# Thermostat installation...How do I do it???



## Gold_Dragon (Jan 10, 2004)

I have to replace the thermostat on the 1993 Maxima 3.0L SOHC of my step father and I don't have any idea of how I have to do it. Does anybody could hepl me with it, please???


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## Armor01 (Mar 4, 2004)

Get a manual first. The therm is kinda big and diff looking and only goes in one way. Most of the body fits into the therm housing. You will see what I am talking about when you do it. NOW THE BIGGY. This thing will need to be raised in the front end to a 45 degree angle when you are finished. Why? To bleed the air out of the cooling system. Change the thermastat, Raise the front end, put it on jack stands, add the coolant and water and start her up while watching the temp gauge. If you don't raise the front end it will over heat. Been there and done it. Read it in a mag prior to doing mine. Didn't believe it until it happened. Good luck.


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## abunai (Aug 2, 2003)

*1990 Maxina*

I changed the thermo in my dads Maxima. I'm not sure if it's the same as a 1993. I didn't have to raise the car, all I did was remove the air bleeder on the intake and fill it up untill antifreeze came out of thr hole. Seemed to work, didn't overheat.


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## kebel (Dec 3, 2003)

*Help !!*



Armor01 said:


> Get a manual first. The therm is kinda big and diff looking and only goes in one way. .


Okay, I have to change the thermostat on my wifes car (91Maxima) but the haynes manual I have has different pics than what is actually in the car. As well, the upper rad hose goes into a housing which splits the rad hose. So I'm not sure where the thermostat actually is. Is it on the upper hosing/hose assembly or the lower. One is right below the other. I don't really want to have to pull everything apart before I know. Both look like they're going to be hard to get at.

A pic would be awesome if anyone has one. I've searched the forums with no luck on this issue.

Would someone PLEASE help me get this frickin thing changed.

Kev.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

it's on the end of the lower hose. it's just below the black timing belt cover, right next to the water pump. four bolts. when you put them back on, torque them to 12-15lb..
make sure the little hole is facing up when you put the thermostat in. (you'll see what I'm talking about when you get there).

before you put it back in, pull the upper and lower radiator hoses off and the heater core hoses and flush them with your water hose, turned up as high as you can. flush all the scale and junk out of the system and it'll help a lot.

Also, don't bother jacking the car 500ft in the air like the guy said above. there's a bleeder screw on the top of the intake manifold near the PCV.
http://www.mattblehm.com/pics/old_max/car/intake_manifold/dirty_upper_manifold_2.jpg
top right corner of this pic. it's a chrome looking screw.

fill the coolant as much as you can through the radiator, then remove this screw (while the engine is cold!)
start the engine and keep filling through the radiator and the air bubbles will bleed out of the system through the screw on the manifold.
when you get to only coolant coming out of the bleeder, put the screw back in and make sure the radiator is full. close the system and fill the reservoir and you're done.


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## kebel (Dec 3, 2003)

Thanks Matt.

It appears that its sprung a rad fluid leak as well. Most of the fluid is coming down from on top of the crankshaft pulley. I'm assuming its the water pump thats leakin. could the pump shaft seal have sprung a leak? 

I don't know how you guys work in these tight spaces. I'm used to working on domestic trucks where you have a lot of room. (older years of course). I'm wondering how much work it is to replace the water pump but I haven't searched the forums yet. Might be better to just take it to my mechanics and let them deal with it (sigh).

Kev.


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## Matt93SE (Sep 17, 2003)

water pump is a 6-8 hour job, but that also includes replacing the timing belt... since you've got to get all the way down to it, you might as well do both- it's another $50 in parts and the engine will be in good shape for another 60k miles.

plus the antifreeze is very hard on the timing belt. I've seen several belts snap because of it. done two engine swaps from that exact reason as well. get it fixed ASAP if you don't want to swap the engine.

Expect to pay $600-1200 if you go to a mechanic for parts and labor.


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