Nissan LD20
A reliable, long-lived diesel with a cast-iron block and head.
Nissan Skyline engines
The Nissan Skyline is a Japanese vehicle manufactured by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. since 1957. Until 1989, they produced cars of the compact class, then until 2002 – the sports compact class, and since 2003 – the middle class. In total, 13 generations of the model have been released. The latest generation version, factory-marked V37, is sold in the North American market, in Russia, as well as in Southeast Asia under the names Infiniti Q50 and Infiniti Q60. The name of the car is translated as “horizon”.
The Nissan Skyline was offered with 15 engines since 1980 (12 petrol, 3 diesel). Displacement ranges from 1.8 to 3.7 liters, power output from 65 to 330 hp. 9 use a timing chain and 6 a timing belt. 4 are turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Nissan VQ25HR (about 500,000 km).
Nissan Skyline engines by generation
| Engine | Years | Volume | Power | Fuel | Timing | Oil | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Skyline 5 (C210) 1980–1981 | |||||||
| Nissan LD28 | 1980–1981 | 2.8 L R6 | 91 hp | diesel | chain | 6.2 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan Skyline 6 (R30) 1981–1990 | |||||||
| Nissan LD20 | 1981–1990 | 2.0 L R4 | 65 hp | diesel | chain | 4.7 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan CA18 | 1983–1985 | 1.8 L R4 | 91–175 hp | petrol, NA / turbo | belt | ||
| Nissan Skyline 7 (R31) 1985–1994 | |||||||
| Nissan RB20 | 1985–1994 | 2.0 L | 115 hp | petrol, NA / turbo | belt | 4.2 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan RD28 | 1985–1990 | 2.8 L R6 | 95–100 hp | diesel | belt | 6.4 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan CA20 | 1985–1989 | 2.0 L R4 | 82–110 hp | petrol | belt | ||
| Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 1989–1994 | |||||||
| Nissan RB26DETT | 1989–1994 | 2.6 L R6 | 280 hp | petrol, turbo | belt | 4.6 L | ~320,000 km |
| Nissan Skyline 9 (R33) 1993–1998 | |||||||
| Nissan RB25 | 1993–1998 | 2.5 L R6 | 180–250 hp | petrol | belt | 4.6–4.7 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan Skyline 11 (V35) 2001–2006 | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35DE | 3.5 L V6 | 215–305 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan VQ25DD | 2001–2006 | 2.5 L V6 | 210–215 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~320,000 km |
| Nissan VQ30DD | 2001–2004 | 3.0 L V6 | 230–260 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan Skyline 12 (V36) 2006–2014 | |||||||
| Nissan VQ37VHR | 3.7 L | 330 hp | petrol | chain | 5.4 L | ~250,000 km | |
| Nissan VQ35HR | 3.5 L V6 | 300–315 hp | petrol | chain | 4.9 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan VQ25HR | 2006–2014 | 2.5 L V6 | 220–235 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~500,000 km |
| Nissan Skyline 13 (V37) 2019–present | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35HR | 3.5 L V6 | 300–315 hp | petrol | chain | 4.9 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan VR30DDTT | 2019–present | 3.0 L V6 | petrol, turbo | chain | 5.4 L | ~200,000 km | |
Nissan Skyline engine FAQ
What engines were used in the Nissan Skyline?
Nissan Skyline 5 (C210) (1980–1981): Nissan LD28; Nissan Skyline 6 (R30) (1981–1990): Nissan LD20 and Nissan CA18; Nissan Skyline 7 (R31) (1985–1994): Nissan RB20, Nissan RD28 and Nissan CA20; Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 (1989–1994): Nissan RB26DETT; Nissan Skyline 9 (R33) (1993–1998): Nissan RB25; Nissan Skyline 11 (V35) (2001–2006): Nissan VQ35DE, Nissan VQ25DD and Nissan VQ30DD; Nissan Skyline 12 (V36) (2006–2014): Nissan VQ37VHR, Nissan VQ35HR and Nissan VQ25HR; Nissan Skyline 13 (V37) (2019–present): Nissan VQ35HR and Nissan VR30DDTT.
Which Nissan Skyline engine is the most durable?
By rated service life the most durable Nissan Skyline engines are: Nissan VQ25HR — about 500,000 km; Nissan LD28 — about 400,000 km; Nissan RB20 — about 400,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.
How much oil does the Nissan Skyline engine take?
Engine oil capacity with filter: Nissan LD20 — 4.7 L (10W-40); Nissan LD28 — 6.2 L (10W-40); Nissan RB20 — 4.2 L (0W-30 / 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40); Nissan RB25 — 4.6–4.7 L (5W-30); Nissan RB26DETT — 4.6 L (5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40); Nissan RD28 — 6.4 L (10W-40); Nissan VQ25DD — 4.7 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ25HR — 4.7 L (5W-30, 5W-40); Nissan VQ30DD — 4.7 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ35DE — 4.7 L (5W-30, 5W-40); Nissan VQ35HR — 4.9 L (5W-30, 5W-40); Nissan VQ37VHR — 5.4 L (0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 15W-40); Nissan VR30DDTT — 5.4 L (0W-20).
Does the Nissan Skyline have a timing belt or chain?
Timing chain: Nissan LD20, Nissan LD28, Nissan VQ25DD, Nissan VQ25HR, Nissan VQ30DD, Nissan VQ35DE, Nissan VQ35HR, Nissan VQ37VHR and Nissan VR30DDTT; timing belt: Nissan CA18, Nissan CA20, Nissan RB20, Nissan RB25, Nissan RB26DETT and Nissan RD28. Belts must be replaced on schedule: on many engines a broken belt bends the valves.
Was the Nissan Skyline available with a diesel engine?
Yes: Nissan LD20, Nissan LD28 and Nissan RD28.
Engine details
Nissan LD28
A simple and reliable cast-iron diesel with a very long life.
Nissan CA18
The timing belt must be replaced on schedule, its failure means an expensive repair.
Nissan RB20
Engines of this series are known for reliability and minimum problems in operation.
Nissan RD28
The cylinder head of this diesel engine cracks easily from overheating.
Nissan RB25
One of the most popular inline 6-cylinder engines is renowned for its excellent reliability.
Nissan VQ30DD
Many problems with this engine are associated with the consumption of low-quality fuel.
Nissan VQ25DD
Due to poor-quality fuel in the engine, nozzles and a high-pressure fuel pump often fail.
Nissan VQ35DE
This is a very reliable unit with a high resource, but oil consumption is common. The reason is either coking due to…
Nissan VQ25HR
The most problematic place of this motor is the catalyst, which is destroyed by bad fuel. Its crumbs then end up in…
Nissan VQ35HR
The most famous problem of this engine is seizures in the cylinders and oil burner. The main reason for their appearance, many…
Nissan VQ37VHR
The bulk of the complaints on the forums are related to oil consumption and there are several reasons for this: firstly, this…
Nissan VR30DDTT
While the engine is brand new and most of its problems are treated by flashing.
Models with the same engines
- Nissan Laurel 7 shared engines
- Nissan Cedric 6 shared engines
- Nissan Gloria 6 shared engines
- Nissan Stagea 6 shared engines
- Infiniti G20/Q40/Q60 5 shared engines
- Infiniti Q50 4 shared engines
- Infiniti Q70 (M)/Nissan Fuga 4 shared engines
- Nissan Cefiro 4 shared engines
- Nissan Fairlady Z/350Z 4 shared engines
- Infiniti QX50 (EX) 3 shared engines