Hey guys...I just picked up the Maxima I posted about a few times the other day and noticed a few things that were a bit unexpected.

I am begininning to think that the knock I (and my father) had previously thought was a engine on the virge of death is something much less major. In gear, the car rides + sounds beautifully (save for something I'll describe a little later)...but when it's in park or neutral it makes a low rattling/shaking noise which could easily be mistaken for a knock. I wish I could describe it a little better to you...I think the best example would be like someone quitely sanding a piece of metal very quickly.

The other thing is that at two redlights (out of maybe 7 or 8 complete stops on the way back from this guys house) the car didn't go into first. It would grab eventually but wouldn't do it right away. I find this odd because the car has no problem shifting and knowing when to shift along the way and is very (much more than I expected at least) responsive for both throttle and brakes.

Oh yeah...and the classic Orange Shift Lock :)

TIA guys,
JasonDeej/Fred P

P.S.: Almost forgot to mention...1990 Maxima SE w/ AT.

 

if its not going into gear right away it could be torque converter or trany but more than likely youll just need full rebiult because the knocking could be a bearing or somthing but its pretty obvious its tranny related

 

well the tranny was recently rebuilt about 30,000 miles ago according to the paperwork...we have a theory that a bolt that holds in the TC may be loose/not torqued and that would cause the rattling/scraping noise, and may have something to do with the shifting problem.

 

maybe what you are calling a knock is an exhaust leak. Pretty common on the 3rd gens.

 

the car recieved a cat back (or maybe even y-pipe-back) exhaust (stock specs) about 5000 miles ago...

would an exhaust leak (somewhere between the manifold and cat) be responsible for the fast paced rattle (I find it really hard to describe noises) whenever it's not in gear?

 

No what is common on the 3rd gens is that the exhaust studs on the heads (where the exhaust manifolds connect) break which causes a leak. And yes what you are describing to me sounds like that leak.

Even if it looks like no studs are missing or broken they might be because sometimes they break from the head but still stay in the manifold looking like they are fine. But then you go to take them off and the whole thing comes out.

Read the stickies there should be something in there about the studs.