@Knock sensor and code 0403 and fixing it
07-30-2004, 02:45 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 45
@Knock sensor and code 0403 and fixing it
When I got this code and looked up the parts, I almost cried at the price of this damn little sensor. And let me tell you it was hard as hell to do. But you can do this yourself, if you have the time and patience
Steps:
-Remove the top air box unit ( if you still have the factory air box unit)
I picked up a Haynes Manual and how they said to do it was you have to remove the whole intake manifold, now I did some research on this and Ive seen a few people do it on their own without removing the intake. But be prepared you WILL cut up your hand, and also allocate maybe 6 hours if you have never done it before becuase it can get messy with all the hoses you have to disconnect form the air box. It took me about 6 hours but I took the time to take off the throttle and clean all the carbon build up behind it since i had all the wires off. But The sensor itself is in the middle of the "V" of the engine you can see it if you stand on the drivers side and look in that area. The piece itself looks like a plastic "O" with a single wire attached to it. And the sensor itself it held down by one bolt. Now I heard from some places that the bolt was a 10 mm, but mine was a 12 mm, and the torque spec on this bolt I believe was like 15-20 ft pounds, so not very much at all. I had a hell of a time with getting mine out. I had to get a small socket with a 1/4 inch drive and fit it on perfectly (Cutting up my hands, anyone who has done this little surgery knows what Im talking about.) and When I reefed on the wrench I couldnt get it off. So what I did was a took a deep socket that just fit over the end of the ratchet and got a few of my ratchet extenions and made it come out about a foot. So then I reefed on this for a while ( There was absolutely no way this was on to 20 foot pounds) So finally I just kept reefing and sprayed a little WD40 down there and heard a crack of the bolt loosening. it came out really easy after that. Then what the manual doesnt tell you is how to get the Sensor out of the harness. It has something that looks like a staple in the harness and what you do is pull this staple out gently from the top of the harness ( not the sides) and it will come out with some work.
The sensor comes out easy after that staple is out. The installation is pretty much the reverse, but the parts store gave me some anti seize compound so I applied it to the bolt and the top of the sensor. When I got my sensor out it had like three cracks in it. Heh no wonder it wasnt working! and rust in it, so it had been broken for some time. Ive only owned the car a month.. I dont know how it was damage but I suspect that it was over torqued. I also heard that you have to be very careful with these sensor as if they get dropped it can damage them.
But anyways good luck if your trying to do it.. Send me a private message if you need a hand or want to try it out yourself. Car drives a hell of a lot better with the new sensor alot more power through the gears.. and well see about fuel economy now
Steps:
-Remove the top air box unit ( if you still have the factory air box unit)
I picked up a Haynes Manual and how they said to do it was you have to remove the whole intake manifold, now I did some research on this and Ive seen a few people do it on their own without removing the intake. But be prepared you WILL cut up your hand, and also allocate maybe 6 hours if you have never done it before becuase it can get messy with all the hoses you have to disconnect form the air box. It took me about 6 hours but I took the time to take off the throttle and clean all the carbon build up behind it since i had all the wires off. But The sensor itself is in the middle of the "V" of the engine you can see it if you stand on the drivers side and look in that area. The piece itself looks like a plastic "O" with a single wire attached to it. And the sensor itself it held down by one bolt. Now I heard from some places that the bolt was a 10 mm, but mine was a 12 mm, and the torque spec on this bolt I believe was like 15-20 ft pounds, so not very much at all. I had a hell of a time with getting mine out. I had to get a small socket with a 1/4 inch drive and fit it on perfectly (Cutting up my hands, anyone who has done this little surgery knows what Im talking about.) and When I reefed on the wrench I couldnt get it off. So what I did was a took a deep socket that just fit over the end of the ratchet and got a few of my ratchet extenions and made it come out about a foot. So then I reefed on this for a while ( There was absolutely no way this was on to 20 foot pounds) So finally I just kept reefing and sprayed a little WD40 down there and heard a crack of the bolt loosening. it came out really easy after that. Then what the manual doesnt tell you is how to get the Sensor out of the harness. It has something that looks like a staple in the harness and what you do is pull this staple out gently from the top of the harness ( not the sides) and it will come out with some work.
The sensor comes out easy after that staple is out. The installation is pretty much the reverse, but the parts store gave me some anti seize compound so I applied it to the bolt and the top of the sensor. When I got my sensor out it had like three cracks in it. Heh no wonder it wasnt working! and rust in it, so it had been broken for some time. Ive only owned the car a month.. I dont know how it was damage but I suspect that it was over torqued. I also heard that you have to be very careful with these sensor as if they get dropped it can damage them.
But anyways good luck if your trying to do it.. Send me a private message if you need a hand or want to try it out yourself. Car drives a hell of a lot better with the new sensor alot more power through the gears.. and well see about fuel economy now
07-30-2004, 03:04 PM
#2
Did you read the stickies on the 4th Gen. Forum - everything you said above is mentioned in there already... it would have prepared you for the job! But it looks like it went exactly like it does for everyone else - pain in the butt to work in that small area... glad you got it fixed... I would highly recommend reading through all the stickies - so you have an idea of what has already been done and all that - so you don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Cheers, welcome to the org and enjoy the ride.
Cheers, welcome to the org and enjoy the ride.
07-30-2004, 05:34 PM
#3
there are previously made wirte ups about this with pictures if you cared to look them up. props thoug for doing it yourself with the help of the writeups.
yeah those thigns are pretty expensive
yeah those thigns are pretty expensive
07-30-2004, 06:47 PM
#4
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 104
I was done in 10 minutes, makes me feel bad when it took someone 6 hours of agony! If you know someone will small hands, it helps a great deal. If not, you can do it in 30 minutes if you have the proper extension and universal joints. But I commend you for doing it, because it's not that easy of a job if you don't do a lot of wrenching and know the shortcuts.
If you know someone will small hands, it helps a great deal. If not, you can do it in 30 minutes if you have the proper extension and universal joints. But I commend you for doing it, because it's not that easy of a job if you don't do a lot of wrenching and know the shortcuts.
07-31-2004, 12:15 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 45
heh.. Oh ya I did read the stickies, reason I posted it was for people to read it and hopefully find it easy. So basically just for reference With the 6 hours I just took my time and cleaned up various parts and just got familarized with the engine in general, plus the GD sensor was siezed on ( when it came off it ended up having like three cracks in it) . I was really just hoping to help a few people out with the write up. But thx for the welcome
With the 6 hours I just took my time and cleaned up various parts and just got familarized with the engine in general, plus the GD sensor was siezed on ( when it came off it ended up having like three cracks in it) . I was really just hoping to help a few people out with the write up. But thx for the welcome
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