Maxima Forums - View Single Post - 4th Generation Maxima FAQs: READ ME!(UPDATED 6-23-09!) ``DON'T CLICK NEW THREAD YET``

Daniel B. Martin · 09-24-2002, 09:25 PM

Basic Car Questions Answered

Several Maxima.Org members have asked how they may learn more about the mechanical aspects of the automotive hobby. This post contains specific suggestions. The reader is invited to pick and choose (cafeteria style) to select those which fit his own available time and interest.

Manuals.
Three manuals are available for the 4Gen Maxima. They are the Chilton repair manual, the Haynes repair manual, and the Maxima factory service manual. Chilton and Haynes are a good value for the typical home mechanic. For a detailed comparison of manuals, see http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/manualcompare.html

It is worth $15 for an aftermarket manual even if you have no intention of working on your own car. The manual will teach you the correct names for car parts. That helps you write clear questions in forum posts. It is better to say "clutch slave cylinder pushrod" than "that little black knob thing that moves".

The manual will help you differentiate between small jobs and big ones. This will make you an informed consumer, able to avoid overcharges by service facilities. In plain language, knowledge will prevent you from being a rip-off victim.

Don't overlook the Owner's Manual. It has maintenance schedules, fuel/lubricant recommendations, capacity specifications, and a good chapter titled Do-it-yourself. You may access 4Gen Owner's Manuals (in Adobe PDF format) at http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/.

There are quite a few posts here every day about bulbs and such that could be answered very easily by just opening your owners manual to the back, in the Specifications section. Most of us here haven't looked in our manual more than once since we got the car (I'm guilty of this too), and you would be surprised how many parts and specs questions can be answered in there.

Enthusiast publications
Motor Trend, Car & Driver, etc. tend to emphasize performance and image. They are light on technical information and repair instructions, but make for entertaining reading.

Trade publications
These are published for the repair shop owner and professional technicians. They contain good diagnostic and repair information but often discuss the use of esoteric equipment which the home mechanic doesn't have (digital storage oscilloscopes, blue light leak detectors, exhaust gas analyzers, etc.). These publications are not available to the general public in printed form but may be accessed at the publishers' and authors' Web sites. Examples ...
Motor Service: http://www.autotruck.net/ and click on Motor Service.
ImportCar: http://www.babcox.com/icnew/
Larry Carley (author): http://members.aol.com/carleyware/library/library.html

Maxima Enthusiast Web Sites:
http://www.maxima.org
http://maxima.org/maxfaqs/
http://web2.airmail.net/scutchen/max_faq/
http://vbxmaxima.8m.com
http://www.motorvate.ca/
http://www.maximadriver.com/
http://www.greghome.com/Greg's%2...ifications.htm

General Web sites:
Web sites span the gamut from basic explanations to detailed technical data. You may find a Web Search Engine useful for finding information on a specific topic.

HowStuffWorks is good for understanding the basics. Go to http://www.howstuffworks.com/category.htm?cat=Auto and browse. For example, you may click on "How Disk Brakes Work" and learn the basics by stepping through the six "chapters" in the story. The fifth chapter includes a slew of links including an excellent one for troubleshooting.

The AutoZine Technical School contains more advanced material. This Web site gives good information of a design flavor but no diagnostic or repair information.
http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...tech_index.htm

You will find useful technical information on Web sites belonging to parts manufacturers. For example, you can learn about Oxygen Sensors at http://www.volksparts.com/o2sensors.htm. Read these Web pages with the understanding that there is an element of self-interest. Manufacturers of oil filters will recommend frequent replacement of oil filters. Manufacturers of oxygen sensors will recommend frequent replacement of oxygen sensors.

A Web Search Engine will help you find Web Sites of interest. There are many Search Engines, and you may already have chosen a favorite. One of the best is http://www.google.com Suppose you have heard about the future 42 volt electrical systems and want to know more. Use your favorite Search Engine and use "42 volt auto electrical system" as a Search String. In seconds you will have pointers to many Web Pages.

