Wow at Nissan maintenance...

[brblx]

i believe i pointed out that both will ruin something. brake clean is just generally superior for parts cleaning.

what are your credentials again? exactly how many electronic throttles have you hosed out with brake and/or carb cleaner?

 

[Aikouka]

I don't know that it would cost a fortune to change belts. I helped a buddy change a serpentine belt on his Prizm. He paid a little less than $30 for the belt and it didn't take us very long to replace it, only ten minutes or so. I am sure on some cars belts would be more expensive and more difficult to replace, but on the Prizm it was pretty easy to do.

I assumed the mention of belts (plural) meant they'd change more than just the serpentine belt. Although, today I appear to have been making a lot of poor assumptions . I do wonder if my car would be harder, because I have the V6 Altima, so it's probably more of a pain to work under the hood. I'm not too sure though... I don't fix it myself, because of my warranty.

 

[Eli]

None.

But I, like Marlin, know how a car works. What you're saying doesn't make any sense.

If you're ruining electronics by spraying carb cleaner into the engine, you're doing it wrong.

Also, re-reading your first post.. If you're removing the TPS for the sole purpose of spraying carb cleaner into the throttle body, you're doing it wrong...

 

[Eli]

I assumed the mention of belts (plural) meant they'd change more than just the serpentine belt. Although, today I appear to have been making a lot of poor assumptions . I do wonder if my car would be harder, because I have the V6 Altima, so it's probably more of a pain to work under the hood. I'm not too sure though... I don't fix it myself, because of my warranty.

It doesn't matter anyway.

Mechanics don't use 'real time', they use 'book time'. They will look the job up in a book. It will give them an hour figure, and that's what they use to bill you.

Most of the time, the number has little to no basis in reality. If it takes 10 minutes, I can guarantee they'll charge you for an hour(ignoring the fact that most mechanics minimum billable time is an hour anyway).

 

[Vette73]

wow, you're an idiot. do you know how many throttle i've seen killed by someone just 'spraying them out'?

do not give advice ever.

also examine that little metal shaft that holds your throttle plate and see where it goes, genius.

You mean the one that slides through the sides of the throttle body with seals then then the TPS sensor, also sealed, attaches to that arm? On the other side is either the throttle cable or the drive servo.
I use to be a ASE tech and ran my own shop before I stopped working on cars for a living. I have ripped apart hundreds of motors and F/I systems. My first specialty was port fuel injected cars. When most good and experienced techs mostly knew carbs I learned F/I in and out.
Both of my current cars, CTS and Corvette, are drive by wire and have been sprayed several times. I had to rip apart the Throttle body in my old Saab as it was gummed so bad it would stick. And on and on...



I think I know what I am talking about.

 

[Vette73]

It doesn't matter anyway.

Mechanics don't use 'real time', they use 'book time'. They will look the job up in a book. It will give them an hour figure, and that's what they use to bill you.

Most of the time, the number has little to no basis in reality. If it takes 10 minutes, I can guarantee they'll charge you for an hour(ignoring the fact that most mechanics minimum billable time is an hour anyway).

Yea but same token if it takes 2 hours and book is 1 the tech will get paid for 1.

Good techs learn fast, esp at dealers since they see a lot of the same, and can do the job faster to increase their take.

 

[Doppel]

Link above to maint manual won the thread. Do NOT listen to a dealer, they lie. All you ever need to do is minimum maintenance in manual. I'm almost positive my Toyota actually says that although the warranty can be denied for not doing the maintenance that they can't even ask me to prove I had it done. Obviously, it says specifically I can do it myself, but even if I cannot prove I've ever changed the oil they'll be hard pressed to deny a claim.

$700 in maintenance OBVIOUSLY is a #*$(ing scam of epic proportions on a three year old sentra. And absolutely no belt should be changed that early unless you frankly enjoy throwing money in the toilet.

 

[Viperoni]

In a CVT, I'd definitely change it every 30k miles.

 

[PClark99]

I had an 03 Frontier 2wd 4cyl 5spd manual truck I bought new.

At 15k the stealerships service dept pulled the same shit, said I needed a $700 service to keep my warranty, I said just do the oil change as per the manual. The serviceperson, says "OK, well I will put a note in your file you refused the premium service and if any issues come up that will probably void your warranty!" I said give me my keys back and I just did the oil and filter at Firestone every 4-5k miles and drove the truck a problem free 140,000 miles. They got greedy so they got not another red cent from me.

 

[Doppel]

In a CVT, I'd definitely change it every 30k miles.

Why would the belt running your AC and alternator care if the transmission is CVT?

 

[Aikouka]

Why would the belt running your AC and alternator care if the transmission is CVT?

He's probably talking about the AT fluid.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

He's probably talking about the AT fluid.

Does a CVT really require changes every 30k? I could see 60k maybe, but 30k seems extreme...

 

[Aikouka]

Does a CVT really require changes every 30k? I could see 60k maybe, but 30k seems extreme...

I'm certainly no expert on the topic, but I doubt it.

 

[chin311]

Cvt Transmission fluid changes are far longer in-between then 30k. I don't remember exactly but I believe on my old Nissan versa manual it said somewhere in the neighborhood of 60k if not more.

 

[Doppel]

The 2011 Altima manual says to change the eCVT fluid every 30k if towing or using a roof rack; i.e. if you're not doing that don't.

I was surprised to see it actually not only recommends that as part of the schedule 1 (which is most people) it actually wants very regular 3 month or 3750 oil changes and brake fluid changes (yes, really) every 15k (!). However, even up to and including 30k nothing expensive; basically all items are inspections only and replacments do not exceed brake fluid, oil/filter, microcabin filter, and engine air filter.