So i just bought a 93 maxima SE today. The guy I bought it from was a mechanic and said one of the fuel injectors was bad. he just wasn't sure which one. He didn't feel like dealing with it, that's why he sold it. The car is making a strange noise, almost like metal hitting each other. it's coming from under the hood and only does it sometimes. Could that be caused by the bad injector?

Please help!

 

injector is more of a tick tick tick noise. what motor? and where about under the hood?

 

that might be more of what it sounds like. its hard to describe. it's the DOHC motor and the noise seems like its coming from around the manifold.

 

if its more of a clack sound and its constant it might be the vtc clack.

 

yea, its not really constant. its mainly when the car is idle. when ur driving it faster than like 25, it doesn't make and sounds. I don't know much about these cars. I had a 96 for about a year a couple years back. Now I have a mustang so i am not too familiar with maxima's. I am taking it to a mechanic tomorrow to have him check it out. I am just hoping i am not getting myself into a crapload of expensive repairs.

 

could be a belt, lifter, pulley, injector, sparkplug, rotor. prop the hood and listen and try to pinpoint where its coming from. use a screw driver and place it where you think its coming from and put your ear on the handle.

 

couldn't imagine a fuel injecotr causing a metal on metal sound

 

no but it does tick.

 

Sounds like the Timing Chain clack to me, my 93 SE only clacks occasionally at idle but not under throttle or when the engine is cold, I've heard the VG30DE engine is notorious for that damn clacking sound, the previous owner of my car is a good friend and his dad owns the local import shop, they yanked the whole engine of my Max and replaced the chain, the guides, and the tensioners to no avail, it still clacks

 

Does it sort of sound like a small diesel engine running?

 

That entire statement is nearly all false. A Belt, Pulley, Injector, Or a sparkplug that is fastened, and under the coil will not "clack." There are usually two common reasons for ticking and clacking on VE30DE's. Which came in all 92-94 SE Models. (Which means no Rotor).

One: Being a VTC (Variable Timing Cam) Clack. The Spring in the assembly gets weak and will end up clacking after so long. I say clack because it is a notably different sound over a "tick." Your VTC assmemblies are here:



A Common "ticking" sound on these engine's is an exhaust leak out of the top of the exhaust manifold. Often the Exhaust manifold Studs (Where it Bolts To Eachother; visible from the top of the engine bay) Corrode and break causing exhaust to escape from that area. Meaning a "ticking" Sound.

No VG30DE Was ever put on a maxima.

 

i was meaning in general, my pulleys have made clacking sounds. my lifters have made clacking sounds. none of us has heard the sound so neither of us know what it sounds like.
PS: you dont have to go crazy cause someone made a typo.

 

Hah, I wasn't going crazy. Was just saying so the OP didn't get confused....

What kind of clacking came from your Pulleys?

 

im assuming the bearings about to seize up, but other than that clack clack clack clack clack

 

Ohh, I gotcha. I hate Pulley bearing clack. You could try greasing the double chrome reverse bearing on the inside of the pulley to see if it quiets it down...

 

i dont know which pulley it is, its ps water pump or idler

 

My best guess is that the VTCs are clacking. Search through the stickies and find out information about them. It is common for 92-94 Maxima SEs with the DOHC engine.

 

those are the solenoids, not the assemblies.
the assemblies are the piece that is sticking out from the cam.

 

VTCs or exhaust studs, or both.

Bad pulleys make more of a constant grinding noise instead of a clanking.

 

Just giving him a general area to search for noises... Figured it'd be easier to post a picture of those rather than the actual picture given by Michael or Greeny.

+ I've never had my engine rebuilt so I can't take pictures there

 

I was just clarifying so people don't think it's an easy repair.

 

VG motor with a common clack due to a timing chain? It has a belt. Never heard of a common VG clack.

 

read the posts, weve already determined there is no vg30de and probably was meant a ve.

 

Sorry my neighbor downstairs has a Z32 300ZX we've been working on and I mixed up the two...my 93 SE has been clacking for 8 years now, it's irritating as **** but there isn't really much you can do for it, we've decided that rewiring the solenoids on the VTC was more work than it was worth

 

1989-1991 SE = VG30E
1989-1994 GXE = VG30E
1992-1994 SE = VE30DE

 

o thank god everyone keeps posting that its a ve30de and not a vg30de....

 

i thought it was an easy fix? more than its worth? might save ur motor! or at least give you some more life out of it.

 

Yeah, We're all aware. But you DO REALIZE VG30DE's didn't come in Maxima's, but VG30E's came in the majority of them.

 

I am a complete moron..

 

http://www.geocities.com/craigbrace/ Go to the How-To section and it shows you how to rewire the VTC solenoids, I have no time to do it to mine right now and currently its around 30-40 degrees outside everyday and I don't have a garage to work in. The clacking doesn't hurt the engine, it's a common problem that is more irritating than damaging. I also have about 3-4 other things to fix on the damn thing. I'd rather be able to lock my doors and have them stay locked, get the seat belt chime to stop chiming, be able to have a CD player in my car without something shorting out fix the rust problem, and repair the damage done to the car when the previous owner side-swiped a pole...I've got alot of other work to do

 

Actually,the clacking will eventually break the vtc end cap,then the pieces of the cap will get into your timing chain,breaking the chain,this will cause all your valves to smash into your pistons,then you have a 500lb paper weight under the hood..

Unless you are wanting to replace your engine,i would advise you to AT LEAST take the time to ground the solenoids,then replace the worn spring asap..

 

well his motor may be shot but at least he can sit in the car, lock the doors, and listen to a cd without the seatbelt chime LOL. Comeon dude all you got to do is ground a wire. You don't need a garage, put on a coat and spen the 10-15 minutes and save urself an engine.

 

I've always wanted a 3000 lb stereo system with power door locks, and wheels so I can push it around town. An engine isn't so important, you'll save lots of gas money without it!

 

Well, i have the maxima telling me I did have a bad injector so now it will run on all 6 cylinders again. However, the noise that i am hearing is the gears inside the motor? I think he was saying whatever is in with the timing chain. He is able to but some additive in the oil and what it does is flood the gears with fluid keeping them from hitting each other. this is what is creating the annoying noise. So, my car will running for now, but there is set time period for it to last. Anyone have this problem?

 

any chance that it sounds like this? hopefully someone still pays attention to this thread....

 

That definitely sounds like it. You can do a search and see how to ground your VTCs (disable them). Once you do that, it should go away and you know that is the problem. Personally, I would not leave them grounded, as it effects performance.

I drove my car for several years with it clacking like that. I finally bought a JDM engine and after a while, that one started doing it, too.

Looking at the 3rd gen forum, I see not many people around and I am sure more of these cars are going to the scrap yard because of the engine problems. It is a one-off engine, only found in this car, so parts are getting harder to find.

 

I wonder if anyone still makes the rebuild kits for them.

 

Cliff Clavin and internetautomart? oh my god, it's the good old days!

 

I was thinking about my old car...then posted an update at the end of my sold thread.

 

you should make an offer and purchase mine....haha jk

unless you really would....

So the VE30DE is literally a ticking time bomb with no reasonable fix for the mechanically retarded? Just wanting to verify, cause i plan on running seafoam, a royal purple oil change (yet to decide on the weight) and drive it until it pops....