2002 QX4...engine replacement...

[roibroker]

got the magic phone call today from a local Infinit dealer. Last Thursday while running down the highway at 75 mph I encountered a severe knocking noise from the engine...rocks in a coffee can. A reputable local mechanic who I got to on the way home said thrown rod...new long block was their call....took it to Sewell Infinit and they took the valve cover off and ultimately came back with "X screws from somewhere in the engine became dislodged and "fell" into a cylinder and probably worked it's way out to the catalytic converter.....car needs a replacement engine....factory new is $15K...used/remanufactured is $7K...I bought this vehicle which had been running quite well and had 116K at purchase...now with 123K...3 oil changes...now on Mobil 1 inside of 7,000 miles...including a transmission service...service records and review from Plano dealer indicated no real problems and overal service history good...I bought it as a 3rd car for my real estate/ROW operation..7K miles and the screw/screws fall into the cylinder..seems odd and the dealer says this couldn't have been detected or prevented....

Suggestions or comments...looking at something like $4K for a replacement engine or something close..anyone experience anything similar??? Screws can fall in to an engine causing a catastrophic failure and there's no service that could have found or prevented this event???? Anyone have any suggestions?

[WPGQX4]

Read the sticky at the top about the thread lock on the power valve screws. That sounds like what happened to your engine.

[jpedderson]

Boneyard engine with 60k will cost $1500...at least around Houston...

http://www.car-part.com

This thread is making me want to spend the 2 hours to go in and locktite the screws... I've got 207k on my engine...

[01silvapathy]

Yeah, no kidding. I still have not done that but really need too

[roibroker]

well...the verdict is in from the Infiniti dealer and I am faced with replacing the engine due to at least 3 screws coming loose and being injested into the engine. A new engine..yeah right from Infiniti is $15,000
a rebuild is $10,000 with warranty.

I've gotten a quote from a Nissan dealer here who's done a numbe of engine rebuilds for this problem and others...$4700 plus 12 mo 12,000 warranty.

I strongly encourage any of you withe the 3.5 liter Infiniti/Pathfinder engine to take the time to pull that intake manifold, tighten and loctite those screws..or you will face the same fate...I should also say my conversation with Infiniti Customer relations was absolutely worthless. Their position is the car had 123,000 miles on it...and get this..."Infiniti is a different company than Nissan"....that's it. Never mind that Nissan did a voluntary recall on 80,000 some vehicles with the 2.5 liter 2004 engine...for what? to address or tighten the power valve screws....Campaign ID #P5202...the only power screw goin' on now is what's happenin' to me

[ARKQX33V6]

roibroker, I feel your pain! With this attitude from Infinity and/or Nissan now a French company Renault can they expect loyalty from their customers? Pay now or pay later seems to be the motto of car makers.

With 2 infinity products under my belt both used, the Dealer network I was working with has left doubt more than confidence with me. With my last QX4 after about 2-3 years of use the salesman wanted the vehicle back on a trade so he can screw me, these are his exact words. The purchase of the 97 vehicle in 98 was done from afar, I faxed my offers to him.

At that time I offered 35000 for a car that he wanted 42000 but sold new at 44000 plus all the taxes. I offered the wholesale price and wrote take it or leave it and offered my money at the end of the month.

He took it and while the QX4 was under warranty another 2.xx years, he constantly harassed me because as he said he wanted to get even. It is a very rare thing to get over a car dealership.

During the warranty period I had to force them to do their work and they did do it, but I felt that they did not stand behind their own horn blowing.

I am glad to see so many people learning to do their own repairs but as I see it from your tale of woe the problem is Nissan. If a screw is able to come out of its resting place by itself the problem is design. It is impossible for you to see this.

A law case on your part is needed, if this is a case of every or some of these vehicles self destructing a class action case is a must.

In my own experiences with Nissan, they make a decent product but my next vehicle will not be built by them. With 17 years with Datsun and Nissan I believe they are making cars and trucks cheaper and cheaper and not backing their customers.

GMC, Chrysler know from first hand what can take place and from all that is happening with Nissan a change is needed.

But where do you go? Today is one maker better than the other? The ICE, internal combustion engine, has had its day. I am sorry for what has taken place with your Nissan vehicle that bad taste is every where.

I suggest that you raise Hell with your dealer and the corporate end of Nissan, bad publicity may or may not help but others may hear and join in. If enough people have been wronged you may be made right.

[vannaksao]

My engine just started clicking !!!!!

I'm gonna have to take a day off of work and look at this. I hope it's not what I've been reading about. If it is, then I'm in a world of hurt. I can open it myself and fix, but I would definitely explore the "Attorney" route.

[roibroker]

don't expect any help from Infiniti....they claim it's not a widespread problem...you do not want
to have to replace your engine

[CanuckQx4]

Very glad I took the hour to loctite my power valves, a few were loose!!

All the people that have seen that sticky and have not done the service are asking for trouble

[01silvapathy]

DAMMMOTTTTT, I need to do this!

[fleurys]

DAMMMOTTTTT, I need to do this!

with all the mods you have done on your truck, I really think you need to do it sooner rather than later.... let's go... this weekend... budy !

[carnal_c30]

I would do it ASAP, any sound anything you'll be super paranoid.... it can happen to any truck at any mileage...

And if getting a replacement motor, I assume only the VQ35DE from the 01-04 Pathfinder/Qx4 will work? I think the VQ35DE in the Gs, Zs, Maximas have different configuration as far as the oil pan etc right?

Anyone think about a VQ40?

[Buzzman]

I assume only the VQ35DE from the 01-04 Pathfinder/Qx4 will work? I think the VQ35DE in the Gs, Zs, Maximas have different configuration as far as the oil pan etc right?

Pretty much different everything, if memory serves.: Intake, exhaust, ECU programming, etc. It's not the same engine at all.

[DanTanna]

This happened to my 2002 QX4 the other day. The screw took out the #6 sparkplug and killed the catalytic converter.

[Towncivilian]

Ugh, sorry to hear that. Nissan really should've recalled affected R50s and put threadlocker on the damn screws.

[DanTanna]

On the bright side my engine makes a loud ticka-ticka noise so I know when my wife is pulling in the driveway!

[Towncivilian]

Nice, a warning system. Definitely keep an eye on your oil consumption now, and throw some threadlocker on those screws if you never got it done yet!