Murphy5156

I know there are various posts on this site about changing the PCV Valve in 5.5 Maxima's but I just did changed mine and figured I would post a quick set of directions for those that wish to do it in the future. First off, the part number to order it from Nissan is 11810-8J102. I ordered mine online from Courtesy Nissan and it was about $9 for the part and another $10 to have it sent via UPS to Atlanta. You will need a couple of tools to make the job easier. The valve is in a bit of a tight spot, between the firewall and intake manifold (passenger side). A little hard to reach your hand down in there and release the hose clamp so you can pull the hose off the end of the valve. I used a set of long-nosed vice grips. I simply locked the vice grips to the the hose clamp to keep it in the loosened position, then just grabbed the hose and twisted and pulled it a bit until it slipped off. Next you will need a 23mm deep socket. It has to be deep because the valve is an inch or so long and I doubt a short socket would fit over it. Also you will need an extension on your socket wrench to reach down to where the valve is. Just slip the socket over the valve and unscrew it from the valve cover. Came out with no effort. To reinstall I just reached my hand down in there to thread the new valve in hand tight, then used the socket wrench again to tighten it down. I was careful not to tighten it too much though for fear of breaking it (the valve is plastic after all). Reattached the hose, released the vice grips from the hose clamp, and the job was complete. My Maxima has 143,000 miles on it and this may be the first time the PCV has ever been replaced. The old one was stuck open as I suspected (made no sound when shaken) so I'm glad I did it. A simple job that anyone can do in 15 minutes. Hope this helps others.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Did the same to mine a few months ago. Awkward position but it didn't take too long. My old one was also stuck open.

kukx30de

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the post. I just did mine on the VQ30 5th gen and man i am glad its so much more easier

I replaced mine after 167K miles and I concur mine was stuck open too.

I didnt get the OEM PCV valve. Advance auto parts had a purolator one for $3

Prophecy99

iTrader: (1)

have you guys... noticed any difference....

Murphy5156

I have not noticed any difference in how the car runs if that's what you're asking. What prompted me to replace it was the dealer telling me that I had a "burning oil condition due to clogged PCV".....but of course they wanted to charge me $1100 to replace the valve covers AND the PCV to fix the issue. So I decided to change the PCV valve myself as a start. I will monitor my oil level for a few weeks and see if there's any difference. I've read various posts here stating that a bad PCV wouldn't allow THAT much oil to be burned, but I figured for $20 it was worth a shot. Somewhere down the road I plan to replace the valve covers myself (using the '04 version to save $$) anyway.

tav303

iTrader: (1)

mine was stuck open too. so i got one from napa, BAD idea. it was broken, so i went back and got another one from napa, broken. went back and got another one, stupidly, but this one was fine. Moral, autozone >napa.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Running low 10s now.

Armelius

I find it amazing that most Nissan dealerships don't stock this item at all.

nismology

iTrader: (8)

When it comes with a new valve cover why would they? They'd rather just sell the whole thing. Makes even more sense when you consider the fact that the spark plug tube seals are not replaceable.

02_Maxima_6sd

thanks for the info on Murphy on needing a 23mm deep socket. I just tried to replace my pcv and was cut short because I did not have the correct socket size.
One thing I do recommend when putting the hose back, is to make sure the clips are facing the front of the car and not the firewall (default position) . All I did was flip the hose with clips attached to opposite ends so that the clips now face the front of the car. (the top part of the hose is now connected to the pcv, and the part that was once connected to the PCV is now on top)

Scott LaRock

iTrader: (5)

If I buy the PCV Value, does it make sense to change the hose as well?

Nelsito65

I didn't when I replaced my PCV valve nor did I clean it. If the hose is in good shape, you can clean it thoroughly and it is as good as new.

Scott LaRock

iTrader: (5)

the hose is very soft but has no leaks.

xshadow715

say if this valve was malfunctioning would it cause you mpg to drop?

Nelsito65

Most likely, there is no need to change it.

It is known to be one of the causes of poor gas mileage.

xshadow715

how wouldi know if its not working correctly? and it seems like i have an air leak but i cant find out where its coming from causei guess i cant see or reach the hose is there anyway to tell without going to the mechanic?

Nelsito65

I wouldn't know. It's a maintenance item just like any filter in your car. And it is very unexpensive too ($2 or $3 for the part at any autopart store). Over time, gunk accumulatation makes the valve stay in the open position all the time causing a lean air/fuel mixture. This send some signal to the injectors to put out more fuel than needed, to compensate, in order to perform the same task but wasting gas in the process.

xshadow715

this is my first car lol but umm is ther anywere i can go that givse like free diagnostic on my really crappy mpg? i took it to autozone to get a code readup but nothing showed up and i have no cel so its realy hard to tell what the problem is. would an air leak in one the hoses also cause poor gas mileage?

Nelsito65

Exactly how did you determine poor gas mileage in your car? If you are in fact getting that, it can be caused by a multitude of issues; clogged air filter, improper tire pressure, worn-out or damage coils that cause misfiring, old spark plugs, clogged injectors, and the list goes on. If you are not sure how well this car has been maintained, the best course of action is start properly maintaining yourself. Unless you can afford paying somebody for basic services on a regular basis, I'd suggest to get a hold of a Haynes repair manual or the Factory Service Manual (FSM) for your car and a set of mechanic tools, if you are handy with tools. I would start by checking and replacing as needed at least the spark plugs and air filter, assuming you at least have done an oil and oil filter change.
On a separate note, you already have more than the required 15 posts in order to be able to start a thread of your own, unless you want to be flamed for highjacking somebody else's. Or you can post in this thread. That is, of course, after you have done some searching for your problem(s) in these forums.

xshadow715

i got the car 200 miles ago and im almost done with my tank of gas... thats how i know lol i have no idea what the previous owner for maintanence but i had 2 mechanics check out the engine before i bought it and yesterday i got it checked again by a friend and he said everything seems fine but he hears a pssss noise like an air leak i tihnk he said but he tried to figure out which hose it was but he couldnt find it and he couldnt reach a couple of them. i asked him about the normal causes but the air filter is fine and spark plugs are fine and there is no check engine light so he said that its hard to tell what the problem is. im only 17 and do not havem uchm oney left after buying this car so i cant afford to do trial and error to find out whats causing it

and i was wondering why i couldnt make a thread =P

Thorzdad

Wow. Sounds like a quick n' easy thing I should do for my old Max, too.
Where, exactly, is this thing located on the 3.0?

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Same here. My Nissan parts guy said I was the first one he ever ordered. That was odd. Then again, they never ordered a fuel strainer before, until I requested on.

And for whatever reason, every Advance Auto Parts in my region is out of stock on the Purolator PCV valve for the Maxima. Also odd.

So I ordered the OEM valve from Nissan for around $10.

hsjoe

I'll pick one up today

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Finally swapped out the PCV valve for the new one. The old one was fine. The new one is... well, new. Kind of a pain crimping the hose clamp, but otherwise about a 2 minute process.

Maintenance. Hooray. Moving on.