So since the last time I posted,well, I was going through alot. Now I'm looking towards the end of highschool and a future career in the Navy. But there is one last thing I gotta do (or atleast start before I go). I just need to show some love to my max. When I first got her I was told she wouldn't start for unknown reasons. After several test and a shady mechanic later I find myself needing a timmimg belt. What I want to know is is there "possible" anything 3rd max or max in general specific I might have missed ? I bought new plugs and a belt to get her running. I even went ahead and bought my first mod part(universal twin guage pod). I'm thinking once I put on the belt and plugs she should be fine. She has sat in a car storage for about a year under a car cover. I also have a new battery and ether sprayto help with the turn over . The only thing that bothers me is the simple fact that I don't know how the car ran or what is was doing before it stopped running. According to the husband of my mom's friend who gave it to me. He got an oil change and drove it a little ways then all of a sudden it stopped running and wouldn't start (but she turns over fine with no noise other then starter). They speak very little english and know just as little about cars. Is there anything I could be missing before I start ? Thank god for non-interference VG30E's !!!!!!!

 

check if you're getting spark to plugs, check for cracks in dizzy/cap. Rotar arm in good condition?

are you getting compression in all cylinders? im only asking because you said you didnt know much about the the previous history. maybe the engine seized, so the previous got 1st oil change, but that didnt help, so he put it in storage.

!!fresh!! FUEL IN TANK??
make sure you're getting fuel through the lines to the fuel rail.

and if she does start, are you ready to have it run?
i.e. correct oil level, and filter, coolant level?, vacuum lines all connected? intake track clear(mice and chipmunks problem up in MA, so maybe check for baby aligators wher you are?)

and this is just to gett it running, after a car hasnt been run for a year, ther are also many other things you are going to have to take care of. brake system, drive train, etc..

 

The VG30E in the max IS an interference motor

 

Yeah I know what to do,

I'm just making sure there's nothing "Maxima" specific I might have missed. I mean I work at Advance Auto Parts so parts are oh so cheap . The shop guy I sent it to said he couldn't get compression. But this is the same guy who said a NON-interference motor ate a valve :: shakes head :: . I'll re-check fuel and spark again once I'm there. Then clean everything while I'm putting it back togther. I'll post pics when I'm done....



holy **** are you seriuos ? I just found a thread today stating it wasn't...Hmm...So now I'm back to square one.

In that case I wont know anything till I get the belt there...

 

the VG30E in the Quest/Villager is a non-interference motor. but that was by fords request

 

So...if they can and did do that, why the hell do we have to worry about snapping our timing belts?

 

cuz ford ownerz r stoopid?

 

less HP and torque?

 

Ding Ding Ding!

by having an interference motor you can raise the compression ratio and make more power

 

Hmm...I'm curious why that is...I will have to look into it, unless someone has a short, simple answer...

 

A very crude drawing, but it gets the point accross.

basically in an interference engine, since the head's wall (where the valve sits when its in the closed position) is pretty much flat against the TDC, on an exhaust stroke or compression stroke, where the piston goes up to the TDC, and the exhaust or intake valve is open to let the exhaust out or gas/air mixture in, it will extrude into the combustion chamber, and you guessed it, the piston will hit the valve.

In a non-interference engine however, the valve sits much higher (actually, recessed into the head), so that when the actions as described before takes place, the valve will have a small amount of space where it can extrude out, but never reaches into the combusion chamber, thus, even in the event that the timing belt breaks, the piston will never reach the valves at all.

since the vg30e in the maxima is almost the same as the one that are in the Villager minivan, they simply redesigned the head, allowing it to have more space in bettween the TDC and the mating surface of the head, (think air pocket), so when the piston reaches TDC, there is still a pocket of space left inside the combustion chamber as opposed to being almost flat with the head. That is where you will loose compression. Hot gases expands quickly, and in a very tight space like the interference engine combusion chamber, much more energy is transfered directly onto the surface of the piston, thus creating a more powerful power stroke. However, in a non-interference engine, there is a pocket of space that acts like a baffle, allowing a bit less energy to be directed onto the piston's surface.

Well, that's from my understanding, hope I didn't get too much wrong, and please feel free to add to my limited knowledge.

 

So there is a good chance I could be royaly screwed ? Hmm...I hate getting stuff that doesn't run. Exspecially when the owners (bless their heart) didn't know anybetter.

 

Thanks, disgruntled...You are a gentleman and a scholar.

 

gentleman? you have got to be kidding me. Scholar? Working on it. but thanks for the comments.

Anyway, I don't know if you can search Blackbob, but I remember seeing an article a while back about occasions where the timing belt broke, but the valve and head were spared, the catch is however, that once you realized that the timing belt broke, DO NOT try to crank the car, doing so will royally FUBARD your engine. Try the 2nd gen forum also, since their engine is practically the same as ours.

 

The timing belt snapped on my old accord as I was coming to a stop (braking and pushing in the clutch) Put a new belt on and good as new! Heck, I recall even trying to crank it once or twice after it happened. So think positive, and hopefully you'll come out on top!

 

that's a honda,not all hondas have interference motors

 

I know for a fact mine was.

 

k, just pointing out the not so obvious

 

You sir are doing my kind of thinking. The thing is I haven't been able to get rid of this car to save my life (when I was under then emprssion I was royally FUBED). I guess it might be a sign for the better