LeWidget

Thanks again Josh, much appreciate the information . I used a magnet on the sprocket and it looks like the section that the bolts thread into is machined from steel (magnetic). As I hadn't found anything on it, I was considering just tightening them to 10-12nm (7.3 - 8.8 ft-lb), but maybe I should aim for a higher torque being it's inside the engine? Do you think the use of threadlocker (blue) would benefit ?

Thanks Josh :). As the VVT /VCT is already off, I'll be sure to follow when re-installing. 👍 You would happen to know the torque requirements for the 3 bolts securing the VVT/VCT housing? I've looked in my Haynes manual & a Nissan Almera (Pulsar in Europe) factory service manual, but can't see anything, unless I'm searching the incorrect name. If the VVT has 3 bolts allowing it to be disassembled as shown, there 'must' be a torque specification to tighten them back up, no? Thanks again

Thanks Josh, much appreciated It's getting clearer what these VVT gears are & how they function. As long as the solenoid is good & the oil passages are clean, the VVT gear-sprocket should function as intended? I'm still boggled about what Haynes is saying regarding the damage to the pin & the pin sheering. Still has me a little concerned even though I can't see how it would sheer. I might take everything apart tonight, give it a good clean, inspect & re-oil. Regarding the factory service manual. The one I have seems to be a factory service manual for Europe, however, it says it was released in 2001, though my car is a late 03' built in Japan (imported to Australia), so I'm not sure if there's a newer / later release of the manual, or if it covers 'series 2' QG18DE, or if Europe models varies differently to Japan/Australia models. I've been looking for a different factory manual but no luck so far. [EDIT] I took a photo of the compliance plate in the engine bay which has a model number stamped into it. Is anyone able to decode. Perhaps it would give more information on the engine or if anything's different with this variant ? CATARDAN16EMA-F---

[UPDATE] So, my curiosity got the better of me. It's my biggest flaw imo. I pulled the VVT apart to have a look inside & see if anything's broken. I am really confused... I expected there to be some sort of wound-spring creating a lot of tension inside hence why the 'pin' would shear. There's barely anything in here & nothing's under tension. The pin was in 'lock' position which I could pull out and move the internals. My mind is still boggled how these things work, why it's necessary to remove the sprocket the Haynes way & why Haynes would say the 'pin' would be damaged and shear if the allen key is removed while the sprocket it out of the engine . Am I missing something? I'm not a smart person so I'm assuming I am missing a lot about this situation..

So, I'm not sure if I have an issue or not. When I started removing the cylinder head for the head gasket job, I followed a manual I had for the Pulsar N16 which said to set piston 1 to TDC then holding intake camshaft with spanner, use breaker bar to remove intake sprocket bolt. Did that, removed the sprocket, did the exhaust, removed cams etc.. to where I am now. Today I got my hands on Haynes service manual for the Nissan Pulsar N16 and while reading, the removal of the intake cams is different. The Haynes manual actually mentions something about using compressed air to engage/disengage a locking pin, then using a allen key, lock the pin in place. But it also says not to remove the allen key before installing otherwise it'll damage the pin & a new sprocket would be needed. Well... I'm stumped here. I don't know what to do, how to check if there's issues, where to proceed. I had hoped to have everything done in the next day or two but this may have set me back even longer. Does anyone know what Haynes is talking about? What should I do at this point? How can I tell if this is damaged or re-usable? cam sprocket removalNissan pulsar n16.pdf

Thanks Josh :). I ended up getting a gasket set + bolts from the machinst. I got him to do the valve stem seals too so was a bit easier and quicker. He checked the head and it seemed ok, nothing damaged, so hopefully everything's all good. In the end, the machinist clean the block, surface the head and installed the new valve seals. Look tidy.

Thanks Josh :). Engine is series 2 as far as I know. I've seen two types of kits so far for the N16 QG18DE engine, I presume one is for series one (not 100% sure though). Do you have a link to the Rockauto kit you mentioned? Their website looks a little outdated lol, looks like it's from the 90's. I had a look, though the kits look a little different, at least based on the intake gasket, my intake gasket looks different, not sure about the head gasket itself though. Any suggestions on torque to yield bolts? I found a few sets of bolts but they lack information so not sure if they're suitable for this application despite being "compatible".