Newsgroups
If your Internet Service Provider supports a newsgroup server you may access newsgroups such as ...
alt.autos.nissan
alt.autos.nissan.maxima
alt.autos.toyota
alt.autos.toyota.camry
alt.autos.honda
etc.

Class instruction.
You will have to search for these opportunities. Your town's vocational high school may offer Adult Education evening classes. Classes which include hands-on work are better than those which are lecture only. These classes meet one or two evenings per week, tuition is modest, and the instructors are excellent. You may get to work on your own car during class time, using a professional vehicle lift and air-powered tools. Your evening class instructor may be a technician who "wrenches" during the day. These guys can show you all the shortcuts!

Hands-on experience.
Look for the opportunity to help a knowledgeable friend. You may know a fellow who is about to replace his clutch. He knows how to do this job and has done it before. Volunteer to be his helper. It will cost you a Saturday and you will learn a lot. There's a big difference between reading the term "throwout bearing" and actually holding one in your hands. Over and over again, you will say to yourself "Oh, so that's how it works!"

Do whatever service and repairs you can on your own car. Start with the smallest jobs such as checking all the fluids and rotating the tires. Work your way up as your skill and confidence grows. Do your own oil-and-filter changes. Perhaps that friend who you helped with his clutch will coach you through your first brake pad replacement job.

Buy tools.
Buy tools as you need them. The professional technician may insist on Snap-on but Sears Craftsman is a good value for the home mechanic. Harbor Freight Tools http://www.harborfreight.com/ sells low-cost imported tools which are worth considering. Watch for sales. If you buy one tool per week, no matter how small, within a couple of years you will have accumulated a respectable assortment.

Cooper Tools http://www.coopertools.com/main.htm
Danaher Corp. http://www.danaher.com/index_db.html
Harbor Freight Tools http://www.harborfreight.com/
K-D Automotive Specialty Tools http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdindex.html
Kastar http://www.kastar.com/
Kobalt Tools http://www.kobalttools.com
Lisle Tools http://www.lislecorp.com/
Mityvac http://www.mityvac.com/
Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com/
Old Forge Tools http://www.oldforge.com/Contents.htm
OTC Tools http://www.mytoolstore.com/otc/otcindex.html
Sears Craftsman http://www.sears.com/sr/homepages/sears_homepage.jsp
S-K Tools http://www.skhandtool.com/
Snap-on http://www.snapon.com/
Steck Manufacturing Co. http://www.steckmfg.com/
Thexton Tools http://www.thexton.com/
ToolAid http://www.toolaid.com/
U.S. Freight http://www.etoolsonline.com/main.htm
Wright Tools http://www.wright-tool.com/

Do whatever service and repairs you can on your own car. Start with the smallest jobs such as checking all the fluids and rotating the tires. Work your way up as your skill and confidence grows. Do your own oil-and-filter changes. Perhaps that friend who you helped with his clutch will coach you through your first brake pad replacement job.

For official, model-specific information on Nissan products, go to http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/pro..._frameset.html.
For Infiniti models, go to http://www.nissannews.com/infiniti/p..._frameset.html.
For unofficial, sometimes speculative information regarding Nissan and Infiniti products, go to www.freshalloy.com.
To order service manuals or to access online (Adobe portable document format) owner's manuals, go to http://www.nissan-techinfo.com.
For Nissan global corporate information, go to http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/HOME and click on "English".

Got to How Stuff Works and read their articles related to cars. This is a great site than can answer most if not all of your non-Maxima-specific car questions.

Great for newbies!

The Physics of Racing series is a great set of articles about the physics behind handling and driving.

Great for anyone!

www.alldatadiy.com. This site does cost $24.95 for a year subscription but it has tons of diagrams that are very useful. There are "How to's" on most issues and the site gives pricing information for the device/part needing replacement.

