*NOOBIES* The "I am new here,but have a question" thread..(post your questions here) - Page 43

*CapedCadaver* · 08-17-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmolloy

Agh; Autozone quoted me $150 for a new radiator for my 94 Max. How did you get $50?

Blech. Rockauato is $85, and radiator.com is $75 with a promo code. Then there's shipping. I tell you what, if it's not one thing it's another.

Thanks for your help!

I dunno but i definitely got one for $50... it was actually from advance, but apparently they aren't that cheap anymore. raw material prices ftl?

SHIFT_maxboost · 08-18-2008, 09:10 PM

my stupid friend today said, why are you rebuilding that vg30e, when you could just swap in a vg30et? so tell me, why or why wouldnt that be the way to go?

*CapedCadaver* · 08-18-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHIFT_maxboost

my stupid friend today said, why are you rebuilding that vg30e, when you could just swap in a vg30et? so tell me, why or why wouldnt that be the way to go?

i mean... in a sense, you can just turbo your VG and voila VG30ET but i'm kinda thinking that somewhere i heard there was a different compression ratio on the ET that was factory-turbo'd? the 9:1cr VG in our cars is good for boosting with relatively little lag unless you go balls-to-the-wall with 400whp or something meaty like Jeremy did

sleepyvg30e · 08-19-2008, 03:19 AM

caped's right even 9:1 compression still can be brought up to 10:1 so why start lower also the vg30et was designed to run without an intercooler if you slap one on a vg30e then you can run more power also there are little additions like floating wrist pins that didn't come out on older engines its not always the case but newer engines are generally improved engines

http://www.vg30et.com/about.html
VG30E 84-89+: Engine compression ratio of 9:1
VG30ET 84-87: Single Garrett T3 turbocharger with a factory boost setting of 6.8PSI and an engine compression ratio of 7.8:1
VG30ET 88-89+: Single Garrett T25 turbocharger with a factory boost setting of 4-5PSI and an engine compression ratio of 8.3:1

*internetautomar* · 08-19-2008, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHIFT_maxboost

my stupid friend today said, why are you rebuilding that vg30e, when you could just swap in a vg30et? so tell me, why or why wouldnt that be the way to go?

He's not stupid, he just doesn't realize the extra work to do that swap. it is easier to add a turbo from scratch than to swap in a VG30E-t

tmolloy · 08-20-2008, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapedCadaver

I dunno but i definitely got one for $50... it was actually from advance, but apparently they aren't that cheap anymore. raw material prices ftl?

Well I got a radiator for $75 shipped and will be installing it tomorrow.

I've got another question. I recently replaced timing belt, water pump, cam seals, etc. I was leaking oil so I re-replaced the camshaft oil seals, but I'm still leaking oil. I think I may have scratched the camshaft. Is there any way to check? And, more importantly, how expensive is it to fix? I'm sick of spending so much money on this stupid car.

RivuxGamma · 08-21-2008, 11:42 PM

Ah, I hate being a newbie, but everyone's gotta start somewhere, right?

To the point: I just got a '93 Maxima GXE used at an auction, so I wasn't able to take it on the highway or anything. The instrument panel acts wacky (the wackiness being that the temp gauge fluctuates, usually higher, depending on what electrical thing is activated, there is no tachometer response whatsoever, and the speedometer is off by seemingly random amounts), the radiator fans run all the time, and it only uses 1 forward gear and reverse. Oh, the horn doesn't work, either.

The tranny fluid doesn't smell burnt and is pink, but I'm a little confused when the stick says Dexron. I thought I'd see something to indicate Nissanmatic. Maybe I'm just a tard.

Also, for what it's worth, it's hard to tell how high the engine revs by ear because there's a super-quiet aftermarket exhaust on it.

I'm thinking that I'll have to hunt down a bad ground somewhere to solve the instrument problem, or maybe at least replace the temperature sensor. After doing a little hunting around, I seem to think that the ECU is the most likely culprit for the transmission problem. Either that, or one or more of a dozen or so problems.