Finally got the head off. Will be taking into a machinist on Monday. I used a Daytona ruler from Sydney tools to check for warp on the head. I didn't get a .002' feeler slipping through, but a did shine a light from one side & noticed a hairline amount coming though, so whether it's because I used a ruler instead of a proper 'straight-edge', hopefully it's not as bad. The headgasket, I can't really tell from looking at it or the head/block what's going on. It's all a mess to me. The headgasket was split at the section that separates cyl #1+2, and cyl #3+4. see picture here. The exhaust valves 1 and 2 are rough on the surface (see images) ,anyone know if it's likely deposits or corrosion? The intake valves on the same cylinders seem fine though. Exhaust Valve #1 Exhaust Valve #2 Q: What brand Gaskets / Gasket Kits & Head Bolts are worth looking into? I don't really want to spend big $$$ on high-end, even if they are top-quality, I just need something on the budget end but from a good manufacturer if that makes sense? It's only a daily car and doesn't have a whole-lotta value. Q: Anyone know if the QG18DE (series 2 N16) has a coolant drain plug for the engine block? I couldn't see anything in the manual about it. Q: The camshaft section & cams are stained with oil (apparently it wasn't changed often enough). What's the best way/product that can really clean through all that? While fiddling with the car, I noticed the Alternator drive belt (I think that's what it's called) is in bad shape. I can't find anything printed on it to tell me the part number. Any ideas on how to find the correct part number and any recommendations on brands? Here's some more photos I uploaded to Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/gp/198784515@N03/hR2j80s9y0

Looks like I'll be digging into the engine :/. This should be interesting. haha, seems to be the case :p

Hey, thanks Josh :). I recently found out that the series 1 QG18DE has the coolant in the intake but the series 2 (which is what I have) doesn't. I'll have to look at getting a cooling system pressure tester and/or cylinder leak down tester. Thanks gain

Not sure. I'm pretty new to this stuff & it's only when a couple people pointed out some engines have coolant running through the coolant jackets in the inlet manifold, that's it's possible for that to fail and enter through the intake, plus running the engine I hadn't noticed bubbles or geyser-like spray from the radiator like in this video. Thought I'd check here, see if any other experienced people had any opinions on the situation.

Runs not the greatest. Got the pink slip done 2weeks ago as it's rego is due. Doesn't smell anymore though, only when I started it after it had sat for 1-2months. Understandable about pulling it a par. Was planning on taking the head off in the next couple of days, but then someone mentioned the possibility of a leak from the manifold. Thought I'd try test it first as it's more easily accessible on the side of the engine.

True, though so far it looks like a tiny bit, so I'm not sure if it got there via gasket or other. Biggest unknown for me at this stage is how all cylinders got coolant in them. 'If' by chance it was from the inlet manifold or EGR, how would I test for these, as the inlet and exhaust would be easier to test for as it wouldn't require the removal of the head, no?

Hey guys, Have a 2003 Nissan Pulsar Auto sedan (QG18DE). Couple months back the radiator cracked while driving the the engine reached hot. I pulled over quick to let it cool then drove a few minutes back home. Couple months later, I got a new radiator and installed with new coolant and started the car (with heater open). noticed car ran rough, bit of white smoke and smelt like old fuel / turps. Thought was normal as car had been sitting, but I noticed upon checking oil, under the oil cap with a little white foam. I removed spark plugs to see if signs of burning coolant and they were all wet (all cylinders), there was also coolant in the cylinders. White smoke video Rough idle Note, there didn't appear to be bubbles when I had the coolant cap off and the engine running. Now, I initially diagnosed with a head gasket based on what i saw and what I've read online, but someone's just mentioned that it may not be a head gasket as if the head gasket failed to the point that coolant was getting into all cylinders, coolant would be spitting out of the radiator like a geyser (with the cap off). One other person also said it could even be coolant going through the inlet manifold but I'd have to check if the inlet has coolant jackets in it. Before attempting to remove the head, I thought I'd ask here what you guys think? I'll have to double check some things tomorrow but I didn't see anything that looked like coolant would flow to the inlet manifold. Either way, is there a way to test for inlet manifold/EGR coolant leaks? Anyone familiar with this engine know if the intake/exhaust have coolant passages? I have a manual (PDF) but don't really know what to search for.

I know. I was just saying that in reference to spraying a chemical in the general area. I had a look but don't see any hoses going directly to the IAC

I'll call around and see what they say/charge. I would have preferred having my own reader so I had one on hand for more than one occasion. Thanks GTo, I'll give that a shot. I only saw the steps for manually doing idle air relearn, though when I tried it, I couldn't really do step 7 "Disconnect throttle position sensor harness connector (brown), then reconnect it within 5 seconds" as my TB only had the single green connector, instead of the brown + grey connectors, so wasn't sure if this procedure happened to be for a different series/model N16.

