I recently purchased my 2016 maxima with under 10k miles and I was really thinking about doing a transmission swap to either manual or automatic. Is this possible? I've always wanted a manual Maxima and driving manual seems to be more fun than the standard cvt. But someone told me that changing the transmission won't let the car pass any state emissions tests or anything like that which I'm a bit afraid for due to the ecu not being able to gauge the transmission. I'm pretty sure thats what he said, though not fully because i couldn't fully grasp the technical talk he was talking about. I live in New York by the way. Also I've seen videos of people doing tranny swaps all the time, if it reallly did cause an issue with state emissions won't people avoid changing their tranny from anything other than OEM transmission that the car came with? Any other info on the matter would be great! Also any ideas on how much costs would be?

 

This is unfortunately cost prohibitive. It's not that it can't be physically done, that's the easy (though expensive) part. Making a manual or automatic play nice with the car's computers is the extremely difficult or even impossible part. I'd love a manual option for the Maxima, but the only way we will get it is if Nissan were to offer it and the odds of that are less than zero I'd say.

 

Well stated. I can add nothing.

 

On my list of "cars to build" if I win the lottery is a manual 8th Gen Maxima using the 6MT from the Altima SE-R with an LSD and everything else to go with it. Would also require a custom center console area. Getting an auto to play nice is way harder than the manual. It can be done with enough time and money.

 

Toyota 86 comes to mind...WRX, 370z, mustang...not a maxima. Why are there so many of you that want to drastically change a car with added Turbo, manual transmission, all while still under warrantee?

 

Wrong car unless you own a dealership and want to spent far more than the car is worth. Enjoy this car as it is. Good looks, good performance .

 

Ricche,

Ditto on the prior posts, you have to like (or at least be at peace with) the CVT. If you really can't stand it, then you got the wrong car.

Aside from it having a different "feel", there isn't much objectively wrong with the CVT. It accelerates well, it's pretty smooth in most scenarios, and I haven't seen any hard evidence that it's less reliable than a standard *. And let's not forget the CVT is the reason you can get 21mpg with a car this size and horsepower.

* some older versions of CVT had problems.

 

Have to agree, surprised to see so many posts here related to the desire to make major modifications to this car. It makes a great platform for cosmetic customization, but making meaningful gains in HP is extremely difficult. In the end, it is a full size near-luxury sedan designed to get you from A to B in comfort, with decent fuel economy, and very solid performance. I needed a larger car (per my wife) and this is one of the more sport oriented options in the full size class and the pricing was very favorable.

 

How many MPG?

 

That's the low end, my average with very infrequent highway driving (lately) has been closer to 24

 

After reading this thread, I was motivated to obtain more performance from my Maxima. Since engine tuning parts are few and almost nonexistent, I too came to the conclusion that a transmission swap was for me. Goodbye CVT, Hello manual transmission.

Since cost is no object, the only question I had was "Which transmission do I purchase and install in my Maxima"?

Most transmissions I looked at on Ebay were 5 or 6 speeds, but my motto for this project is 'Go Big, or Go Home" This only left me with one logical choice, as I plan on using this car as my daily driver, my track day car...and race it in the annual race at Pikes Peak Hill Climb "Race to the Clouds".

I Wanted as many gears as possible for my car, so I knew I wanted a Eaton/Fuller 18 speed transmission with overdrive...the same one the big rigs use. I found this and purchased it. https://www.ebay.com/p/Good-Inspecte...2053062&chn=ps

Once it was delivered, my wife cranked up the BBQ grill, I tapped a keg of Bud Light, and my two college roommates and I started work in my garage.

The only tools I needed were a 10mm, 14mm, 15mm and 22mm wrench and sockets. Installation took about 3 hours, but it was worth it. My car is so much faster now.

Honestly, it took me longer to learn how to shift the 18 speed than to install it.

Total cost for everything including a trip to the ER when my pal Earl dropped the CVT on his foot was just a tad more than $6K.

I recommend that everyone buy a Maxima and change the transmission.

 

Did April 1st come early this year?

 

This is easy. Buy a 2018 Nismo GT-R with AWD. Remove engine, transmission and ATTESA E-TS® All-Wheel Drive (AWD). Discard remainder of car. Start slapping the pieces into your Maxima. Let us know how it goes! Pics please!

 

dude, I average 27. 34 to 36 on the highway

 

As I said, I have not been on the highway much lately... so my results will trend lower

 

Did you ever figure this out? A 2007-2013 Altima would work. Plus some more parts.

 

I would have just dumped the Max and get something worthwhile with a tranny you like. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear (Maxima)

 

He was just being Facetious. Look what you made me do... using big words!

 

You guys get over 20 mpg!? Clearly something's wrong with mine then... If I drive extremely carefully I can eek out 24 on the highest, maybe 27 with no traffic.

 

Speaking of mileage:

 

Yes, I know it is 7th generation but it is a place to start if you want to do the CVT to manual.

https://www.my4dsc.com/official-7thg...ist-2009-2015/

 

[. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear (Maxima)[/QUOTE]

Why did you buy one?

 

[QUOTE=MadMax07SL;9171766]Toyota 86 comes to mind...WRX, 370z, mustang...not a maxima. Why are there so many of you that want to drastically change a car with added Turbo, manual transmission, all while still under warrantee?


Sleeper car maxima been doing it for years then the cvt came and messed everything up

 

I average 12.9 in a 2014

 

I took on this challenge and successfully swapped a 2017 Nissan 370z motor, Trans, and rear end assembly to my 2020 Maxima.

IT CAN BE DONE.....

 

At what cost? Sounds very interesting project but not for most of us.

 

Pictures of the installation and finished project please.