Everything else seems to work OK; lights, wipers, brakes, no leaking fluids, no funny-smelling or funny-colored exhaust, and none of the idiot lights come on. Which brings to mind a question: Will the check engine light come on if the ECU goes bad?

Also, if the wrong tranny fluid is in it, will the tranny go into failsafe or will it just ruin it?

Sorry for the long post, but I've come to realize that as much info as soon as possible is a good idea in most cases.

edit: also, sorry for interrupting the previous guy

*CapedCadaver* · 08-22-2008, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RivuxGamma

Ah, I hate being a newbie, but everyone's gotta start somewhere, right?

To the point: I just got a '93 Maxima GXE used at an auction, so I wasn't able to take it on the highway or anything. The instrument panel acts wacky (the wackiness being that the temp gauge fluctuates, usually higher, depending on what electrical thing is activated, there is no tachometer response whatsoever, and the speedometer is off by seemingly random amounts), the radiator fans run all the time, and it only uses 1 forward gear and reverse. Oh, the horn doesn't work, either.

The tranny fluid doesn't smell burnt and is pink, but I'm a little confused when the stick says Dexron. I thought I'd see something to indicate Nissanmatic. Maybe I'm just a tard.

Also, for what it's worth, it's hard to tell how high the engine revs by ear because there's a super-quiet aftermarket exhaust on it.

I'm thinking that I'll have to hunt down a bad ground somewhere to solve the instrument problem, or maybe at least replace the temperature sensor. After doing a little hunting around, I seem to think that the ECU is the most likely culprit for the transmission problem. Either that, or one or more of a dozen or so problems.

Everything else seems to work OK; lights, wipers, brakes, no leaking fluids, no funny-smelling or funny-colored exhaust, and none of the idiot lights come on. Which brings to mind a question: Will the check engine light come on if the ECU goes bad?

Also, if the wrong tranny fluid is in it, will the tranny go into failsafe or will it just ruin it?

Sorry for the long post, but I've come to realize that as much info as soon as possible is a good idea in most cases.

edit: also, sorry for interrupting the previous guy

holy crap how much did you pay for it? not much, I hope!!!

lemme read the rest of the new posts and i'll get back to you..

edit: ok.

even tho the CEL is not on, you may still have stored codes (ie, my 02 sensor harness had broken wires but still no CEL... but i pulled codes and it revealed a 33, i traced wires, fixed the broken wire, MPGs went from 15 to 20 overnight. gen maintenance sticky post #18 tells you how to do that.

tranny... hmm, i know there's a way to do tranny diagnostics too. i think your speedometer/tachometer issues MIGHT have a hand in this. some of those problems will throw codes at you too, so checking the ECU code may tell you if the CAS is bad, if the ECT sensor is bad, etc. also does the odometer work properly (following milemarkers on the highway)?

tranny fluid is dextron2 or 3

as for some of the cluster issues you may need to just get a new cluster altogether.... but not until some of the other tests are out of the way

*internetautomar* · 08-22-2008, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapedCadaver

tranny fluid is dextron2 or 3

it's dexron no "t"
I do recommend using synthetic for the transmission because the OE spec Nissanmatic fluid is a low ash formula which you do not find in a conventional dexron fluid.

*CapedCadaver* · 08-22-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by internetautomar

it's dexron no "t"
I do recommend using synthetic for the transmission because the OE spec Nissanmatic fluid is a low ash formula which you do not find in a conventional dexron fluid.

see.... that's another one of those things. I spent a good 5 years thinking "cadaver" was "kuh DAY ver". so is typical dexron petroleum-based and synthetic isn't?

*internetautomar* · 08-22-2008, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapedCadaver

see.... that's another one of those things. I spent a good 5 years thinking "cadaver" was "kuh DAY ver". so is typical dexron petroleum-based and synthetic isn't?

they are both petroleum based. Synthetic just gets processed more highly, which removes the ash content.

PBfrEAk · 08-22-2008, 09:59 PM

Here is my question again, I posted once and didn't get an answer so I figure I'll throw another try in and see if anyone's got an idea...

