Replacing Rear Shock of TU31, Presage, serena, Quest and alike

Nissan Altima, Presage, Sentra QR25 Belt Tensioner replacement

Reason to replace : High pitch squeak recurs few months after new belt replacement . The tensioner spring lost its tension and will eventually causing belt slippage and high pitch squeak intermittently. There are 2 12mm screw on the tensioner. However, the upper one is very difficult to reach as the  space is tight between the chasis and the pulley. The job takes me 1.5 hours to complete. 

Step 1: loosen the belt ( You should be familiar with belt change) by using a 14mm wrench.

Once the belt is loosened, the lower 12mm bolt showed up.

 The upper tensioner bolt is very difficult to reach and very difficult to insert a 12mm bolt wrench, because of tight space .

The new tensioner is made by the same OEM Bangdo. The old pulley itself is still in shape. 

Nissan ( Altima Similar ), Presage , TU31 Front Engine Mount replacement

This is one of the toughest DIY job I have done. The Nissan engine mount 17mm nut is crimped and not to be replaceable by an average DIYer. With a 600Nm torque wrench, I can bearly loosened the crimped nut. There is not enough space for an impact wrench and using an angled adapter will reduce its torque. It takes me almost 3 hours as I have no  idea how to do it as there is not much information on the internet or the workshop manual. 

 This is taken under the car. The 1st  front mount 17mm nut is loosened with impact wrench.

 The rest of the 2 17mm nut is loosened from above. The fan is better to be removed to allow more working space.

 The tranny is jacked. Here is the wrong illustration without a piece of wood.  Don't jack too far 1-2 inches is enough to loosen all 3 screws.

 This is the hardest part to think out how to remove the mount. Finally I get it from above, easily once the engine is jacked up  enough. The front mount can be slide forward easily.

The mount is removed, showing the space. Remember, the mount can only by slide forward ( towards to radiator)

 Left old mount with compressed rubber and some cracks.

 New mount is slide into space with some leverage.

17mm nuts and screw can be easily inserted ( with appropriate engine jacked up sequentially) and then tightened with.