cnit11

It has about 170,000 miles. Completely stock. It's my girlfriend's car which means I now have the responsibility of taking care of it.

I already replaced the brakes and tires. I've changed the engine oil.

I want to improve the reliability of this car and make it last longer. I am willing to spend money to do that.

It currently needs to go in for leaking power steering fluid (It looks like it's coming from the pump) and a broken engine mount in the front.

I just read about the timing chain tensioner issue. Is there anything that can be done to help slow that wearing down process? Is that the only major flaw with this engine (meaning if I replace them, will it last a really long time)?

Any noticeable difference in gas mileage with an upgraded intake and exhaust? Less heat in the engine bay with a better flowing exhaust?

Any weight saving tips?

Thanks to anyone that answers

L36

iTrader: (4)

Use the search function.

SmaX

I hate when people say that, firstly it's rude, second, how can any newbie ever get any posts by searching for everything?

Also, a lot of those posts are old and outdated, doesn't hurt to make some fresh posts with new problems and fresh ideas.

SmaX

My only advice for the timing chain guides is to keep doing your regular oil changes only with full synthetic and make sure to check oil levels in between.

CRiME

iTrader: (21)

What year is the car? Given the mileage, I'm assuming 04-06. If 04-06, how is the transmission shifting? The 5speed auto transmissions are notorious for valve body issues which can make the car a real nightmare to drive. Nissan has an updated valve body that has corrected the issue.

Regarding the tensioners, apart from replacing the guides, SmaX offered some good advice to help keep everything running smoothly.

Your power steering leak may actually be coming from the high pressure power steering hose, as these are known to fail on our cars as well. The hose itself is pretty expensive, I believe somewhere around $180 at the dealership. I had a pretty bad PS leak and had to replace mine as well. Been good ever since.

twentyeggs

+1 i agree completely... this is a forum, we are supposed to talk about stuff.

what if we met up and you wanted to talk about the bat man movie and i said "HEY HEY HEYYY, NO! nnnnnnNO! THIS has already been talked about by me and this other person you don't know exists... and if you wanna talk about it, use your "brick wall function"

twentyeggs

back to basics, your mods should follow this list:

1. Short Ram Air intake (the best brand for our cars is R2C, the best way is to make one your self for about 50 bucks like me.)
2. Get new rims ASAP, the once you have are incredibly heavy and they suck power and gas mileage like a thousand leaches on a new born.
3. Delete your 3rd unmetered catalytic converter. Its pretty redundant if you ask me and its just more weight and impedance for exhaust flow, my car passes in the 93% without it, and 95% with it. something around 22% is when you fail smog.
4. cat back exhaust. delete that stock resonator and buy a high flow resonator, get 2.75-3" piping and some good mufflers. don't run without a resonator, its too loud and obnoxious on the freeway, you need a resonator, unless your 14 and "because racecar."
5. I am late for work and will finish my list later

7speed

I wonder if your chain/tensioner guides have been changed already because at that mileage I figured you should hear it already.

mrjasonlyrics

As everyone said, oil is the biggest issue on the VQ35DE engine. A lot of people get their oil change with oil changers and they tell you come back in 3000km or 4 months, which ever comes first. Well you should be checking your oil atleast once a week depending on if there's any consumption. I wouldn't really worry about the tensioners so early because it's a major job.

Focus more on the smaller things like oil, brakes, rotors, filters, coolant, fluids, and battery/alternator before you get into the major repairs. Drive the car, observe and fix when necessary. Why fix it if it's not broken? Then if you really like where you are and want some more get the spacers, BOP, intake and maybe a catback and go from there.

Welcome to the 6thgen fam

timpol

iTrader: (1)

Lot of good advice and tips here. There's not much you can do about the tensioners except, as mentioned previously, change the oil religiously and check the level weekly. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic 10w-30 at the moment. Some people will recommend Amsoil - I used it for a year and really noticed no difference between it and Mobil 1.

Perform a drain and fill on your transmission. The 5AT is the major flaw with the 6th Gens.

In terms of mods, you can probably do a new intake, spacers, exhaust, HFPCs or headers, sway and strut bars for approximately $1,000 and all those will give you an immediate, noticeable difference.

