Well guys, I just bought a 1997 GLE Automatic w/ 199k miles. I knew when I bought it that it needed some work, unfortunately the work I was told it needed was entirely wrong information.

Thus far I swapped the MAF sensor(needlessly), changed both CV axles and a sway bar link. Found I had a bad CKSHFT ref sensor and changed it as well, now it starts MUCH quicker. I was looking over the post-cat o2 sensor and I made a wire in bad shape comletely break off so I need to replace that, car starts and dies now unless I give it some throttle the first few seconds(I'd say I rev it for the 1st 30 seconds tops) 1500-2k rpm seems to keep it happy. I hope the o2 sensor will sesolve that, but from my research here it sounds like it could be alot of things, namely the FPR and IACV, we'll see I guess. Plan to buy the Bosch 15727 4 wire heated universal o2 sensor.

Also, my rear struts are GONE. I can bottom the poor rear end with my foot on the bumper without difficulty. I dont plan to drive the car over 25mph until this is resolved. I plan on just buying a pair of monroe gas-matic struts as a cheap replacement, Advance Auto has a 25% off code for black friday I plan on taking advantage of.

Also, my transmission is leaking a bit more fluid than it should I've found, the pan looks pretty wet and it's the worst on the drivers side so I'm hoping it is just the pan gasket. From what I've read on here it's not critical to change the mesh filter so I just plan on draining it and installing a new gasket and refilling the tranny. Is DEX III/mercon ok to use in this transmission?


Also have a coolant leak, but it's much smaller thus far and I have not looked into it far enough to give much useful info, hopefully just a hose, on the driver side, towards the front of the car, but again I dont have the info to warrant much in the way of guess work on this one yet.

I like the maxima, and it has more needs than I intially realized but I hope to be able to get her sound and have it be a reliable work car for a few years. I appreciate all your input on my issues as well as all of the information I've found searching the forum. Thanks guys!


EDIT: I just placed the order for new transmission gasket and filter, fluid, bosch o2 sensor, and monroe rear struts as I had planned. $180 with tax, dropped $135 at Napa last week, and $40 at the salvage yard lol. Looks like my sunday is planned.....

 

1. Wow, this is a lot of work indeed as the car has been through some neglect. First off, can you list all the codes that you have? Don't see why you had to replace MAF.

2. As for the transmission, verify if it is engine oil or tranny oil. If its engine oil, its the upper oil pan seal which is underneath the Rear Main Seal (RMS). If its tranny oil, you may have to wash off the area and observe again to see exactly where its coming from. Dexron III can be used.

3. As for the coolant leak, if it is on the drivers side, you have to check the following components: Upper Radiator Hose, Coolant Temp Sensor (ECTS), Radiator filler neck, etc...

Take your time and tackle each issue one by one..good luck.

 

I replaced the MAF as the previous owner claimed to have taken it to a mechanic and stated it needed a MAF and a wheel bearing. I picked up a MAF at a salvage yard on my way to look at it(just worked out best time wise), and I called BS on the wheel bearing with in a block of driving the car, knew it was a cv axle.

I'm not throwing any codes I can see because the check engine light doesnt ever come on, and I mean never, hope thats just a bulb but I have not looked into it. I need to get it on a code reader for certain.

I'm 100% confident that it's a tranny leak, it's red on the ground, not black. Thanks for the tip on the Dex III, I didnt want to pay nissan a visit just for tranny fluid.

Yeah, maybe I should have passed on this one but I've always like the maxima's and it was pretty cheap, or so it seemed. I've got 1/3 of the initial cost spent on parts already....suppose thats what I get for buying a cheap car to begin with. I knew I was getting into some work, just thought maybe it was going to be a little less ugly lol.

Thanks!

 

goog luck with your project man, it seems that you got more than you bargained for.
Start off with preventing the car from sutting off.
Look for vacuum leaks, ohm your injectors, and check for spark.

 

sounds like you and i are in the same boat...i got my 95 GLE with 209K, and it was SERIOUSLY abused and neglected, the PO jumped it and ripped both control arms off...i got the car for free and it runs amazing for (now) 234K, but like you i have a funny idle issue when i do a cold start( 30-38) in the morning wont idle, rev 1500-2000 for 10-15 sec and its fine, from my research i think its the IACV, i also have codes for the Serial Comm link, O2 heater, EVAP purge, and KS as well as VSS, ill let you know how mine comes along as i make progress

 

I hope the car was close to free.

 

It was more than it was probably worth, I paid $920 for it and it was probably worth closer to $500. It doesnt look terrible but all of it's small issues are adding up way to fast. I need to find a place to stop, but I'm in deep enough now that I'm too stupid too lol. All told, license, tax everything I'm in for $1435 right now. Which, I guess may not be terrible being it'll have new half shafts and rear struts and such. If I had to pay for labor and didnt have the tools to work on it i'd have been totally screwed for sure. But I bought it knowing I could work on it. Struts are off, new ones will go on tonight or tomorrow(work gets in the way lol), hopefully I'll get the tranny service and o2 sensor in as well this weekend and take it from there.......

 

mine was a trade for minor labor...but im getting ito it now, have a total of a Grang invested, and im still goin, GL with your GLE

 

Car sounds like it needs a lot of work, but once you get all the stuff fixed it should last you a long time and resale value will go up.