Recently tuned this up (spark plugs, rotor, cap, air filter) hoping to get more power out of it but this Maxima is really conservative on the power. Smog check comes out fine on this Calif vehicle. It just doesn't get going until you put your foot in it. The automatic could rob some power but I don't remember my 87 hardbody 4 x 4 being so sluggish with the auto. Otherwise it is a pretty nice car. Another thing is that until it is warmed up some - the tranny will not shift into overdrive. The gauge has to move about an eighth of an inch before it will shift. If I put my foot into it the tach revs but the car does not go. If you accelerate easily or moderately it will go. you can easily travel 70 - 80 mph but I thought that growl from the engine would propel me up to speeds quicker. If I give a rapid hit on the gas pedal the engine kind of staggers then goes - a pretty good hesitation. The engine has 270,000 and maybe that is all it needs - I don't know. I was thinking there would be quicker throttle response. As for the transmission - I had the fluid changed by flushing it at a trusted shop. It does shift better but still is cold-blooded as for getting into OD. The other fluid smelled really - really bad. Hopefully the trans is not shot.

Your help and comments appreciated. I don't know if there is a way for the laymen to check the ECU codes or not. On my GM products Zi used to check them with a paper clip at the diag port. I got ride of an Olds Cutlass Calais with 2.3 Quad4 engine for this Maxima. I hope I don't run into that car because that little inline four will run rings around me with 200,000 miles. I don't mean the Nissan is weak but that little 4-banger only puts out 180hp - yet feels like a V8. This V6 feels weaker than my 2.5L Pontiac with TBFI that is an old Military car. Not running down the Nissans but there has to be some more power somewhere.

I don't beliecve the CAT is plugged or muffler plugged - but it is all stock. I have got some of my best power gains using a magnaflow muffler with a low restriction CAT.



Thanks.

 

Quick question, does the car take a lot of oil? 270k is quite a bit of mileage, so I wouldn't be too surprised if your car is taking oil. If it does, it can definately hinder the performance of the motor. I'll tell you right now, that old's cutlass would be having a lot of trouble keeping up with my 86 SE. You sure that thing is putting out 180hp? That sounds more like the V6 version to me for that type of car, and power.

S

 

Hi, Thanks for your feedback. No, it virtually uses no oil. The 270,000 is a lot of miles but I thought a whole lot more dependable than that Olds. I use the Olds as a gauge because I was surprised at its performance. Your 86 SE might really be a runner - but that little 2.3L Quad 4 would really rock-n-roll you might say. It would pull into the red zone strong. It was a Nevada special car. 4 cyl, 5 spd - but inherently flawed with the engine as it "eats" head gaskets. GM intended to make a economy performance car and tried to keep the power available in the lower band rather than like some of the japanese cars where they really make lots of HP - but have to be way up in the RPM scale to do it. The Quad 4 engine made lots of power in low RPM and, depending on the engine version, would make great power up to redline. This one did - but blew a head gasket at about 85k and then again at 135K. Putting $1,200 in the engine every 80,000 miles is not good.

So, I expect maybe a little sluggisg performance out of the Max with 270k but it seems to really run clean. I am wondering if the trans is holding it back some. I am really not trying to make it a racer but it is a big step up in class from the Olds and I'd just like to squeeze a little more power out of it - somehow. If you have any ideas please let me know. The Olds is only a benchmark as to power and handling - otherwise the amenities aren't there.

Thanks

 

LOL, that's pretty cool about the Olds, you learn a new thing everyday. Anyway, the transmission is definately a good place to look. With that type of mileage, it can easily cause your engine to bog like that. I'm not familiar with the life of the auto's in these cars, but you may try doing a tranny flush, make sure there isn't crap in the valve body and what not. How's the tranny shifting? Does it seem to be pretty smooth? Also one other thing to look for is possibly air leaking somewhere in the induction system for the car, that might cause that too.

S

 

If you figure out why your 87 is sluggish, let me know
because I have an 86 that seems sluggish to me too...

Mine's an automatic like yours, maybe that's the problem!

BTW, do you leave your tranny in OD or turn it off? Notice
much difference either way?

Thanks!
Scott

 

The reason why it doesnt shift into overdrive until warm is a safety thing nissan did. Its normal. All of our cars do it (autos). The only bad part is if its really cold and youre driving on the highway and the temp of the car gets below the point it starts to shift into overdrive itll disengage itself. I can see Nissans point on the safety issue with the transmission and all but when driving at highway speeds what you dont want is your car to downshift into a lower gear at 70 mph.

 

a good running quad4 wont have trouble keeping up with ANY vg, auto or manual.

anyway, if the old IRON DUKE PERFORMANCE MONSTER can keep up with a max, there's something wrong.. why dont you do a compression check?

 

yeah the special word is KEEPING up

 

Well, depends. Some of us VG's are quite a bit faster than you may give credit to. I know one VG 2nd gen already the a quad 4 will not even have a chance keeping up with at all.(VG30ET baby, KALSC is making me real jealous). If you get the right 3rd gen VG or go with a z32 VG30DE or VG30DETT, the quad 4 would not have any chance. Besides, eventually the quad 4 is going to get out run by us VG's in the long run. :P Plus the VG is so much more reliable compared to the what I've heard so far about the quad 4. :P Be careful about which VG your talking about, or you'll have 300hp of stock VG whoop *** coming your way.

S

 

I don't think the Quad4 was and Iron Duke as the Duke's were 2.5L pushrod motors and the Quad4 is DOHC. My G/F has a 90 Baretta GTZ with the 2.3L Quad4 and according to some sites I looked into for her, the 90-93 Quad4's did indeed have 180hp. As I've driven her car, I can say that they feel pretty strong on the top end, but really don't have a lot down low other than the displacement. I wouldn't venture into the 5000-5500rpm range too much tho cause they do have a tendency to blow their head gaskets. Hers was replaced at like 120,000km I think (it has 239,000k on it now). My Spec V will absolutely kill her GTZ, but I really think the my 88 Max would keep up to the V until about 100kph. Then the lack of horsepower (152-8 vs. 175) and the weight advantage (3000 vs. 2750 lbs) would show it's head. BTW, if anybody is looking to replace a Quad4, the 93 motors supposedly had most of the head problems sorted out. I looked for one for my G/F's car, but apparently they are hard to come by.

 

Im good friends with a tranny expert.. well i wouldnt say expert but he knows a hell-uva-lot about em, and he said that the autos for our babies are restrictive little *****es.. Mine just started to slip, and clunk, and I lost mucho power.. then the damn thing died.. well close to it.. it ran REALLY rich and just about melted the cat.. luckly i dont need it so im gonna hollow it out. turned out my O2 sensor died... being the orignal 16 y/o o2 i expected it but didnt think about that being a possibly problem until I made sure my timming belt hadnt slip a few teeth... changed that, realined the crank, and cams and the ***** still wouldnt go.. so I had to spend $125 to order the o2 from the dealer cause autozone and the rest of the auto part stores had "universal" o2 sensors that wouldnt fit in my baby... God im really starting to hate taking back parts 2 or 3 times to get the right one.. Dont they ever check if the part fits before they sell them!? argh... yea well, rants over.