Welcome

smokin5s

high pressure hose is 50 bucks from rock auto

smokin5s

does the short ram really make that much difference on gas mileage? I'm only getting 23mpg and I drive mostly freeway

twentyeggs

Yes.. Air intake and rims are the biggest gas mileage savers. Rims are more so than intakes. If you get yourself a set of racing rims under 20lbs each you are cutting your rotational inertia in half. the less work the engine has to do the more gas you save. Just don't make te mistake many do and buy bigger rims. I see people buy nice flashy 20" rims and then they are wondering why they lost 5mpg lol. I also looked at aftermarket rims as more of an aesthetic thing. But in reality they are one of the biggest gains in performance and gas mileage.

But back to your origional question, getting rid of that inefficient stock air box and fitting a cone filter with smooth piping has been proven to gain 2-5 mpg depending on the car. The 6th gen gains around 3mpg. With our 20+ gal gas tanks that's 40-60 extra miles a fill-up. Even the Nissan dealership will back me up, just call and ask for yourself.

CRiME

iTrader: (21)

It is, but I needed the part quickly - no time to wait for shipping, and I felt more comfortable getting an OEM part anyway.

smokin5s

you have a write up on your custom short ram intake that you made? I don't really care about performance (my car is plenty fast to get around town) as much as I want gas mileage... I drive 100+ miles a day and every bit counts!

As far as rims, what are inexpensive ones that look like the factory rims? I like the factory look and would like to stay as close to it as I can.

smokin5s

any idea how this would work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STAINLESS-WA...ht_4306wt_1348

that 5-10hp is BS and I don't care about, I want better gas mileage.

smplyamzng

..Ehh The stock filter will flow more than enough air to give you all the gas mileage the engine has to give. And this remains true until the filter is dirty enough to be recognizeable. At that point performance will decline somewhat. Replace the filter and get on with it.

As far as gas mileage goes you will get the most out of your tank by keeping your tires properly inflated, using premium gas, keeping the air filter clean, staying up on maintenance and just good driving habits in general. IMO intake and exhaust mods are good too but they introduce unnecessary noise.

T_Behr904

Since you got sucked into taking care of something that isn't yours my advise to you is maintenance only. Don't mod it. It's not your car.

Now, if you get married (gasp) then you can go ahead and mod it.

Whatever direction you decide to go, it's always maintenance before mods.

Good luck.

twentyeggs

There are plenty of dyno tests to prove the stock air box is restrictive and very inefficient. The reason for this is noise reduction. There are many crypts and kinks in the flow of air to deaden the engine noise. This is evident by the drastic increase in sound created by upgrading to a cone filter. Not only are there dyno tests but countless of accredited sources including Nissan themselves who will attest to the restrictive nature of a stock air box. To say the stock intake flows more than enough air is an ill-informed opinion. Sorry man, but I must strongly disagree and advise you do some research, maybe a few minutes with google will convince you to get your own air intake. If that is not convincing enough, call Nissan and ask one of their master mechanics, they will confirm. Premium fuel adding to gas mileage is also incorrect. Although we gain performance and theoretically better gas mileage, decades of testing has confirmed the price we pay for higher octane far exceeds any savings via better gas mileage. Our cars are built with a octane meter in the has tank. If you put in lower octane our cars will adjust the ignition timing to suit the octane. Because of this octane has little to no effect on gas mileage, only performance, which is a result of our computers and less to do with the energy content of the fuel. Being in a good mood has more of an impact on our gas mileage than the octane.

the same goes with exhaust, car manufacturers are MUCH more concerned with noise reduction and emissions control than gas mileage. A modified car can achieve up to 20% extra fuel savings than a stock car. If you want more information on increased gas mileage, read some of the Hypermiling threads on this site.


as for the rest of your post you are absolutely correct. Maintenance has a far greater impact on gas mileage than any modifications we can do. Tires with low air pressure will do more to hurt your economy than any modifications you have combined. however, with your car properly maintained + air flow, exhaust, and wheels/tires upgrades you will see a considerable increase in gas mileage. This is not opinion, cars are machines and with less resistance efficiency is increased. There is no magic involved, pure, unalterable, un-opinionated science.

twentyeggs

are you going to be forever alone (gasp) ?

SheThinkzMyMaximazSexy

i was also looking for some way to somehow upgrade the performance and sound of my car....mostly performance though.
99 maxima stock other than a short ram intake.
i dont have a huge amount of money either. thanks guys

smplyamzng

Wow..

