awhile back, I posted a thread on how my reverse lockout was now non existant. That means in the 5spd, you can drectly shift from 5th to reverse w/o having to shift into neutral first. Well, I think that was the start of my problems. When I went to change my oil a week later, I noticed the tranny was leaking a bit from the axle. I showed a few ppl they said to get it taken care of ASAP. I brought it to a garage, they said it was the seals. So, $250 later I replaced the seals. OK well they give it back to me saying they think its the tranny cuz its still leaking, but less, LIARS!!!! it is now leaking MORE and now i must top it off with gear oil everyday, THANK GOD the filler hole is so easy to get to. So, I have one of my good buddies thats a mechanic look at it, he wants to replace the seals and the axle again, he thinks they've f***ed something up. Well after a week of trying to get an axle for a 2000 maxima (IMPOSSIBLE) i almost cried cuz everyday for that week I was told itd be done the next day, than the next day comes, i get home from class and a problem has arised, either they couldnt get it, it wouldnt come in for another 92 and a half years, or simply noone had it. Note that one day at work it leaked almost 2 quarts and i towed it home and left it there. After a week I gave up. My mom had called me on the phone in class and told me she was sick of this and is getting to towed to Nissan. NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! I tried to tell her we'd be better off buying a new maxima rather than bringing it to Nissan. I finally encouraged her to look in the phonebook, so we instead got it towe to Ammco transmissions in Easton, PA. They looked at in and in fact it is the transmission, the bearings are letting the axle have play which is letting it leak. They are rebuilding it now but ugh they have to get the parts from nissan. This is gonna be a fortune. I am gonna make sure to get the warranty on there work. Otherwise this car has been absoluely problem free with 110,000 miles and me driving it pretty hard. Only I replaced the MAF sensor and thats it. I detailed it up the other day real real good, leather protectant, stripped and reapplied wax, stripped armor all and applied protectant, everything. the guy from Ammco that towed it said it had to be one of the cleanest cars he's seen with over 100,000 miles. he kept saying that I have a good car, how the Maxima's with 5spds are slick cars and he hasnt seen a sedan like it all the time he's been in business. That gave me the chills. lol. Im so happy with this car i WILL DEFINETLY be a loyal maxima owner and buy another in the future (5.5 gen). Sorry for the long story, I figured it'd make up that I havent been on the org in awhile.

P.S In the meantime I've been driving a Honda Pilot. Not a bad truck in any means whatsoever, but it's torture going from the max to that. Makes the max feel like its the fastest best handling car in the world when u come from a big SUV.

 

now when you get your car back... treat it well.... remember it is a machine and it will break.... good luck

 

ugh but i know im gonna wanna race people like always...err there gonna wanna race me but not like 2 million MPH race like off the line...

 

my 5spd went out when I had 59k miles on it and had the exact same symptoms you describe. Got it replace free under warranty.

You would be better off if you get a low mileage used tranny from car-part.com. You can get a decent one there for $500-$700 instead of paying some shop $2000 labor to rebuild the damn thing.

 

Diff bearings go from people chirping 2nd gear and **** like that. Its a no no with any car to do that. Plus what do you gain in speed by chirping the tires ? Bearings are not expenssive at all, they are bout 70 dollars each at the most. They will wanna change out the input shaft bearings and coutershaft bearings also. I rebuild my 5spd at 65K miles when my 4th gear blew apart, cost me 400 bux in all the parts including new syncros.

Why do you think a non raced 3rd gen can make it too over 200K miles on a original tranny and yours went soo soon ? My 3rd gen lasted 265K miles on the OEM tranny when the clutch disk exploded and tore apart the throwout bearing snout on the trans. I put a REMAN tranny in it for 700 bux- 12 month warranty from NY. Tranny was like new when I got it, and the car got me to 340K miles when I sold it.

 

A professional Maxima driver should treat his car better .... so slow it down man!

I don't ever want to hear you crashed your baby, so be safe.

Oh, and Jon- Those headlights we installed on my Maxima are awesome! Thanks so much. You know I'd give you my transmission if I could.

 

Sorry to hear your ordeal. I can relate that kind of pain paying out for something that wasn't a problem in the first place. Those mechanics that did the seals are idiots!

 

problem like this can be a drain on your wallet, but you gotta be reasonable and know where you can save the $ or where you are better of by paying a few more hundred just to make sure everything is done right. I'm talking about some crappy mechaincs you went to in the 1st place.

You may be worse off with a rebuild than getting a used OEM tranny from junkyard. Ask your shop if they will install the tranny that you're going to buy. (of course, if you have the time to roam the junkyards in search of the right part).

 

hey guys, update. Ammco has called and they are rebuiliding the tranny now, and it will be ready today. Ready for the bad? Its gonna cost 2900 bucks including tax. Good thing I have a generous mother to loan me some money, but I need the car anyway else I'd have to share hers, and she doesn't want that. Anyway, that price includes a warranty, so I'm set. I always used to chirp 2nd, which I will not do anymore. But with this tranny rebuilt, and a new clutch, it should be like a new car. Thanks guys, for your input. And dealing with/reading my long a** story lol.

 

oh and PS I did do some junkyard searching in the first place, its rare to find a low mileage 2000 5spd in the first place, forget a low mileage, manual, CRASHED maxima.

 

the 6spd trannies seem to be more plentiful than the 5spd. Can you put the 6spd on a vq30de?

 

i wish......

 

update AGAIN...i got the car back FINALLY!!!! Its great. Shifts smoother than ever, less jerkiness, and clutch is about the same, had to get used to it though. Im gonna ask the shop, but sometimes going into 5th a few times it ground and i made sure i had the clutch to the floor....Ill have them check it out..it has a waranty. Other than that it works great and engine still purrs after 110,000 miles.