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Okay good people! Finally got my 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE back from the Pro Mechanic Shop (Ruben's Tire, Altamonte Springs, Florida) and it has been there since September 26, 2022 and until today November 8th, 2022. Yes, 43 days but, to replace an Engine with a newer one you need lots of patience as this is a 22-year old car! As you proceed in removing and placing parts here and there you realize that the "PROJECT" is better off with new parts instead of reusing the old in some circumstances and this is why it took the amount of time. Also, I insisted in Genuine Nissan Parts such as the new Thermostat, Water pump and Rear Main Seals and many other small and large gaskets. The Maxima with this newer Engine (Certified to have only 130,000 miles) is performing spectacular! I can already see an improvement in Gas mileage and acceleration is exhilarating! I like to thank all at Ruben's Tire at Altamonte Springs, Florida for having patience with me and taking great care of my car during Hurricane Ian. The hard planning and work acquiring new parts paid off as it rides smooth without any rattles or vibrations! One BIG reason I decided to keep it and replace this Engine is because two years ago new suspension parts were installed such as the Front and Rear Struts, Lower Control Arms with Bushings and lateral links. New brakes all around and many more items. The original Engine suffered a front main seal Blow-Out and most of the Oil left along with the Oil Pressure sending unit announcing low Oil Pressure and most recent about three months ago the Engine's Thermostat stuck CLOSED and over-heated the Engine.
43 days....I pulled engine/tranny from donor car, then pulled both from target car, then swapped it in all by myself without a lift in 3 partial days...
I replaced nothing, b/c it's a waste of time (already did VC gaskets before). It got totaled, again, at 260k mi and still wasn't leaking anything.
43 days....I pulled engine/tranny from donor car, then pulled both from target car, then swapped it in all by myself without a lift in 3 partial days...
I replaced nothing, b/c it's a waste of time (already did VC gaskets before). It got totaled, again, at 260k mi and still wasn't leaking anything.
How much did the certified engine and the total job cost you?
Greetings!
The original estimate was for $2,000 US for Removing the Damaged Engine and Installing a newer one from JDM Motors. I found the newer Engine from JDM Engines (Auto & Truck LLC) located in Orlando, Florida. This is mostly imported Engines from Japan (Used).
However, due to my own directions about installing:
1. New Half Moon Seals at the upper Oil Pan / Cavity.
2. New Rear Main Seal assembly. (Genuine Nissan Part)
3. New Water Pump. (Genuine Nissan Part)
4. New Thermostat. (Genuine Nissan Part)
5. New Oil Pan (lower) gasket.
6. New Frontal Crank Seal.
7. New Valve Cover Gaskets.
8. Many more O-Ring Seals & Gaskets.
9. New Radiator.
10. Intake Manifold Gasket.
The grand total came to $2,635.85 which reflects a $250 discount as I played part in sourcing many parts myself and burned the gasoline to retrieve them from Auto Parts store using my Commercial Account. Oh, the certified Engine was $525 which is included in the grand total price.
I called around to at least three AAA certified Auto Repair shops (PRO) and two of them turned me down and the one quoted me a whopper of $5,650 large ones!
You might say that for someone like me over 60-years old and no longer have my mechanic partner as he became blind, I did pretty good negotiating a super deal.
Again, I decided to keep the 2000 Maxima because it had previous maintenance such as complete suspension replacement up front and rear which consisted of Lower Control Arms, lateral links, Struts, Springs etc... etc....
Hope this helps.
Last edited by guapoman2000; Nov 28, 2022 at 06:37 PM.
It was a lesson learn that even though I purchased this 2000 Nissan Maxima from the original owner the fact remains that several important items such as Factory (Nissan) Thermostat and other items should be used prior to failure from some unsuspecting After-Market Thermostat.
yea aftermarket is crap you gotta be really careful what brands to use, basically all we have is aftermarket now too on our 20 year old cars which makes it harder since OEM parts are kinda non existant. i have an aftermarket starter already on its way out 34 months later, original starter was good for 20 years (240 months)
congrats, and it must be nice to be in Florida and not have salt and NE winters.... haha.
yea aftermarket is crap you gotta be really careful what brands to use, basically all we have is aftermarket now too on our 20 year old cars which makes it harder since OEM parts are kinda non existant. i have an aftermarket starter already on its way out 34 months later, original starter was good for 20 years (240 months)
congrats, and it must be nice to be in Florida and not have salt and NE winters.... haha.
Thank you! Yes indeed, Florida is year round weather for almost any hobby including working on cars and flying my RC Airplane models.
My local Nissan Dealer has always come through with any part that I need for my 22-year old Maxima.
Thank you! Yes indeed, Florida is year round weather for almost any hobby including working on cars and flying my RC Airplane models.
My local Nissan Dealer has always come through with any part that I need for my 22-year old Maxima.
Take care.