I never knocked intakes or praised the stock airbox for that matter. A search of google will give a ton of opposing debates as to if aftermarket intakes are really necessary to improve gas mileage. Its also safe to say that the average consumer that is doing these types of mods are not doing them with improved gas mileage in mind lol. If anything they will be burning more gas since they are probably heavy footed. I don’t agree with your octane statement either, but that’s your point of view. Wasn’t really trying to debate it, I’m just a strong believer that the average driver can achieve very good gas mileage just by following the basic manufacturer guidelines.

T_Behr904

I got a girl, been together for almost 3 years now.

She's responsible for her own car.

twentyeggs

haha like petitferemax or whatever her name is... she bought the R2C short ram for the improved gas mileage, and then sold it the next day cause she thought it hurt the gas mileage, but then said a number of times that she liked to hear it "growl" too much..

back to octane, you are unfortunately another one duped by myth and ill-informed opinion. octane has nothing to do with fuel economy... :smh:

the only way you would be correct is if our cars are specifically designed to use only one octane rating. However, our cars have (as i stated before) an octane meter that measures octane and adjusts ignition timing and detonation accordingly thus rendering any advantages in fuel economy to 0. this is a case of, if i hear enough people say something enough times, it must be true. but your wrong. the only case in which octane would decrease gas mileage is if you used it in a car made only to run on premium, but ill say it one last time. our cars are made to run on any octane rating between 85-95 octane, we... have.... an... octane... sensor... and... a... computer... that... adjusts... for... timing... and... detonation.... clear enough? the only thing 91 octane does in terms of gas mileage is perfectly execute a placebo effect making you think the extra few bucks is going to save you some miles, which may in fact work by playing into your mood and lighten your foot a bit with the false sense of confidence. The fact is still the same, placebo drugs are a fake as well as the hope 91 octane saves gas. higher octane doesn't contain magic hypermiling properties... i didn't make this up read..

http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/gas...ane-myths.html

"In the automotive world, there are many common myths, which are repeated so many times that, after a while, they eventually transform themselves into ‘facts.’ Unsurprisingly, many of these ‘facts’ have to do with gasoline, whether they be regarding fuel mileage, power possibilities or some other arcane aspect of the internal combustion engine. Gasoline can be a confusing topic, and it is easy to make assumptions about it that may seem logical, but which on closer examination, turn out not to be true. A perfect example of this practice can be seen with octane ratings. What are octane ratings? Simply put, when you pull into the gas station and are presented with the array of different fuel grades that you can pump into your car, the numbers written above each button or nozzle indicate that particular grade’s octane rating. Typically, the range will run from 87 octane on up to 93 octane.
In the world of automobiles, it is tempting to associate higher numbers with higher quality. After all, more horsepower and more miles per gallon are a better thing, which feeds into our perception that more impressive octane ratings also equal higher performance. Gasoline companies understand this mentality and do nothing to dissuade drivers from it, labeling 87 octane gas ‘Regular,’ and 91 or 93 octane ‘Super’ in an attempt to reinforce this way of thinking. After all, since ‘Super’ is priced higher than ‘Regular,’ it’s in their best interest to convince as many people as they can that paying a bit extra means getting better quality gas.

Unfortunately, this is where the myth of what gasoline’s octane rating really means creeps into the picture. Time and again, people will be told that high octane fuel burns cleaner or more completely, and that it will give them extra power and better fuel mileage than Regular octane gasoline because it contains more ‘energy.’ These blanket statements are simply not true. In fact, the octane rating for gasoline has nothing to do with the amount of power locked inside of it – it actually relates to just how much a fuel can be compressed before igniting. The higher the number, the less likely it is to ignite under pressure........................


