topboxman-

Thanx for the excellent write-up. I'll be using it soon to replace the 5-year-old belts on my MO.

There is no plausible explanation for why the engineers did not call for a serpentine belt and spring tensioner, You would figure a car with such an advanced exterior design and ground-breaking CVT would have had something just a little more advanced that what was used on a '64 Rambler.

I am definitely not looking forward to tackling the belts.

-njjoe

 

I am definitely not looking forward to tackling the belts.

My suggestion, Joe - just take it to a dealer. At 65K miles and just under a year ago, mine charged me $47.70 for the 2 belts and $93.57 labor, for a total of $141.27 (+$3 tax). Actually, I paid $25 less than this thanks to a service rebate they were offering at the time.

Even without the rebate, this was still the best $97 (I still would have had to buy the belts even if I did them myself) I ever spent.

 

I have a factory Nissan manual (4 volumes) and the writers are just as bad as the engineers. It said the PS bolt is at back of engine. That's not quite tue. The PS bolt is actually at front of the engine and right behind the PS pulley. It was nice of Nissan to put two holes on the pulley to get access to the PS bolt. It's about time they did one thing right (well not exactly right since it was still difficult to get access).

Bottom line is if you have the right tools, it's not too bad. If I had to do this again, it probably take me about 20 minutes. I can't believe typical Nissan dealers charge about $150 to $200. The belts costs me $58 including tax from the dealer. So for about 30 minute job, that's close to $200/hour!!!!

Peter

 

I don't trust my dealer. After buying a brand new Murano, I let the dealer changed the oil the first two times. Then when it was time to change the oil, I decided to do it myself. The oil drain plug and oil filter were incredibly tight. I had to use the long torque wrench just to loosen the drain plug. Also, I used a flimsy oil filter wrench which I have always used on other cars in the past without issues but it broke while trying to loosen the filter. The dealer that must have used the impact gun to tighten the drain plug and oil filter. I had to buy an oil filter plier. The plier crushed the oil filter while loosening it.

I can no longer trust the dealer to do any work on my car. I do all maintenance work myself from now on.

Peter

 

Peter,

That must be a Nissan thing, my wife had the oil changed on her MO, then I did it when I replaced the oil cooler oring. The plug was so tight I had to use both hands on a 15" 1/2 drive ratchet. A lot tighter than the 29 ftlbs that the service manual recommends. The crush washer was embedded into the drain plug head. Not a happy camper. I did take it to the service manager he made it right. ( I was in there getting 2 quarts of cvt fluid, he gave them to me said he was sorry and hoped that would make it right).:29:

Mike

 

Very few does..its a known fact that nissan dealers tend to repair a part and damage another in the process.:28:

The first and only time I paid a dealer for service was for the belts replacement.

Round 1: Changed 2 belts paid 160.
Round 2: A month after the pulley started sounding off----they overtighten the belt and messed up the bearing in the pulley. Repaired under warranty --I have fight for it of course.
Round 3: 10 months later the idler pulley bracket split into 2. I got robbed here! paid 240. Tried to fight it but they wont give. It could be coincidental but its very suspicous dont you think. They were the only one who touch the damn thing for almost 5 years. My theory was they caused a small crack on the first repair job...saw it during the pulley repair but placed it back anyways. I know I am paranoid but...very possible. In the end it cost me 4 bills for the belts.

The only reason I had them do the belts was that I didnt want to overtighten and damage the pulley myself...instead I ended up paying them to do it for me and then some...What a pro... Never Again!

 

So sad to hear there are some poor Nissan sevice departments out here. I say, if you have a bad experience with one, just go to the next closest one - even though it might be a little farther away. I know from personal experience, there ARE some very good Nissan service departments.

 

I disagree with the original post. The engineers deserve a serious raise and good bonuses. They've managed to do several things to this car to make it very difficult for owners to do their own work, which means that you get more people bringing their cars to the DEALER for service. Just by getting it into the dealer service department, you're getting a lot of money to Nissan.

First, you'll pay an arm and a leg for the immediate work that needs done, then they get repeat business from you for your OTHER extremities by breaking something on your first visit to make you come in again!

It's really quite ingenious. As long as you have no long-term ideas of being a respected car manufacturer, that is.

 

Now this was funny! Thanks for the chuckle! Frankly, I wasn't laughing when I was doing this job with some limited tools, but now that it's done, I'm glad. I had to enlist my wife's miniature hands to get the socket on that darn tensioning bolt next to and below the coolant reservoir. I knew one day marrying her would prove to be beneficial! LOL!

BTW, to add to the original post: the extension you'll need is REALLY long! I had to join two extensions to make it long enough. Talking about like 8 -10 inches to reach the bolt. Plus you need a universal at the end! Good luck with that Houdini!

 

I don't mind taking my car to the dealer as long as they do the work RIGHT!!!! It's no excuse for what they did to my car by over tightening and eventually stripping the threads sooner than later. Obviously my dealer does not follow the torque specifications. Don't the schools teach to follow torque specs or the mechanics were just lazy and don't care?

Peter

 

Doesn't matter who did the work, if they mess it up they ought to make it right. The problem is proving that they screwed it up. IMO 10 months later is WAY too late to blame them. You might see if there's a 12-month warranty on the part - at least they'd cover that.

