TimberJon

iTrader: (2)

This is a 1993 SE Auto. The lady has a nice aftermarket sunroof thats wired to work with one-push hits. Works great!

Funny thing.. the manufacturer plate says 1992, but the VIN says 1993. Whatever.

Bought it from the original owner. Excellent interior/exterior. Few scuffs on F/R bumpers. No penetration or major damage. Brakes are good. Replaced all 4 tires and got an alignment this morning.

VE has 164,230 on it. Runs great. Except when I had it in reverse this morning and it shut off. It idles pretty low, 550-650 im guestimating. I'll fix that later. Didnt get any documentation on it, but the guy (oriental) says he always took it to the nissan dealer for its tune ups. Looks like it, and feels like it. Says he's been putting in full-synthetic oil ever since it came out. I dont know when that was but I used to use full-synth in my GXE.

Now, Im pretty sure the struts need replacing as theyre stock.
I have an oil leak on the transmission seal. Very small, and im going to get it checked out right away.

Getting an alarm installed tomorrow, and will look at getting some tint put in.

Question, my right front control arm has a bad bushing on it. I want to just replace BOTH arms in the front w/bushings. Alignment guys said do whatever you need to and we will re-align for free. Awesome. So should I get 4 struts too while im at it?

If so, What brand should I get, where to get em, and prices.
Same with the control arms.

Ive always wanted a VE but never thought id have a VE with an Auto..

SO! I noticed that While I can manipulate the shifting by letting off the accelerator early, its kinda heavy on the acceleration. It winds down heavy. The torque converter? I was reading on level10's website on an article that talks about some converters having some engaging/disengaging locking thing in there that would cause the kind of sharp deceleration when you let off the pedal?

Can I correct that somehow? Without replacing the torque converter?

I also remember reading about changing the pulleys for the engine belts, so that theyre lighter in weight? Are there parts for that on Nissan engines and will that improve anything?

Heres the pics I got.
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax1.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax2.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax3.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax4.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax5.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax6.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax7.jpg
http://www.sbravo.com/images/Jmax8.jpg

Cliff Clavin

iTrader: (11)

The VE ATs aren't as quick as the 5-speeds, unless you are Aaron. I would talk to him about the AT stuff. If you have tranny problems, that is usually expensive to fix.

You can buy an ASP aluminum underdrive pulley. They are like $120. www.aspracing.com those require different belts. Look through the stickies for the p/n on those.

If your struts are bad, replace them. At least buy KYB, Tokico or Koni struts. Those are the best brands for a 3rd gen. If you have the money and want it lowered, I would buy springs, too (around $150-$200) and do everything at once.

Internetautomart sells the control arms.

I hope you got a good deal. You saw the price on mine and it has Tokico struts, Eibach springs, brand new axle seals (no leaking), good control arms and it's a 5-speed.

TimberJon

iTrader: (2)

Is the VE AT the same as the VG AT? Because I remember my 92 GXE had quick response and no sluggish shifting on all gears. I'll lookup the struts. My axles are new as well.

I dont really want to lower it. but I do want to get a body kit to lower the look. I know where to find them, but I want to know if theyre sold anywhere cheaper. And should I get it installed, then painted to match, or painted then installed?

TimberJon

iTrader: (2)

Ohh oh. I was also looking at that.. wth is it called. Velocitytuner.com

Im skeptical, does that thing really help atomization? or is that all in your injectors performance?

No data on CAI or K&N conical filter? I want to get rid of the BlackBOX and let my car breathe.

elusivemax93

http://www.cosmoracing.com i beleave thats the link to a canadain aftermarket company that makes cai for the ve max only. im concidering buying that cai once i get my car back up to par first as in getting all the lil problems it has fixed before i think bout modding my max as having the car in proper working form is always the first thing u need to be thinking about before modding it out.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

1. for stock height, your good to go with KYBs, some like Tokico better. it's a matter of personal preference.
2. Complete control arms only 1 brand besdies OE
3. Check your trans fluid, my VEs have no unusual "wind down" when I release the gas. actually I find it to be a little to slow to slow down.
4. the VE AT is different than the VG AT, it's way stronger

colinnwn

velocitytuner type devices have been around for a while and are pure crap. It's just another restriction in your intake, like the ones you are thinking of getting rid of. I think a company with a similar device was fined by the Federal Trade Commission for making unsubstantiated claims.

I had a JWT POP charger and it may have improved my mileage like 1mpg, made the engine sound a little better and improved throttle response a little. But I wasn't so sure it was worth the $120 I paid. As a test, I put the intake box back in without the snorkel/resonator, and cut out the hole in the box bigger and I think the effect was the same for $0.

