Hello Maxima forums I’m new thanks for having me here I appreciate any advice given to me.

This is going to be a lot of information.


I am having a problem with my Maxima . It runs very well i don’t want to give up this car it’s in good shape for what it is and mostly everything has been done to this car . Bought it when it had It’s 2nd engine put in around 200 000 km due to oil consumption but I bought it around 350 000 . Now I’m around 400 000 km (250 000 miles) and it’s starting to have a rattle or knocking sound right when I floor the gas pedal when there is a decent amount of load on the engine between 1000-2800 rpms.

• Cold air intake
• Pcv oil catch can
• Using premium gas
• Pennzoil ultra platinum synthetic oil wix filter
• new battery / alternator
• All 3 catalytic converters replaced by me a month ago
• new spark plugs in last 40 000 km
• Tried new maf, knock sensors , tried using different ignition coils.
• all exhaust heat shields are fine no rattle most been taken off.
• Cleaned one and replaced one vvt solenoid (a bit slow plunger)
• checked my “Power valve” on intake manifold it’s good no rattle and functioning correctly
• Next 2 things being replaced (parts already coming) are the fuel filter and pcv valve
• Only SES / check engine light code I have is P1456 small evap leak detected I’ve smoked the system replace 4 parts still can’t find it.

Here is a video on YouTube sorry it is so long but I mounted a GoPro under my hood first 7 minutes near the intake / brake booster area . Remaining half of video is near the timing chain / windshield washer fill tube. I posted a link in the description that is another maxima rattle video that sounds similar his ended up being a lean condition from MAF sensor but I changed mine so I’m trying fuel filter (maybe not enough fuel when I hit the gas?) or a stuck pcv valve my plugs did look a little lean last time when I did change them. I’m just trying anything maintenance related before going deeper into engine checking timing chain tensioner.

• Has anyone here heard this sound before needing a timing chain or do you guys even think it would make a sound like this.? Maybe transmission differential? But it would go with rotation of wheels too .
• Should I mount the camera like right against the timing plate and see if that does it?
• Should I remove my access covers on timing plate check chain for slack and look at tensioner?

Thanks for looking and I’ll take any advice at this point before making any drastic decisions . (Like ordering 550$ in parts for timing chain components.)

 

Bump.. no replies? No one on here can confirm the noise?

You can hear the sound at 3:52, 4:09 - and at 9:12, 9:54, 10:19, 11:07, and again at 11:26 On the video . I’ve read lots of people having this issue on these cars all 97+ nissan v6’s had this problem. There’s no way not one person has heard it that got it replaced and posts here. Am I posting in the wrong section of the forums?


Thanks again hope to hear from somebody soon .

 

I have that exact noise as well at no other time except only for a fraction of a second at redline during the transition between 1st and 2nd gear on wide open throttle. I have a 2003 SE 4AT with 125k miles on the clock and a 2014 Maxima engine with 50k miles on it. I'm not sure what it is either but I'm not really worried about it. It appears to be coming primarily from the driver's side of the engine compartment. It's more embarrassing than anything.

I don't think it's knock/ping/pre-ignition, stock exhaust but I don't have any heat shields, my tranny is solid to the best of my knowledge, I'm not sure if it is something rattling around or what.

It certainly does sound like valve chatter or knock though, but again, I do not experience it at any time but for the time it takes for 1st and 2nd upshift to occur on wide open throttle, and it is not 100% consistent, either. It's 50/50 when I experience it. I have a 2nd generation VQ motor with very low miles, new knock sensor, no overheating or history of, everything with the motor is sound, the tranny is low mile, and I did the swap myself. So I am utterly perplexed as well.

This should rule out quite a bit of your concern regarding timing and related components, but I have not a clue about your engine history and would not rule it out without seeing it myself.

The best representation of the sound for me occurred at 11:07, 11:15 and 11:26 in your video.

Add: I should also note that I can stand on the accelerator pedal and bounce the rev limiter in park or neutral all day long and not experience this sound/rattle. Truly a mystery!

Hopefully someone comes along with an answer.

 

I can't see the video at work (blocked) but had a similar type of noise that ended up going away by itself. I thought it to be the idler pulley and was planning on replacing it at one point but since it stopped, I'm leaving it alone.

 

all i hear is some loud *** and likely worn and loose tappet shims (the vq3xDE does not have lifters or push rods as it's dual OHC)

 

Ended up being the engine running lean causing detonation/pinging from a dirty / clogged fuel filter and running higher octane fuel seemed to help.

