Hello All

I got a chance to drive a 90 Max over my lunch hour.

Silver in color, black leather interior, Bose Premium
sound system, you get the idea!

The car has 98K miles (my 86 has 125K), it's an auto
with a selector for "power" or "comfort".

With the A/C blowing ice cold, and with the OD on, this
thing could blow my 86 Max clear off the road with out
even breaking a sweat.

I was lead to believe that the 90's are the pretty much
the same drive train except for some improvments to the
tranny and a change in the injection system.

But, should there be THAT much difference???

My 86 auto Max couldn't even pretend to keep up with
this 90 auto Max.

The lot is asking only $3400... interior is in great
shape, body is in great shape as well, but the paint
is a little faded so it would need to be repainted.

I'm thinking VERY hard on buying this car, or at least
to start looking for a newer Max.

Either there's that much improvement in the Max in just
four years, or my Max has something seriously wrong with
it!

Scott

 

And surprisingly it has the same hp as our max does

 

With small improvements, the 3rd gen from 89-94 gxe's and 89-91 se's aren't much different than the 2nd gen in performance. Though they are a bit heavier because the 3rd gen is a bigger car. I know my car will not have a problem keeping up with a VG 3rd gen, and because I'm lighter I have a edge over the auto VG's (and with the 3rd gen 5-speed I have, I also have an small advantage on the 5-speed 3rd gen VG's). The down side though to the 2nd gen is the aftermarket support. Though people are having hard time finding stuff for 3rd gens, they still have a crapload more stuff available for the 3rd gen. Now if you compare a 3rd gen 92-94 SE to our 2nd gens, the 3rd gen will blow all 2nd gens out of the water...including mine. Them VE's are very potent engines (30 more hp and roughly 15-20 ft.lbs. torque than us), that's for damn sure. Either way, a 3rd gen is a very fine care. I wouldn't mind a 92 or newer SE 5-speed with LSD, I'm aiming higher up the evolutionary latter myself. Either a 97 or newer max.

S

 

Then maybe there's something really wrong with my Max...

This car must have the VE engine... even while I was
test driving it, I had people trying to keep up... no
chance... this thing walked away from them.

My Max is a Cali model (at least I was told that it came
up from Cali) so maybe it's too smogged down to do it's
best?

Other than the computer, what other restrictions are put
on the Cali Maxes?

I recently picked up an ECU from a non Cali, non turbo, 86
Z car, but haven't got it put in yet.

There must be something wrong with my car... the 86/90 was
like stepping into a Piper Cub after a flight on the Concorde!

Scott

 

It's also a possibility that the 90 may be modded a little...but owning an 87 wagon, when it's on the raod and tuned, with no perf mods on it, it's surprised may people, and runs very hard for only 150-160 HP, with a lossy auto trans....

 

How's you Max off the line?

Mine's kinda sluggish then come un strong, then shifts (auto
tranny as well), then is sluggish till it builds up RPMs again,
then shifts...

The 90 was very crisp while accelerating, My 86 seems pretty
sluggish compared to the 90.

Also, how many miles do you get to the tankfull? I only get
about 180 miles to the tankfull according to the trip gauge.

I set it back to zero after I fill up, and when it's close to
empty, my trip gauge reads around 180 miles.

Thinking that my Max has a 10-12 gallon tank, this would average
out to about 16 to 18 MPG.

If my car is indeed set to Cali specs, would that mean that it's
set pretty lean for Cali driving?

Thanks!
Scott

 

I guarantee that car doesn't have a VE. VE's only appeared in 92-94 SE's only. All other 3rd gens had the same VG we have, with a couple different things. Your car is a Cali version too, so you probably have different numbers from other 2nd gens because of emissions gear.

S

 

Your car needs a tune up. My 87se would pull on my uncle's 91se any day of the week. With just a K&N panel filter my car would pull 1-2 cars on his from a stop. What you should do is get a nissan service manual and do a mode I, II, III diagnostic test. Also I'd suggest cleaning your throttle body and setting your ignition timing to 24*BTDC while running 91+ octane. Another thing is the 3rd gen has better tranny programming, for example when the power button is on, the tranny will always upshift around 2500-3000rpm. That is right near the torque peak so the car feels very peppy, where as your could would normally upshift around 2000-2300rpm so it doesn't feel as responsive.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with nismo...

tune er up...when the car is sluggish off the ine, this is an almost sure sign of timing retardation...

My wagon has enough pull from ther line when tuned to put you back in the seat. My shifts are also extremely crisp for a 230k mile car...i know the trans has been rebuilt once, and due to the agressive shifting (I've driven a few other auto 2nd gens), i beleive the car may well have a shift kit in it. It'll get scratch shifting into thrid gear, on pavement (not asphalt), when tuned (which it isn't right now...it will be when the wheels hit the ground...)

Another thing that's likely to cause MY lack of oomph recently is the fact that I have bad motor mounts...which I'm poly-ing...

 

I need to reset my timing to 24* BTDC. I had the timing adjusted because I screwed it up when my car was running like crap (and it turned out to be an egr valve). Right now, I'm sitting on factory setting....and sometimes my performance is just crap when the motor is hot. Plus I can hear very light knocking at times when really punching it. Sounds like it got retarded a bit. Since I don't have a timing light, what direction should I be turning the distributor to advance it? Clockwise or counter clockwise?

S

 

If I remember right, it should be clockwise...

I picked up a cheap indcutive timing light from harbor freight (i know, cheap, but it works, and that's all that matters) for $20 a few months back...if you have alocal outlet, I'd see if they have any, and the price...might be worthwhile to buy one...

