It overheated really bad, so we took it to tuffy and said the water pump and timing belt need to be replaced. Then we took it to the backyard mechanic to do the work.

 

i'm going to say that you'll be getting a different car carl.

 

"Overheated really bad" on an engine with aluminum heads usually means it's FUBAR'd

If it were me I'd swap in a used VG before dropping $1,200 just to fix a valve or two. You could probably completely rebuild an engine for that

 

i dont know, rebuilds are alot these days. the HG blew on my Crown and i dont have time to fix it myself so i took it to a garage, estimate for a complete rebuild if the head was decked was $6000-$7000, i caught it early enough that the gasket could just be replaced and it was $3300 for the HG, timing belt, water pump, valve seals, and all that random crap

but yeah overheating+aluminum heads is bad, VG30E are cheap enough that i would look at a engine swap

 

I say find out what's up with that black one you found first. If you had I fix one, I'd go for it rather than your GXE.

 

I drove past there just yesterday and it was gone , im still hoping an employee owns it...

I'll see how my parents react to that, they're already complaining about putting $185 in it already.

My parents praise the current motor because it's got only 60k, but i'd like to do a swap...

 

Guys quick question. Does my lowness matter if im on

- Intrax / stock struts
- Intrax / KYB
Intrax / Tokico

Which would be the overall lowest?

 

your springs sets ride height...not the struts.
the struts just dampens the bump so your suspension is not a pogo stick.

with all your set up that you listed...they will ALL ride the same height (intrax springs)

 

 

thank you for the help!

 

Guys quick question! I'm about to buy a guys 5.5 gen wheels + tires and I want to know if they'll fit right out if the box with no extra work. Will they just screw on?

Also, is there anyway to remove rust from brakes? I dont have too much, but I'd like to get rid of the little bit I have. Thanks!

 

ok this thread is NOT your personal Q&A man. do a search on the wheels and see.

what part of the brakes?! rotor? caliper? splash shield? pads?

 

Sorry.Won't happen again.

 

Wheels will bolt right on

 

Phew, that's good to know! Thanks James, appreciate it.

 

Update:

Got the car back from the shop yesterday morning and it finally runs the way it should. Had two bad fuel injectors.


Now that my parents fixed the mechanics and having 16 days until I can get my license I finally feel safe putting a little money into it!

More updates:
I ditched the plastidip roof and just ordered a gloss black vinyl wrap and yellow headlight tint.

Better news: I bought TonyJr intrax springs so I can finally drop it! Also a stillen kit is in the works if we can get shipping settled.

The "whip" progress will now TRULY move at a steady pace as I want it done by January.

I'm excited, wish me luck.

 

Tinted my headlights yellow after school today.

After the 1st coat :




Finished product:




Hoping to get some better pictures up tomorrow.

 

why yellow?

 

It looked good on a Porsche so I figured it would look just as good on a maxima

 

Stillen lip kit will be here soon. Just received my 3M Vinyl wrap for the roof.

 

Can u take some more pix looks clean

 

How do you tint the lights?

 

Thank you. I found some tint spray on amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005Y38S3E/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1386653451&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

 

 

cant believe im saying this but that green looks good

 

Thanks! I think we're the only two to think so.

 

That guy robed you that much for that doing suspension on these cars is easy

 

years ago that guy did my timing belt, water pump, AND all the suspension stuff for $1000. i checked at work how much just the timing belt and water pump pays on a 3rd gen VG and it came out to over $1000 alone

 

is it straight paint or vinyl wrap?

 

Everything but the roof is plastidip. The roof is vinyl wrapped black. I just got it back from the shop yesterday so hopefully I'll get some pictures after a good washing.

 

1000 for all that work is not bad.
it wasn't just suspension...it was also the timing belt and control arms which are not easy job since the inner sleeve of the control arm bushing usually gets rusted on the stud.

and FYI...doing struts on 3rd gens are NOT an easy task.
i'll do 4th gen struts and springs all day before i'll do a 3rd gen one. on the rears..gland packing nut..removal of entire lower spindle...total PITA.

 

yep, i remember him saying the rear struts were miserable. best $1000 i ever spent lol

 

RIP

 

bruuuuutal, dont know how you can see your own vehicle at the junkyard. accidentally ran into my Hardbody at the junkyard and literally cried for the first time in years seeing it all smashed up and stripped

 

What happened Carl? Was the car not salvageable? That's ashame to see bud as i know you obviously put a fair bit of work into it and it didn't seem that long ago you looked so forward to driving it once you got your liscence. You also could have parted out alot of good parts here.

 

This was my solution.




OP: That blows seeing your car at the junkyard. Happened to me once, although it was a car I bought for $300 and sold for $800 a month later, so there wasn't any emotional attachment there. Saw it at the yard a couple months after selling, bought a few nice parts off it which felt a little weird considering the car was mine..

 

Like a fool I ran the car out of oil. Car was trashed but I got a few of the parts off of it

Yeah it did suck seeing the car at the junkyard.

 

Funny after owning 80 cars in my life I only have two confirmed dead.. neither one I had to see though. Both were 4th gen maximas. One of them was wrecked two weeks before I inquired about buying it back, the other was sold to a former coworker and later burned to the ground in his driveway. Oddly enough, with full coverage on a car with 325k... still sad though.