Why would anyone want to produce a fuel that was actually harder to ignite once inside an engine? To understand the role that octane ratings and ignition pressures play in a motor, it helps to be familiar with the term ‘knock.’ Essentially, when gasoline is sprayed into a cylinder by a fuel injector and mixed with oxygen, engine designers expect it to remain there in vapor form until it is time for the sparkplug to light it up, causing the explosion that drives the piston down to generate horsepower. The timing of this explosion is critical, as gasoline that ignites too early causes ‘knock,’ which reduces engine output and efficiency and which, in worst-case scenarios, can actually physically damage an engine.
In most engines, knock is rarely an issue because the compression ratio – that is, the pressure that the air/fuel mixture is put under in the cylinder – is low enough that Regular gasoline’s octane rating is sufficient. There is absolutely no benefit to running Premium fuel in a standard motor, since it will never be able to take advantage of that gasoline’s higher knock resistance. However, more aggressive engine management schemes, especially those found in turbocharged or supercharged vehicles, can turn up the compression to a high level, requiring much higher octane gasoline to avoid knock.
How can you know whether your car actually requires Super gasoline or whether it can get by on Regular? Almost every vehicle will list the octane rating necessary to run it safely inside the owner’s manual. Some luxury or sportscars might even place a small reminder on the gas gauge itself stating ‘Premium Unleaded fuel only’ to make sure you don’t forget.
To wrap things up: no, you won’t see a power or fuel efficiency increase by running high octane fuel in an engine that has been tuned and designed for Regular gas (i guess ill state it one more last time, our cars have a octane meter that adjusts the computer [tuning] for regular, super, ultra super go speed racer rocket fuel!!!], nor will doing so perform any extra ‘cleaning’ inside the motor. On the flip side, running low octane fuel in an engine built for Premium can increase the risk of engine damage and will certainly impact that unit’s overall performance. The next time someone tries to pass these myths off on you, you can try explaining to them how octane ratings really work – or you can just smile and nod, pay for your gas and move on.

SmaX

seems like that cnit guy was just a one hit wonder

twentyeggs

pickles are good

smplyamzng

lol ok you win becky, i see this has become personal for you.

streetzlegend

iTrader: (8)

The very very first thing you MUST do is install the biggest transmission cooler you can buy, change the fluid slowly. Drain a few qt's then fill the same amount, dont do a sudden change of ALL the fluid like mentioned above (alot of the time this can cause even more problems). Use Mobil 1 ATF or Amsoil, nothing else.

twentyeggs

haha, nah you just caught me on my day off and i was bored, i actually learned a few things reading about octane yesterday.

the you-dont-say guy is awesome and i've been itching to use it lol

like yoooouuuu don't saaaay... tell me moar...



just look at his face!!!

cnit11

Thanks for all the info everybody. I would have replied sooner but I thought there were only 3 replies.

I DID search, that's how I found out about the timing chain tensioners among other things. Notice my join date. I've been on supraforums for a long time, the forum was this same layout for many years. I'm familar with it and I know how to use it. I read a lot of hypermiling threads already, same with weight reduction and exhaust threads.

It's an 05 and my guess on the mileage was really close, it's at like 170,016.

Are there any sound clips/videos with sound of what the failing tensioners sound like? This car has been in her family since it was new (It was previously her dad's) so I'm sure if a big job like that was performed he will know.

I check tires/lugnuts/oil regularly.

I've been changing the oil and filter but using regular dino oil. I'll put in full synthetic from now on.

Thanks for the tips about the transmission and cooler. I'm going to check the trans fluid tonight, I meant to yesterday but I wasn't sure where it was. I already looked it up this morning. Transmission shifts ok, not super gentle or super rough.

I was already planning on replacing the intake with custom pipes and a k&n, but I'm still debating a better flowing exhaust.

I noticed spacers mentioned a few times, is that referencing the intake manifold phenolic spacers? I see why they would make a big difference since it sits on the top of the engine. I could probably check / replace spark plugs at the same time.

Thanks for the advice about the rims, I have a lightweight drivetrain on my 87 supra so I know how much of a difference that makes. Keep in mind with lighter rotational mass that it will also slow down quicker, so if you're trying to maintain a certain speed you will be using more gas to keep everything rotating. The heavier rims would actually help the car roll farther, but it would take more gas to get up to speed. This car is mainly used for city driving so we probably would notice a slight increase in mpg.

We've been putting 87 octane in but only from Chevron. I'm a big believer in top tier gas. She used to put in 91 from anywhere. The first time I put in 87 I listened for pinging and there wasn't any, makes sense if it has an octane sensor in the tank.

I'm also a believer in "if it's not broke don't fix it." I do however, also support preventative maintenance and other modifications that can prolong the life of the car or improve its efficiency. It all boils down to whether its worth the $.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Btw I at the marriage comment too. Yes we will be soon.

Majack16

Ive heard that higher octane is good for cleaning or keeping the fuel injectors clean/cleaner. Dont know if its true or not but if thats the case wouldnt that give you a more efficient running car/better gas mileage?

T_Behr904

twentyeggs

Hahahahahahahaha

T_Behr904

FenderGuy

That wont help, the guides are POS's that Nissan used to eaither make more money off its customers or just plain stupid for the material used...