I've never been a fan of aftermarket alarms because most installers don't do a good job, and it complicates electrical troubleshooting.

When you experience engine braking more than you want, are you in OD or D? Being in 1, 2 or even D will cause more engine braking.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

not if your A/T is working correctly.
your car is essentially in neutral when you are coasting down to a stop.
it automatically downshifts so you don't feel the engine braking.
I have 3 VE A/T experience to talk from

colinnwn

Downshifting increases the drive ratio, so that would increase braking if it occurs. Granted I have never driven an auto 3rd gen. But I have driven an auto 4th gen, and I didn't feel it shift when coasting until I got back on the gas. I could feel engine braking, it was just less pronounced the higher the gear I was in. This is why you are supposed to downshift, even autos, when descending mountains.

An auto tranny is never in neutral unless it really is in neutral. It just transmits power bidirectionally through a fluid coupling which allows the output to overrun the input to a limited extent, and decreases the amount of engine braking you would experience over a manual tranny car.

I forgot to mention on the oil gauze air filters, that while they are less restrictive, they also have a lower filtering efficiency than a paper element. In particularly finely dusty environments, sometimes the dust will get through. I never had it happen in Houston, but it might be an issue in Phoenix. Other people have said they coated their MAF in oil and caused problems, but that may have been due to over-oiling the element.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

so when you're going in reverse with the roof flipped up and the shade closed, you will feel a slight breeze.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

My VE functions just like any normal automatic transmission out there. It's no different than driving my 1990 Stanza or a Cavalier.

Maybe I'm missing what he means by winding down heavy.

The tranny does automatically downshift while you are slowing to a stop. But if it stayed in 4th gear the entire time you were slowing down, that would minimize your chances of feeling any engine braking. The lower your gear, the harsher the engine braking will feel. Which makes me wonder what gear he's in.

TimberJon, are you sure the tranny is in OD when you are slowing down? Are you sure it's not in 2nd gear the entire time? The reason I say this is b/c the shifter linkage and bushing can be out of wack, which can cause the actual shifter to be in D, but the tranny to be in 2nd. When you accelerate, make sure you feel it shift from 1-2 and then from 2-3. Once in 3rd gear (D), click OD on and make sure you feel the 3-4 shift. Once your speed has leveled off while in OD, you should slightly feel and see the revs drop 200 rpm when your torque converter locks up.

That is the normal function of the automatic tranny.

At the very least, check your tranny fluid level while the motor is running and warn and the car is on a level surface. The fluid should be bright red and should smell just like brand new tranny fluid. If the condition is anything other than brand spanking new, then change the fluid.

TimberJon

iTrader: (2)

Yes I always keep the trans in OD. By winding down i mean that sometimes it seems to take too long to shift, like the RPMs were getting too high before it would shift. Even when i let my foot off the accelerator to let it know its time, it wouldnt do it. So when i reapplied the accelerator, it would just rev to like 4k RPM again and then shift.

At a certain speed, street speed. Say between 25 and 40, when i let my foot off the accelerator to just coast, I can feel the engine spin the torque converter and trans and slow me down by about 5 MPH over 3 seconds. Im just not used to any lag or resistance on my GXE's AT trans.

Other symptoms that may be related:
Engine cut off while reversing out of parking space. (Only once, never happened again)
Low Idle, with no additional power usage and no A/C on.
Applying accelerator substantially, the accel faltered, RPMs went up and down and it seemed to be coughing. No strange smells, smoke or rattling under the hood, but some oil leaks at maybe 2 points.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

You definitely has some issues with this transmission. I can't say that you need a rebuild since I haven't driven it. Hopefully, it's just some other part that is failing like your throttle position sensor (controls AT and shift points), tranny solenoids that are mounted on your control valve body inside the tranny (they are not hard to replace for an experienced mechanic), or transmission fluid level and/or condition.

Mr. Blue Sky

iTrader: (1)

i would guess it is if you leave the moonroof open, you could get all the air circulation that it adds without having a ton of sunlight and heat coming in from the sunroof.

Duckman540i

iTrader: (12)

Ya, you could just leave it in the tilt position, with the slider totally closed, and still get air coming in with everything shaded. I like that design actually. Makes sense.

geoff.doctor

Yes my 1990 subaru legacy factory sunroof has vents in the sunshade. I prefer it over the maxima roof, because it is nice to vent it with the shade shut, eliminates a lot of unwanted heat from the sun. I think my buddy has that same aftermarket skylite sunroof in his avalon.