cali spec stuff

There was a picture somewhere that showed how to tell whether your car was calispec something-something. Anyone know the picture I'm talking about, or know how to tell?

Its pretty simple actually. Between the engine and the radiator towards the driver's side of the car, you will see at least two squarish wiring harnesses. If you see four, then you're Cali-spec. If you see only two, then you are Fed Spec.

Also, from Maxima.org forums...

Raise your hood. Look for a shiny metal identification tag fastened to the passenger side of firewall. The top row is the Vehicle Identification Number, starting with J. The second row is model information. The first five characters are BLHUL. The 12th character is the destination:

N = Canada
V = California
U = US, not California

However, I've found that the only "sure" way to do this is the way I told you first. Because if those two extra harnesses aren't there, then you're a Fed-Spec, regardless of what the nameplate code says, at least in terms of getting a Y-pipe.

Go here:

http://www.custommaxima.com/Ypipe.php

For that picture you were looking for.

Cool. Thanks so much. I ran out and checked, only 2 wiring harnesses, though the plate reads me as a cali spec (letter V).

That helps a lot, thanks, bro.

Jus ta little side info, those harnesses are for the O2 sensors on the Exhaust system. Cali spec has four, two before the precats and two after the precats. Fed Spec only has the two, I cen't remember if they come before or after the precats though.

All 4th Gen Maximas have a final (5th for cali, 3rd for fed) O2 sensor behind the Main Cat. This doesn't affect mileage at all and is just there to monitor the catalytic converter's health.

So, say I were to buy a y-pipe and a cat back and all that jazz, and go to a place to have them install it, they'll take care of all the o2 sensor stuff right?

So, if I decide to replace this stuff myself, given the right opportunities, would it be that difficult to figure out where this stuff goes?

You have to be careful about shops. I've heard accounts of them refusing to do the y-pipe replacement because they are technically removing catalytic converters, which is illegal.

If you decide to do it yourself, the hardest part will be getting the old bolts off as they can be completely rusted. They may need an impact wrench or even need to be torched off.

For the O2 sensors, its pretty brain dead in terms of where they go. When you take the first one off, make sure you can distinguish it from the other one (mark it or something) and remember which side of the y-pipe it goes on.