No suck. I've been told it's a breather hose. Through the IACV or into the throttle body? Would spraying into the idle valve not cause issues? I read a few posts saying that TB cleaner, if it get's into the IACV, can damage it, though I tried to keep the IACV upright, so TB cleaner didn't run into it, could that be an issue ?

I just want do as much as I can before taking it to a mechanic. Problem is, many mechanics tend to throw parts at a problem and hope they stick at customer expense. That's what I want to avoid. Was hoping to get a cheap option to at least scan codes, in case there were errors I can tackle before proceeding. Not to sound like a broken record, but a service manual I found contains a section (On Board Diagnostic System Description) which mentions using Generic Scan Tools "Generic Scan Tool (GST) Description Generic Scan Tool (OBDII scan tool) complying with ISO 15031-4 has 9 different functions explained on the next page. ISO 9141 is used as the protocol The name "GST" or "Generic Scan Tool" is used in this service manual." I attached the section from the manual that mentions it. My understanding from reading that is the car can read 9 modes using generic scan tools with the ISO 15031-9 support? Not sure what my reader supports, it's a few years old, but could be why it couldn't connect, and access the 9 modes as a generic scan tool? or have I misunderstood ? Other than this, you're probably right, there doesn't appear to be any other option other than ECUTalk or taking to Nissan dealer. Thanks again, much appreciate the help, and patience. ec.pdf

All the gauges don't interest me much, it's only the re-learning capabilities (which I think are software dependent) and scanning/removing fault codes. So far, the ECUTalk USB cable seems to be the only option (besides more expensive units) for Consult, though they say their software doesn't support relearning, I'd have to look at something like Nissan Data Scan for windows. I have come across readers with the Consult-style ports on them for around $30 14 Pin For Nissan Consult Interface Usb (some on ebay too), but reading the description, I think it might be a Consult I reader. Not sure if these readers are able to read data from Consult II via some sort of 16 OBD II > 14pin Consult adapter, or if you can get such adapters, it doesn't mention it in the Ad. Searching ebay, aliexpress, Amazon, I don't see anythinh advertised Consult II either, it's usually on Consult, or Consult 3. Would have thought after nearly 2 decades, cheaper scanners would be more readily available :/. Duncan, do you happen to know what protocols Nissans Consult relies on ?

With Nissan Consult, is Consult the name/type of protocol, or is it just what Nissan calls their OBD system? If so, what protocol is used by Nissan that would connect / decode Nissans data ? If the pinouts the same, then any OBD reader that can run on the same protocol Nissan uses, should work ? I looked at the Greddy Informeter, but price is a bit steep for me :/. Closest thing I've seen would be the ECUTalk cable, but that's for PC. Was hoping to avoid taking it to a mechanic, as I don't know for sure whether a code exists or not. So might be a massive gamble :/. I think there's a manual way to check codes, maybe I could try that, but much fiddling I think. Can't really afford not to. Can't afford a new(er) car at the moment, so will need this one. The port in the car is OBD, but the protocol is Consult from what I've been told, so even though the physical port is OBD, it's not OBD :/. The reader I have is the plain black bluetooth ELM327, but that just reads OBD2, not Nissan Consult. I checked the link, the only thing I can see is under OBD Nissan, http://www.buyobd.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=40 but doesn't mention Consult, plus I'm not too sure of the port connection for this one, as all the ones I've seen for Consult, are the Consult style ports, not the OBD kind. The other one there that mentions 'Consult', it says it's for earlier model cars. http://www.buyobd.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=1 Regards,

Sorry, it's a Sedan I ended up cleaning the throttle body, was quite filthy, however, I couldn't clean the IAV as it was riveted to the throttle body. Started car, started good. RPM went to around 1k, then slowly came down to 800rpm. Good!. Let car sit few minutes, no problem. Turned car off, started again, but, now it go upto 1500rpm and sits there. Turned off / on, same thing, tried again, same thing, 1500rpm :/. I might have to try and drive around a little, hopefully it'll adjust itself again, or maybe disconnected battery to reset ECU, and go from there ? Still haven't been able to find a service manual for this one other than going to supercheap :/. I found this video (U.S I think), talking about relearning. The throttle pictured in the video looks the same as the one in the car. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1bsUedze5M Another thing, I found this hose, doesn't seem to be connected to anything, can't see where it might connect to either. Is it suppose to be disconnected? Maybe a breather hose of some sort ?

