Hey, my car smokes, not all the time, but when i "get on it" during like first gear it will blow some smoke out of the exhaust. I have heard of many different reasons it could be doing it, and i understand that its an old car 1990, so i cant expect it to be perfect. But does anyone know of something inexpesive/ easy fix to stop this problem? Any input is greatly valued.

 

how many miles are on you max

 

Its got about 96,000

 

like black smoke? it could be a bad o2 sensor. How is your gas mileage? Is your car eating up oil between oil changes?

 

Its kind of like a dark grayish smoke, my car uses up about one quart for every tank that i use. My gas mileage runs from about 220-300 depending upon where i end up driving to.

 

you answered your own question about the problem its the burning oil that makes the smoke, but i am not sure of a inexpensive way to fix it

 

My blk smoke was TPS & Distr cap. My engine does not use oil one droplet...

Being maxima, that sounds bad. Most probably it is leaking with that small mileage? (But if u buy GM Opel, thats std on new ones. Two quarts is still ok on 1.2Liter engine!) Worn or broken engine gives thick blue smoke. Improper fuel burn blk or grey...

Check out for oil leaks and do your electrical maintenance, filters, plugs, wires.

Do'nt worry for leaks, oil is cheap - or replace the broken seals...:

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/10
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/12
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/14

 

Thanks for all your input, ill check my filters and wiring just in case, otherwise i'll try and live with it

 

Bardahl No-smoke. part # 2116

 

Is the Bardahl that stuff that you put in your oil thats practically thicker than honey?? If so i have put that in but it still smokes out of first gear when i punch it. If its not the honey like substance where can i find Bardahl No-smoke?

 

it's like the honey.
but if you're still smoking then it's time to rebuild your motor.

 

what could white smoke indicate?

 

A message? Surrender?? hehe

When? in the morning? = normal.

All the time? = possible headgasket problem ie.. coolant leak.

Does the coolant level need to be topped off all the time?

 

should i rebuild my motor or look for a bigger one, say like a 3.5 liter maxima engine?

 

well you've got a VG, so I wonder if you can use a VG33E. Hmmmm........

 

Yeah, those are some technical terms i know nothing about, but do you think it would be possible?

 

VG= shortblock style
33= 3.3l displacement
E = electronically fuel injected

VG30DE= 3.0 DOHC not swappable without torch and welder

VQ series = Questionable alleged pics have been shown http://internetautomart.com/gallery/VQ-in-3rd-gen

your call

oh easiest thing is to just do a plain jane vg30E to VG30E swap

 

If you don't mind spending extra money on quarts of oil you should really try FHS smokeless oil. I had a car that smoked like a train and a friend told me about this oil I used it and the car never smoked again as long as I was running this oil in the car. It beats expensive internal engine work check out the site.

members.aol.com/FHSoil/SmokeLess.html

 

oh yeah 15w40 may help too

 

The VG33E motor that you mentioned... Is that a maxima motor, or is it a motor that would conviently fit. I need to know where to start looking for one thats not too inexpensive you know. Also while im putting in a new motor how hard would it be to make this car a 5 speed, i know a new transmission is needed, but after that how hard could it be?

 

VG33E is from a pathfinder.

 

What year pathfinder would i have to look for, one about the same age as my maxima? And would it fit on my engine mounts?

 

96-00 pathy
99-01 quest
00-01 xterra
99-01 frontier
not sure about mounts and ease of swapping.
Maybe mark knows

 

What about making it a manual, is that too much work to make it worth it??

 

IMHO yes.
10char

 

Also the 1997-2000 Infiniti QX4

 

so many choices i wont be able to handle myself

 

take the easiest: problems enough

 

You can get a junkyard Maxima engine for about $300 and swap it in a weekend..

If you want to go all out, you can get a VG33E and do all the work on it necessary to fit it in the Maxima (exhaust, intake, lots of sensors swapped, etc etc etc), and swap in a 5 speed while you're at it.

to do all that, you're looking at a couple thousand in parts, and several weeks of labor.

just something to think about.

 

so is that confirmation that a VG33E long Block is direct swap for the VG30E long block?

 

Should i trust a 300 dollar engine from a junk yard to be better than what i have now? How can i make sure that i get a good deal?

 

get one from a running car.

 

A running one from a junkyard, or just find one somewhere else?

 

preferably junkyard, they usually give you a warranty.

 

$99 for any engine in the junkyard at the place I go to... theres some sort of core charge that puts it over $100 but I dunno how much... so you could get 3 engines for that price... chances are one of them will be good... then you can put one in the back seat and drive the rear wheels... any way no point to this post... swap in a vg30et

 

what does the T mean? I finally figured out what everything else means and you throw in a T on me

 

T for Turbo, vg30et is from a late 80s nissan 300zx, not much room for a turbo in a max,
search around for engine swaps and you'll find what you're looking for

VG30E = Single Overhead Cam, Electronic Injection
VG30DE = Double Overhead Cam, Electronic Injection
VG30ET = Single Overhead Cam, Electronic Injection, Turbo
VG30DET = Double Overhead Cam, Electronic Injection, Turbo
VG30ETT = Single Overhead Cam, Electronic Injection, Twin Turbo

 

Don't know about you, but having to pay $200 more
too only R&R an engine once, is money well spent to me.