I have a 1992 GXE and I just bought a parts car (1993 GXE).

My question is this...did they have different springs from 1992 to 1993 in the GXE models? My parts car doesn't squat in the rear at all when the front is raised but my DD squats bad when jacked up. Are my springs shot or were there different spring rates for different years?

Thanks a lot guys!!

*Pearl93VE* · 08-22-2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBfrEAk

Here is my question again, I posted once and didn't get an answer so I figure I'll throw another try in and see if anyone's got an idea...

I have a 1992 GXE and I just bought a parts car (1993 GXE).

My question is this...did they have different springs from 1992 to 1993 in the GXE models? My parts car doesn't squat in the rear at all when the front is raised but my DD squats bad when jacked up. Are my springs shot or were there different spring rates for different years?

Thanks a lot guys!!

Same springs on all the GXE's IIRC. I know the SE's had slightly bigger real stabalizer bars but that wouldn't cause any ride height difference. Your shocks are probably very worn or shot in your DD and they just slosh around. If the other car stays planted at the same right height even when stresses are on other parts of the car or on it, it shows you have nice tight springs and/or good struts. I would swap the entire rear strut towers and put them on yours if I were you.

Depending on how down on cash I was. If I had a little I'd just buy good struts/springs (tokico/koni, and some eibachs) and run with that since your suspension components need to be fixed anyway. But even the 1993 you have is better than nothing.

PBfrEAk · 08-22-2008, 10:30 PM

Well I'm trying to go low budget due to school. Just what needs done for now.

The weird thing is that the shocks in my rears are only a year old. I figured they should last longer than that.

But either way that is the plan...to swap the whole thing from the parts car to my DD. It just seemed weird to me that it would sag that much lower.

DadsMaxima · 08-23-2008, 11:48 AM

I think he killed it...

To bring everyone up to date...

'92 GXE, Auto. Approx 100K miles. Dad had dumped some seafoam into his tank and engine immediately started running like crap, plus trans would not shift into OD and had some funny shifting 1-2. He was in LA and drove it home to Vegas in 3rd gear. After he got home, he reported that it was slipping in 2nd and 3rd and still had no OD, and engine was running like crap. Fluid was really dark and burnt, so he did the drain/refill a few times until the fluid looked decent (using Dex III). Still slipping though. Even got desparate and used some Lucas in it with no change.

I went up 2 weeks ago and put in new injectors to fix the engine problem. Engine runs like a dream now. Disconnected the battery to allow the TCU to reset. Accellerating slowly the trans works fine, but as soon as you try to give it some power it slips in 2nd and 3rd - and it slips bad. Seems that when it is cold it will go into OD, but no OD at all after it warms up.

So, new trans time? I looked at OE Surplus and they have no more RE4F02A transmissions (I even called to verify). If it was my car, I'd go with a 5 speed conversion, but mom can't drive a manual.

Options? Not really interested in combing junkyards for one. Anyone have a source for a GOOD trans shop in either Vegas(where he lives) or Phoenix(where I live)?

The car is in excellent shape and we don't want to scrap it.

I'm open to all suggestions!

*CapedCadaver* · 08-23-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DadsMaxima

I think he killed it...

To bring everyone up to date...

'92 GXE, Auto. Approx 100K miles. Dad had dumped some seafoam into his tank and engine immediately started running like crap, plus trans would not shift into OD and had some funny shifting 1-2. He was in LA and drove it home to Vegas in 3rd gear. After he got home, he reported that it was slipping in 2nd and 3rd and still had no OD, and engine was running like crap. Fluid was really dark and burnt, so he did the drain/refill a few times until the fluid looked decent (using Dex III). Still slipping though. Even got desparate and used some Lucas in it with no change.

I went up 2 weeks ago and put in new injectors to fix the engine problem. Engine runs like a dream now. Disconnected the battery to allow the TCU to reset. Accellerating slowly the trans works fine, but as soon as you try to give it some power it slips in 2nd and 3rd - and it slips bad. Seems that when it is cold it will go into OD, but no OD at all after it warms up.

