All -

I bought my '92 SE @ 24,000 miles in '94 and have been driving it ever since (now has 160,000 miles on it!). My previous vehicle was an '89 max with the underpowered V6, so I realized the need for the extra horses and moved on to the '92. I recently SERIOUSLY considered selling my '92 and plowing the cash into a 4th or 5th gen (love the look of the 5th gens), but my heart just ain't in it. The car, regardless of the VTC jamboree and several other issues, still runs like a top!! I've been with this car longer than my wife, kids and pet cat, so regardless of the irrationality, it's a got a top spot in my psyche!!!

I freely admit that I have not treated the interior or exterior with much care - no garage time and the leather is cracked and peeling all over. Got a seat cover for the drivers side. FORGIVE ME!!!

Anyway, I'm ready to make amends!! Here is what I plan to do, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON

• What else I should do
• How I should do it
• Where I can or should get the parts
• What I should avoid, etc...

Here is what I plan on doing:

• Replacing rear spoiler (rotted off)
• Replacing front halogens (previously broken)
• Replacing a/c compressor - works, but makes a racket as rear bearing is shot. Any thoughts on freon conversion here?? Are any other years that are not freon based compatible? Like to save myself some effort and $$ on the conversion if I can.
• I've never (believe it or not) given the car a tune-up aside from replacing the plugs myself. Any thoughts in this department, esp. the stuff I can do myself are welcome.
• I get quite a bit of smoke out of the tail pipe if I let the car idle for more than about 30 seconds, esp. at long lights. Figure the valve guide seals are giving out, so I may replace those. The car still gets almost 24 mpg in the city, so pretty confident the compression/rings are solid.
• Moving to a synthetic oil. Any suggestions on what is best?? How about filters?? I'm going to try the Toyota filter option on the next change.
• Resurface original wheel rims or put '98 SE 5 spoke rims on (love those)... any ideas on where I can find the '98 SE rims or on resurfacing my original rims??
• May have VTCs replaced or rebuilt. Any suggestions welcome as to where to find good rebuilt VTCs and/or how to replace them. I might do this myself, but it is down on the list.

Any additional suggestions welcome!! I plan to take before and after pics, and will probably get a cardomain site as well.

Thanks in advance for your inputs!!!

Momaxima92

 

93 went R134a , but a retrofit to your original parts is easily done.

 

Well you could buy my AC compressor that you said you wanted.

 

You might look through the 3rd gen parts for sale/wanted section for various parts you might want. I think James92SE has a compressor he will sell. At least he had one I was going to buy, but changed my mind.

There might be someone with some seats for sale. If not now, there will be some eventually. If you like the leather a lot, you can order kits from Katskin that are pretty expensive, but look as good or better than brand new.

Probably the best person to talk with about restoration inside and out is awsm66, he has done lots of great work on a few 3rd gens.

If by "halogens" you meant your foglights are broken, you can buy the lens kits from courtesy nissan, I believe. I think they are $35 each?

As for the exterior, you should definitely give it a good wash, then use some kind of rubbing compound (I prefer 3M fine cut rubbing compound) then a good coat of wax. Check the detailing forum for other favorites.

The Toyota filter is probably your best bet, but it sounds like your VTCs are past the point of no return. You can buy rebuild kits, but from what you said, I take it you are not extremely mechanical. Personally, I am too scared to try to do the rebuild myself, but several guys have.

 

- go beyond "original glory!"
- replace shocks
- take seats, carPets off for a checkup, do some soundproofing
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/17
- give horses more air
- add groundings, do harness PM
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/10

...look at here, chassis is the same. And btw, my VG horses are not ashamed of VTC clatter...
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/1

 

sounds like you have quite a few engine problems; why not just replace the whole motor for $675 and have someone install it for you for around the same price. Beats rebuilding the VTC's, replacing the A/C compressor and other things that are going out on a motor with a 160K on it. Plus, the engine will feel like new.

 

5Lbeater- Where can one get a VE for $675??

~Alex

 

My thoughts exactly. You can buy VGs all day long at that price but not VEs.

 

if you go throguh the work on your heads replace all the exhaust studs.I woudl say even if you alreayd have replace them again for the little cost and be super annoying fi you got it all back togteher and 1 broke .

I am doing the same thing with my car,rebuilding the vtcs,p&p some heads i got from red92maxse.the whole exhaust stud fiasco,repainting it black and using a house of kolor Colbat Blue kandy over top of the black to add some depth. good luck and I say go wiht the katskinz seat covers

BJ white