budha56

Hey, all. I just bought my uncle's Maxima, so I'm going to show up here from time to time. It's a 1996 SE with 5 speed. 77,000 miles. Alpine stereo with 12 disc changer. I love it. Good thing I have cruise control. Anyway, I was wondering if I could get some experienced feedback on the performance and shifting of the stock Maxima and its 5 speed. Best rpm launch speed, best passing gear, etc. I've never owned a manual before. Any intricasies that I can learn from others who know that car will save me time in getting to know it. Also, what are the first couple of cheap modifications that I will want to consider? I've heard the front stabalizer bar and a new exhaust make a big difference? I am a college student, so I won't have too much money to pump in, but I'd like to consider some relatively cheap mods. Thanks a lot!!

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (1)

Were to start....where to start....well about the 5-speed, it's got ALOT of low end torque....so if you give it too much gas you'll smoke em......I USUALLY start around 1600-2000 rpms for a quick take off....maybe a little more for a REALLY quick take off. As for passing gears, from 30-50 2nd, from 50-80 3rd....and if you're passing faster than 80....you can be in 5th (it pulls really well in 5th gear on the highway. As for cheap mods......get a hi-flow intake like the JWT popcharger, or Place Racing CAI, I personally went with the Popcharger, cuz it was only 110 bucks....vs. 220 for the CAI....you don't have to cut a hole....and there isn't any VIABLE evidence that the CAI is better. The go with a y-pipe...it's the most AMAZING mod...it's pricey....300-450 bucks...but it is so worth it....with just those two...you can transform your quiet family car into a Grand Prix GTP killer.

Any more questions....just drop me an e-mail

-Bri

BrianV

iTrader: (9)

LOL - Grand Prix GTP Killer!! Haha we're never gonna hear the end of it.

BriGuyMax

iTrader: (1)

Yea, I know...I had to say it. It's totally true though...I walked all over one a few days ago.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

I would also suggest you change your tranny oil. The 5 speed tends to be a little balky when shifting. Go with Red-line mt-90 synthetic fluid and your box will be a whole lot easier to change gears with.

DW

Guest

I'm buying some mt-90 tonight (the local mail-order warehouse sells it for $6.50/qt to in-town buyers, but you have to make an appointment because there's not enough demand to justify a store), along with a Haynes (had the car for 10 days now, and just found out the Nissan manual is $120!). So I've tried researching how to change it myself because I don't have too much mechanical experience, and the only instructions I've found make it sound difficult and they say you need a pump because the fill hole is inaccessible by the bottle. Is this true? Where can I get a pump? Is it cheap to just pay someone to drain and refill the transmission?

I have a 98SE 5sp.

tomj

I have a '98 5-speed with the Redline fluid and I did it myself. You just need to make something that can bend down into the fill hole. I bought a foot of one inch plastic tubing and a funnel (kind of like for chugging beer) and used that to fill it up. Another tip I can offer is for getting that filling plug off. You can use a regular socket wrench with no socket on to get into the square opening. The whole process shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes. It is definitely worth it. The gears will shift exactly the same, nice and smooth, whether it is 10 degrees or 110 degrees out from a cold start to completely warmed up.

Good Luck!

Sonic

Couldn't tell you myself, but word has it that it has enough low end torque to take off in 5th gear without stalling the engine.

kratz74

I did my manual trans fluid change myself also. Fairly easy. Hardest part is breaking free the drain/fill bolt on the front of the tranny (the female square end). Filling is easy and I used the Redline bottles with ease to refill...

Guest

I haven't even gotten underneath the car yet, I'm just going by what I've read in FAQs. What size is the female drain bolt (receptacle?)

tomj, you mentioned you could use the ratchet, and that's great advice, but was it a 1/2" or 3/8"?

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

Another tip to use when filling the tranny, if the car is level, you can simply just keep filling up with MT-90 until it starts to spill out. The fill hole happens to be exactly at the top level for the fluid, so you won't have to worry about over-filling at all.

Remember, that is if the car is level, on jack stands or whatever, but level.

DW

kratz74

I forget whether it is 1/2 or 3/8" I'm guessing 3/8 inch... Whatever it is - it's a universal size (meaning you can borrow one from your neighbor)

EuroMaxima99SE

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I've had a car for 6 months now, put on 10k miles already , so now its got 36000 miles, and I never changed my tranny oil. 5 spd. How often should I change it? what kind is the best one? and how much does it usually cost to change?

kratz74

You never NEED to change it but it helps with the shifting espcially in the cold or heat (if you race). Use Redline if you do it. Costs about $8 / quart and I think you need 5 quarts. Only need to change it to Redline once. Get MT90 (70-80wt)unless you live far North and temps rarely get over 90-95 then use MTL(75-90wt)

Guest

Yeah, that's a good tip, I saw that elsewhere too. But here's my concern: I saw Daniel B. Martin said that a drain and fill will only replace half the tranny oil. Does anyone here think that to get the full benefits out of the Redline (and that pretty penny I'm giving up for it is begging me to get the most out of her), I should have the system flushed and refilled? When a tranny is flushed, do they use a different fluid then pump in the oil, or do they use all new oil that forces out the old? In either case, how many quarts should I have on hand?

thanks for your help, guys.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

I think you may be confusing automatic tranny's and manuals. In an auto, you never get all the tranny fluid out, and they need the flushing because they are much more sensitive to the characteristics of the tranny fluid. In a manual tranny, it is just like an oil change. Drain and fill.

DW

kratz74

Don't mean to pick a fight but saying that half the fluid stays in the tranny after a drain is flat out WRONG! I removed the drain bolt and jacked the front of my car up and let it drain 1/2 hour. B4 I did this a ran the car to operating temp to get the oil thinned so it would flow better. Jacking the car up makes th oil flow right to the drain bolt. My car then took nearly 5 full quarts of tranny fluid. If 1/2 the oil stayed in, the capacity would be 10 quarts of fluid-maybe for a Freightliner but bot for a MAx. The MAx's capacity is 5 quarts. You will get as much or more of the tranny fluid out as you would with motor oil at a regular oil change.

DOn;t sweat the deminimus amount of fluid remaining, the Redline is well worth it. Good luck.

Guest

Youre' right, I didn't know there was a difference between manuals and autos. So if I put the car on ramps and jackstands I'm in business? I have a 5speed. Drain and fill and I'm good, 5 quarts?

Thanks

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

That's it!

DW

Guest

Sweeeeeet. Thanks for your help! See you at 200K.