Nissan LD28
A simple and reliable cast-iron diesel with a very long life.
Nissan Maxima engines
The Nissan Maxima is a Japanese small, medium and full-size sedan car produced since 1982 by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Since 2015, the 8th generation of the model has been produced. Most of the cars were sold in North America, the Middle East and China. The originator of all generations of the car was the Datsun 810 in the 2nd generation. The car was manufactured in Japan, South Africa, USA and China. Translated from Spanish, the name of the model sounds like a “saying”.
The Nissan Maxima was offered with 7 engines between 1980 and 2000 (1 diesel, 6 petrol). Displacement ranges from 2.0 to 3.5 liters, power output from 91 to 305 hp. 5 use a timing chain and 2 a timing belt. 1 is turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Nissan LD28 (about 400,000 km).
Nissan Maxima engines by generation
| Engine | Years | Volume | Power | Fuel | Timing | Oil | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Maxima 1 (G910) 1980–1984 | |||||||
| Nissan LD28 | 1980–1984 | 2.8 L R6 | 91 hp | diesel | chain | 6.2 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan Maxima 2 (PU11) 1984–1988 | |||||||
| Nissan VG20 | 1984–1988 | 2.0 L V6 | 115–210 hp | petrol, NA / turbo | belt | 3.9 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan VG30E | 1984–1988 | 3.0 L V6 | 150–180 hp | petrol | belt | 3.9 L | ~390,000 km |
| Nissan Maxima 3 (J30) 1991–1994 | |||||||
| Nissan VE30DE | 1991–1994 | 3.0 L V6 | 190 hp | petrol | chain | 3.8 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan Maxima 4 (A32) 1994–2000 | |||||||
| Nissan VQ30DE | 1994–2000 | 3.0 L V6 | 190–230 hp | petrol | chain | 4 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan VQ20DE | 1994–2000 | 2.0 L V6 | 140–160 hp | petrol | chain | 4 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan Maxima 5 (A33) | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35DE | 3.5 L V6 | 215–305 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan Maxima 6 (A34) | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35DE | 3.5 L V6 | 215–305 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan Maxima 7 (A35) | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35DE | 3.5 L V6 | 215–305 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~400,000 km | |
| Nissan Maxima 8 (A36) | |||||||
| Nissan VQ35DE | 3.5 L V6 | 215–305 hp | petrol | chain | 4.7 L | ~400,000 km | |
Nissan Maxima engine FAQ
What engines were used in the Nissan Maxima?
Nissan Maxima 1 (G910) (1980–1984): Nissan LD28; Nissan Maxima 2 (PU11) (1984–1988): Nissan VG20 and Nissan VG30E; Nissan Maxima 3 (J30) (1991–1994): Nissan VE30DE; Nissan Maxima 4 (A32) (1994–2000): Nissan VQ30DE and Nissan VQ20DE; Nissan Maxima 5 (A33): Nissan VQ35DE; Nissan Maxima 6 (A34): Nissan VQ35DE; Nissan Maxima 7 (A35): Nissan VQ35DE; Nissan Maxima 8 (A36): Nissan VQ35DE.
Which Nissan Maxima engine is the most durable?
By rated service life the most durable Nissan Maxima engines are: Nissan LD28 — about 400,000 km; Nissan VQ35DE — about 400,000 km; Nissan VG30E — about 390,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.
How much oil does the Nissan Maxima engine take?
Engine oil capacity with filter: Nissan LD28 — 6.2 L (10W-40); Nissan VE30DE — 3.8 L (5W-30); Nissan VG20 — 3.9 L (5W-30); Nissan VG30E — 3.9 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ20DE — 4 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ30DE — 4 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ35DE — 4.7 L (5W-30, 5W-40).
Does the Nissan Maxima have a timing belt or chain?
Timing chain: Nissan LD28, Nissan VE30DE, Nissan VQ20DE, Nissan VQ30DE and Nissan VQ35DE; timing belt: Nissan VG20 and Nissan VG30E. Belts must be replaced on schedule: on many engines a broken belt bends the valves.
Was the Nissan Maxima available with a diesel engine?
Yes: Nissan LD28.
Engine details
Nissan VG20
If the engine runs rough, clean or replace faulty injectors.
Nissan VG30E
The main problem is the bending of the valves due to the breaking of the crankshaft shank.
Nissan VE30DE
The engine is considered to be very resourceful and often runs up to 500,000 km without major repairs.
Nissan VQ20DE
Often complain about floating speed due to contamination of the idle valve.
Nissan VQ30DE
Most internal combustion engine problems are in catalyst crumbs that are sucked into the cylinders.
Nissan VQ35DE
This is a very reliable unit with a high resource, but oil consumption is common. The reason is either coking due to…
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