If you were go out and buy a brand new car, it would be inferior to your Maxima. I'm into my Maxima at $26K. My engine job alone was $7K. That's after $3K wasted on the old engine, trying to save it. Most shops are happy to string you along without fixing your vehicle so they can keep taking your money. 90% of automotive businesses have you pay them to work against you. You wind up in worse circumstances than if you had spent no money at all.
yea aftermarket is crap you gotta be really careful what brands to use, basically all we have is aftermarket now too on our 20 year old cars which makes it harder since OEM parts are kinda non existant. i have an aftermarket starter already on its way out 34 months later, original starter was good for 20 years (240 months)
congrats, and it must be nice to be in Florida and not have salt and NE winters.... haha.
I agree with you, but paid through the nose. $800 on new A/C components alone. It gets cringeworthy when you get the best with price being no object.
The original estimate was for $2,000 US for Removing the Damaged Engine and Installing a newer one from JDM Motors. I found the newer Engine from JDM Engines (Auto & Truck LLC) located in Orlando, Florida. This is mostly imported Engines from Japan (Used).
However, due to my own directions about installing:
1. New Half Moon Seals at the upper Oil Pan / Cavity.
2. New Rear Main Seal assembly. (Genuine Nissan Part)
3. New Water Pump. (Genuine Nissan Part)
4. New Thermostat. (Genuine Nissan Part)
5. New Oil Pan (lower) gasket.
6. New Frontal Crank Seal.
7. New Valve Cover Gaskets.
8. Many more O-Ring Seals & Gaskets.
9. New Radiator.
10. Intake Manifold Gasket.
The grand total came to $2,635.85 which reflects a $250 discount as I played part in sourcing many parts myself and burned the gasoline to retrieve them from Auto Parts store using my Commercial Account. Oh, the certified Engine was $525 which is included in the grand total price.
I called around to at least three AAA certified Auto Repair shops (PRO) and two of them turned me down and the one quoted me a whopper of $5,650 large ones!
You might say that for someone like me over 60-years old and no longer have my mechanic partner as he became blind, I did pretty good negotiating a super deal.
Again, I decided to keep the 2000 Maxima because it had previous maintenance such as complete suspension replacement up front and rear which consisted of Lower Control Arms, lateral links, Struts, Springs etc... etc....
On February 3rd, 2023, got its first Engine & Engine Oil filter change to the newer Engine in my 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE. I have driven the Maxima 2158 miles so far on the Maxima.
It is still under warranty and wanted the Oil to be replaced way before it’s time as newer Engine needed to rid of Salvage yard gunk and other impurities hiding within. The Engine provides exhilarating acceleration and very good gasoline mileage considering its a 3- Liter V-6 Engine.
Gave my 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE some younger Nissan Rims and new Tires. It drives like a dream now with new rubber. Yokohama’s GTX 215/55 R16 all around.
yea aftermarket is crap you gotta be really careful what brands to use, basically all we have is aftermarket now too on our 20 year old cars which makes it harder since OEM parts are kinda non existant. i have an aftermarket starter already on its way out 34 months later, original starter was good for 20 years (240 months)
congrats, and it must be nice to be in Florida and not have salt and NE winters.... haha.
What do you think of having a junk OEM starter or alternator re-done at a Mexican starter/alternator/wiper motor shop? Since Mexico has a counterfeit parts crisis, many shops will have a local specialist rework these kinds of parts. I'm starting think that some of the parts they sell at USA parts stores may as well be counterfeit. I probably over-reacted to the supply chain shortage and followed coaching I received in Mexico and Cuba. However, given the take-no-chances approach to their work, I'm glad that I spent the extra money at NisFormance for the engine.
A corner parts rebuild shop in Mexico (and even more so in Cuba) is a sight to behold. It's often someone who has been in business for decades, has drawers and drawers of capacitors, resistors, bearings, bushings, etc, etc, etc. and knows which drawer has which component.
Last edited by 2002SEMT; Mar 26, 2023 at 01:45 PM.
Okay guys! My 2000 Maxima GLE now has 252,183 which is now over 12,000 miles with the newer Engine! I can say that the Engine was certainly certified as stated by Orlando JDM Engines!
It is still getting 25+ MPG mix (75% Highway / 25% City)..
I am amazed and super happy that I decided to keep it and get a newer Engine instead of junking it.
a clean rust free maxima is definitely a keeper. I've had my 02 6 speed since December of 2012. I kept it mainly stock for years, except for lowering it and throwing on 350Z touring wheels. once I found out the Maxima 3.5 shared the same head and cams as the 350Z I started to modify the engine, the Nisformance ECU reflash made a huge difference as well as installing a H-LSD from B15 Sentra SE-R spec V. the stock exhaust was super restrictive to tame the sound of the 3.5.. this year I installed a 2014 engine and paint job is what I have planned next, passenger side rear quarter panel, door and rear bumper don't match at the moment. I am also in the central Florida area..
Yes indeed, Florida is year round weather for almost any hobby including working on cars and flying my RC Airplane models.
