Only the Teana sedan and its clones were equipped with the 2.3-liter Nissan VQ23DE engine, also known as VQ23 for short, which replaced the junior model of the well-liked V6 engine line in 2003. The only version of this power unit with a boost of 173 horsepower and 225 Nm was manufactured.
Internal combustion engines are also part of the VQ20 series: VQ20DE, VQ25DE, VQ25DET, VQ25DD, and VQ25HR.
The engine was mounted on:
- Nissan Cefiro 4 (J31) in 2003 – 2008;
- Nissan Teana 1 (J31) in 2003 – 2008;
- Samsung SM5 2 (EX1) in 2005 – 2010;
- Samsung SM7 1 (EX2) in 2004 – 2011.
Specifications
| Start of production | 2003 |
| Displacement, cc | 2349 |
| Fuel system | distributed injection |
| Power output, hp | 173 |
| Torque output, Nm | 225 |
| Cylinder block | aluminum V6 |
| Block head | aluminum 24v |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 85 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 69 |
| Compression ratio | 9.8 |
| Features | NDIS |
| Hydraulic lifters | no |
| Timing drive | three chains |
| Phase regulator | at the CVTC intake |
| Turbocharging | no |
| Recommended engine oil | 5W-30 |
| Engine oil capacity, liter | 4.0 |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Euro standards | EURO 3/4 |
| Fuel consumption, L/100 km (for Nissan Teana 2007) — city — highway — combined |
13.7 8.3 10.3 |
| Engine lifespan, km | ~320 000 |
| Weight, kg | 180 |
Disadvantages of the VQ23DE engine
Catalyst crumbs entering the combustion chamber is the primary issue with these engines; if your oil consumption surpasses one liter per 1000 kilometers, look for scuffs on the cylinders;
numerous complaints regarding floating speed as a result of idle valve contamination;
Keep an eye on the motor’s thermal regime because overheating can cause the cylinder head to warp;
It typically stretches and the timing chain starts to rattle closer to 200,000 kilometers of run; there are leaks from the camshaft position sensors or from beneath the valve cover.