i need help with my 91 maxima...
My maxima is a automatic 91 maxima..when i drive now my car wont register on the dash over heating but suddenly smoke for a quick moment will come from under my hood... this only happens every know and then...but lately now my car when i put it into drive n when i start to give the car gas when i come from a complete stop the car feels very sluggish and thurrr is a ratteling that comes from under my car...
CAN ANYONE HELP ME IN LETING ME KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN ON HERE!!!!!! E-MAIL me at deftones12001@yahoo.com

thank u
dj rain

 

The smoke could be anything. In my first car (79 buick), I did a awful messy job doing an oil change, and blue smoke came from under the hood for a while.

Is the temperature needle not moving at all, or is going to operating temperature? Also, I don't believe the Max has a temperature light. But I could be wrong.

Is the rattling new, or has it been there? Sounds like an exhaust thing.

Seems like it could be unrelated problems tied together. But I'm new here, so I'm sure someone else could be of much better assisstance

 

the thermo needle is at opperating temp. i have replaced the thermostat
but it continues to do this smoking thing urrry now n then. n u the other problem might be exhaust?? if anyone has yahoo messneger pm me
deftones12001
thanx
djrain

 

Check your water pump and radiator hoses. You might be leaking on the engine causing the smoke. I had the same problem during the winter time.

 

The rattling could be the thingy that is supposed to hold the exhaust in place. I can't think of it's name on the top of my head. Just check under your car for broken or loose linkages.

 

any ideas on what is causing the sluggishness of the car from a red light or any time i move??

 

Could be anything. We'd need more information on the car's performance to give you any info on the stumble/hesitation/sluggishness/whatever, for example, does it idle well? Is it always sluggish? Any other problems? Does it run well at speed? Does it pull well once you're off and running? The more information you provide, the more the board can help! I would also check your water pump and hoses for leaks--fix one problem at a time. Are you losing coolant?

 

the car drives strait n ok its really just when i take off from a complete stop is the car sluggidh and does it rattle.... rpms dont seem to be running higher just the car being very hesitant off the line...

 

Could be a tranny issue. I just replaced my tranny yesterday. They aren't too expensive as I first thought.

 

How much did you pay for your's?


I'm thinking about installing a cooler when I get the money.

Though part of me wants to just wait until my tranny goes...so I have an excuse to do a swap to 5spd.

 

"thurrr" i think thats one of your problems... you have been listening to too much nelly (read: gay) rap.


If it only shudders off the line i would assume tranny problems. Check the fluid level and color. You might have to change the fluid (if your lucky) or you may need a new tranny.

 

My water pump experience:

Water pump went on my max before it was officially "mine", though I was driving it back from UF at the time, a two hour drive. About an hour in, my temp gauge started to act weird, but nothing really out of the "normal" range. Then it began to creep higher, so I turned up the heater, which worked for a little while, then hot air stopped coming out...that's when I new it was the pump.

No water getting to the heater core, or the engine for that matter. It didn't start smoking until I pulled over though, which was mostly just water vapor, since one of the hoses somehow ruptured. I also heard these really awful toilet clogging type sounds, and coolant was leaking all out from under my car.

This doesn't sound like water pump though 'cos his needle is at operating temp. Unless it's something else.

 

cars just make me mad

 

I paid about 850 for the tranny and installation. Tranny was 450 and installation was 400. The tranny was 200 below Manufacturer recommended price for a used tranny. It has 78k on it and it was off of a 93. My next tranny swap is going to be a 5-speed instead of an auto.

Swap the tranny out now sell it for parts and do the 5-speed swap. Cars always breakdown when they are always needed. I have never caught a flat on my day off from school or work but I always catch one when I need to go to a staff meeting or there's an important test. Don't wait for the tranny to fail.