Nissan recommends changing the timing belt on the Maxima at 60,000 miles. The 1983 through 1993 Maxima uses the 3.0L V6 VG30E engine, which is an interference engine, meaning that should the belt stretch past its useful life, the valves will most likely hit the pistons, causing extensive engine damage. It takes about five and one-half hours to replace the timing belt in the Nissan Maxima.
Remove the negative battery cable. Lay it aside, but do not let it touch metal. Place the drain pan under the radiator petcock. Loosen the petcock and allow the antifreeze to drain into the drain pan. If you use a clean drain pan, you can reuse the antifreeze.
Jack up the Maxima and support it with jack stands. Remove the right front wheel using the lug wrench. Remove the right lower splash guard and right wheel house splash guard using the appropriate sockets.
Loosen the alternator’s adjusting bolt locknut and the pivot bolt. Turn the adjusting bolt to loosen the tension on the alternator belt. Lift the belt off the pulleys. Loosen the locknut on the face of the idler pulley for the air conditioning belt. Loosen the mounting bolt for the idler pulley. Turn the adjusting bolt to loosen the tension on the air conditioning belt. Lift the belt off the pulleys. Loosen the locknut on the idler pulley for the power steering pump. Loosen the idler mounting bolt. Turn the adjusting bolt to release tension on the power steering belt. Lift the power steering belt off the pulleys.
Unclamp and remove the upper radiator hose and the intake hose, using a screwdriver or socket, whichever applies to the type of clamp on the hoses (factory clamps may have been replaced with aftermarket clamps). Remove the water pump pulley and the crankshaft pulley bolt with the appropriate sockets. Pull the crankshaft pulley off. Remove the upper and lower timing belt covers with the appropriate sockets.
Number the spark plug wires so you know where they go when you put the Maxima together. Pull the wires off the plugs. Remove the No. 1 cylinder spark plug. The No. 1 cylinder is on the left side of the engine, looking down on the engine (closest to the firewall). Put the screwdriver in the No. 1 cylinder spark plug hole. Turn the crankshaft clockwise until you feel the piston come up to the tip and stop (via the screwdriver). Check the timing mark on the crankshaft sprocket and the camshaft sprockets. If all marks are not aligned, turn the engine over again (via the crankshaft). This time when you feel the screwdriver come up, the No. 1 cylinder will be on top dead center and the timing marks will line up.
Loosen the tensioner nut. Turn the tensioner clockwise with the Allen wrench. Tighten the nut just enough to hold the tensioner out of the way. Lift the timing belt off the sprockets. Check that the timing marks are still lined up.
Install the timing belt working in a counterclockwise rotation, starting on the crankshaft sprocket, working your way up to the right (as you are looking at the engine) camshaft sprocket. Keep the belt tight between the crankshaft sprocket and the right camshaft sprocket. Bring the belt over the top of the left camshaft sprocket and down behind the tensioner. Ensure that there are 40 belt teeth between the two camshaft sprockets and 43 teeth between the right camshaft sprocket and the crankshaft sprocket.
Loosen the tensioner, allowing it to put tension on the timing belt. Tighten the nut enough to hold the tensioner in place. Turn the crankshaft clockwise two turns, until the timing marks line up again. If the marks do not line up, remove the belt and repeat the installation process. Press the timing belt one-quarter of the way to the left of the right camshaft sprocket with approximately 22 pounds of force. Hold the tensioner with the Allen wrench and loosen the tensioner nut. Insert the feeler gauge between the belt and the tensioner pulley, near the bottom of the tensioner pulley (approximately 4 o’clock position). Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the feeler gauge moves to the 1 o’clock position. The belt should move about two and one-half teeth.
Hold the tensioner with the Allen wrench. Tighten the tensioner nut to 38 foot pounds of torque. Turn the crankshaft clockwise (slowly) until all the timing marks are lined up again.
Press the belt one-quarter of the way to the left of the right camshaft sprocket with approximately 22 pounds of force. If the belt deflection is not between 0.50 to 0.60 inches, repeat the tensioning process (Steps 8 through 10). Install the rest of the parts in reverse order of removal. Tighten the crankshaft pulley bolt to 95 foot pounds of torque. Tighten the drain plug and refill the radiator.
