piggylover1985

Hi guys, i have an 03 Maxima SE auto, the motor is done so i need a new one. Thinking of r&r the engine myself. But i need some help from those of you who has done this before. I searched but couldn'd find nothing on this 02-03 with 3.5 engine removal. I have air tools, lift and cherry picker. Question is what is the best and easier way to get my motor out ? Come out from the top or drop it down bottom ? With the trans attach as 1 unit or leave trans in the car untouch ? Any help is appreciated.

bgsl1ck

iTrader: (3)

I have a 2k2 6mt I took mine out from the top with the tranny attached with a cherry picker and engine leveler. took it out engine side out first then tilted the tranny side all the way down pulled it out. hopes this helps you out. gl with the swap...

piggylover1985

Looks like it could be done either way right ? But i was thinking of angle tilted like you said. I probably have to remove the hood and the radiator and fans out to make more room right ?

piggylover1985

Here is what my car sounded like...knocking. Well i killed it before i'm going to pull it anyway. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpJ88j3rlVk
I floor it but couldn't get it to hit redline :-( But after that the engine locked up solid and it puked motor oil pretty good from somewhere below, oopsy.

2damax

Damn dude. My car has 118k and knocks a little but not anything near that. GL with the job. Take pics.

NismoAce

iTrader: (6)

I removed my engine with the tranny attached from the bottom and put the engine in from the top with the tranny attached also. tilt method works from up top but personaly I would remove and install from the bottom especially since you have a lift. I would leave the tranny attached. When I removed just the tranny a few weeks ago I swore if I had to do it again I would remove it all together just to remove the tranny. Not sure if being an auto would make it easier or worse if you removed just the engine. I just see a lot of time savings removing it together.

bgsl1ck

iTrader: (3)

Yes I did ....

piggylover1985

The motor went at 155k in my 03 6sp. This 03 auto went at 170k. My father inlaw has about 150k now in his 02 Altima SE 3.5 auto and is started ticking and he baby it since new.

piggylover1985

Also i'm trying to locate a good used low mileage engine, but all them one i found on carparts has more than 100k and one of them has 160k and they want $1300, that's crazy i mean my luck i buy it and install into my car, and by next year i might need another one who knows ? It seems like at around 150k either it blown up or consume more than normal oil for the earlier VQ35DE ?

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

look for aackshun he hangs in the ghustle thread or hit up car-parts.com you do know you can get a 03-06 engine right.i paid 1200 for my 05 VQ35 with 15k on the clock

piggylover1985

What do i have to do to make 04 up engine to fit in 03 ? Something about the EGR is different right ? If it's just the intake manifold and oil pan is difference then is no a big deal

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Oil pan upper and lower the intake manifold and coils just use them off your old engine

piggylover1985

Are you sure those are the only things that are different ? I want to make sure because im going to order 04 up motor with lower mileage.

bgsl1ck

iTrader: (3)

I found my 06 for 400 yeah assckshun he mightbe able find you one

bgsl1ck

iTrader: (3)

Nothing is different.....

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

The upper oilpan on the a/t is different and upper intake manifold and coils

piggylover1985

Okay so the motor is out and sitting on the floor in a good way :-). Yeah the crank is locking up. Took me close to 5hr to have it pulled. All the wiring is good. The A/C compressor is still in the car, i didn't want to discharge the A/C. Transmission fluid looks burn even though it was still working good. But i'm going to open it and see what it needs, if anything i will just go ahead and rebuild it, no biggie there.

piggylover1985

OK for the last time. So any 02-06 Maxima with the 3.5 will fit into my 03, the only thing that i will have to swap over is : The upper engine oil pan, upper intake manifold and ign coils. That's all right ? And everything will just swap over and bolt right on correct ? When i look up on carparts they ask me if the engine is for 5sp auto or manual, does it matter since i'm swapping the old parts over anyway right ?

2damax

You know, I have had ticking for about 10k miles almost. This makes me second guess buying the pathfinder I'm looking at. The engine makes me nervous despite all the good things I hear.

'02 Style

Actually, you can use up to an '08 engine (I don't know of anyone who has used an 09 or newer) in your 2003 Max. I put an engine from a 2007 Nissan Quest in my 02. Actually any 02-08 transverse mounted VQ35 should fit in your car, whether from an Alti, Max , Quest, etc.

And yes, as far as I can remember, that should be all that you need to swap over. Re-use your wiring harness.

**EDIT**If you do use an 04 or newer engine, save yourself A WHOLE LOT OF HASSLE, and completely change the primary & secondary timing chains as well ask the guides/tensioners. It is SO much easier to do this when the engine is out of the car, and it will cost you about $200 in parts to do.

piggylover1985

Depending on what year, Pathfinder 04 and newer has a very common problem that is the radiator often failed and allows coolant to enter the transmission, destroys all the rubber seals and rubber molded pistons and also take out the TCM which locates inside of the transmission (smart Nissan idea). Means very expensive to repair $4000 or more which includes a new radiator a new/rebuild transmission with a new valve body plu a TCM.

piggylover1985

Here are a few of pictures i took. http://imageshack.us/g/15/maxgi.jpg/

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

Anyone want to take a guess why they went? No oil probably (and you know where that rabbit holes goes, everyone ) .

181k before I locked mine (misshifting and all the abuse I guess lol).

181k on my buddy's, runs like new. Not even a slight ticking.

Replace the pulley bearing on the AC compressor if you haven't already. That'll save you some trouble.

