Got some things done today for my 99 Maxima

[Kroze]

- Replaced (2) front wheel studs - $4

One wheel stud was completely broken off

on the front passenger side. On the driver side, one wheel stud was cross-threaded. I guess the person who works on this car uses the airgun and snapped one off and cross-threaded the other. Feels good to be riding on 5 lug nuts on each side again

- Checked front brake rotors & pads (Excellent condition) & Applied anti-squeal on front brakes - $6

My brakes were squealing at low speed so while I was replacing the wheel studs, I checked the rotors and pads. I guess both were changed recently because they're in excellent condition. I went ahead and apply the anti-squeal glue to the shim and pads and it's dead quiet now.

No more squealing coming to a stop.

- Upgrade trunk spring from SE model - $10

I hate whenever I used the remote to open the trunk, it would open but not prop the trunk lid up. The solution was to replace the trunk tension bars from the SE model (the one with the spoiler) and it works like a charm. Now whenever I open the trunk, the trunk lid pop open like I have powered lift gate

- Removed center seat belt to fit trunk spring properly - $0

Well this wasn't necessary but the new tension bars was rubbing the center seat belt assembly. I figured since no one ever sit in the center seat anyway, why not just remove it completely? The car looks a lot cleaner now without the center seat belt and I eliminated the rubbing issue.

- Replaced broken rear driver side quarter panel - $10

Whoever own this car before me tried to replace the rear speakers but do so unsuccessfully. They end up breaking the plastic quarter panel trying to rip it off. I went ahead and replaced it. The car looks 100% now

How can you tell whether it's the tensioner pulley or the alternator that's making whiney/buzzing/humming noise? it sounded like electrical interference. I know it's not the speakers or radio or poor ground. The sound came from under the hood near the tensioner pulley/alternator.

 

[brblx]

alternator is mildly unlikely, typically it's a tensioner or idler pulley. sometimes a good 'area' stethoscope (i like my electronic one) helps, but for this, the cheapy 'stick' style should work fine (better, actually).

you can loosely press the probe against the timing cover, tensioner arm, bracketry, and other solid items to try and isolate the sound. you can also touch it against the bolts or center shaft for many of the pulleys (BE CAREFUL). allowing it to barely ride along the surface, while creating noise itself, may also help to expose the bad part.

to be honest this is one of those things that mechanics do a LOT. and if there's only one belt, it can be hard to diagnose.

if you can't find the noise with the engine running, take the belt off and start spinning everything by hand. often you will either find something that turns roughly or has excessive play.

also, crossthreading is typically how you break wheel studs. sometimes it's the fault of some moron sticking the nut in a stocket and impacting it on with complete disregard for the amount of hammering his impact is doing. a decent mechanic will always start it by hand; if it's a little rough but salvageable, i just fix it with a tap and/or die (nuts are softer and usually get bad first). once the nut gets crossthreaded, all the hot, ground up metal really has nowhere to go when you try to get it off, so the stud breaks.

this can happen because of complete stupidity on the part of the person who installed it, or it could simply be that the nut is just worn out from ten years of (hopefully) being taken off every 5-10k or so. overtightening doesn't typically strip the nut or warp rotors as is commonly heard, but there is a large amount of attrition that eventually stretches and destroys the threads.

 

[CraigRT]

I would just remove the accessory belt and spin the pulleys. If you have to start the car for a minute with no serp belt on it to at least rule out accessories. I believe on 4th gens there are 2 belts, one for A/C and alt, and the other for power steering only. (In a bitch of a location to change behind the engine)

 

[Kroze]

I would just remove the accessory belt and spin the pulleys. If you have to start the car for a minute with no serp belt on it to at least rule out accessories. I believe on 4th gens there are 2 belts, one for A/C and alt, and the other for power steering only. (In a bitch of a location to change behind the engine)

Thanks, I will try

 

[Mandres]

I believe on 4th gens there are 2 belts, one for A/C and alt, and the other for power steering only. (In a bitch of a location to change behind the engine)

+1 on that bitch of a power steering belt, and the terrible tension mechanism that tightens it. I fought with my old '96 for weeks and never did get it quite right.

 

[T2urtle]

the belts are not a pain at all. vq35de and vq30de and de-k all have the same system. I can do the swap rather quickly say 10-20 minutes on average. a lot faster with rwd vq35.

I did an idler pulley delete along with my belt change. one of the two got rid of my noise issue

- tapatalk

 

[Kroze]

the belts are not a pain at all. vq35de and vq30de and de-k all have the same system. I can do the swap rather quickly say 10-20 minutes on average. a lot faster with rwd vq35.

I did an idler pulley delete along with my belt change. one of the two got rid of my noise issue

- tapatalk

Can you just remove the idler pulley and use a shorter belt? That would be great! what are some disadvantages?

 

[T2urtle]

I could on a vq35 in the g35. couple guys saw other vq35s and saw it didn't have one. I saw an 07 fx35 today and it didn't have the idler pulley. I don't recall the vq30, its been a while since I wrenched on my brothers 4th Gen.

yep u got idea, remove pulley and get a one inch shorter belt. my pulley was on its way out.

- tapatalk

 

[Kroze]

Don't you need it to adjust the tension of the belt? lol.

 

[T2urtle]

an idler is different then a tensioner. an idler pulley in most cases is dead weight but it has a bearing in it. no negatives or issues that I see. one less part that could break

- tapatalk

 

[brblx]

is this the same motor as the g35, with the manual tensioners adjusted from the bottom?

 

[JulesMaximus]

is this the same motor as the g35, with the manual tensioners adjusted from the bottom?

Nope, his has a 3.0l engine. The 3.5VQ wasn't in the Maxima until 2002-03.

 

[CraigRT]

the belts are not a pain at all. vq35de and vq30de and de-k all have the same system. I can do the swap rather quickly say 10-20 minutes on average. a lot faster with rwd vq35.

I did an idler pulley delete along with my belt change. one of the two got rid of my noise issue

- tapatalk

The power steering belt is indeed a huge pain. You probably didn't replace it obviously... The main belt is very easy to change.

 

[T2urtle]

I did both belts. I don't see how its much harder to do? same type of tensioner as the main belt. yea its a little more in, but same theory and logic. once I crawl under to hit those 12 or 14mm adjustment screws the job is normally done in about 10 minutes both belts on. I only say 10 because sometimes I take a little longer for proper tension.

please tell me how it could be a pain. maybe u can't get ur arm into the smaller area.

- tapatalk

 

[Kroze]

With some help, we have narrowed it down to the alternator bearing as the culprit. I guess I'm going to replace the alternator in the near future.