about 80% of the people on here...and 95% of knowledgeable members...prefer them

Michelin Pilot HX MXM4s are pretty good too. Not going to slalom like the Proxies but they have excellent off the line traction, are reasonably quiet and excellent in the rain. Definitely a step up from the Yokohama YK520s I had.

I own a 2003 Maxima living in Florida and I am thinking of removing the center converter and the restricted center pipe for a straight pipe. Has anyone tried this and is there a good horsepower gain or loss?

"11-YEARS-DEALER-EXP"

shouldnt you be telling us

I recently purchased a 2001 Nissan Maxima SE 20AE, and have a few questions regarding the VIAS.

Is the opening of the secondaries perceptible, and at what RPM?

Should the stamp in the firewall say "VQ30(DE-K)" because mine says VQ30(DE)?

Has anyone had any problems with the system not working?

Thanks,

Moncef

Check your local junkyard for a wrecked Max or search Ebay.

when i start my car in the morning...there's a strong gas smell...does that mean i'm my car is running too rich? and does it have anything to do with me getting very bad mpg?

my car does that when cold, I think it's the cat too cold to operate.

Yes, at about 4500 RPM I believe.

Not sure...

Yes, other people have had problems with the VIAS as it can break because it being made of plastic. Do a search...there is a ton of information on it.

Hello....my '03 max has a little over 60K on it and I noticed yesterday while at a light or a stop...i heard a fast clicking/tapping sound when I accelerated. It would go away after like 2 seconds. Anyone know what that could be? Also, I noticed whenever I put my A/C on full blast there is a static type of noice that happens at first. What could this be??

timing chain rattling against cover...check oil level

How do you remove the little plastic push pins that hold the undercarriage plastic on to the front bumper?
Thanks

with a screwdriver

How though? They are flat with two little "pry" slots but cant pry them open with a flat head screw driver without the full piece trying to pop off. I guess if there isn't a special plier for removing them, ill just break 'em with a screwdriver.

Just bust them off carefully. You can get a pack of those things cheap at Autozone.

They pop right off with a screwdriver (the center piece with the tab for the screwdriver).

To reinstall, remove the center piece, put the outer piece into the hole for the splash guard, then push the center piece in place. Done.

Cool thanks, I guess mine have become a little stubborn sitting in Tx sun for the past 8 yrs.

Well, I took special precaution to make sure I didn't show up as a noob and ask a question about how to do something that had already been asked, or start a new thread with a detailed sticky already created. This is because this site has about 20 different warnings about doing exactly that; Don't waste everyone's time etc.

So I go to the links for how do I on a couple of topics, strut replacement, reprogramming ECU, and none of the links actually point at threads that have anything to do with those topics.

If you're going to make it such a point to tell noobs not to do the stupid thing, then the mods on this site really need to make sure the links they have referenced in "go here/do this first" work.

I love the information available on this site, but intimidating the crap out of new users, and potentially turning away people with valuable information, by telling them to do a specific thing, and then not making sure that specific thing doesn't work, is pure crap.

Either take down the noob flaming stickies, or make sure the referenced links you demand they try first work

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=543973

hey guys I hit a post in a parking garage today going like 1mph and scratched my front bumper
Most of it is a surface scratch and might just be white paint over my cars paint but some small parts are just slightly under the paint.
I kinda need a quick fix for this and want to paint it myself.
what do you guys suggest i do? my car is the stock dark red and i was thinking of going to autozone and trying to find a matching paint, find something to patch it up some, paint it then wax it.
any advice?

Some of the duplicolor spray paints in the small cans are a match to your factory paint, i cant remeber if they have one for merlot red but the store should have a booklet hanging near the paints listing what paint matches your vehicle's paint code.
also you can go to napa, and they can mix some of it up for you and put it in a spray paint car. There are online vendors and some body shops that will do this also.

Thanks a lot for the advice!

Is there something i can put on to even out the scratch before I paint it? and should i buff it or fine sand it b4 painting or anything?

i think some filler putty, not really sure though, i would sand it out with a high grit sand paper for sure.

bad compressor/compressor clutch? low on freon?

That link works for threads, but not direct post links. And it is that way for 75% of the stickys, since most of them link a post in a thread, and not the actual thread.

the org is falling apart

if only we were owned by a big company...that made money on ads...and could use that money to fix everything.....

Hey everyone,

I am new to the board and wanted to get some info. I just bought an 02 Infiniti I35 Sport and wanted to replace the existing brakes. There is some pulsating when the brakes are applied and feel kind of soft for my liking. What do you guys suggest as a good replacement brand or type for the rotors and brake pads. I want to step up a little from just OEM brakes but I don't want to drop a ton of cash into the car yet on brakes if I'm not bringing the car to the track or autocrossing (yet). I have rec'd a few quotes from local shops in Tampa and the chain shops (Just brakes, etc) Thanks!

I'd have the rotors turned first, they might have enough meat on them to remove the warping without having to replace them. Look into the Raybestos Quiet Stop ceramic pads. I've had them on a couple of cars. Better brake feel than OEM, no dusting and they seem easier on the rotors.

brembo blank rotors and ceramic pads should be fine for daily driving, but may warp again

If you want to go ahead and get a slight upgrade stock 6th gen calipers and rotors are a direct bolt on IIRC. This setup supposedly doesn't cause caliper warpage.

OEM replacement rotors
Hawk HPS pads

o have an 2000 max and i have the intake long tube but i think the fitment is gonna be kinda tight due the battery in the way, i was told to get a 90 degree bend but i think the battery is in the way...is there an flexible bend instead??

Pep Boys have flexible tubes for custom intakes.

fixed for accuracy

I have kind of a strange question here. On my '02 SE, the leather steering wheel look great everywhere EXCEPT the top part of it. The top piece looks like it's worn out, doesn't have a smooth finish to it like the rest of the wheel, and it's obviously not as shiny/glossy as the rest of the wheel is. I used some hand cream just to see what would happen, and it makes it look great again, almost brand new like, but that doesn't last more than a few hours since the cream gets into the leather, and onto my hands.

Is there something I can use that would stay on there longer? I was thinking something like black shoe polish of some sort... :S I know I could get it looking perfect with that, but I don't know if it would stick to my hands every time I grabbed the wheel. Any input on this would be great, and if not, then I'll maybe start a new thread, and hope someone notices it.

Thanks guys!

It gets worn out, it's probably a little too late now. My 95 Maxima has that same problem.

That's unfortunate... Makes the whole steering wheel look like a cheap POS. I might look into getting new leather wrapped around that part of the wheel. It might be more trouble and money than it's worth. The wheel would have to come off, and then someone competant would have to mess around with it. Thanks for the quick response, and if anyone else has any ideas, please chime in!

Just buy a new wheel from someone parting out a car.

My "service engine soon" light is on, and a friends just lent me his code reader. Where on the 02 maxima is the computer that i can plug this machine into?

4th gen with VQ35 ...

was going 130 mph for about 15 seconds until the car shut off ! ..130mph ...no power steering..

thought it was the tranny or clutch at first...but no..its the engine..its knockin VERY HARD

any thoughts?.. crankshaft bearings ? pistons?