 

I recently tuned my car up... NGK V Power plugs, Nissan
cap and rotor, new coil (not a Nissan part, but not a
cheapie either), new plug wires, new fuel pressure reg,
new fuel filter (in engine bay), new O2 sensor (again,
not a Nissan part, but not a cheapie either), set timing
according to Nissan FSM, and I have a K&N air filter as
well...

Exhaust is even new from the cat back...

Car even had a timing belt installed at 116K, car has 125K
on it now...

I still think that my car's problem is it's a Cali model...

What restrictions are put on Cali models?

I stopped and looked at the 90 again today and noticed that
the auto tranny isn't controlled by a cable like my 86 Max
is. Are the 90 trannys controlled by the computer or are
they controlled by a modulator?

Thanks!
Scott

 

umm...they are computer controlled, but there is still a physical cable linkage on it. Its just very well hidden.

S

 

Well, with everything tuned like that, I'd check all vacuum lines...a minor vac leak could conceivably cause the problem...but it's also possible that if you have some carbon build up, or so, you may need to bump the timing up a degree or two...another thing is, you might try disconnecting the ECU overnight...if your stereo prewsets and such are no biggie, just disconnect the neg batt cable over night...this forces the ECU to "Reboot", and clears out everything...been known to make a difference...your K&N could be flowing enough extra air that your ECU is misreading the MAF info.

 

I'm going to swap in an 86 non turbo, auto Z car ECU tonight.

Before I do, I'll check the current ECU for codes.

Thanks!
Scott

 

Well, I installed the Z car ECU last night and the car
seem to be pretty peppy right of the bat, but then I
drove around for a few minutes...

The car started surging at idle, and driving about the
same as it did with the original ECU.

I checked error codes before I pulled the original ECU,
but was having trouble getting the ECU to go into diag
mode...

After driving the car with the Z car ECU installed for a
few minutes, I tried to check that ECU for codes... I had
trouble getting it to give me codes as well... different
problems than the original, but problems just the same.

So, I went and got the ECU out of my 87 parts Max and installed
that one, drove around for a few minutes, came back and checked
codes - 44, all ok.

I left the last ECU in and drove the car to work this morning
and it seemed to have less power than the original ECU!

Should I go back to my first ECU (original to the car), or should
I try to retune the car with the current ECU (the only one I could
get to give me any type of code, which was 44, all ok) installed?

Thanks!
Scott

 

The error check for the 85-86 ECU's is different. They only have 2 modes, the normal operating, and diagnostic mode. To be in diagnotic mode, you have to turn the screw fully clockwise and leave it there. You do this with ignition in the on position. Then you depress accelerator pelt, then release. Then you start the car. Put the tranny in D. Turn the a/c on and off. Then you pull your codes. You should get code 44 after your done. I believe you will get 2 codes (23, and 31 I think) which will clear when you do the above stuff.

S

 

To accurately set the timing you need a timing light otherwise there is no way to know how far to turn the dizzy. Also you have to unplug the idle up soleniod to get the engine to base idle of 600-700rpm, then you have to rev the engine 3 times over 3000rpm to lock in timing mode.

 

I didn't have my FSM at the ready, so I printed off what I
found on the internet for the 85-94 Max which stated the
following,

Turn ignition to on (do not start the car)

Turn the screw fully clockwise - you will see both
lamps blink once, then twice, then after the third
blink, turn the screw fully counter clockwise, then
the codes will appear.

For the two 86 ECUs, this didn't work... it worked
for the 87 ECU.

I'll look at my FSM this weekend and do some more testing.

Also I noticed that my Max's MAF (or something) is noisy
while driving, almost like I can hear the air rushing
through... more like the engine running as normal, just
amplified... hard to explain, maybe it's normal.

I have to give the car 3/4 throttle just to barely keep
up with traffic, but if I floor it, then it comes on strong.

I don't know...

Scott

 

I didn't have my FSM at the ready, so I printed off what I
found on the internet for the 85-94 Max which stated the
following,

Turn ignition to on (do not start the car)

Turn the screw fully clockwise - you will see both
lamps blink once, then twice, then after the third
blink, turn the screw fully counter clockwise, then
the codes will appear.

For the two 86 ECUs, this didn't work... it worked
for the 87 ECU.

I'll look at my FSM this weekend and do some more testing.

Also I noticed that my Max's MAF (or something) is noisy
while driving, almost like I can hear the air rushing
through... more like the engine running as normal, just
amplified... hard to explain, maybe it's normal.

I have to give the car 3/4 throttle just to barely keep
up with traffic, but if I floor it, then it comes on strong.

I don't know...

Scott

 

Yeah, when I get home, I will get you the appropriate procedure for the 86 ECU's. Since it's different from the 87-88 ECU's. The way you have it wasn't correct. That's why it doesn't work on the 86's, but it did for the 87.

S

 

Here is the procedure for 85-86 VG30E ECU's.

To do the self test on the 86 and probably 85 maxima, do the
following:

Verify mode selector is turned fully CCW
Turn ignition switch to "on" position
Inspection lamps will stay "on" (bulb check)
Turn mode switch fully CW
Depress accelerator pedal, then release
Start engine,
Apply brakes and shift to "D" position...nothing said for SE 5sp
Turn one of the load switches....OFF....ON....OFF...
Code #31 will be erased after the E.C.C.S. control unit detects one
of the load signals below....

Power Steering oil pressure SW
Air conditioner/Heater SW
Headlamp SW
Rear defogger SW
Radiator fan SW

Shift to "P" position....again nothing said for SE 5sp

Make sure that inspection lamps on control unit are displaying code
#44....no fault code

 

i have a '91 with a VE engine :]
however im not in the states, so models available to me are different.

 

lol...you sure the VE wasn't there to replace a VG? :P

 

haha maybe so, bloody dodgy imports :P... still pulls like a schoolboy though!