A couple of technical questions about our '95 GLE that we purchased new (long, sorry):

1. The engine has run "dirty" internally almost since new. First noticed this about a year after purchase when the oil dipstick was coated with a baked-on dark crud that wouldn't simply wipe off. The inside of the valve cover (looking through the oil filler cap) is filthy with an oily, flaky crud, as is the oil filter boss under the filter. Classic case of infrequent oil changes? Maybe. It's had 12 fairly evenly-spaced oil changes in its 60k miles since new (I changed it 3 times in the first 10k miles, and I've always done ALL the changes so I know they were actually done). Ran 5W-30 GTX and Nissan filters for a while, then Fram filters from 12k miles on. Changed over to Mobil 1 5W-30 at about 40k miles, but it doesn't seem to be getting any cleaner at all. Car has always run like a top with good mileage and throttle response; no overheating, oil use, smoke, or anything else wrong engine-wise (it does sometimes make a lifter clatter when starting up cold; this goes away within 3 seconds max). We've had many vehicles over the years and this is the first that has run internally dirty like this. I'm guessing somewhat excessive top-end engine heat for some reason (I remember reading in '95 that this engine was designed to warm up the top end of the engine quickly to help minimize cold-start emissions). Also, the dipstick has always seemed much hotter than other vehicle's dipsticks whenever I've checked the oil after driving for a while. Any Nissan technicians out there who have seen this before? Help!!

2. This car has always seemed VERY sensitive to front wheel/tire condition, more so than other front-wheel drive vehicles we've owned (front-drivers all seem more sensitive in this respect in my experience; no offense please, but this may be our last front-driver). Almost since brand new it has had a classic tire balance-type steering wheel shimmy at 75-80 mph or so that rotations, new Michelins, alignments, brake rotor replacement, etc. haven't improved much, if any. It still has the original alloy GLE wheels that seem perfectly true, no apparent runout at all in any plane when viewed on a balance machine. The car has never been in an accident. Maybe using one of the new road-force balancing machines will help. One thing that DID help a little was tightening up the steering rack adjustment somewhat at about 50k miles. A Nissan service writer I spoke with some time ago hinted that Nissan was aware of a fundamental weakness in the 4th generation steering system (he said it was designed-out in the latest Maxima), but Nissan wouldn't "come clean" about the 4th generation cars since they were dodging even an unofficial recall. Ideas?

Thanks very much in advance...ron g.

 

Check out:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....threadid=11784

 

My Maxima doesn't have any vibrations in it, except for the occasional problems from wheels and tires (once I resolve the problem with the wheels and tires, the ride is as smooth as a car can be).