Have fun!

09-24-2002, 09:25 PM	#6
Daniel B. Martin Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2000 iTrader: (0) Posts: 4,603	Basic Car Questions Answered Several Maxima.Org members have asked how they may learn more about the mechanical aspects of the automotive hobby. This post contains specific suggestions. The reader is invited to pick and choose (cafeteria style) to select those which fit his own available time and interest. Manuals. Three manuals are available for the 4Gen Maxima. They are the Chilton repair manual, the Haynes repair manual, and the Maxima factory service manual. Chilton and Haynes are a good value for the typical home mechanic. For a detailed comparison of manuals, see http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/manualcompare.html It is worth $15 for an aftermarket manual even if you have no intention of working on your own car. The manual will teach you the correct names for car parts. That helps you write clear questions in forum posts. It is better to say "clutch slave cylinder pushrod" than "that little black knob thing that moves". The manual will help you differentiate between small jobs and big ones. This will make you an informed consumer, able to avoid overcharges by service facilities. In plain language, knowledge will prevent you from being a rip-off victim. Don't overlook the Owner's Manual. It has maintenance schedules, fuel/lubricant recommendations, capacity specifications, and a good chapter titled Do-it-yourself. You may access 4Gen Owner's Manuals (in Adobe PDF format) at http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/. There are quite a few posts here every day about bulbs and such that could be answered very easily by just opening your owners manual to the back, in the Specifications section. Most of us here haven't looked in our manual more than once since we got the car (I'm guilty of this too), and you would be surprised how many parts and specs questions can be answered in there. Enthusiast publications Motor Trend, Car & Driver, etc. tend to emphasize performance and image. They are light on technical information and repair instructions, but make for entertaining reading. Trade publications These are published for the repair shop owner and professional technicians. They contain good diagnostic and repair information but often discuss the use of esoteric equipment which the home mechanic doesn't have (digital storage oscilloscopes, blue light leak detectors, exhaust gas analyzers, etc.). These publications are not available to the general public in printed form but may be accessed at the publishers' and authors' Web sites. Examples ... Motor Service: http://www.autotruck.net/ and click on Motor Service. ImportCar: http://www.babcox.com/icnew/ Larry Carley (author): http://members.aol.com/carleyware/library/library.html Maxima Enthusiast Web Sites: http://www.maxima.org http://maxima.org/maxfaqs/ http://web2.airmail.net/scutchen/max_faq/ http://vbxmaxima.8m.com http://www.motorvate.ca/ http://www.maximadriver.com/ http://www.greghome.com/Greg's%2...ifications.htm General Web sites: Web sites span the gamut from basic explanations to detailed technical data. You may find a Web Search Engine useful for finding information on a specific topic. HowStuffWorks is good for understanding the basics. Go to http://www.howstuffworks.com/category.htm?cat=Auto and browse. For example, you may click on "How Disk Brakes Work" and learn the basics by stepping through the six "chapters" in the story. The fifth chapter includes a slew of links including an excellent one for troubleshooting. The AutoZine Technical School contains more advanced material. This Web site gives good information of a design flavor but no diagnostic or repair information. http://www.fortunecity.com/silversto...tech_index.htm You will find useful technical information on Web sites belonging to parts manufacturers. For example, you can learn about Oxygen Sensors at http://www.volksparts.com/o2sensors.htm. Read these Web pages with the understanding that there is an element of self-interest. Manufacturers of oil filters will recommend frequent replacement of oil filters. Manufacturers of oxygen sensors will recommend frequent replacement of oxygen sensors. A Web Search Engine will help you find Web Sites of interest. There are many Search Engines, and you may already have chosen a favorite. One of the best is http://www.google.com Suppose you have heard about the future 42 volt