A maxima saga….
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Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 127
A maxima saga….
A maxima saga….
First, a little about me…
While I am good a fixing things, I have never done much in the way of auto repair. I have never done an oil change or replaced anything on a car other then spark plugs and stereo. If I have a problem I take my car to someone else for service.
A little Maxima history…
I have a 1996 Maxima GLE that I bought with only 24k miles way back in 1998. My wife has driven this car for the last 7 years. I got hooked. When the engine on my 1991 240SX seized up, I picked up a 1995 Maxima GXE with 64k miles as its replacement.
The saga begins…
Last December, my wife had a blowout and side-swiped a curb. We had the car towed to the dealership and had all kinds of stuff replaced on the suspension, control arms, joints, boots, etc. They also recommend replacing the struts and mounts, but it was too much money at the time. Back in June, I finally decided that I had to get the struts replaced. We took the car back in and had the work done ($$$$). A week later, we were driving back from a family visit in NJ, and stopped at a Wawa (convenience store like 7-11) to fill up the tank.
About a mile or so from the gas station, one of the cylinders started to misfire. Considering the timing of the problem, my first thought was that we got some bad gas. About 20 minutes later, we stopped at a different place and got some ‘Dry-Gas’ to hopefully clean things up. It didn’t work at all, the misfiring continued all the way home, but we got there. I drove out that tank of gas, and at the next fill-up, put in some fuel injector cleaner hoping this might resolve the problem. I was now driving the car to try to work the problem out.
About a week later, I still was having no success. On my way home from work, I started driving the car much harder than usual. I was gunning the engine up hills, taking off from stop signs at full throttle in the hope that this would clear out whatever the problem was. As it turns out, this was a mistake, and a big one. I started hearing a loud banging noise. At this point, I decided it was time for the dealership to take a look at the problem. Just to make things interesting, this same day, my 95 GXE decided to let its starter die. Both Maximas were out of commission. The next morning, we drove the 96 GLE to the dealership and had the 95 GXE towed in. Needless to say, it was a bad day for the Maximas.
Monday, the dealership called and gave me the bad news. The 95 GXE needed a new starter (not too bad). The 96 GLE however, had shot the spark plug all the way out of the #6 cylinder. It was laying on top of the engine in pieces, and the ignition coil was destroyed. The spark plugs threads had been stripped out of the engine. According to the dealership, to fix this they would have to drop the engine and pull it apart to fix the threads. Because of the cost of doing this, they recommended a new engine, OUCH!
I was not about to dump another $5000 into the car for the dealership to put in a new engine, so it was time to look for a new car. We drove the 96 GLE home and parked it. I was expecting to donate it for a tax write off. We set off on a search for another car. We looked at some Generation 5 Maximas, a 95 GLE with only 66k miles, and we also saw a 1999 Infiniti I30t at an Infiniti dealership with only 74k miles in absolutely perfect condition (including a 60k mile service according to CARFAX). After, 4-5 days of searching we settled on and bought the 1999 I30t. It was almost identical to the old 96 GLE that my wife loved so much, same color inside and out, everything.
Now I had the problem of having too many cars, my 95 GXE with 160k, my wife’s old 96 GLE with 130k and a blown engine, and a nice 1999 I30t. Since, according to the dealership, the engine on the 96 GLE was shot, I had nothing to lose by trying to fix it myself. After searching the NET, I learned about Heli-coil kits to fix just this problem. I went to my local auto parts store and picked one up. I figured for $28 it is worth a shot, I certainly couldn’t make anything worse. I have tapped new threads into various things before, but never something like this. Before, if I screwed it up, it was no big deal. If I blew it on this one, it was done, and the engine was trash.
I got the kit home and started planning exactly how the repair would go. I began by looking at how I could tap the threads, the cutting die would fit into the recess for the spark plug, but the socket for the wrench would not. It was just a little too large. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a slimmer ¾ in socket anywhere. I did notice that an 11/16 socket would fit the recess. I broke out my bench grinder and turned the nut on the die into an 11/16s nut. I would now be able to cut the hole. I began to figure out how to remove the shavings from the exposed cylinder, a friend suggested that I stuff a piece of cloth into the cylinder to catch the shavings and pull it out when I was done. I liked the idea, but I couldn’t get it into the hole. I had a micro attachment to my shop vac that someone gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, so I broke that out to suck the shavings out of the cylinder. I could now make new threads and clean out the hole, I was ready to give it a try.