I thought it was just the guides/tensioners?

piggylover1985

Thanx for the info. Now i have more options for engine choice. I checked on carparts and found a couple of lower mileage engine from new model Maximas,Quest and Murano for reasonable price $1500 and lower. Not much from Altima, i guess that's because there are more 4 cyl than 6 cyl in them.
I will make some calls on Monday and have them deliver the engine. If i have time next week i will open my 4sp auto transmission and overhaul it since it already out of the car. Might just need some high clutches and a 2-4 band, drop the pan and clean the magnet too.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

if your opening the trans here is a suggestion for you and its cheap transgo shift kit plus the following and gut your precats while you got the engine out!if you do a 05+ engine there is no worry about the timing tensioner/chain issue.

In the process now. Got the Kit at Summit Racing for $118. Added genuine Nissan Solenoid pack from Stealership for 89.95. How did I get the pack so cheap? Read on.

I think I got it all figured out reguarding the Solenoid packs. If you attempt to buy the solenoid packs on the own = about $310 give or take. If you elect to buy the Solenoid repair kit listed in TSB NTB-043 ,(Nissan part # 31940-80X25), it only costs $89 at Courtesy Nissan. This "kit" includes:

Solenoid assembly qty 1 part # 31940-80X05 price= $309.61
Oil Pan Bolt qty21 part # 31377-80X09 price= $11.76 ($.56 X 21)
Drain Plug Washer qty 1 part # 11026-01M02 price= $1.17
Snap Ring qty1 part # 31506-80X11 price= $1.29
The way I see it, you save $234.83 and you get the solenoid pack PLUS new drain pan bolts, a new drain plug washer and a new snap ring. What a bunch of thieves. They arent called stealerships for nothing I guess.

piggylover1985

I will check on the shifkit. The rear precat is already fell off inside, so i won't take much to gut it out.

'02 Style

If you look at the tensioners on the main chain they are made of the same material. I am doing mine this weekend. I will try to take some pics to show you. The main tensioner arm nylon insert is made of the same material as the faulty tensioners on the secondary tensioners. Since the main chain has to come off to even get to the secondary chains, save yourself LOTS of headache down the road and just change ALL of the tensioners. The tensioners for the primary chain should only cost like an extra $75, and no additional labor charge (well, maybe like an extra .5-1.0 hr) if you are performing the secodary TSB.

'02 Style

Not trying to call you out, but that is incorrect. The TSB affects 04-08 Maximas, 04-06 Altimas, and 04-09 Quests. If your engine comes from one of these donor vehicles, save yourself from having to re-pull the engine. The nylon guide on the main tensioner arm on these vehicles is also very faulty. It can and does break, causing metal on metal contact. There are pics out there showing this.

If the engine is already out, change the tensioners!!!

'02 Style

I got my engine from a local yard. It was from an 07 Quest with 48K on the clock. Best part was it only cost me $600

piggylover1985

That is a steal, up north east they wants $1300-$1500.

piggylover1985

Please post some pictures, and part number too please as i'm new to this kind of work. But i will take your guys suggestion to change out the tensioners and main timing chain guide next week, since the motor is out of the car.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

look up in the 6th gen section for the TSB for the timing and there will be a kit part number which is cheaper then buying the pieces seperate.

'02 Style

I have pics of the tensioners, but no idea as to how to post them to the forum Maybe I can send them to a member here and they will post them up for me?

piggylover1985

I'm in the same boat of not knowing how to post pics directly here lol.

bgsl1ck

iTrader: (3)

There is a guy that did a swap from 09+ in a 2k2 I think he said he get 280 to the wheels on motor here is the link....

http://forums.maxima.org/all-motor/6...vq35-info.html

nelledge

iTrader: (6)

Go to the User CP. Go to pictures and albums. Uploads photo(s) to a public album. Copy the photo tag once it is uploaded (look for the '[IMG]' link). Paste this in your post. Voilą! Or you can paste an image link from flicker or photobucket et al.

piggylover1985

I open up the transmission today, the band is a little glazed up, the high friction got a little hot, every thing else is good, which isn't bad for 170k. I got a kit and every thing all together now, cross my fingers that it's going to work :-)

The motor is on it way, came out of an 06 Max with 50k for $1000.

I took the intake manifold out of the old motor, it was fill with like a quart of oil, oops that's not good. And i also found a few pieces that looks like part of the top of piston and couple pieces look like the broken rings. For real ? I did a good job of blown the motor. :-)

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

dont forget to keep the coils also.and now would be a good time to install a NWP spacer Kit and BOP and do the coolant bypass on the TB and while waiting fill your tranny and passenger side motor mounts with 3m Window Weld i'm just saying you got a lil time on your hands

piggylover1985

I have some pics of the transmission. Not bad for 170k
Ready for transmission operation http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6504/photo12ue.jpg

Start with bell housing first http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2175/photo22ee.jpg

Fully disassembled http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8922/photo41w.jpg

A little glazed on the band and some high clutches got a little hot. http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2641/photo31z.jpg

A rebuild kit http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/937/photo51v.jpg

piggylover1985

The 06 crate motor came in today, the thing looks so pretty, no dirt or oil leaks any where, i don't know if they pressure wash it before put it on the shelf or not.
Are the coils different ? They look the same as the older one. I swapped over the fuel rail, injectors, exhaust manifolds, intake manifold and knock sensor so far. I didn't have much time to play with my new motor. If i have more time tomorrow i will swap out the upper oil pan, oil pickup and timing components and what ever else i don't know yet.