So, new trans time? I looked at OE Surplus and they have no more RE4F02A transmissions (I even called to verify). If it was my car, I'd go with a 5 speed conversion, but mom can't drive a manual.

Options? Not really interested in combing junkyards for one. Anyone have a source for a GOOD trans shop in either Vegas(where he lives) or Phoenix(where I live)?

The car is in excellent shape and we don't want to scrap it.

I'm open to all suggestions!

you're gonna need to either get a shop to rebuild it internally, or possibly find a new tranny somewhere else. There was a member who bought a BRAND NEW (in pink shrinkwrap, with rubber plugs covering holes, and stickers galore on it) vg auto tranny for $1000. I forgot who or where.... but it's about 3 months ago.

edit: FOUND IT!!

Brand new transmission has arrived :)

ChinoLA · 08-23-2008, 03:33 PM

I have some questions my is a 93 SE maxima the car squeaks from the front i don't know if its the suspension or bushings it just started to make the noise. It also squeaks when i bounce the car while its parked, i know i hear it on the driver side im not really sure if its also on the passenger side. Second question is that the abs light is on. Third is that there is a knocking noise when im driving it gets the loudest when im about 3000 rpm maybe a lifter? Last is kinda hard to explain when im in third and step on the gas the car seems to go left while im driving also in fourth kinda scary because if i turn the steering wheel while accelerating to the right it goes right with force and almost crashed one time because of that.

DadsMaxima · 08-23-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapedCadaver

you're gonna need to either get a shop to rebuild it internally, or possibly find a new tranny somewhere else. There was a member who bought a BRAND NEW (in pink shrinkwrap, with rubber plugs covering holes, and stickers galore on it) vg auto tranny for $1000. I forgot who or where.... but it's about 3 months ago.

edit: FOUND IT!!

Brand new transmission has arrived :)

Yeah, he got that through OEM surplus. They only have the trans for the VE now. They don't have the VG (RE4F02A) trans.

Found Phoenix Transmission and they have rebuilds listed for $895 and they have a couple on Ebay for $695. Looked them up through the BBB and they seem to have a decent rep. Plus they are only a few miles from me. Their website is http://www.phoenixhardparts.com/. Anyone here ever deal with them?

coolsun · 08-23-2008, 05:49 PM

which Nissanmatic fluid is needed i saw a couple different kinds?

**Greeny** · 08-23-2008, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolsun

which Nissanmatic fluid is needed i saw a couple different kinds?

Nissanmatic-D

coolsun · 08-23-2008, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greeny

Nissanmatic-D

thanks

roddykaregaran · 08-23-2008, 08:16 PM

how easy is it to mod these maximas?

*internetautomar* · 08-23-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roddykaregaran

how easy is it to mod these maximas?

very easy

kojak38 · 08-23-2008, 09:16 PM

i have an 89 nissan maxima and i want to lower it but the only way to do it cheap enough is to put shocks on it. can i make that conversion from struts and would it hurt the handeling on it or anything else i should worry about. i am just doin it to the rear.

*internetautomar* · 08-23-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

i have an 89 nissan maxima and i want to lower it but the only way to do it cheap enough is to put shocks on it. can i make that conversion from struts and would it hurt the handeling on it or anything else i should worry about. i am just doin it to the rear.

no!
do a lot of reading before you open your mouth again.
you clearly have no knowledge about lowering whatsoever.
READ!!!

*BenStoked* · 08-23-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

i have an 89 nissan maxima and i want to lower it but the only way to do it cheap enough is to put shocks on it. can i make that conversion from struts and would it hurt the handeling on it or anything else i should worry about. i am just doin it to the rear.

are you trying to ask how to do it? and why would you want to do the rear only?????????????????????????????????????????? just get some drop springs, and struts to work with them.

kojak38 · 08-23-2008, 10:43 PM

no i was wanting to know if i could go the cheapest way by putting shocks on it and was wanting to know if i could do that? becuz i have a slim spending budget and was thinkin shocks would be ok but wasnt for sure. i dont want to spend a fortune by getting drop struts and springs becuz they dont go low enough for what i want unless you know any good websites. the only ones i can find are like 1.5 to 2 inch drops and i want to go like 3 to 3.5 inches.

