Hello All

I have purchased a 2002 Maxima with 127k about two days ago. Now I am in the middle of doing some maintenance to it.

I bought the following:

New ac belt tensioner
New ac belt
ps belt
air filter
valve cover gaskets
pcv valve

I tried starting with the belts since I thought that would be easiest thing to do. I was so wrong, I was battling with the top bolt for the tensioner for about two hours, i ended up stripping it . I feel like an idiot cause I have no clue what I am doing wrong. Also the car does not have the tensioner bolt for the PS pump, will the pump just fall down once I losten that bolt and be a pain in the a** to put back up? I watched a ton of videos and read many posts on this but I am still confused. What can I do now with the bolt being stripped?

Also when I was down there I noticed that the oil coolant tube was RUUUUSTED big time, I tapped it with my wrench very lightly and it started leaking. I purchased a new one today and will install it tomorrow.

So far the only progress I have done is replacing the rear valve cover gasket and PCV valve. I am going to be doing the front one tomorrow. I thought this was going to be the hardest job since many said it was a nightmare. Took me not a full 30 mins to take off the manifold and valve cover. Also what is the difference between single platinum VS double platinum spark plug? I know many say double platinum NGK but I am just wondering what the difference is and how it would effect this car.

The new air filter will be going in tomorrow as well.

I have primed the engine cover and will be painting it black tomorrow and maybe airbrush something onto it before putting it back in the bay.

In the summer time I will be welding in a new lower radiator support because this one is rusting out. Is there anything else that I should be looking into replacing while im getting my hands dirty?

Thanks for all of the help guys, I have already learned a lot from this forum .

 

What about the power steering belt?

 

Sorry Dennis the computer had a hic up and posted with out me finishing

 

I figured something like that.

Let's start with the tensioner for the alternator/ac belt. A common mistake is that people do not loosen the lock nut. The lock nut is the bolt in the center of the idler pulley. You loosen the the pulley bolt and then you turn the adjusting bolt, the one that you evidently have stripped.

The power steering belt does not rely on the tensioner mechanism for the alternator belt. It has its own tensioning adjustment. It is convenientally hidden behind the power steering pump in an almost impossible to get to spot. You will get dirty on this one.

Here are some videos for the alternator and power steering belts. They were made for the 4th gen Maximas, but you car is almost identical.

Alternator belt



Power steering belt

 

I have watched all of those videos. This is why I feel like an idiot lol

 

OK, I misunderstood what you stripped.

What I think may have happened is that someone did some work in the power steering pump area and Mickey Mouse'd it. You should have the adjusting bolt. Why it was thrown away is anyone's guess.

The bolt you can't find is the main mounting bolt for the power steering pump. You have to loosen that so the pump will swing/move. In the drawing you posted, that is a view from the rear looking towards the front. In the video at the 45 second mark, Pmohr is trying to point out where this bolt is. At the 58 second mark, the camera id focusing in on the end of the bolt. You see a bolt head but that is not what he is pointing out. Look to the 11 o'clock direction from the bolt head and you will see the end of the bolt you need to loosen. Go to the 2:20 point and that is where this bolt is being loosened. You cannot see that bolt, you have to feel for it.

As for the bolt you stripped, I can't recall if you really needed to loosen that one. But maybe you can get it loose if you use a 6 point socket or wrench.

 

Alright So I gave up on the power steering belt. I did find the bolt behind the pump loosened but nothing I will get back to that when it breaks or starts squealing lol.

What i have done today was all new spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, new battery, air filter, ac belt and tensioner.

Tomorrow will be oil change, airbrushing, wash and wax

Thanks for the help dennis much appreciated

 

power steering belt is a pain. ac belt is easy.

 

I feel your pain main, I'm having a similar problem. Thankfully I didn't strip anything, at least I don't think I did yet. I ordered an offset wrench to help with the lock nut, hopefully I will be able to loosen the lock nut and get the tensioner nut lose because my PS belt is shot, it's coated in oil from *you guessed it* a leaking valve cover gasket. You would think getting the IM off and replacing that gasket successfully would be harder than changing a basic maintenance item, right? NOPE! Dammit Nissan. Never again. At least not until I have a Toyota/Lexus to drive to parts stores while my Nissan is on jack stands.

Edit: OMG completely missed that bolt in the back WTF they didn't mention that in the other video. Suppose I should have seen it in the FSM.

 

It's easier for most people to walk the belt on without touching the adjustment hardware. You place one end of the belt around the crankshaft pulley and then place as much as you can on the other pulley and rotate the pulley. To remove the old belt, you cut it.

 

Was just going to mention this method. That's what I did. Turned it into a 5 min job. No problems with stretching. Car has never been quieter.

 

I will be taking another shot at this closer to summer time. I have received enough aggravation for a long time lol. I have done everything else that i mentoned. Like some one else said you would think valve cover gaskets would have been harder, that was definitely not the case lol.

Thanks everyone for the help!

 

Didn't think this was possible. I'll be trying it before I try the proper method again.

 

Before you start working on a car, think of what you need, if you follow the videos, the AC is really easy to do, the PS is just a little bit confusing, but I know you can do it. if you are around or close to Philly, let me know and I can help you.