im having some tranny problems with my 97 Max and am wanting to 5-seed convert it. is this an easy or HARD swap?


also because 97 is OBD-II, i was wondering if i can just swap a 95 ECU into it. any ideas?

 

Its not the easiest thing in the world...


Why do you want a 95 ECU? All 4th gens have the OBDII connector

 

Relatively easy.... If you have all of the parts....

Someone may correct me because I'm just going over it in my head, I never done it personally but I know both cars well enough to run a mental break down.

To my knowledge there's no fab work involved with the swap, everything is remove and install.

And The ECU pinout to my knowledge is the same from 95-97 so a 95 should be able to run the motor, unlike going to a 98-99 where the CKPS wires are in different locations.

That's just off the top of my head, someone else can quickly chime in.

but I'm almost positive there's a write up somewhere on this...

 

thank you yeah i need to make sure i get it right,so i dont have to do any wierd customizing,plus i live in NC and we do inspections here on 96 and up cars and im tired of failing because of OBD-II check engine light issues.

 

95 Maximas are obdll, all 4th gens are.

 

Yah I'm Deffentely Doin a 5 Speed swap These Hoe *** Auto's Cant take a Beating at all my third one is already goin out && I just put it in few months ago...5 speed swap cant be any harder then doin three tranny swaps a year on ****y autos.

 

found a 5 speed maxima motor no good for 1100 buy it and spend a day or two doin swap...notthin to it every maxima build had the option to be 5speed or auto so everything is ready for u to install parts. just got block off plates.

 

Uhhh... The auto is tougher than the 5spd dude.....

 

I have a feeling you'll be replacing 5spd trannies too.

 

The only thing thats hard/ a pita to do on a 5speed swap is drilling put the holes to hold the master cylinder and clutch pedal. Everything else goes back in the same way they came out the 5spd car

 

cool,so anyone have a 5-speed tranny and its componets in N. Carolina? if so hit me up 336-653-0541 call or text.


and for the ECU if anyone has any more info on this let me know,because im tired of OBD-II related issues,and am thinking a 95 ECU could be OBD-I and simpler and more reliable,thanks.

 

See above

 

Ah yes! This!

That's the gay part of the swap, once you do that, you've done the hardest thing.

But you have to realize that just because the car is OBDII doesn't mean an emissions testing county will treat it as OBDII.

Here in Texas (and I'm sure it's like this in other states) if you have a 95 or older (doesn't matter if the car is ODBII compatible or not) the car gets a dyno test, idle, and 20mph IIRC and does a sniffer on the exhaust.

This is dependent on the registration of the car. So if Diassis were to get ahold of some vin plates and register a 95 (in texas anyways), it'd get the sniffer test and a safety inspection, no plugging in of OBDII stuff.

 

+1 on this

 

^^^^ this is so true ^^^^ i just did my swap

 

As long as the car is identified as a 97, it will be tested as such. While a 95 ECU. May not show a light for something like EGR, it will also show not ready in a e-test and fail. Ymmv.

 

I want to say this is not true, I don't have evidence proving otherwise but I doubt this is accurate.

 

I cannot prove this, nor can I cite personal experience, it is only what I suspect.

While the ECU would not throw a code, or show an unready parameter, the code reader may detect a missing parameter and "raise a flag". Im just thinking out loud here, and sharing my thoughts.

At any rate, I would rather have OBDII for improved troubleshooting.

 

If OP wants to get rid of the OBD2 functionality just to skirt a test for inspection, he'd have to register the car as a pre-obd2 year for his state (n.c. iirc). He'd have to have the paperwork for the title changed as well...and that's a minimum! He'd also have to physically remove the obd2 port from the car.

A lot of hassle for skirting an inspection

 

Not to be too big of a douche, but how about fixing what causes the check engine light? Then you won't fail.

 

All 4th gens have ODBII.

Just needs to "buy" another car, not that hard, it happens to be the same color and trim, who cares, 95-99 maxima is a common car.

And again... A L L 4th gens have OBDII ports, why remove it when the other 99.9% of 95's have it?

 

earlier OBD setups seem simpler,more reliable and a lot easier to modify,which is why im gathering info. its not really all about the inspection part,it has a lot to do with my curiousity.

 

I heard that some of the 95's were obd1?

 

I have owned four, 4 gen maximas. 2 autos and 2 manuals. A manual will waken the car more and is quicker then a auto. Have raced a auto against a manual. The myth that the manuals in the 4 gen maxima can go bad is kinda a myth for me. I have owned 2 1997 manuals. My current manual has 245k miles on the tranny and still shifts good. You will love shifting with the power of the VQ behind it.

 

I almost have 260K on my manual with no problems.

I don't think any 4th gen maxima had an OBD1

 

am i gonna have to pull the dashboard to run a clutch pedal?

 

Just the gauge cluster IIRC.

Everything you need to know about doing the swap

 

JUST WHAT I NEEDED,thanx