michaels'max

Well, I've been reading up on all the info for how to go about changing my timing belt. I've had the car four exactly a year now, and I don't know when it was last changed, but I havn't changed it since then. I've put over 20,000 miles on it since then. From what I hear, the belts tend to wear out around the same time, under the same conditions of course, so would it be accurate to assume that if the other belts are looking okay that the timing belt is okay? Provided of course that they were all changed at the same time last. I figure that having this done by a mechanic can be a little steap, at least $200.00 from what I hear. So I figure I can do it for much less. Since it's mostly all labor charges.

What I'm looking for is just some tips for doing this procedure. What to look out for, that kind of thing. Is it better to change the water pump the same time I change the timing belt, or is this not very cost effective, from what I hear the water pumps don't go out very often on the Maximas? About how much time would it take to do this? I am a beginer, and I have obviously never done this before.

Thank you

Wiking

Change belt once in 5yrs.

If u prepare for 8hours with no hurry. ...200$ is dirt cheap.

U can change everything and get bad bad quality pump that lasts only 10k. Roll dice. Next time I change only belt as last time was changed also the tensioner and cam & crank seals at 65k.

If u still hesitate, check at least belt tension: open upper cover screwss and push belt downwards from the middle top with big screwdriver. Belt should bend half inch with 20lb force (this is also the only reasonable belt change tightening checkup).

GRNMAXDMON

iTrader: (1)

thats not a bad price to change ur t.belt. i just changed mine this past saturday with the motor out and it took me 5 min. to take off the old belt and put the new one on. once i was done i dropped the motor into my '89 SE. mind u this was my first time i have ever changed a t.belt on a 3rd gen. it was easy as hell. if u want to do this fast and easy i can tell u that once u have the front end taken apart like the belts and timin' cover get a bottle of white out and just make ur own timin' marks with white out and then get an allen wrench and the correct size socket for the tensioner to loosen the belt. once u take off the old belt make sure that the cam sprockets don't move but if they do watch carefully which way they move so that u can put them back to the marks that u made with white out. once u got that covered with the cams make sure that both cams and crank r in the same spot as they were before u removed the old belt. i suggest u get a new tensioner as well to be on the safe side. then put the new t.belt on and adjust the tensioner at the suggested spec. and then turn the crank 2x to make sure its still at the marks that u made and that it didn't skip a tooth. once thats done put everything back together and ur done. don't forget that u should change the water pump and thermostat while ur changin' the t.belt to get it out of the way. good luck.

Rick

btw: i work at a shop so my boss told me that its easier when u make ur own timin' marks so that u don't have to go through the process of locatin' the factory timin' points. but it up to u. no matter which method u use it will still work.

maximagxe90

Hey Rick,

you should do a write up for changing the t-belt on the vg engine,

and if you could take some pictures with the write so other people can do it to,

VEvolution

I agree, that would be nice. I definatly need to get around to changing mine.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

There are already quite a few writeups that detail this process. However, I cannot recommend doing this job without a FSM. (factory service manual) You can buy one on E-Bay for $50 - $60.

VEvolution

Got one. Thanks anyway.

Where do you recommend getting the T-belt? Dealer? I know they are expensive, but I have this annoying info stuck in my head on all dealer parts being more reliable then aftermarket, and so, on something as important as the T-belt, would the dealer be a wise choice? Thanks.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

Yes, absolutely. Call Courtesy Parts to save a few buck but the dealer is the only way to go for critical parts.

My timing belt, tensioner, tensioner spring, camshaft seals, and front main seals are all dealer parts. Besides, my understanding is that some aftermarket belts don't have the white lines on them which makes them harder to install.

VEvolution

Okay, cool. Courtesy Parts..? Would that be the Nissan dealer in Texas or something? I hear they have cheap dealer parts.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

Yes. www.courtesyparts.com Last time I dealt with them, they offered an additional discount for being a Maxima.org member.

michaels'max

Thanks a lot for all the info guys. Actually though, I just found out that I don't really need to do anything with my water pump or t-belt. I called the previous owner today and found out that he did all of that along with the camshaft seals about a couple of months before he sold me the car. I have had the car exactly a year from now. So I know that I have some time to not have to worry about it. But thanks for the info. And yea, I agree with you guys. The courtesyparts.com site has some pretty good deals on their parts. And I do a lot of shopping and price comparing, so I'm pretty sure about that. As for me mentioning that the t-belt would only cost $200.00 for a mechanic to do it. To be honest that was a guess. I figure it would probably be more, but definitly not less.

