Tested my 03 3.5 max out and I was in the 140 psi range around where the book says is the minimum .I have 16th on her what r u guys running for compression?

Oops meant to say I have 160,000 miles

 

Standard:
1,275 kPa (13.0 kg/cm2, 185 psi)/300 rpm

Minimum:
981 kPa (10.0 kg/cm2, 142 psi)/300 rpm

Difference between each cylinder:
98 kPa (1.0 kg/cm2, 14 psi)/300 rpm

NG (NO GOOD) => Check pistons, piston rings, valves, valve seats and cylinder head gaskets.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/2002/EC.pdf

Engine replacement time since engine rebuild's so $$$$$$$

 

If the tester is accurate - precats are awesome!

 

So today Check engine started flashing.and was misfiring real bad barely got home. Cylinder 2 . Unplugged coil stayed the same. Swapped coil from a known good cylinder stayed the same. Did a compression test 142 psi with a crappy harbor freight gauge. Pulled the plug it was soaked.hit it with a propane torch put it back in and it runs fine now. It's been a year since I put new oem plugs in.any idea as to what's goin on with this max?

 

Sounds like engine is toast

 

Leaking injector?

 

Car also seems to turn coolant dirty. Gets oily residue in the overflow tank. Also heat won't work at idle only when slightly revved and I bled the system really well. There is no coolant in oil and it uses some oil. Anyone point me in the right direction. Don't wanna.pull motor if this one can be salvaged

 

Low compression,oil on plugs,misfire,coolant mixing up oil,early signs of a headgasket,yeah that motor is waving bye-bye,sooner or later you keep driving it the car will smoke and you will end up with a multiple misfire p300 code. The plug was soaked with oil right?

 

Yes pulled plug was soaked hit it with a torch and misfire went away. Is it worth doin head gasket. Also why would head gasket go didn't know these motors had this problem

 

They don't hg blowing in these vqs are not common... They're not Chevys

Did you abuse it,low on oil?
ran it hot?

The hg jobs might be too involved and expensive...if i was you i would just slap the car with a 07altima 3.5 engine. Or just replace it with another lower mileage vq.

 

It runs shifty lately and check engine light flashes seems better when it warms up fully. Also I raced my friends rx8 and still beat him. So it seems like just fix in this misfire will let me run it another year at least.

 

Ok, to confirm a headgasket check your dipstick check for the oil to look dirty milk chocolate color and it should stink the coolant mixing in and another sign your car drinks coolant and blows white smoke out the tailpipe. If you noticed a cracked head gasket can also cause the car to misfire,mixing in with combustion. The question is the car mixing at the dipstick and blowing white smoke?

 

But with MLS, the head and/or block would have to be warped for it to leak past. If the engine has never overheated, then this would be incredibly unlikely.

 

No coolant in the oil dipstick. White smoke maybe slight when cold but not heavy.are these water pumps common to go bad. Maybe that would explain why I have no heat at idle?

 

May just say screw this motor.found a 2007 maxima 3.5 engine with 65k on it for $230. Been reading these are the most desirable engines to swap in.guess the piston ring issues r now resolved. Is the 6.5 gen 2007-2008? Can the precat be used from this year or do they still break down like my 5.5 gen?

 

6.5g same as 6g jus CVT... 09up maxima 07up altima are the desirable swaps

 

sounds like air trapped in the heater core

 

Thought it was air trapped too but I bought the coolant bleed funnel thing jacked the front a the car up and ran it forever still have my problem may even bad water pump?