zmxh20

Hi,

I've 99 maxima GLE with close to 71K. I had check engine light on for a while with ECU code 0302, which is EGR problem. I check with 3 differents shop including Nissan dealer and said it was EGR problem and say it can drive for safe long time and may be eating gas little. The car is running great and gets 23 MPG at average Highway and CITY.

Last Tuesday (1/27/2004), I left my car at ADVANTAGE NISSAN DEALER (HOUSTON,TX) over night as per shop foreman suggestion to start the diagnosis early morning while the engine is cool. Yesterday, Wednesday, they came back to me at 3.00PM and told me that my car ECU code was change from 0302 to 04 series several time after they reset the code after test drive and suggested me to leave another day for ENTIRE INTAKE system cleaning or it will damage the car whole EGR system in the future if I don't repair.

NIssan foreman told that it will need 45 minutes for soaking the entire intake system parts in the chemical solution, and then cleaning. This whole process will take 5 hours. (Taking entrie parts of intake system and putting back). The cost would be over $ 400.00 thats includes only cleaning chemical & labors. They did not say any replacement parts. (Which I assume it did not required0

My question is anyone came across this matter or happened like that before or any better treatment? What is diffferent with TB clean and this one? Foreman did not clearly give the clear answer. Can anyone give me detail what the procedure of this cleaning and I can check with dealer?

I think there should be way to trace this problems since they are NISSAN certified techs and not to be hanging that long and the cost is very step just for cleaning and parts assembly. Or, Am I not understanding what the industry standard?

Please give your advice, suggestion and information on entire intake system cleaning and the cost and realistic time to fix which is in line with the industry. Or how to check what the certified techs are telling is thruth or not?. Thanks.

PS..... I told the foreman that I am one of the user of this forum and he did not like to tell me what he did and said they don'r want to pass the NISSAN information. Is it legal?. I will wait and see what he said on my invoice and let you know.

mrglynis

The brunt of your cost is in the labor obviously. They're taking off the top of your intake manifold and dipping it in a chemical solution. This will clean out all the carbon buildup inside. With everything off, they'll probably(IE:they should) clean your throttle body, IACV, and EGR passage. Who knows. My mechanic just did this last week for a car. It was 97 GLe w/106k. That thing was filthy. But the machine shop is right around the corner. So he took it there. I think it cost them 200-250. Somwhere in that neighbor hood. I dont think your really getting ripped off. Your just paying for Dealership labor. I think the 5 hrs is pretty accurate for taking off the manifold and putting it back.