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Just completed the driver door hinge replacement to cure a saggy door and wind noise. Not a bad job, took about 2 hours after painting the hinges and getting set up, but I'm a slow mechanic.
Here's the sequence: Remove front wheel, remove all top fender screws, wheel well splash shield screws, pop out the corner marker lamp to remove the 4 internal front fender screws and then the 2 screws near the door hinges. You don't have to remove the front bumper!! Pull the fender up and over the engine compartment flange so the fender flops out to expose the hinges. See photo.Clean out all the dirt that's trapped behind the fender.
Remove and replace the new hinges one at a time while the door is completely closed. When you've tightened down all bolts, open the door. It will probably sag, so put a floor jack under the door while it is just barely open and push it up so it's slightly (1/8" or so) higher than the body line because the door might drop a little when you tighten everything down. Then tighten the bolts down TIGHT! I used thread locker on the bolts. Note: the longer bolts go into the door. You might have to do this a few times until the door closes perfectly flush w/ the car body. Note: the old hinges have a welded washer on one
hole presumably to prevent the hinge from slipping. The new hinges do not have the washers so make sure you're good and tight- just don't strip 'em.
Also, to ensure the door closes good and tight, replace the door striker w/ a new one or swap it out w/ the back door. The black rubber coating gets torn up over time and allows the door to close a little looser than it should, so don't forget this part. That will ensure a good OEM tight fit.
I've had my 94 since 1/99. Got it w/ 41k miles for $10,000. It now has 194k. I've tracked the repair + investment history and calculates to costing me 15 cents/mile to own this car!! Not bad! It's just a rock-stock GXE w/ the very common tan/brown interior. Everything works except that crappy clock. She's now my spare car so she sits in the garage most days. My daughter drove it to TxTech out in Lubbock for 4 years and some of her friends made fun of her driving an "old" car! It looked better than most cars much newer. These things were all over Dallas back in the day. I might see 1 every few months at the most now. Sad most people would not maintain these cars not knowing actually how good they are.
James92SE- your car looks nice w/ those wheels. The paint is interesting- is that the no-sheen paint?
I've had my 94 since 1/99. Got it w/ 41k miles for $10,000. It now has 194k. I've tracked the repair + investment history and calculates to costing me 15 cents/mile to own this car!! Not bad! It's just a rock-stock GXE w/ the very common tan/brown interior. Everything works except that crappy clock. She's now my spare car so she sits in the garage most days. My daughter drove it to TxTech out in Lubbock for 4 years and some of her friends made fun of her driving an "old" car! It looked better than most cars much newer. These things were all over Dallas back in the day. I might see 1 every few months at the most now. Sad most people would not maintain these cars not knowing actually how good they are.
James92SE- your car looks nice w/ those wheels. The paint is interesting- is that the no-sheen paint?
Oldpuck81, I along with many im sure have had the problem with the dimming clock. I got to the point where it was getting to me so when i changed my cluster lights out to LED's i pulled the clock out while i had the dash trim out and just opened the clock up and re soldered the points i thought were bad and voila nice and bright like new. I think there is also a write up on the clock fix but it involved changing a couple components aswell i believe but i found for myself anyway just simply re soldering the points on the back of the clock board did the trick for me. Im not not an expert with soldering but im not the worst at it either. Im sure you'd have no problem with it should you decide you want to fix your clock. That is a nice stock 3rd gen. Is that paint original?
yes, that's the original paint. Shines pretty good! Except for 4 years in Lubbock TX, it's been under cover most of it's life. I had a white 90 GXE just like this one and it's paint was good til I sold it, except for the rt. front fender where the clear coat kind of yellowed and crystallized. That white paint did well down here in TX, plus we don't salt the roads.
I think I'll attempt the clock fix when I get time. I tried that on my 90 GXE and I don't think it worked.
I've had my 94 since 1/99. Got it w/ 41k miles for $10,000. It now has 194k. I've tracked the repair + investment history and calculates to costing me 15 cents/mile to own this car!! Not bad! It's just a rock-stock GXE w/ the very common tan/brown interior. Everything works except that crappy clock. She's now my spare car so she sits in the garage most days. My daughter drove it to TxTech out in Lubbock for 4 years and some of her friends made fun of her driving an "old" car! It looked better than most cars much newer. These things were all over Dallas back in the day. I might see 1 every few months at the most now. Sad most people would not maintain these cars not knowing actually how good they are.
James92SE- your car looks nice w/ those wheels. The paint is interesting- is that the no-sheen paint?
Very cool. Your car looks like it's been kept in phenomenal shape, good job.
I think the most amazing thing is that your daughter drove it through college for 4 years and it escaped seemingly completely unscathed!
These cars are finally dying off fast. I frequent some Dallas area junkyards (at least once or twice a month) and for the first time ever, one of my regular yards didn't have ONE single 3rd gen. Up until just the past couple of years, there were always at least 5 or 6 3rd gens in any yard I ever strolled into. It stinks to know that if I get into a fender bender now that it'll be difficult to quickly get replacement body parts. Makes me want to grab a set of fenders, and all glass, etc. while I can.
It seems that ~15 years is the magic number for finding cars in large volumes at junkyards. I've noticed that late 4th gens and early 5th gens can be found in large numbers at the yards. One of the Pick N Pull yards in DFW recently had something like 12 model year 2000 Maximas
Thanks, my blue Maxima is "flex blue" color PlastiDip. I replaced the roof on it and also documented the Dip in this thread:
James, there's a yard up on Hedgecoxe in North Plano that had a few 3rd gens last time I was there 2 years ago. They were pretty picked over but had some good sheet metal left and some drivetrain parts. I might go up there soon cuz I need the left outer splash shield that covers the end of the trans, but I'll probably end up ordering it from Courtesy.
Question. So these steps I will be able to remove the front driver fender and gain access to the firewall grommet to snake through 1/0 or 4 awg amp wire?
01-24-2016, 01:38 PM
