3.2 L
Nissan M9R engine - 2.0 L
Nissan V9X engine – 3.0 L
Nissan UD engine UD12 –
12CY,
6.9
Nissan showed a prototype Wankel rotary engine at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1972, but it never reached production. [1]
Nissan NAPS Nissan Anti Polution System, predecessor to Nissan ECCS
Nissan PLASMA ("purazuma") (Powerful ＆ Econonomic, Lightweight, Accurate, Silent, Mighty, Advanced) is an acronym for the engine series designed to counter Toyota's Lightweight Advanced Super Response Engine (LASRE).
Nissan ECC is the Exhaust Gas Recirculator or EGR.
Nissan ECCS ("eltukusu") Electronic Concentrated Control System (ECCS), or Electronic Gas Injector (EGI), is an electronic fuel injection system designed to improve fuel economy and to reduce exhaust emission.
N-VCT or Nissan Variable Cam Timing is an automobile variable valve timing technology. (NVCS)
NEO, or Nissan Ecology Oriented, is an engine technology used to reduce fuel consumption and emission output while improving overall engine performance.
CVTCS or Continuous Valve Timing Control System, is a Nissan automobile variable valve timing technology. The engine technology is used by Nissan to reduce fuel consumption and emission output while improving overall engine performance.
VVL or Variable Valve and Lift is a Nissan automobile variable valve timing technology.
VVEL or Variable Valve Event and Lift is a Nissan automobile variable valve timing technology.
