Spilk188

Before I get to my problem, I sould probably explain my entire situation with my Maxima. Here it goes...

My mom had an '85 Maxima that she stopped driving when the transmission broke about 7 years ago. It sat without moving or starting for the better part of seven years. I turn 15, my mom decideds I can have the old car if I fix it and do most of the labor on it, they would help me with parts and stuff.

I am so excited I wash it, clean out the interior (leather is horribly sun damaged) and the carpet is stained (i think we had a family of mice living in it at one time or something). Well my step-dad helps me and we determine that the fuel pump is dead. So we went to our local junk yard (the kind where you do the labor and they sell the parts dirt cheap) and pick up a new one. We get the fuel system cleaned out, new fuel filter ect. We even popped off the gas tank and cleaned out the cruddy 7 year old gas (which had formed a sticky gassy smelling mess). When we were removing the gass tank we took the exhaust pipe off because they were in the way. When taking one of the bolts off the catalytic converter it broke. It was rusted so it was bound to happen. We figured we would get it running, then take it to a shop and have them bore the bolt out and get a new one put in.

Recently we went to the same junk yard and found a transmission that they were willing to sell for $50. We figured it was good because the car had appeared to have been rolled (not like the other maxima they had which looked as though it had sat and most likely had the same problem as mine). We took the tranny out, paid, brought it home. We have been trying to get the car to idle good before we put in the transmission. Right now it is idling very low, and dies occasionally. The other day we replaced all six spark plugs, distributor cap, rotor, and the spark plug wires.

I was sitting in the drivers seat, my step dad was listening to the engine and suddenly I see smoke pouring in from the open door and the center console around the emergency brake. Bo (my step dad) said it was most likely crud burning off (after all, it did site for 7 years). I said it didnt smell like 'crud' but more organic.

I jack the car up a few inches and look at the catalytic converter, which by this point is red from heat, and i see where the bolt had been broken there is a gap. From that gap hot exhaust gas was being spewed at the ground. The point where the exhaust gas was hitting the ground there was a burn spot. The grass was ON FIRE.

My question, after this long story, is what do you suggest I do from this point. Should I just put the transmission in, then pay someone to fix the exhaust (I know a great shop that does good work on Nissans), and just hope i dont pass out on the drive over. Or should I get the exhaust fixed first then worry about the tranny.

Also, what do you think I need to get for the exhaust system if I were to work on it myself. I heard somewhere that it is illegal to buy catalytic converters from wrecked vehicles or something.

Thanks
-Spilk

(BTW, Im 16 now :P )

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Hmm, from the sounds of it, that sitting around wasn't good for the cat. It's probably toast now. I would get the tranny in, and get the cat replaced along with any other exhaust components that may need to be replaced. Once you done that, you should be set to go.

S

djdanno

get the tranny replaced an running before you replace the exhaust, true exhaust can kill you but only if it builds up, even if you had the car inside a small garage and revved up it still takes about a half hour, driving down the road it's much different, It wouldn't be good if you were going a long distance, but you should be fine going across town.

wylie-c

I don't really know if this would apply to a catalytic converter, but years ago when I was into Bimmers, I had a 733i with 'thermal reactors'. Basically they were the forerunner to todays cat's, but were on the manifolds themselves. If the timing was retarded they would overheat and glow red. Wouldn't hurt to check the timing on your max, could be why it's stalling as well. Good luck with your project!