BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

I am new to these forums, so please, take it easy on me. I've been a maxima fan ever since the 3rd generation. I currently have the 4th generation Maxima. It's a 1998 SE fully loaded. I've had the car from 0 miles, and I am the original owner. Service was completed as were set in the service manual, and everything was smooth until this weekend. When changing my oil my mechanic told me that my transmission oil was leaking, without a doubt I thought it was the axle seal. When he opened the axle, I was horrified of the news; it was my differential bearing that is bad. Reading some of the forums here it looks like that the 4th Generation is infamous for these problems. I also found out that my push bearing will need to be replaced because every time I start my car there is a growling noise, and when I push down the clutch it goes away. Now, this is where I run into a dilemma. My car has 110,000 miles and rebuilding mine would be costly ($1100) and absurd. I found a transmission for $1000 that is locking (LSD) with 23K original miles, coming from a 98 Maxima, and I can have the mechanic put it in for about $250. Should I go ahead and replace this transmission with the used one, or should I get a remanufactured one? Also a lot of people at this forum posted that originally Nissan didn't shim correctly the stock bearings, and they turned out to be too big, by 6.4 thousandths of an inch if I am not mistaken. If I buy this transmission will it go bad on me at around 60K because of the same bad problem, that being the bearings, or should I just go out and get a remanufactured one? (Quoted for $1100) Also how long can I drive this car, I drive around 2,000K a month, and the oil keeps on leaking more and more each day. It is at the point where I noticed the smell. When in gear; the 1st 2nd and partially 3rd gear make a dull whining noise, I think it’s because of the low oil in the transmission-- maybe I am wrong. If I drive like this what's the worst that could happen to the car? Lastly, since I will probably be replacing the transmission, I am going to put in a new clutch. The one I found is Exedy clutch kit; I am able to get it for $132. Is that a fairly descent price, and is there a better one for a little more money? I know that I have exhausted you already, but I would greatly appreciate some feedback to this post. My gratitude goes out in advance. If anyone is familiar with these questions/problems PLEASE post them here or e-mail me @ staplescomp@aol.com

Scruit

1100 for rebuilt or 1000 for used? I'd rebuild - and make sure that include all 6 bearings and checking/adjusting endplay on bith input and main shafts plus diff housing.

ivelweyz

hell no, get the LSD and tell the mechanic to fix the shim proble...

Scruit

So instead of spending 1100 on rebuilding his own tranny, he'll spend 1000 in buying a used one AND spend 1100 on reshimming it? You obviously never rebuilt a maxima tranny.


(The diff shims are the very last component out of the case - so it would be exactly the same amount of labor as a full rebuild.

BlkStnValyMaxima

iTrader: (1)

I pulled the tranny myself and brought it to a Transmission Shop. It should only take a couple hours at the most for a good transmission guy to do the job if he just has the transmission and doesn't have to do all the work to take it out of the car. I only payed 200 bucks, and that includes the bearings.

Parsec

But don't forget most of the work involved isn't with opening up the tranny, but taking it out. It shouldn't take long to properly shim them on the used one w/LSD, then putting it back in.

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

so if I get the the used one, how much should it cost to reshim it?

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

also can I get anything for my old transmission?

I30tMikeD

iTrader: (8)

That price seems really low. Was this a "friend" of yours?

The bearings for a VSLD tranny are almost twice as much as a non-locking tranny.

Ramius83

Well, you tell us what you want to do? Do you have the money to spend, or do you just need to fix it so you have a "working" vehicle. I say, if you money, get the VLSD tranny. When it arrives, immediately take it to a shop and have them re-build it. Since they only have to "re-shim" it, it should be in the neighborhood of $500.00, that is what a local shop wanted around here when I was looking into rebuilding my old 5-speed. So, you will be spending about $1600-$2000 for the VLSD tranny, labor to re-shim it, new bearings/shims, and labor for the other shop to put it in. And, just to let you know, they can't just do this project in one day. Once they find the bearing load of the differential, they need to order the shims from Nissan, which took me about 7 business days, but that was my situation, not yours.

If you do get the VLSD, don't just slap it in there. Because no matter what in the future, the differential bearings will go bad. So why not jsut do it now and solve the problem from square one? I hope this clarified a few things for you.

xsnowpig

iTrader: (1)

Aren't the driver's side half axles different for VLSD and a free spinner diff? i know the axle seals are not interchangeable. If this is the case, factor this in the cost of the project.

