thisisausername

I just bought a used 1996 maxima with 117000 miles on it, and i've got a few questions.

When I got it, the check engine light was on. I checked the codes and they were knock sensor and some other sensor(forgot). I reset the light and it hasn't come back on for about 100 miles now. Was this just a fluke or do you think something is wrong?

this maxima has a 5 speed stick, and it's my first manual. I've accidentally shifted into 1st a couple of times when I wanted 3rd(the first time rpms went just past 7000). will this cause engine damage?

3rd gear seems to get stuck sometimes and I need to put a little force on it to shift into it, can I replace something to fix this?

there are little paint chips missing all over the car, it looks like someone got little dots of white paint on it, but its really just chipped to the primer. Is there a way to prevent these from rusting this winter?(im going to do a repaint next summer)

the engine seems to have trouble starting from a cold start. The starter revs and the car shakes (im assuming from misfires?) for like 5 seconds before it starts sometimes. Once it starts it runs just fine though. Are there any common causes for this in Maximas?

the pvc boots are shot, should i replace the bearings or just the boots?

the strut boots are also shot. This doesn't seem to be causing any problems, should I still go through the hassle to fix them?

when I turn sharp corners something in the back of the car makes a noise somewhat like chirping rubber(like when you spin the front wheels a little), like "eeearrrrp". I suscpect some suspension component but I don't know where to look.

the paint around one connecter for the spoiler was a bubbled up, I assumed rust so we tried to remove the spoiler. The spoiler bolts were all so badly rusted that we had to drill them out(we messed up the bolts in the process). Eventually we got the spoiler off, only to reveal serious rust under the paint by the connector. Now im stuck with 2 problems...

The rust on one side has pitted the metal so I can't get all of it off. the metal is clean but there are little millimeter wide pits all over that are still filled with rust. I've heard that painting over rust will just cause it to rear it's ugly head later. I thought about those rust converters, but I heard they don't work. should I go through the work of welding new metal in place, or will painting over it be okay?

The other problem is my messed up spoiler mounting bolts... I can't really reuse them becuase they are all drilled up (holes in them). I can't see how they got the bolts into the spoiler, so I don't know how to replace them. does anyone know how I can get new bolts into my spoiler?

I really like this car...and the speed . Im gonna try to make it last as long as possible. Do those undercoatings really protect the bottom? should I paint the engine block to stop the rust? how can I fix my leather seats?(drivers seat has a tear in it).

can I turbocharge this car easily?

sorry for all the questions but I have to dump them somewhere.

kudos to whoever put up this site too...its great to have a huge forum dedicated to nothing but my car.

ScarfaceTHX

Well, you probably need a need knock sensor and 3rd gear synchros. The knock sensor going bad is very common.

The rest of the laundry list... I'd put in an application for "Pimp My Ride".

Terran

iTrader: (6)

The KS won't trip the light, so check for codes again...it's probably still there.

Sy0p

how much did you pay for the maxima

ThunderMaxi

Pimp My Ride... too funny. Why would you buy a car with CEL on?? That's like marrying a pregnant girl, then looking for her virginity. Did you pay more that $3000 for it?

99se5spd

yowza...lets see...

-overrevving the engine will cause engine damage so be careful with that.
-my 3rd gear is a little notchy too, but thats probably b/c of b&m short shifter i dont even notice it anymore
-the maximas love paint chips. pick up some touch up paint from the dealer soon so they dont start rusting...for a cleaner look search langka on the internet.
-hard start check plugs/fuel filter/air filter/pcv valve. im not sure if you have maintinece receipts or not. plugs are ngk platinum ($) last for 75k
-pvc boots? im assuming you mean cv boots (axles?) if the boots are torn they are probably already "clicking" (listen for it while you accelerate from a stop while turning) if they dont click they will soon. probably safer to replace since you need to pull the axles to replace the boot anyway.
-rear end squeel, depending on how you drive the max's have quite a bit of body roll so you may be hearing the weight of the car on one of the rear tires durring aggressive cornering, other than that i have no idea. lol.
-trunk...you can sand all of the rust off and have the whole thing repainted. easiest probably is taking both the trunk lid and the spoiler to a body shop and tell them to fix it. im assuming it is an aftermarket oem style spoiler and when they drilled the holes during install they did not prime them to prevent rust. put silicone around the holes before reattaching the spoiler to seal out moisture. as far as the bolts go if you messed up the threads in the spoiler you prob have to tap them. replacement bolts i would reccomed stainless steel (again for rust)
-undercoating-probably useful in north/prob. not in south but with the mileage on your car the damage is already done...so no not worth it
-paint the engine block...no
-leather seats, no fix have to replace, you can find a custom upholstery shop and they can replace the torn peices. i recommend lexxol leather cleaner/conditioner to keep them from cracking.
-there are tons of threads on hear about supercharging the max

and lastly congratulations, welcome to the wonderful world of the maxima

thisisausername

well, ill admit, I paid 4100 for the maxima. It was a good deal though. My dad is an ex mechanic and checked it out. We were pretty sure before we brought it home that the CEL was just on from stupid sensors, and luckily we were right. It was in really nice condition, owned by a female teacher we think(sticker on back window, title). We think she sold it becuase the CEL went on... it had new tires, good brakes, new wipers...ect

The reason why im posting here is to get a second opinion on things. My dad tends to be very cheap, so he would much rather paint over the rust than repair the metal. Same deal with the cv joints (sorry, was thinking about pvc valve at time).

trunk : I would be repainting it myself becuase I don't got enough money for body shop repairs. I need to know whether I should replace the metal or paint over a bit of rust. I sanded it down so all thats left is clean metal marred with tiny rust pits. Is this safe to paint over or will I be fixing again later?

spoiler: I believe this is the factory option spoiler becuase it also attaches in seperate places with plastic connectors as well. The rust looks to have been caused by a defective gasket on one side.

joints: I don't think I hear clicking...will the joints be okay if we replace the boots soon?

knock sensor: I bet it's bad, but I don't really care too much. If it was knocking you would probably hear it anyways.

hard start: were not sure, everything but plugs and pvc valve have been changed

paint chips: I just need protection through winter, painting whole car next summer.

paint the engine block: com'n man, its rustin! I want this car to last.

undercoating: I've heard mixed opinions on rubberized undercoating, anyone here heard of POR-15?

super/turbo:if I can find one cheap enough off ebay.

buying with the CEL light on: if it's from a stupid problem you can still get the dealer to knock off like 700 bux if its on...

if it matters, I have a 1996 Nissan Maxima SE "gold edition".

do you know what gold edition means? I have no idea. It's just a peeling sticker on the side of the car for all I know.

thanks for feedback everybody!

already went to pimp my rides website, I don't qualify cuz im not in southern cali

mikee72

iTrader: (2)

With all this talk of "pvc,", I wonder if the "Gold Edition" added an optional toliet!