Zulu Nation

Dealing with a few different issues right now:

-Strong gas smell when I use the heat. More noticeable when its colder out. Leaking fuel injector?

-Drove through some salt water when Sandy hit. Now I'm getting a whirring noise that revs with the engine from the passenger side. I'll try to post some audio. I'm assuming its the alternator. I just started losing heat. My heat has always been blazing hot but now even after the car warms up its just barely hot.

-My steering rack has a small leak.

-Small oil leak from the passenger side of the engine.

-Lower rad support is on life-support.

Car is around 175xxx. The clutch, tranny, and engine are all good (besides the small leak). My head tells me I should move on but I feel like if I fixed most of these issues she'd still treat me right. Very reliable car.

What do you think is it worth fixing all of this?

T_Behr904

The question you should ask yourself, and not us, is do you think its worth fixing.

Since i've owned my car, I had a body shop replace the rusted lower radiator support. I've also replaced the starter twice (get a lifetime warranty, not a 1 year) and the alternator. The battery died when me and my g/f were on vacation in NYC, but it was 5 years old, and the battery that was in the car when I bought it wasn't even the correct one.

Moral of the story is that you own an aging car. You are going to have problems. Either keep fixing it and maintain the maintenance, or make car payments on something new. It all depends on how you want to spend your money.

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

Every problem that you have mentioned, I have already experienced on my 95 and it was money well spent..

CallMeThatOneGuy

iTrader: (2)

+1

Your car is still young. Barely broke in. The problems won't arise for another 125k miles! lol mine is just now losing bushings and engine mounts at 300k miles

Product_Of_Korea

iTrader: (8)

mine just hit 220k and both the clutch and the rad support took a dump on me. My support is literally hanging. wife told me to junk it. I told her she is high and im putting a t3/t4 in or a v1..... still havent decided yet lol. Keep in mind this is my 3rd 4th gen. And the only one that took a **** on me was the 3.5

Frank Fontaine

haha mine is at the same mileage, original clutch going strong! (slave's been replaced as the hose was leaking), rad support repaired

Rob_0126

Ive been pondering this too. Alternator just went out and not looking forward to being under the hood.

Its been a reliable car but it would prolly take 4 grand to get it back where i want it.

I suppose cheaper than a used car payment. It is hard to find a good used vehicle though, not from abuse but the fact that most made past 1999 seem to have issues, no matter what car company anymore.

Zulu Nation

This is what makes me lean toward wanting to invest in the max. I'm not gonna find another used car as reliable with my budget.

Does anybody have any ideas what some of those issues could be though?

EDIT: Heres a video of the sound-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefano...in/photostream

Sounds clearer after I move the phone further away. Sounds less metallic in person.

Zulu Nation

Talked to a mechanic who looked at it and said the sound might be the power steering pump. When I went through the water my power steering was struggling.

Here are some pics of the oil leak in the front of the engine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanobuttafuoco/8231958209/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefano...in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefano...in/photostream

This pic is from the passenger side:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefano...in/photostream


And the gas leak:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefano...in/photostream

I don't know if the fuel injector itself is leaking but gas was slowly dripping out of the hose connecting to it.

(Update: Just tried to tighten the bolt in the first oil leak picture and it snapped.)

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

Man, you have some work to do there. THose valve cover gaskets are finished. Get new ones and put in there to stop the oil leak. As for the bolt that snapped, get an EZ-out kit and get the broken stud out becuase that bolt is crucial or else the leak will always come back.

For the fuel leak, tighten the clamp on the hose and it should stop. If not, get a piece of hose and replace that section. The sensor at the side of the engine needs the o-ring for oil to stop leaking.

Markusfisher

Id recommend getting to wrenchin. Most leaks can be fixed with rtv. Radiator can be rigged. Although if you do have a leak in the radiator, dont bother repairing it, instead get a new one conpletely. As for the passenger side rattle, before id freak out and think its timing chain/tensioner, i would check the belts and pulleys. Dont be discouraged. Our cars last a long time.

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

95 is the best year maxima to own. Limited emissions and lightest weight to begin with. Fix it.

Zulu Nation

Tightened the hose clamp and now there is no gas smell. I'm going to take a look when the car is warmed up but I think that solved that problem.

Bought the gasket kit and found a mechanic who said he'd remove the bolt and replace the gasket for around $100. I was going to give it a shot myself but since the bolt snapped they'd have to take off the valve cover anyway to get it out. We'll see tomorrow.

Thanks for the feedback so far, if the gas and oil problems are solved for <$200 then I'll gladly put the time and money to fix the other issues. I was worried that those two problems were going to run me $1000 or more.

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

The more you learn the more you will realize the 4th gen max is amazing for cheap driving.

Trini Boom

iTrader: (5)

Good to hear. See if he can find back the same bolt to go back there and make sure there is a bolt there. Don't leave the shop without a bolt there or else the leak will come right back.

Zulu Nation

Gasket and sensor seal changed. They took a bolt from a maxima engine they had in the shop to replace mine. After a few days looks and feels pretty good. They said the noise is my alternator. I'm getting a slight hesitation sometimes when I accelerate, and while idling the engine is starting to sputter slightly but I think this is because of the alternator.

Supposed to be picking up an alternator from another orger on Thursday.

Zulu Nation

Really late update: Picked up alternator and had it put in. Also picked up and installed a welded metal support that bolts in to the lower rad from the same orger.

Car feels great. Now just have to do a front-end overhaul and get some coilovers and I'll be good ....then an exhaust, and new rims...and.....

maxinout93

I agree 95 is the best year to own and easiest to work on, no emissions junk to have to remove when doing the intake manifold removal, I bought my car with a ton of issues with 217K on it. I had a crank pulley about to fall apart, rad leak at the top, bad wheel bearings, loose suspension parts, loose hub nuts, and bad valve cover gaskets, and bad belts, but she still drove ok and shifted fine and it is a maxima, and they last if taken care of. So I invested in her, most of the important things first like the wheel bearings sus parts, and radiator, and worked my way down the list. I fixed all parts myself except for the crankpulley took it to a shop for that. also had a bad fuel injector, so I waited until I got the valve cover gasket set to install everything at the same time myself. These cars are keepers if you have the time to do things yourself.