 

Thanks for the update. I'm almost certain that's what my noise is too. It has to be. Makes me want to replace the fuel filter I bought for mine six months ago. I only run premium, so if my fuel filter looks as bad as yours, I'm almost certain this will remedy it. I'll get it replaced Sunday and break it open and post a pic to compare along with yours. Thanks for posting that pic, by the way.

 

Yeah your welcome anything to help someone else experiencing the same issues it was driving me crazy . What led me to change the fuel filter was reading another thread guy said he did pcv valve and fuel filter and his went away. So I was changing my pcv valve and left a vacuum line unplugged on accident when I was smoke testing for vacuum leaks. (lol how ironic I’m testing for leaks and accidentally create one) I noticed it made it LOT worse especially going up hills with this lean condition . So I found a few videos what pinging actually sounds like, reconnected it and looked at my fuel system. Obviously something was causing it to be starved of fuel under hard acceleration or under load. Even in my YouTube video I posted the link of the other Maxima with the same issue and his MAF sensor ended up causing a lean condition not dumping enough fuel and the sound was identical.


My fuel filter wasn’t even the original one as you can see in the pic on top how much brighter it is than my sending unit and yet still it was very dirty. I could see this filter clogging up as every 60000 miles or 90 000 kms some have said there’s was black at 30 000 miles.
Spark plugs next and oil change next (it’s turning 400,000 soon so I should spoil her for making it this far this car owes me nothing.

Take care .

 

huh... i've been told and looked and diagrams these thing supposedly only have a metal screen for a fuel filter.

 

Change of plans; I ordered a Walbro fuel pump and installation kit. May as well replace the pump while I've got it apart to replace the filter. I'm really glad you started this thread, as I'm at a complete loss if this possible lean condition is not my problem, and would never have thought to go down this road as I don't experience the issue anywhere but at redline/high rpm at shifts. It'll still be good to get these components replaced. I even took the Nissan tech for a quick ride after he aligned my car last week to get his opinion and he was clueless as well. Sure the hell sounds like pre-ignition to me though... Soon as the pump arrives, I'll get everything replaced and report back.

 

i'v heard nothing but, bad things about walbro as of late, i'd keep a brand new spare on hand in the trunk if i were you.

 

I'll let you know how it goes. Walbro has been around since before most of our parents were even conceived. I think we'll be ok.

 

Got the fuel pump and filter replaced today. Did a couple of WOT test runs. My rattle has seemingly improved, but still exists. So I'm not sure if a lazy fuel pump or lean condition was my culprit. I really need to get the car out on the open road and just stomp on the throttle a few times and dust it out. I haven't really mashed on this car yet as I'm doing my best to get everything as mechanically sound as possible before opening it up. It seems that each time I run it to redline through the gears though the rattle becomes less and less. So who knows. I'm at a complete loss.

For anyone considering a Walbro GSS342, 255LPH fuel pump:

The pump body itself is about 9mm longer than the stock pump. You will not be able to snap the assembly back together without some kind of modification. Below is what I did. I used an X-acto knife and shaved both circular protrusions directly above the electrical connection as low as I could. This, along with discarding the half-moon shaped rubber bushing in the lower picture gave me enough clearance to snap the entire assembly together with a very tight fit. Pump fired right up and car started right away. No issues thus far after 30mi. Also, you don't need the Walbro 400-858 accessory hook-up kit that comes with it. I used nothing from it. Re-use old strainer and clean if necessary.

 

Also, I forgot to bust my old filter up to examine the filter substrate and it's out with the trash and I'm at work. Maybe I'll see if my neighbor can pull the bag out of the can before the trash monkeys haul it off early in the morning.

Edit: Neighbor came through and pulled my trash back up to my garage! I'll get old fuel filter opened up tomorrow and update. One of these days I'll just get an actual fuel rail pressure gauge

 

Just to follow up:

Well, I'm glad I did the filter and pump job! It's amazing I was getting any fuel at all! Not sure what color the filter substrate is brand new, but this filter was sticky/greasy to the touch and left black residue on my hands and rag when I handled it.

I feel much better now knowing that I have clean fuel going to my new engine. Which also raises the question, would now be a good time to toss in a bottle of injector cleaner? I've never used any magical, fix-in-a-bottle type products before because I'm not that stupid, and I know that the gasoline itself will dissolve any petroleum based chemicals/material in the system, but I'm at half a tank and figured, why not? It would be more of an impulse buy.