Engine Swap Compatibility – YS23 to YS23 (Auto to Manual (?) Engine Swap)

[jason andean]

Hey everyone,



I’m looking for some advice on an engine swap for a Nissan Navara. My current engine is a YS23-XXX039A(automatic), and I’ve found a replacement engine from Japan with the number YS23-XXX872A (appears to be from a manual).



Before I commit, I need to confirm:

Will my existing ECU work with this replacement engine, or will it need reprogramming?

Are there any known differences in the turbo setup, sensors, injectors, or mounting that could cause fitment issues?

Since the donor engine came from a manual, is it just a case of swapping over the flexplate, or are there other transmission-related concerns?



Would appreciate any insights from anyone who’s done a YS23 engine swap or has experience with compatibility across different models. I can provide more details via DM if needed.



Thanks in advance!

 

[Old.Tony]

In the older models (and I can't see why things would be functionally different in the newer models) the ECU is well aware of what gear the vehicle is in and things like engine start is prohibited in gear, whereas the manual can be started with the clutch depressed. The clutch in the manual is also used to control the cruise control. Finally, the instruments display the auto box position but not the current gear.

There's little functional difference between engines for auto/manual - even the turbocharger is still controlled by the ECU.

I would have the ECU follow the gearbox - so since you're only changing the engine, you should be good.

You might be able to get away with only registering the "new" injectors (which your ECU won't have seen before), everything else should be the same.