*CapedCadaver* · 08-23-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

no i was wanting to know if i could go the cheapest way by putting shocks on it and was wanting to know if i could do that? becuz i have a slim spending budget and was thinkin shocks would be ok but wasnt for sure. i dont want to spend a fortune by getting drop struts and springs becuz they dont go low enough for what i want unless you know any good websites. the only ones i can find are like 1.5 to 2 inch drops and i want to go like 3 to 3.5 inches.

whatever you are smoking, SELL IT because it's some potent stuff and you'll make a good buck or two off it.

3.5" drop will destroy any handling characteristics the car had at any point in time...... the geometry will be WAY WAY off, the camber will be screwed up, you'll have NO travel and it'll bottom out unless you use really stiff springs

and there's no such thing as "drop struts".... you just put different springs on your regular struts, except you will need new struts that are capable of handling the high springrate of drop springs without dying in like 5 miles.

and wtf are you talking about putting shocks on a FWD unibody IRS car?! you can't put shocks on a car like ours! the BRAKES mount onto the struts. You want to get rid of half your stopping power AND destroy your handling?

honestly... who told you this ****? whoever they are, should be shot in the kneecaps, then in the face. Do you even know what shocks are? They are the same basic design as what a strut is except on RWD cars they are mounted separately. They control the expansion and contraction of the spring. The spring is just a coil on FWD cars, or on RWD cars it can be a leaf. The yellow thing is a shock. Note how you have a shock and a spring... you can't ride on shocks alone... they are not self-supporting.

kojak38 · 08-24-2008, 12:32 AM

well what is the cheapeast way to lower my maxi? and where is the cheapest place to get the supplies?

*CapedCadaver* · 08-24-2008, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

well what is the cheapeast way to lower my maxi? and where is the cheapest place to get the supplies?

don't bother until you have $1000 to commit (just in case something goes wrong.) simply cutting stock springs will make the car bottom out all the time. You need 'drop springs' because they are stiffer to compensate for the lowered body of the car, thereby keeping the car from bottoming out (among other problems associated with cutting springs). You will also need GOOD quality (ie, NOT monroe or other cheap ****) struts to go with these springs.... high-rate springs will eat cheap struts for breakfast (won't even make it lunch, if you catch my drift). KYB-GR2 is good (for slight drops). Tokico is better. Koni (red) is best. Konis are adjustible.

any other way you do it in the interest of saving money is gonna leave you wishing you'd followed my advice.

as for where to get it....
lowering springs: http://www.internetautosupply.com/ca..._977_1489.html
front struts: http://www.internetautosupply.com/ca...7_994_995.html
rear struts: http://www.internetautosupply.com/ca...7_978_979.html

kojak38 · 08-24-2008, 09:42 AM

well i have already cut my springs and my rear is the ones that i am worried about becuz the strut extends farther than the spring does and i am worried that if i hit a bump going down the road that the strut will extend and the spring will come off and mess everything up. is there a way to avoid that from happening or should i even worry about it?

NissanZealot · 08-24-2008, 10:49 AM

alright so i have a quickie. my heater/AC/defrost halfheartedly works but for some reason doesnt really want to respond to the corresponding buttons. eg: i press 'defrost' and my vents blow out cold air, press 'vents' and i get hot air, press 'defrost' again and my defrost works, i press 'vents' again and my vents might blow cold air. Could this just be my climate control unit? im hoping i dont have to replace the core or anything, which i shouldnt since its blowing hot air, but with my car iv kinda just got used to planning for the worst...

any and all help is appreciated

*internetautomar* · 08-24-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

no i was wanting to know if i could go the cheapest way by putting shocks on it and was wanting to know if i could do that? becuz i have a slim spending budget and was thinkin shocks would be ok but wasnt for sure. i dont want to spend a fortune by getting drop struts and springs becuz they dont go low enough for what i want unless you know any good websites. the only ones i can find are like 1.5 to 2 inch drops and i want to go like 3 to 3.5 inches.

