Well my mechanic informs me that I have the original set of ignition wires in my car and that I should replace them. He quoted me something like $100 for the wire set and like $25 for the rotor and some other thingy. I was looking at NOPI and it seemed that $100 for a wire set was a hell of a lot of money for some stock wire set. So am I getting ripped off? How hard is the job to do myself? Also, the car needs a tune up in a few thousand miles and I was looking into doing this myself also. My parents say that they have to use a computer on these newer cars and that I couldn't do it myself. What exactly does a tune-up involve and what part could I do myself?

 

If I'm correct stock NGK replacements are $75+/- at Carparts.com then take 33% off and you've got about $60 w/shipping included!! as for doing a tune up, you can do a lot by yourself, replce the air filter(if aftermarket just clean it), replace the fuel filter(located near the firewall), change your oil and filter (just need a jack and oil can), change the tranny fluid(not a full flush, but you can put some newer fluid in there), change the plug wires(just don't mix them up and connect the cylinders incorrectly). As for the other stuff like a Dist. cap, PCV valve and actual replacement of the plugs I left to my mechanic, since I don't have a plug gapper(yet!!) and I didn't know where the hell the PCV valve was!!! and as for the dist. cap, I just wasn't going to mess with that SOB! but other than that do half the sh*t yourself and save some cash at the mechanic!!!

 

NOPI sells NGK wires for $70 (I sould be getting a set any day, and will report back then). Courtesy Nissan sells OEM wires for around $55. A simple tune up, on modern cars, is little more than replacing parts, and not at all difficult.
On annual basis I would change the air cleaner and check the external belts. Every 30,000 miles: plugs, fuel filter, coolant and auto transmission fluid. Every 5 years: cap, rotor, ignition wires. If your car is a late '94 GXE, you need a new timing belt every 100K miles; this is a must. Aside from the belts and a tranny flush you can do everything else yourself.

 

This should be done every 60k and not a moment after....it's just not worth risking.....even if Nissan claims the belt is good for 100k.....

My 94 owner's manual states 60k and that's what Nissan will lay claim to if anyone with a belt that snaps between 60k and 100k tries to sue or hold them accountable for an engine....

 

u can get Bosch wires for 50 bucks...duno how they compare to NGKs but i got em for mine and they seem to do good and they come w/ a lifetime warrenty

 

You'll find this post....

<A HREF="https://maxima.org/forums/showthread.phtml?threadid=4224">NGK wire post</A>

 

There was a thread here a few weeks ago on timing belts. One of the important things in it was that the timing belt and sprockets were changed on cars made after a certain date (9/93 ?). These belts are good for 100K miles. Everything else 60K miles (I've heard of people ging much farther, but I don't think that it's a good idea: penny wise, pound foolish). No, you can't use a newer style belt on the older engines. The profile of the teeth on the belts and sprockets are different.

 

<A HREF="https://maxima.org/forums/showthread.phtml?threadid=8493">Timing Belt Post 1</A>
<A HREF="https://maxima.org/forums/showthread.phtml?threadid=8676">Timing Belt Post 2</A>
<A HREF="https://maxima.org/forums/showthread.phtml?threadid=3631">Timing Belt Post 3</A>

I just don't want other guys getting the wrong idea about when to change. Most likely, any 89 to 94 Maxima with the VG engine needs to change this every 60k.

You're right. I had forgotten that when they ramped up production on the Nissan Quests that they changed the belt to one for 'longer life' to reduce maintenance costs. I guess there was way too much *****ing by customers over shelling out $500 every 60k for an 'unseen' repair.

Anyway, I did not know that they had made the manufacturing change for the 94 GXE Maximas in 7/93, especially since they started making 4th gens 4 or 5 months later....

 

The NGK wire came this afternoon from NOPI. They are the blue, NX91's. They are a little thicker than stock ones at 8mm. They are specific to the VG motors with the right boots and correct length. The only install problem is that the rubber tab on the boots (front cylinder bank) that hook on the support pins were too thick to allow the boot to fully seat on the plugs. I cut them to half their original thickness and they're fine. Overall, a very good wire set and probably better than the OEM wires. The only better wires are the Magnecor, but I didn't see them cheaper than $120 for a set.