Finished Powervalve Screws! + PCV valve change

[miamiheat3332]

So tomorrow i will be doing the powervalve screws and threadlocking them.

I have all the 4 gaskets, got some gasket spray, and high temp threadlocker. Also cleaning up the manifold and throttle body.

Other than that i will probably post some pics of the way i did it and stuff as another reference, other than the NPORA reference, is there any pointers or tips out there that might make my job easier or less troubleshooting later on?

I also cleaned the MAF sensor last week after 118k miles and most of that was with a high flow K&n air filter, reason i cleaned it is because after 118k miles it definatly got dirty, and i read that the K&n oil you use to clean and oil filter etc can build up on the maf which in my mind is no doubt some did. I used CRC MAF Cleaner from advanced auto, i think i do notice that it rides smoother and like theres a bit more power, im not talking loads of HP increase but i do notice a slight difference, while i was at it i also cleaned the MAF in my 2006 sonata lx, which is at 64k, and it did make the car run smoother and feels like you need to give it even less gas and it goes. Honestly with even the slight difference i noticed with cleaning it,

i do recommend cleaning it like every 10k miles now which is what i will be doing, maybe even every oil change, the spray is like 6$ and will probably last you at least 10-15 cleans if not more. Something cheap and easy to do, all this in the pathfinder probably took about 4 minutes if that to remove, spray, let dry, and reinstall, close hood. In my sonata it took longer because its made with dumb clips that dont want to come off. Pathfinder has 2 torqx screws.


NEW UPDATE:

Took apart the upper and lower intake plenum, replaced all 4 gaskets, cleaned both upper and lower plenums with carb cleaner, also throttle body and replaced PCV valve,


Along the job, i only used the NPORA post as a reference as most of it was 95% straight forward. Taking out the intake box, taking off throttle body, sensor brackets, disconnecting sensors, removing bolts etc..

Only hard parts where 1 of the screws on a bracket in the back of the lower intake plenum, was a pain in the a$$, but once you get it off and are putting it back together its easy. 2nd thing i also saw how some people said you can reuse the gaskets, mine werent looking too great so i do recommend before you attempt this get the 4 new gaskets + a pcv valve which all came out to 55$ at the dealer for me.

Only thing that was out of the way in this whole job, is i didnt really look for how to remove the pcv valve so tryed to pull it off, that obviously broke the tip, then i noticed you have to unscrew it, which then i did, and noticed the pcv valve the dealer gave me was a non threaded one and now i thought i was pretty much f$%#$d for about 3-4 days till they could order the new one, and called autoparts stores and it was the same wait, so i went down to autozone and took my old pcv valve with me, i knew theres interchangeable parts between like 2002 maximas, altimas, 2003 350z, etc, cause they have the same engines and stuff. This extremely worked in my luck as most of the auto stores had the NON THREADED pcv valve in their list.

While at aut0zone i wanted the guy to check the ones for an 02 maxima, and 03 350z, and thankfully they had one more in stock and it is the THREADED PCV VALVE.

Now for anyone else who attempts this, even the dealer ordered the wrong pcv valve for my year and engine,

I CONFIRM THAT THE 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER with a 3.5VQ engine, takes a THREADED PCV VALVE, NOT a NON THREADED ONE. If your auto-parts store says they only have the non threaded for your 02 Pathfinder, have them look at the 02 maximas or 03 350z.

I don't want anyone else to come across this as if you get the wrong one and cant replace it, you can still put it back together if you didn't break yours like mine, but you have to do all this work again to change it later on.

For this job i got

GASKETS with NISSAN part numbers:

16175-4W000 - THROTTLE BODY - APPROX $3.50
14033-4W010 - UPPER INTAKE PLENUM Gasket 1 - APPROX $4
14033-4W000 - UPPER INTAKE PLENUM Gasket 2 - APPROX $4
14032-4W00A - LOWER INTAKE PLENUM - APPROX $28

I can confirm these work 100% with a 2002 model, 2001-2004 should all be the same but i cant confirm that 100%. Also those are prices from my particular dealer, they may vary a bit.

When ordering the PCV VALVE for the 2002 r50's the one i got which is the wrong one is:

11810-31U00< WRONG , UNLESS they use the same part number for the threaded one, make sure they do not give you the non threaded one.

Other than those 4 gaskets and pcv valve, i also got:

Permatex Copper Gasket-spray approx $7 advanced auto.
Permatex High strength RED threadlocker approx $6 advanced auto
Carb Cleaner - had already, but did buy another can approx $3.50

This job shouldn't run you more than $80.

PICTURES LINK: http://s829.photobucket.com/albums/zz22 ... 1QQtppZZ24

I put them all in my photobucket as there is alot. also those pics were mostly for my own reference as vacuum line, sensor, coolant line, locations etc. I didnt even have to use any of them but i always like having a reference, it should also help anyone in at least some way when you are attempting this.

EDIT: i think in that album the pics are in reverse order as in from when it was taken apart to when i started, so go to page 3 too look from beginning.

[Towncivilian]

Please do post pictures! I'm also planning to get this done (hopefully sooner than later when it may be too late...). There was a thread about this recently here.

[miamiheat3332]

bump, changed old thread name and currently uploading pics, they should be up shortly.

[01silvapathy]

Sweet man, glad to hear that it worked out okay for you. Were all the screws there that needed to be there? And pics if you have them would be awesome

[miamiheat3332]

yeah my screws where all pretty much good, still happy i took it apart as the gaskets were worth changing and gave everything a good cleaning, still threadlocked them too.

and pics are going up in like 1 min.

[CanuckQx4]

I dont get why you guys had to remove that bolt on the back of the intake.

Once you pull the upper half of the intake off, arent the screws right there??

I didnt thinkt he lower had to be removed

[miamiheat3332]

The bolt on the bracket that was hard to get was on the lower intake, and i also did it to clean out the whole lower intake and change the gasket down there, along with the pcv valve, so yes there is a reason for it.

[CanuckQx4]

PCV... pfffft. just vent to atmosphere.

You dont want that crap being reburned in your engine

[Towncivilian]

I don't plan on taking off the lower intake plenum (I don't see any reason to; all I'm gonna do is threadlock the power valve screws). All I'll need is the first three gaskets you mentioned, some gasket spray, threadlocker, and carb cleaner, correct?

[miamiheat3332]

Yep you will only need 3 of the 4 gaskets, and taking off the lower intake plenum isnt as hard as it may seem, its easier than the intake manifold once its off. but yeah thats all you need.

[CanuckQx4]

Id sugg4est against the gasket spray, the next time you remove any of these pieces the gasket spray will be caked and baked on the surfaces and they wont be pretty perfect aluminum anymore, the gaskets do a perfect job at sealing, especially if your buying brand new ones.

[Towncivilian]

Id sugg4est against the gasket spray, the next time you remove any of these pieces the gasket spray will be caked and baked on the surfaces and they wont be pretty perfect aluminum anymore, the gaskets do a perfect job at sealing, especially if your buying brand new ones.

So just remove old gaskets, apply new gaskets and that's that?

[miamiheat3332]

If you only spray a light coat it wont be caked, obviously if you drench it , it will.

[EsotericImage]

I wonder if the IM gaskets are the same on the 350z.. then you can use a thermal gasket and get better performance from colder air in the plenum. MPG's will suffer a tad.. not too much to worry about tho..

[CanuckQx4]

350's gave a much different intake plenum, checked that.