You can not PHYSICALLY drop these cars 3" there isn't that much travel in the suspension.

fuggin' "rotz"

*internetautomar* · 08-24-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NissanZealot

alright so i have a quickie. my heater/AC/defrost halfheartedly works but for some reason doesnt really want to respond to the corresponding buttons. eg: i press 'defrost' and my vents blow out cold air, press 'vents' and i get hot air, press 'defrost' again and my defrost works, i press 'vents' again and my vents might blow cold air. Could this just be my climate control unit? im hoping i dont have to replace the core or anything, which i shouldnt since its blowing hot air, but with my car iv kinda just got used to planning for the worst...

any and all help is appreciated

there are several things it could be. pick up / download an FSM and start trouble shooting.
the worst thing I can think of it being is a blend door motor, and that is just because labor on it will be a pain

*BenStoked* · 08-24-2008, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

well i have already cut my springs and my rear is the ones that i am worried about becuz the strut extends farther than the spring does and i am worried that if i hit a bump going down the road that the strut will extend and the spring will come off and mess everything up. is there a way to avoid that from happening or should i even worry about it?

worry.
and save yourself some headache, buy some proper drop springs.

kojak38 · 08-24-2008, 08:34 PM

by me buying proper drop springs wont i still have to buy proper lowering struts also?

*Pearl93VE* · 08-24-2008, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kojak38

by me buying proper drop springs wont i still have to buy proper lowering struts also?

Honestly, you should buy two stock rear springs for your car and have a shop put them on. Get back on the computer, read up as much as you can on suspension systems on Maxima's. Then attempt again. If you're planning on doing this work yourself you are getting in way over your head. To remind you:

IF YOU WANT TO LOWER YOUR CAR, you will need two front struts from an aftermarket suspension company such as KYB, Tokico, Or Koni along with two drop springs of your choice, the lower the drop of the spring, the better STRUT you will want to get. However, since the rear of our cars have replaceable strut inserts, whatever kit you get will have two of these that need to be physically inserted into our strut towers, along with the rear springs of your choice to be compressed on the tower around and above the strut. Obviously, whatever companies you go with, you'll receive four of each thing, I just broke it up to show you the difference.

So to recap, the front should look like this:

Meaning the springs go on the long silver shaft rising up, and entire tower is replaced, it's all one unit minus the spring. The car's spindle (along with the break rotors, caliper, wheel studs, etc.) Will bolt to the bottom of those.

While the rear:

will look like that, meaning once you disconnect the big tower from all of the rear suspension rods going to it (like three large bolts/nuts I believe) and the three nuts holding the tower to the car at the top of the tower come off, you will then have to decompress the spring that is on there, take it off, take the strut insert out, replace it with the one's pictured above, along with putting the new rear springs you got on top of them, then compressing it all down onto the stock tower/hardware and putting it back on the car.

Hope that clears things up.

coolsun · 08-24-2008, 09:36 PM

sorry but im a noob in rim size will 240sx rims from 95-98 or all oem nissan rims fit the max?

*Pearl93VE* · 08-24-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolsun

sorry but im a noob in rim size will 240sx rims from 95-98 or all oem nissan rims fit the max?

Max takes 114.3mm Bolt Patter (5x4.5")
66mm Center Bore
anywhere from 25-45mm offset can fit depending on the wheel

If the 240 has the same bolt pattern I imagine it will fit, most OEM 5-lug nissan's are all interchangable, but it's good to know the variables so you can double check.

coolsun · 08-24-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pearl93VE

Max takes 114.3mm Bolt Patter (5x4.5")
66mm Center Bore
anywhere from 25-45mm offset can fit depending on the wheel

If the 240 has the same bolt pattern I imagine it will fit, most OEM 5-lug nissan's are all interchangable, but it's good to know the variables so you can double check.

thanks will check