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

O.K I just found a 1998 transmission w/38K miles for about $500. In my opinion, I mean I don't know that much, 38K miles on a transmission is not all that much, why would I need to reshim it and put new bearings? Doesn't it have very little miles and by theory should last me another 100k miles? Should I really be rebuilding this tranny? The guy that I am buying this off also tells me that these tranny's go for like 150K-200K without the problems of bad diff bearings? and lastly is this true or not?

Altimat

Where did you find it? It looks like I need one for my '96 SE also. I have a "card in spokes" type noise most evident under acceleration in lower gears, but still audible in neutral. It goes away when the clutch pedal is depressed. Is this the "push" bearing? Can anyone recommend some good used parts sources?

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

yes that would be the push bearings

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

dont just expect a trans that has low miles not to have problems a different bearing problem will be evident around 60k miles, while that new used trans it out have it checked and make sure that ther bearings are okay, then u can have some piece of mind

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

Will checking the bearings be a lot of time? How long does it take to get to them? Also how much should I expect to pay for someone to check the bearings?

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

since the trans is already out it shouldnt be more than $100 to check

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

and if it needs repair maybe 200-400 since the trans is out

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

Thnx for the heads up... also should I epxect them to be messed up? I mean the tranny only has 40K on it, don't they last more then that? I know that they have problems with the bearings, but do ALL 4th generation's have them?

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

nope i haven't had any bearing problems after 103k, it would show wear at 40 k, but it would get noisy at like 60 k in first gear especially, and slowly creeping into second gear

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

THNX for the reply NiSSIMO. So I guess my best bet is to get them checked out before putting the new one in. Also, is it hard for them to spot if the bearings had wear on them? Also when the bearings are going are they that noicy?

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

if its bad they'll know, just make sure they do a thorough internal trans inspection, when the bearings are going you will hear a whining noise in ur transmission that will slowly creep into the higher gears starting from first gear (not to be mistake for the whine heard when reversing or accelerating in first gear)

Altimat

Where is it located? Is this the one at the trans end of the input shaft?

speedemn

iTrader: (14)

My tranny broke recently and I was in the same boat as you (sorta'). I was going to go with a used or remanufactured tranny, but the Nissan dealership told me that all 5-spd trannys that they can get are brand new in a crate. I would NOT recommend a used one because you never know what that has been through.

Spend a few hundred more... get it done at a Nissan dealership... get a brand new tranny as a result. It is well worth it. You will also get the warranty on the NEW tranny, and labour.

Good luck.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

how much did this cost?

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

Thnx for the suggestion But I bought a tranny from a 98 Se w/ LSD with 43K for 500$ the dealer wanted $2000 plus 1000 for labor. I am paying 250 for labor, so what I will do is basically have them inspect the old tranny make sure the bearings are good and hopefully with some luck it will work

speedemn

iTrader: (14)

In my case, the tranny was in such bad shape, that to open it up and try to fix it would have cost me more in labour... and I might have ended up needing a new tranny anyway... so I just had them do a straight swap and save myself the time and trouble:

Prices in Canadian $:

Brand new 5-spd tranny in crate: $2200 CDN
Labour: $399 CDN (I got quoted $500... nice to see honest dealerships once in a while)
Total: just over $3000 CDN after taxes

Self imposed expenses :
ACT stage 1 clutch + UR flywheel: $780 US

speedemn

iTrader: (14)

$500 is hard to argue with, to justify spending almost 3x that for a brand new tranny. I hope that your tranny problems are worked out... if they are offering to rip open your old tranny and fix it, just for $250 in labour that is awesome!

Good luck again and hope you get your car back soon.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

rememeber you will need a LSD driver side axle as well with the LSD transmission

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

I have an SE I thought that they could just swap it out and replace it

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

yea thnx speed. It is costing me 250 for them to take it out and put it in. PLUS I ordered a BRAND new clutch so the guy is putting in for me for free

speedemn

iTrader: (14)

Yeah they shouldn't charge you to install the clutch at any place... the tranny is already out... it takes no time to take off the old clutch and put the new one on.

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

does ur trans have lsd? if not u need the axle

speedemn

iTrader: (14)

Not unless you already have LSD. The dealership told me that they would order both axles because there is a possibility that both will need to be replaced... plus there might be other parts too.

Don't forget, axles are not cheap... you'd be paying another $150 for each axle (dealer price I think).

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

If I have an LSD already why would I need to replace the axexls?

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

Is 100$ to look at the bearings a faire price?

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

you DO have lsd? then its no problem 100 to look at the bearings is fair enough, i payed friggin 300 for diagnostic and dropping of the trans so... yeah

BLCKMAX

iTrader: (2)

nissimo thnx, can you also take a look @ my other thread, about my multi code errors. There are 4 error codes can you please look at them and see if you can help me??? please ????