 

I updated the instructions in the original post by adding a new paragraph describing how to re-install and tighten the components in proper order for Power Steering belt. PS bracket is a strange, confusing and in my opinion a poor design.

Have fun.

Peter

 

Again, the best (just under) $100 I ever spent.

 

AFter re-reading this thread, the OP mentions something I wondered: WHY didn't Nissan use a serpentine belt on this engine? I heartily agree that it would have reduced service time and cost, which ought to be part of the design in any well-engineered unit. GM made it work on my daughter's '91 Camaro, and I have to think Nissan could do the same thing 16 years later.

But I'm very grateful to the OP for his write-up. I'll use it when I change belts on mine. I spent about five minutes staring at the front of the engine yesterday, wondering how I was going to access those belts!

 

I just tried to change both belts. What a FPITA!!! I didn't have a wrench long enough to get to the PS belt. I examined it and it looked fine. No splitting at all. I changed out the AC/Alternator belt and left it alone. I'll change out the PS belt when I get longer wrenches.

Looks like it's time to watch the Thanksgiving sales!

 

I've done soo many of these belts i can do them both in like 20 mins. Its really not that hard. But on the newer VQ35s there is an auto tensioner now unlike the older ones.

 

Turbizzy -- So what is the exact tool you use to get to the bolt for the power steering? The adjustment bolt/bracket is easy to get to, it's the bolt that holds the power steering in place that I can't get to.

 

It's easy. Just use a 14mm box wrench with an angle. Turn the wheel all the way left so its outta your way. Then reach up between the subframe and the body to reach the pump pivot bolt. Put your wrench on it and push it upwards to loosen it. All you need is for it to be slightly loose like half a turn.

 

After reading all the posts about the belt change procedure, I did what any good Saturday afternoon mechanic would do...I took it to the dealer! Right on nafddur.

 

Don't get me wrong. I love the satisfaction obtained from doing a repair job yourself, as well as the time (usually) and $$ (almost always) saved. But I've learned over the years that some jobs are just better off left to someone else - in some cases even a dealer. Of course aging affects this decision as well. I remember in my younger days ripping those old VW bug engines out and rebuilding them just for the fun (and challenge) of it. I even took a welding course at a local HS in NJ when I was living there back in the 70's, just so I could build my own engine stand to help with rebuilds. And there was no greater satisfaction than firing up for the first time an engine built from the ground up with after market, performance parts. Aaaaahhh, the good old days.

 

Standard length or the longer length? I did have a 14mm with an angle on it but it was one of the standard length open/box wrenches.

 

Yeah just a standard length 14mm box end wrench with an angle on it. Put it on the rear pivot bolt and use a prybar or some kinda bar to push up on the wrench from under the car to break the bolt loose. Once it pops loose you can pretty much do it by hand. Its not super easy but it is possible.

 

I absolutely love the title of this thread. It could not be more apropos.:4:

Kudos to topboxman!

-njjoe

 

But there's the catch...you have to use a pry bar of some kind. I didn't have one of those.

 

I think we should all by a 55 Chevy. Looks like a normal human can work on this sucker and even change the plugs. What a concept!

 

bob1-

I like what you've done to your MO.

-njjoe

 

Yep...one of the things that my dad always complained about on newer vehicles was the fact that you can't see the ground on either side. He told me about one of his trucks that you could literally stand on the ground while working inside the engine compartment. I remember working on early 80's Chevy trucks as a kid. I could sit on the driver side wheel well and help while my dad wrenched away at something.

Times have definitely changed...

 

Geez its that hard? I figured it was just releasing the tension on the tensioner then removing the belts and putting the new ones on and tighten them up. Lots of work in the engineering dept when a $10 auto-tensioner would have made everybody's life that much easier.

Both of my belts are cracking, stupid Nissan cheap parts! My Impala has the original serpentine at 170k and its barely cracking at all!

 

We've explained here before that, even at a Nissan dealer, these 2 accessory belts for our Mos are under $150 ($90-$100 for labor, and $40-50 for the belts). That's really very reasonable, especially for a normal maintenance item needed only about every 60K miles (a pretty typical interval for accessory belts on many cars).

 

Got mine done today and it was kinda/sorta a pain. Using the above write-up made it a lot easier. A couple of comments though. One is that I did not know where the serpentiine belt idler pulley lock was and had to go on-line to find that it is located in the center of the idler pulley. Two, pay attention to the suggestion at the bottom. I tried to loosen the PS lock bolt using the one I had, about 5 inches long, and could not get enough leverage to break it loose. I went and purchased one a couple of inches longer and it made all the difference in the world. I am glad I changed the serpentine belt but the PS belt had no cracking at all and may have lasted until I got rid of the vehicle. Anyway the job is done and I am only bleeding from one place, a new record for me.

 

I don't care what you guys say, our belts are much easier to change than others.

For example, take a look at this Volvo i worked on today. The belt is actually behind the engine between the tranny! WTF where they thinking?

 

I don't care what you guys say, our belts are much easier to change than others.

t-

Yes, that may be a true statement, but so is this one... the belts on the Murano are more difficult to change than others. :4:

Nissan did a very poor job of designing the MO with regards to ease of maintenance. Changing a fan belt or tail light should not require a trip to the dealer.

-njjoe

 

Amen!

 

Had our MO at the dealer for some warranty work. Dude wanted to change the belts. I asked "How much", he said $450. I said no thanks.