Needless to say, I was nervous about this repair, but I was done with the planning, now I just had to execute. I re-threaded the hole, sucked out the shavings and popped in the spark plug. I borrowed an ignition coil from my 95 GXE and fired up the engine. IT WORKED! After dancing naked in the streets for a couple of hours (not really) I realized that the valves where tapping. I believe this was the result of pushing the engine so hard with a blown cylinder (at least I hope so). I also found that I need a new valve gasket. Since I had never change the spark plugs (hey, they only at 130k miles on them) I popped in some new plugs as well.
I have put 200 miles on the car with the repair in place and all is well with the engine. I have been listening to the car very carefully and have noticed that I have a brake problem and an alignment problem (both of which should be under dealer warranty from earlier repairs). The valves are tapping, so I will probably have the dealership look at this while it is in the shop for the other issues.
The saga continues….
I know this is a bit long winded for a post, but I had to tell someone about this who could appreciate it.
Rob.
First, a little about me…
While I am good a fixing things, I have never done much in the way of auto repair. I have never done an oil change or replaced anything on a car other then spark plugs and stereo. If I have a problem I take my car to someone else for service.
A little Maxima history…
I have a 1996 Maxima GLE that I bought with only 24k miles way back in 1998. My wife has driven this car for the last 7 years. I got hooked. When the engine on my 1991 240SX seized up, I picked up a 1995 Maxima GXE with 64k miles as its replacement.
The saga begins…
Last December, my wife had a blowout and side-swiped a curb. We had the car towed to the dealership and had all kinds of stuff replaced on the suspension, control arms, joints, boots, etc. They also recommend replacing the struts and mounts, but it was too much money at the time. Back in June, I finally decided that I had to get the struts replaced. We took the car back in and had the work done ($$$$). A week later, we were driving back from a family visit in NJ, and stopped at a Wawa (convenience store like 7-11) to fill up the tank.
About a mile or so from the gas station, one of the cylinders started to misfire. Considering the timing of the problem, my first thought was that we got some bad gas. About 20 minutes later, we stopped at a different place and got some ‘Dry-Gas’ to hopefully clean things up. It didn’t work at all, the misfiring continued all the way home, but we got there. I drove out that tank of gas, and at the next fill-up, put in some fuel injector cleaner hoping this might resolve the problem. I was now driving the car to try to work the problem out.
About a week later, I still was having no success. On my way home from work, I started driving the car much harder than usual. I was gunning the engine up hills, taking off from stop signs at full throttle in the hope that this would clear out whatever the problem was. As it turns out, this was a mistake, and a big one. I started hearing a loud banging noise. At this point, I decided it was time for the dealership to take a look at the problem. Just to make things interesting, this same day, my 95 GXE decided to let its starter die. Both Maximas were out of commission. The next morning, we drove the 96 GLE to the dealership and had the 95 GXE towed in. Needless to say, it was a bad day for the Maximas.
Monday, the dealership called and gave me the bad news. The 95 GXE needed a new starter (not too bad). The 96 GLE however, had shot the spark plug all the way out of the #6 cylinder. It was laying on top of the engine in pieces, and the ignition coil was destroyed. The spark plugs threads had been stripped out of the engine. According to the dealership, to fix this they would have to drop the engine and pull it apart to fix the threads. Because of the cost of doing this, they recommended a new engine, OUCH!
I was not about to dump another $5000 into the car for the dealership to put in a new engine, so it was time to look for a new car. We drove the 96 GLE home and parked it. I was expecting to donate it for a tax write off. We set off on a search for another car. We looked at some Generation 5 Maximas, a 95 GLE with only 66k miles, and we also saw a 1999 Infiniti I30t at an Infiniti dealership with only 74k miles in absolutely perfect condition (including a 60k mile service according to CARFAX). After, 4-5 days of searching we settled on and bought the 1999 I30t. It was almost identical to the old 96 GLE that my wife loved so much, same color inside and out, everything.
Now I had the problem of having too many cars, my 95 GXE with 160k, my wife’s old 96 GLE with 130k and a blown engine, and a nice 1999 I30t. Since, according to the dealership, the engine on the 96 GLE was shot, I had nothing to lose by trying to fix it myself. After searching the NET, I learned about Heli-coil kits to fix just this problem. I went to my local auto parts store and picked one up. I figured for $28 it is worth a shot, I certainly couldn’t make anything worse. I have tapped new threads into various things before, but never something like this. Before, if I screwed it up, it was no big deal. If I blew it on this one, it was done, and the engine was trash.