electrical systems and want to know more. Use your favorite Search Engine and use "42 volt auto electrical system" as a Search String. In seconds you will have pointers to many Web Pages. Newsgroups If your Internet Service Provider supports a newsgroup server you may access newsgroups such as ... alt.autos.nissan alt.autos.nissan.maxima alt.autos.toyota alt.autos.toyota.camry alt.autos.honda etc. Class instruction. You will have to search for these opportunities. Your town's vocational high school may offer Adult Education evening classes. Classes which include hands-on work are better than those which are lecture only. These classes meet one or two evenings per week, tuition is modest, and the instructors are excellent. You may get to work on your own car during class time, using a professional vehicle lift and air-powered tools. Your evening class instructor may be a technician who "wrenches" during the day. These guys can show you all the shortcuts! Hands-on experience. Look for the opportunity to help a knowledgeable friend. You may know a fellow who is about to replace his clutch. He knows how to do this job and has done it before. Volunteer to be his helper. It will cost you a Saturday and you will learn a lot. There's a big difference between reading the term "throwout bearing" and actually holding one in your hands. Over and over again, you will say to yourself "Oh, so that's how it works!" Do whatever service and repairs you can on your own car. Start with the smallest jobs such as checking all the fluids and rotating the tires. Work your way up as your skill and confidence grows. Do your own oil-and-filter changes. Perhaps that friend who you helped with his clutch will coach you through your first brake pad replacement job. Buy tools. Buy tools as you need them. The professional technician may insist on Snap-on but Sears Craftsman is a good value for the home mechanic. Harbor Freight Tools http://www.harborfreight.com/ sells low-cost imported tools which are worth considering. Watch for sales. If you buy one tool per week, no matter how small, within a couple of years you will have accumulated a respectable assortment. Cooper Tools http://www.coopertools.com/main.htm Danaher Corp. http://www.danaher.com/index_db.html Harbor Freight Tools http://www.harborfreight.com/ K-D Automotive Specialty Tools http://www.mytoolstore.com/kd/kdindex.html Kastar http://www.kastar.com/ Kobalt Tools http://www.kobalttools.com Lisle Tools http://www.lislecorp.com/ Mityvac http://www.mityvac.com/ Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com/ Old Forge Tools http://www.oldforge.com/Contents.htm OTC Tools http://www.mytoolstore.com/otc/otcindex.html Sears Craftsman http://www.sears.com/sr/homepages/sears_homepage.jsp S-K Tools http://www.skhandtool.com/ Snap-on http://www.snapon.com/ Steck Manufacturing Co. http://www.steckmfg.com/ Thexton Tools http://www.thexton.com/ ToolAid http://www.toolaid.com/ U.S. Freight http://www.etoolsonline.com/main.htm Wright Tools http://www.wright-tool.com/ Do whatever service and repairs you can on your own car. Start with the smallest jobs such as checking all the fluids and rotating the tires. Work your way up as your skill and confidence grows. Do your own oil-and-filter changes. Perhaps that friend who you helped with his clutch will coach you through your first brake pad replacement job. For official, model-specific information on Nissan products, go to http://www.nissannews.com/nissan/pro..._frameset.html. For Infiniti models, go to http://www.nissannews.com/infiniti/p..._frameset.html. For unofficial, sometimes speculative information regarding Nissan and Infiniti products, go to www.freshalloy.com. To order service manuals or to access online (Adobe portable document format) owner's manuals, go to http://www.nissan-techinfo.com. For Nissan global corporate information, go to http://www.nissan-global.com/JP/HOME and click on "English". Got to How Stuff Works and read their articles related to cars. This is a great site than can answer most if not all of your non-Maxima-specific car questions. Great for newbies! The Physics of Racing series is a great set of articles about the physics behind handling and driving. Great for anyone! www.alldatadiy.com. This site does cost $24.95 for a year subscription but it has tons of diagrams that are very useful. There are "How to's" on most issues and the site gives pricing information for the device/part needing replacement. Have fun!