Cheap Nissan 350Z Camshaft

Yes, every 350Z has camshafts — the car was sold in the UK from 2003 to 2009 with a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine (VQ35DE), which uses two camshafts per cylinder bank, giving four camshafts in total. Because the VQ35DE is an interference engine and the 350Z was often driven hard, worn or damaged camshafts are a genuine failure point, making used examples a reasonable search. Supply from breakers is reasonable given how many 350Zs have been dismantled in the UK.

The 350Z received a facelift for the 2006 model year, and while the engine remained the VQ35DE throughout the full 2003–2009 run, Nissan made detail revisions to valve timing and ancillary components across production, so a camshaft from a pre-facelift car is not a guaranteed straight swap into a post-2006 car. The engine code is your starting point — confirm it from your V5 or a VIN check — but you must confirm exact compatibility with the breaker against your specific registration before buying. Never assume year-to-year interchangeability across that 2006 boundary without the breaker checking part numbers.

Trim level makes no difference to the camshaft fitted — whether your 350Z is a base, GT, or Touring specification, all UK-market cars shared the same 3.5-litre VQ35DE petrol engine and the same camshaft design for that engine variant. Trim affects interior, wheels, and equipment levels, not the mechanical engine internals. Give the breaker your engine code rather than your trim name and you will get a more reliable match.

No, the camshaft itself is not determined by whether your 350Z has the six-speed manual or the five-speed automatic gearbox — the VQ35DE engine internals, including the camshafts, are the same regardless of transmission. The gearbox type is worth mentioning to the breaker for context, but it will not change which camshaft they pull for you. Your engine code remains the most important detail to supply.

Yes, this matters — the VQ35DE has separate inlet and exhaust camshafts on each bank, so there are four camshafts in total and they are not interchangeable with each other. When contacting a breaker, tell them which bank (front or rear, sometimes referred to by cylinder bank position on the engine) and whether you need the inlet or exhaust cam, ideally with the OEM part number from your existing cam if you can read it. A good breaker will cross-reference against your registration and engine code to make sure they supply the correct one.

The 370Z uses a different engine (the VQ37VHR) which is not the same as the 350Z's VQ35DE, so those camshafts are not compatible. The Infiniti G35 also used VQ35 variants, but there were differences in specification and revision levels across production years, so fitment from a G35 is not something to assume without checking part numbers carefully with the breaker. Stick to sourcing from a confirmed VQ35DE donor vehicle and have the breaker verify the part number matches yours before purchase.