Whats up guys. My name is Nakul and i've been a part of the org for a long time. The org has gotten me through a 1996 I30 and is helping me through my current 2000 I30. Now, im going old school as a fun car and am looking into a 1993 Maxima SE 5spd. I haven't personally seen the car yet, but i wanted to ask you guys about some things to look for. I know that the 3rd gens sometimes have a VTC problem. I just want a quick overview of what i should look for, in specific, with the engine. The car itself has only 130K and the seller is the original owner. Im going to see the car tomorrow so i'd definitely love a response to this today. Any and ALL suggestion comment and pointers are welcome. Aright, thanks guys, peace.

 

1. Check if the VTC's tick on start-up, preferably cold start. It sounds like lifters sticking. Some people ground theirs, and the noise gets better or disappears. The tick could also be the timing chain tensioner.

2. Hesitation on load is a problem with some VE's. You can check the coil packs for cracks or ask if they have been replaced.

3. Check the tranny for any noises w or w/o the clutch in. Input shaft bearings, TO bearings, etc.

 

I'm not sure if you'll be able to tell with the backseat still in, but you might want to take a look around the rear driver side wheel well for rust or corrosion problems as well. Also ask to take the gascap off and listen for the pressure release (hissing) to make sure the filler neck isn't rusting apart. The thing about the gas cap though is there's a chance it might not make the sound anyway if it hasn't been driven much since it's last fill up but 90% of the time it should.

 

Wow thanks guys for all the help. I did check the gas cap and it did sound like it released pressure, not some but alot, so thats a good sign. As far as the VTCs i did hear some clicking/clacking but i couldn't tell if it was the VTCs or something else. But, none the less, i bought it....i couldn't resist. It's a gray metallic 1993 Maxima SE---> (correct me if im wrong) the VE engine. It has all the usual, power windows, locks, power mirrors and heated mirrors (something my I30 doesn't even have!). Although i've been spoiled with the luxury of leather seats with my past two infinitis, i don't mind the black cloth its in pretty darn good condition. The gears shift smoothly and properly. I love the car because it's a maxima stick the epitome of 4dsc but there are definitely some things i'd like to address. I noticed that the pick up isn't that great when you're already at speed. For example, lets say im going 45 already in fourth gear, i find that i have to floor the pedal to make it pick up speed quickly. It's almost as if the cars got asthma....Im not looking for instantaneous accel but you know reasonable accel its got to make me feel as if it's atleast trying to do some work! Im wondering what you guys think. Im planning on doing the following within the next couple of days...
1) Oil change with Castrol Syntec 10w30
2)check all the fluids for color and purity
3)Check the spark plugs and wires
4)Clean the TB
5)wash the car to a brilliant shine with some meguiars then claybar it and wax etc etc

If you suggest some other things for me to check and or replace def lemme know. If you've gotten this far in my post then i can't thank you enough for taking the time to read through this long @$$ post.

 

check the compression on the cylinders. check the ECU for codes.

there are quite a few variables for lack of power. I think the most common for the VE is a bad knock sensor (especially if it seems to lose power when warm) or o2 sensor and usually those will NOT throw a code.

also, check/replace the air filter.

replace the y-pipe with a warpspeed. That's the biggest exhaust restriction, unless you have a bad problem like a clogged cat.

 

Well the VE has a really good smooth powerband but if you're down low in fourth gear it's not going to start pulling hard untill your around 4k because it does have reasonable high gearing. Just drop it down to third and you'll get moving in no time. If I'm going around 50 or 55 mph I'll usually drop it to second.

 

well i checked the air filter and changed the oil. The air filter seemed like new but the oil was completely BLACK not even dark maroon BLACK! So i drrained the oil flushed through two quarts with neither the bolt or the filter on and then put four with the filter and bolt on and ran it for a few minutes to get most of the gunk outta there. Once that was done i filled it with mobil1 synthetic and WOW what a DIFFERENCE! theres still a bit of lag in the car but it gets up and goes so much nicer than before. Im still going to do some other preventative maintenance but that took car of most of the weakness thanks guys. I haven't had the chance to run it by a shop or auto zone to pull some codes but i will soon enough. Thanks again guys peace.

 

on a 3rd gen you pull the codes yourself. We aren't OBD-II so the connector on our cars is nissan proprietary I believe. You have to go look at the ECU itself and there are little LEDs on there that blink your code to you. It's more involved than that though, it involves turning some screw on the ECU or something, i have the instructions somehwere, I just haven't read them thoroughly and memorized them yet.

 

IMO you can find alot better, you'll get sick of em as soonas you have em on there, You can to Promote Maximas much better.

EDIT: Wrong Thread My Badness. Urgh !!

 

oh yeah thats true. I completely overlooked that fact. I still haven't gotten used to the fact that its not obd II. Well ill be looking around for the instructions on how to pull the codes right now. thanks

 

i found them now. if you've got the same kind of thingy that mine has (yeah, 'thingy' is the technical term..), but mine is just a screw that you turn all the way one way, or all the way the other. there's a certain type of 3rd gen ECU with notches in the rotation of the screw, but that's not the kind I have and i guess you don't either. anyhow, you break the little seal, and take the screw and turn it all the way to the right (like you're tightening it), and wait for the light to go BLINK.. BLINK... ... ... Blinkblinkblink and after the 3 quick beeps you turn it back left again and watch. here, look:



now you can't see me turning the screw (you can see me covering the lights while trying to turn the screw though at the beginning. I had it with 2 solid lights, then I turned it to the right, and they went off, the blinked 2 long blinks. paused. 3 short blinks. TURN IT NOW to the left; don't let it start blinking the 4-quick-blinks set of blinks before you turn it.. you might miss it. now wait.. wait some more. keep waiting. OK now you will see some red and some green blinks. red is your tens place, green is your ones. put them together, and you have your code. you want to see a 55. mine was a 33 which means i've got a bum o2 sensor.

 

awesome thanks alot bro. Do you happen to have a chart of the codes and the meanings? Or atleast lemme know where to look i wouldnt want to have you do all the work even after handing this stuff to me. Thanks a whole bunch though man.

 

http://pages.cthome.net/bbachinsky/nissan_ecm_codes.htm

from the general maintenance sticky at the top of the forum

 

He called our cars old school.....