Hey guys, I had a search on here, but all the similar threads were several years old, and didn't really have the answer I was after, so hope it's ok I made a new thread. Mums car is a late 03' Nissan Pulsar, which has an OBD style port. From researching last several days, it's likely using Nissan Consult, but with an OBD port for some reason. Because of this, my cheap ebay-job Bluetooth OBDII reader doesn't connect. So was wondering, what are my options? I read some people getting an ECUTalk cable to go from OBD-port > USB, but at $115 + postage for a cable to only support Consult on Nissan seems a bit steep (for me atm). If the pin-out in the port is different to the pins in the reader, could I get an adapter that converts them around so the standard reader can read the ECU? Or do the pins not matter, and it comes down to whether the reader can read the Consult protocol, hence why standard readers don't work ? I did read somewhere, can't remember where, that a standard reader would work as long as it's CANBUS compatible ? The other threads mention pricey (imo) adapters/cables/devices etc.. but being several years old, was wondering if anything's come out (cheap) since that's much cheaper? Perhaps China has knocked off another consult compatible reader, and selling for less? ECUTalk USB Cable with OBDII plug ($105 + post)For the very few Nissan vehicles with a OBDII plugthat are NOT really OBDII, but still original Consult:Patrol/Navara/Terrano with TB45E or non-CRD ZD30R50 Pathfinder with VG33E. Any other, contact us.Wont work on REAL OBDII cars! Sorry if the question is vague, still getting my head around it, and confusing why Nissan would use an OBD-style port with their own protocol :/. My main reasons for getting one is so I can scan/delete fault codes, run relearning procedures, and check to see if the readings are within spec (for fault finding) I think the Nissan Data Scan app allows this iirc.

Thanks for the reply. I had a look at the port under the dash, and it appears to be an OBD2 style connection. Looking at the Consult cables/adapters, its port connector appears to be a different style. Could it still be using a Consult protocol but with a 16pin OBD2 port? or is the car likely to be some sort of EOBD (euro?) connection ? I'll try giving the throttle body a clean too, and maybe check for vacuum leaks while I'm at it.

Hi all, Really hoping someone might have an idea on this issue. I've tried Pulsar specific forums but no luck. (backstory) Car wouldn't start, got NRMA (roadside assistance) out to jump start, and he tested the battery while car was running, to check alternator (14.## volts), he said alternator was OK, so we drove it home. Next morning, went to get a new battery, car started OK, but at autoparts store, they tested battery and came back 'bad'. Bought a new battery, installed it.... Basically car is idling/stalling, which I 'think' might have to do with replacing the battery. Starting the car, it would start, then die. Only way to get it to start is to apply a little accelerator. After a few seconds, remove acceleration and car would idle, poorly (probably around 500rpm +/-). If I accelerate (1-2k rpm), and release foot, rpm would drop right down <500rpm, almost stalling, then it would pop back up again. I thought maybe fuel was dirty, but Mum said she fueled up a few days ago, but didn't notice any issues. I checked air filter in case blocked, didn't seem to bad, a little dirty, but nothing suss. Checked oil in case was low, and maybe causing friction in cylinder.. probably very unlikely, or pointless, but figured why not, while I had the hood up. (oil was 50% full, but needs changing) I have heard that replacing a battery can turn the ECU dumb, causing it to have to relearn. I've come across a few procedures, but none seem to work; http://afiaustralia.com.au/images/stories/N16_pulsar_idle_fault.pdf https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/nissan-idle-relearn-procedure/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR-AjHCslhs https://forums.nicoclub.com/how-to-ecu-relearning-procedures-t445702.html Following the steps in the 1st link, step #6 says to "disconnect Throttle position sensor (brown in colour) connector", but there is no brown connector, just a single green one. A service manual I found shows a diagram with a brown (throttle position sensor), and a Grey (closed throttle position switch), but our Pulsar just has a single green connector. When I disconnected / reconnnected that one, the accelerator went limp, couldn't rev the car. Had to turn car off for several seconds, then on again, now back to square one. I tried an OBDII reader too, just one of those ebay jobs, with the Torque (lite) Android app, but I got an error in Torque, still loaded into Torque, but pretty much nothing would connect (except acceleration, which maybe ran off protocol 3, which I think Torque said was OK). I tried OBDLink, but wouldn't work unless I had one of their readers. Also tried BlueDriver, but wouldn't detect my reader :/. Note: i just found this entry on wikipedia regarding the QG18DE engine; OBDII – On-board Diagnostic System (codes can be read/erased by a variety of readers, e.g. Actron blaZt). Nissan Pulsar N16 Models without EuroOBD in Australia do not have OBDII. If the car doesn't have OBDii reader.. what does it have? It has the port under the dash that connects a reader, so it must take something ? Vehicle is a 2003 Nissan Pulsar N16 Auto 1.8L QG18DE engine. Thoughts ? Thanks in advance.