The Import

[SubwayGuy]

It's been awhile

As many of you are aware, after I sold the GP, I bought a 2002 Maxima SE. Love the car, even though it has its issues. Don't think I'm going back to GM anytime soon. The VQ35 and 3800 share just about nothing in common, so learning a whole new platform has been quite interesting

Ever since owning it, I've just been doing normal maintenance items to get it to a desirable state. Some of the things I've done include:
-replaced radiator bushings
-replaced spark plugs
-replaced blower motor resistor
-had the muffler welded back on (flange completely rotted away)

Basically just normal things

Mods are scarce since I'm cheap, but they include a ghetto air box and a VIAS delete

(yes my ghetto air box is just the stock intake with holes drilled before the filter lol)

That's it as of right now, but I'm seeing coilovers in the future if I can find some for a good price

One thing my car had basically from the start was a bad transmission. Didn't really start to notice it until about 4 months after I bought my car. Hasn't really gotten any worse but it sketches me out driving with it. Babying the car makes it shift alright, but any sort of hard acceleration makes it slip. So today I picked up a used trans with 70k miles on it and will be swapping it in over spring break with the help of a friend

My car has some pretty good rust, so that will make it quite the challenge, but it seems fairly straight-forward. While the y-pipe is removed, I'll also be gutting the precats and replacing the front motor mount. Once all these repairs are done, I should have no issues with the car and feel confident to drive it anywhere

 

[wstefan20]

Like the thread! It's good to see other platforms to mix things up a bit! Glad you like it! (now you just need a turbo... hehe)

 

[SubwayGuy]

No turbo lol, don't want to go through another trans lol. I could do the 6spd swap if I wanted to, but that's a good chunk of money right there, not to mention I'd still need the turbo kit. If I do start to mod the engine, it would just be intake spacers. Since I'm gutting the precats, headers would just be a waste of money

 

[Sven the Sexman]

Watch out for the radiator support on those cars...I know they like to rot out.

 

[BillBoost37]

Trans swap on that isn't bad at all. Nissan did a nice job of keeping most stuff out of your way.

 

[SubwayGuy]

My radiator support has a giant hole in it lol. While replacing the trans we might weld in a steel plate over top of it just to give it more structural stability. I don’t jack the car up by the front jack point, I do it by the LCA bushings

 

[SubwayGuy]

It looks easy, but I know it won’t be once I start lol. All that needs to come out from up top is the intake, battery, and battery tray. Exposes the hole top side of the tranny. Hardest part will be removing the passenger side axle. But I’m surprised at how little things need to be removed to drop it out

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

All of this and there isn't even a picture of the car.

 

[SubwayGuy]

Yeah yeah, I’ll get some when I wash it. Don’t have many good ones of it right now

 

[BillBoost37]

I'm not 100%, but I think there's no real cradle in the way of it coming out. One cross member or such, support your engine and it nearly falls out. Also I think the passenger axle is bolted in just like this vid
Passenger Side CV Axle Replacement 04-08 Maxima --__-- Silver Surfer - YouTube

 

[SubwayGuy]

Yep, only thing that needs to be removed is one cross brace that’s held in with 4 or 5 bolts. Actually, I don’t even think it needs to come out. But the passenger side axle rusts in the bracket it slides into and can be a PITA to get free. I’m already planning on removing the whole bracket to take it out

 

[BillBoost37]

I forget which way we did it. It was in a shop and on a lift, so much easier to get under and choose which bolts to take. Either way as I recall it wasn't bad at all for a swap.

Since you aren't fighting too much underneath a floor jack would work fine for removal and install.

 

[SubwayGuy]

That’s good to hear, because a lift is the one thing we don’t have lol. I’m just gonna take my time to make sure I don’t screw anything up. I don’t even know if the trans works or not, so it could all be for nothing...

 

[BillBoost37]

Did you see the car it came out of? I like to gauge a motor/trans based on car it came out of if you can. If the trunk is part of the back seat.. the engine and trans will be good etc.

If you snagged it from a recycler etc.. it should be good or have a warranty.

Almost all the work I did on my cars or friends cars was on the ground with jack stands and a jack. You adjust to what is available.

 

[SubwayGuy]

They had 2 Maxima’s in the yard, and while I don’t know if it came out of one of them, they didn’t have front end damage. I just chose the one with least amount of miles near me

It shouldn’t be a huge deal, but a lift would be amazing haha

Regardless, I’m gonna learn a whole lot

 

[BillBoost37]

Actually.. in a lot of cases a lift isn't all that spectacular if you aren't use to having one.

I was slower doing a trans swap on my car at my buddies shop than if I did it on the ground. You get use to certain things and adapt to work better under those conditions. I also would find that I'd flop on the floor and get stuff done faster than the lift can go up and down. Then again.. not having to be as contorted does have it's advantages.

 

[SubwayGuy]

Well....... things have changed. Let’s just say the title of the thread is still correct, but it won’t refer to the Nissan anymore

 

[SubwayGuy]

Here's what I'm now cruising around in:

1994 Honda Prelude Si

Has 124k miles, and a 5spd. Unfortunately it does not have the H22 with VTEC, but it still moves. For its age, its exceptionally clean. The pictures do the talking. 1 spot of rust the size of a quarter on the passenger rear wheel well, and a dent on the passenger fender that will be popped out soon. Interior is a damn near 9.5 out of 10. Repairs done have been a new flex pipe and just general maintenance like an oil change, manual transmission fluid, painting the wiper arms, etc. Only flaw as of right now is the valve seals are shot and it will smoke pretty good on startup or after sitting idle for a bit. Other than that, I'm super happy with it. And no I will not rice this thing out, probably won't do like any mods.

 

[WarStryker13]

I'm pleasantly surprised by how clean it is.

Neat dashboard/instrument cluster design.

 

[BillBoost37]

holy snikies!. I had a 93 Lude SI. Being 94 do you have Vtac yo? I can't remember when vtec hit. although I did blow some local ricers out of the water with my totally stock auto 93 lol