I got the kit home and started planning exactly how the repair would go. I began by looking at how I could tap the threads, the cutting die would fit into the recess for the spark plug, but the socket for the wrench would not. It was just a little too large. No matter where I looked, I couldn’t find a slimmer ¾ in socket anywhere. I did notice that an 11/16 socket would fit the recess. I broke out my bench grinder and turned the nut on the die into an 11/16s nut. I would now be able to cut the hole. I began to figure out how to remove the shavings from the exposed cylinder, a friend suggested that I stuff a piece of cloth into the cylinder to catch the shavings and pull it out when I was done. I liked the idea, but I couldn’t get it into the hole. I had a micro attachment to my shop vac that someone gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago, so I broke that out to suck the shavings out of the cylinder. I could now make new threads and clean out the hole, I was ready to give it a try.
Needless to say, I was nervous about this repair, but I was done with the planning, now I just had to execute. I re-threaded the hole, sucked out the shavings and popped in the spark plug. I borrowed an ignition coil from my 95 GXE and fired up the engine. IT WORKED! After dancing naked in the streets for a couple of hours (not really) I realized that the valves where tapping. I believe this was the result of pushing the engine so hard with a blown cylinder (at least I hope so). I also found that I need a new valve gasket. Since I had never change the spark plugs (hey, they only at 130k miles on them) I popped in some new plugs as well.
I have put 200 miles on the car with the repair in place and all is well with the engine. I have been listening to the car very carefully and have noticed that I have a brake problem and an alignment problem (both of which should be under dealer warranty from earlier repairs). The valves are tapping, so I will probably have the dealership look at this while it is in the shop for the other issues.
The saga continues….
I know this is a bit long winded for a post, but I had to tell someone about this who could appreciate it.
Rob.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,187
Good news! Just a little advice: stop taking your cars to the dealership for service. They are no longer on warranty and you are being raped everytime you go there as their chargeout rates, shop supplies, parts costs etc. are through the roof.
Now do you have a car that you need to dispose of?
Now do you have a car that you need to dispose of?
no offense, this threa is almost a life saver. but without this thread, one of us would og prob gotten a banging deal off your car since you thoguht ur car was shot n we knew it wasn't...-= )
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 127
Originally Posted by Bobo
Good news! Just a little advice: stop taking your cars to the dealership for service. They are no longer on warranty and you are being raped everytime you go there as their chargeout rates, shop supplies, parts costs etc. are through the roof.
Now do you have a car that you need to dispose of?
Now do you have a car that you need to dispose of?
If you can recommend someone good for repairs near Mt Airy/Gaithersburg/Frederick MD, I would like to hear it.
BTW: Yes, I now have a 95 GXE I will be selling as soon as my 96 hits 1000 miles since its repair and has a clean bill of health.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,187
Post in the regional forum concerning a reputable, reasonably priced, shop in your general area. I live 4,000 plus miles away and can't help in that regard.
Your experience with the stealership is unique based on my personal experience and what I have gleaned on this website.
Your experience with the stealership is unique based on my personal experience and what I have gleaned on this website.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 127
Originally Posted by udienow
wow... That took a while, ha. The stealer is an idiot never listen to what they say. But gj on the fix. Enjoy the fun of 3 maximas.
I disagree. To fix the car properly, you have to drop the engine out and rip it all apart to get at the block. If the dealership tried to fix my engine by doing it the way I did, I would be really pissed off. If they tried and failed and trashed the engine, they would be obligated to fix it by replacing the engine!
Just my $.02.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 6,187
Originally Posted by robsst
Thanks for the gj.
I disagree. To fix the car properly, you have to drop the engine out and rip it all apart to get at the block. If the dealership tried to fix my engine by doing it the way I did, I would be really pissed off. If they tried and failed and trashed the engine, they would be obligated to fix it by replacing the engine!
Just my $.02.
I disagree. To fix the car properly, you have to drop the engine out and rip it all apart to get at the block. If the dealership tried to fix my engine by doing it the way I did, I would be really pissed off. If they tried and failed and trashed the engine, they would be obligated to fix it by replacing the engine!
Just my $.02.
i thought it was weird that the guy at the dealership had to tell you that the sparkplug was laying in pieces on top of your engine. Didn't you open your hood to at least investigate before handing it over to the dealership?
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