Hey all, just started getting really cold here in Vancouver, -4, and the new qx4 i just picked up is having trouble heating up. It takes a good 30 mins of steady driving to get the engine heated up and start blowing hot air. I'm leaning toward the thermostat. Does any one know exactly how to get to this thing. I had a look under the hood and it wasn't obvious as to where it is. Also if any one has any other suggestions on what could be causing my lack of heat, that would be awesome. Thanks\\

Jared

follow the top hose of the radiator to where it meets the block.. this is the usual location of most 'stats. But then again, i havent looked, so if Im wrong, please chime in.

REMOVAL

1. Remove undercover with power tool.
2. Drain engine coolant from radiator drain plug at the bottom of radiator, and from water drain plug at the front of cylinder block. CAUTION:

o Perform this step when engine is cold.
o Do not spill engine coolant on drive belts.

3. Remove air duct and air cleaner case.
4. Remove water drain plug on water pump side of cylinder block.
5. Disconnect radiator hose (lower) and oil cooler hose from water inlet and thermostat assembly.
Remove water inlet and thermostat assembly. CAUTION: Do not disassemble water inlet and thermostat assembly. Replace them as a unit, if necessary. INSTALLATION Note the following, and install in the reverse order of removal.
6. Remove water inlet and thermostat assembly. CAUTION: Do not disassemble water inlet and thermostat assembly. Replace them as a unit, if necessary. INSTALLATION Note the following, and install in the reverse order of removal.

o Be careful not to spill engine coolant over engine room. Use rag to absorb engine coolant.

source: http://my350z.com/forum/engine-and-driv ... q35de.html


If you need help bleeding the cooling system.. PM me and ill walk you thru it.

thanks alot, much appreciated. I'm curious though if this is for a 350z or for qx4. I know how to change a thermostat, i just can't seem to find where it is. Maybe in a hose or something. I recently replaced the one on my 4 runner and it was very obvious where it was located. Does anyone have the service manual, or a diagram of where it is. I can't seems to find it on the service manuals on the website thanks

this is for the vq35 in general.

do a search for whatever year your qx4 is

2003 infiniti QX4 service manual

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/ ... t-download

EsotericImage wrote:2003 infiniti QX4 service manual

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/ ... t-download

No need for those crappy download sites, the 2003 QX4 FSM is hosted here, as are many other vehicle FSMs.

ahh, kool.

like i said in other posts.. im a Honda guy.. theres years of info scattered all over the web..

nice find on the SM!

Your thermostat is quite buried. It's not right up on top like most every other car I've changed one on.

Gotta pull the rad to get at it in a reasonable way. This will be a good time to do a back flush on the rad while it's out.

Do have some magnet inserts for your sockets, You'll need them.

Refill with Nissan coolant and distilled water.


Chuck

On my 01 qx4 with 3.5: the thermostat was at the engine side of the lower rad hose, very accessible with the airbox out

Its expensive though for our cars, maybe a cheaper pathfinder version would work in its place??

In the manual it says that the ' water inlet and thermostat assembly ' should be changed as a unit and not disassebled. However i am unable to find this piece on any of the online retailers. I am able to find just the thermostat and don't see a problem with putting the new thermostat in the housing that i take off. Has any one had any experience with this? Also i am curious on the book time the dealer uses for changing the thermostat.Thanks

Yes just put a new one in the oem housing, which may need some cleaning internally to make it look fresh again, mine has some calcium looking buildup that I had to scuff off all of its side

The thermostat is still atleast $50 for our cars though

and some places do list them with the housing

http://cgi.ebay.ca/THERMOSTAT-INFINITI- ... 335df610cc

This "aparently" is the part number, Id assume the last 2 digits are the temperature rating of the thermostat

21200 4W010 77