I've been doing some work on my 88 Wagon, trying to get everything cleaned up from the lack of maintenance the previous owner gave it.

However, I'm finding that the engine in the car does not match the one in the shop manual. The manual has instructions for models with the VG30E engine, which the serial plate in the engine compartment claims I have. On the off chance that it was the other engine possible in later models (name escapes me at the moment), I looked around on the 'net, and it does not look anything like my engine either.

Here are some pictures, if someone could help me in indentifying what this beast is, I'd appreciate it!

 

You have the 3.0 sohc VG30 in your maxima, just like the name plate and service manual says you have.

 

1: Why the disparity between the graphic of the engine in the shop manual, and what the engine looks like. The shop manual shows the intake coming around from the right to the front, and then splitting to go to either side, as opposed to going directly into the right side.

2: What's the difference between the VG30 and the GV30E - does the fact that the E is in parenthesis on the plate mean anything?

 

it's a different intake manifold. You still share the VG30 block and sohc heads. I forget what the "E" meant. Someone might have swapped in a different engine. Try posting this in the 3-gen section.

 

sounds like you've got a manual for a 3rd gen.

does the diagram in the manual look like this?
http://www.ee.utulsa.edu/~mblehm/pic...ood_pics/3.jpg


If so, then you're looking at the VG30E engine in an 98-94 Maxima, not the 8?- 88 that's in your car.

 

Yeah, that's a lot closer to what it shows. It's a Chilton's, says it's for the 85-92 series. Wouldn't that make it for 1-3rd gen, when the 3rds have a completely different engine? Ugh.

Does anyone have a reccomendation for a good 2nd gen shop manual?


*edited for manual info*

 

The engine is correct. The pictures show a second gen VG30E. The picture displayed in your manual for the 88 is actually the 89+ 3rd gen engine. The pictures you supplied depict the correct engine, intake and all, for an 88 Max.

 

Yes buy the nissan factory service manual, I believe the 88's are about $35-40 and it is worth every penny. Also if you got a haynes repair manual it would be more biased toward the 2nd gens and has more pics than a chiltons.