Thanks a lot.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

Nothing like not having to spend money on maintenance parts. The timing belt should be changed every 60k miles so you should be set for quite a while.

michaels'max

yes it is, I've already spent way too much unnecessary funds on this thing. It better not bust on me for quite sometime. I've spent total about $1500.00 or so in repairs and parts since I've had it, and that's only a year. But, that only includes having a new alternator, a used ECU and TCU, new controll arms in the front and some sort of other new suspension parts in the back. I don't know what they are called, but I believe they do the same jobs as the control arms in the front except I think they are called something else. Also I have bought a new ignition coil and power transistor. The ECU and TCU, ignition coil, and alternator were all either unneccesary to replace or I could have just done things differently to prevent them from needing replacent. The ECU and TCU were fried cause' of a leak from the heater core, and the alternator was fried due to the reversing of jumper cables during a jump, I know that was a dumb *** mistake. The Ignition coil was unneccesary altogether, It was a failed attempt to find the reason as to why my car wouldn't start. As for the control arms, well, I now know that they sell the bushings separatley for them. Since those are all that ever wear out, I could have gotten away with just replacing those and saved my self over $700.00 in labor and parts.

I'm just rambling though, thanks for the info.

Wiking

Nothin was unnecessary: everyone will pay the tuition price this way or that... If u went to stealer$hip, same price, zero knowledge. But now u have runnin car, knowledge is yours, nobody can tax it or rob it. Have a nice day and be happy with u max!

VEvolution

Hm, I don't know about the price being the same at a "stealer$hip" Wiking.

GRNMAXDMON

iTrader: (1)

i would but im too damn lazy to do a write up on changin' a t.belt. but like Pervis said there r plenty of detailed write ups on this. i used my boss's method cuz it was quicker and my new t.belt has the white lines for the timin' marks but its a goodyear belt but go with the dealer brand along with the seals and tensioner and spring. i didn't bother buyin' dealer parts cuz im just fixin' my '89 SE so that i can sell it.

Yourself

hmmm...didnt i read somewhere that there are 2 type of t belts(square toothed or round toothed??)
so if your parts guy is not careful you could end up with the wrong one?
i inspected mine when i did a thermosat and it looks like it was done @120 k +/-

i got the car w\154k it now has 160.5k im gonna wait till @least 180k before i fox wit it
hope it lasts...!

michaels'max

yes I believe that is correct, there are the two types, so it is best to take in your t-belt to the autoparts place to compare it with the new one that your purchasing.

Wiking

I do (pls read the context). Let them 'do' the troubleshoot: MAF, work, plus some other bits; 1200$ thank u. Car value has doubled... Well, now it works and one nissan mech has a new MAF, plugs etc to sell veery cheap.

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Yourself ....i fox wit it hope it lasts...!

- Dont live on hope: check at least that the belt is tight, 3min job. Open the upper cover screwss and press belt from midpoint, should bend half inch downwards.

maximagxe90

hey does anybody know which tooth belt was used on the 89-91 gxe and 92-94 gxe and 89-91 se,

Wiking

The only way in this rolls roll dice is to take a luki luki...

My -93 vge had stealership -installed round teeth belt on squared sprockets... guess what: I square-swapped in Gates5146 41133x1 - mymax is nono for stealership teens.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

according to my info 89-92 were all square it's 93,94 that are messed up

GRNMAXDMON

iTrader: (1)

that is correct but nissan didn't change that until or after 7/93 of production date on our cars and my 93 has the square tooth not round so i guess its after the 7/93 production that it changed to the round tooth.

Marksmaxima

What are the chance's that an 89 se would have NO damage to the vavle train after a timing belt broke ?6

maximagxe90

there will be bent valve if the belt breaks,

aksansai

iTrader: (2)

I've known this from mucho experience with VG30i/VG30E. Nissan factory belts can last up to 90-100K miles (although I don't recommend it). The belt teeth begin to wear down and the belt will start to stretch (which could result in jumped time).

If you don't push the t-belt to the edge and change every 60K when you're supposed to, any name-brand belt will work just fine. Goodyear brand at AutoZone was $19.

BTW - replace your water pump while you're at it because you've already torn everything off to get to it as well.

Pervis Anathema

iTrader: (8)

Unless the motor was turned of

aksansai

iTrader: (2)

The VG does not have non-interference piston heads (which allow piston to be fully up and valves to be fully down without contact). If the belt broke, the valves will freeze in their position and the pistons will try to help seat the valves back to where they belong (although they never do it right!)