catalytic converter is it a problem ? 2002 altima
-
azntonee2kc
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 3:42 am
catalytic converter is it a problem ? 2002 altima
i been reading stuff on altima and its catalytic converter , i have 2002 altima 103,500 mi. so far no problem with it but i been reading and seems like sooner or later its gonna be my turn. i was would like to know if anyone can help me to select what type should i buy? ( aftermaket or oem?) anyone can help?????
-
Jlinz20
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Jul 15, 2010 6:20 am
- Car: 2008 Nissan Altima Coupe 3.5SE
- Location: Milford, CT
Re: catalytic converter is it a problem ? 2002 altima
Yes this is a major problem for 2002 altimas with the 2.5L 4 Cyl. Engine. However i have not heard of it being a problem for the V6 models, but i previously owned one and my cat failed at about 65000 miles, i ended paying $1000 for a new cat because the warranty was out by 4 months (sucked). Even after the cat was replaced there was noticable engine noise after, basically it sounded like it was heading for the s***, if i pushed it past 2000 rpm it produced a high pitched squealing noise, sounded like the piston rings had gone and my car started sucking about 4 quarts of oil every 300 miles or so.
Once the cat fails the engines screwed, by then material from the Pre-cat has already been sucked into the engine and one or more of the cylinders are probably shot by now (the piston rings going is what was causing the oil consumption). I also noticed a large decrease in engine power and my car started to stall.
I ended up trading it in for an 08 altima coupe 3.5L and getting 5000 for it (would've costed around 4000 to replace the engine in my 02 so figured i was making out very well). I love Nissans but i do not trust their 2.5L engine anymore so if i stay with nissans im sticking with the 3.5L they seem much more reliable to me, my fathers maxima has never given him a problem and still runs with as much power as the day he drove it off the light.
Possible solutions to this problem i've read about are
1. Getting the engine replaced after cat failure (most expensive), i wouldnt do this either because it doesn't fix the problem, it will happen again to the new engine, its not the particular engine in your car its the overall design of where the pre-cat was placed in relation to the engine.)
2. Get rid of the car (this is what i did, seemed like the best move at the time and im enjoying my new car very much)
3. I've heard putting on aftermarket headers eliminates this problem because it gets rid of the pre-cat ( i think), preventing the material from damaging the engine at all. (this is probably the best option if a new car is out of the question).
But yeah i basically thought getting 5000 for a trade in to a new car was better than dumping out 4000 for an engine that would most likely fail again, and for me installing the headers would not have helped because my engine was already shot from the cat failing, and obviously my power train warranty was gone. Its a shame it was a beautiful looking car with just a poorly designed engine, when the engine was in its prime it had pretty good pep for a 4cyl, but i just dont trust the 4cyl's anymore after this, which is unfortunate because it got great gas milage as well. But if you have the 3.5L engine you probably might not have anything to worry about. If you have the 2.5L then your pretty lucky for getting past 100k with no problems, id definately just check into putting headers on it and monitor your oil level. An increase in oil consumption is the sign that the engine is starting to take damage.
If you have any questions though, send me a message because ive spent countless hours reading up on this topic and have first hand experience with it so i can probably help you out.
Once the cat fails the engines screwed, by then material from the Pre-cat has already been sucked into the engine and one or more of the cylinders are probably shot by now (the piston rings going is what was causing the oil consumption). I also noticed a large decrease in engine power and my car started to stall.
I ended up trading it in for an 08 altima coupe 3.5L and getting 5000 for it (would've costed around 4000 to replace the engine in my 02 so figured i was making out very well). I love Nissans but i do not trust their 2.5L engine anymore so if i stay with nissans im sticking with the 3.5L they seem much more reliable to me, my fathers maxima has never given him a problem and still runs with as much power as the day he drove it off the light.
Possible solutions to this problem i've read about are
1. Getting the engine replaced after cat failure (most expensive), i wouldnt do this either because it doesn't fix the problem, it will happen again to the new engine, its not the particular engine in your car its the overall design of where the pre-cat was placed in relation to the engine.)
2. Get rid of the car (this is what i did, seemed like the best move at the time and im enjoying my new car very much)
3. I've heard putting on aftermarket headers eliminates this problem because it gets rid of the pre-cat ( i think), preventing the material from damaging the engine at all. (this is probably the best option if a new car is out of the question).
But yeah i basically thought getting 5000 for a trade in to a new car was better than dumping out 4000 for an engine that would most likely fail again, and for me installing the headers would not have helped because my engine was already shot from the cat failing, and obviously my power train warranty was gone. Its a shame it was a beautiful looking car with just a poorly designed engine, when the engine was in its prime it had pretty good pep for a 4cyl, but i just dont trust the 4cyl's anymore after this, which is unfortunate because it got great gas milage as well. But if you have the 3.5L engine you probably might not have anything to worry about. If you have the 2.5L then your pretty lucky for getting past 100k with no problems, id definately just check into putting headers on it and monitor your oil level. An increase in oil consumption is the sign that the engine is starting to take damage.
If you have any questions though, send me a message because ive spent countless hours reading up on this topic and have first hand experience with it so i can probably help you out.