Post by
OwnerCS »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/ownercs-u161666.html
Sun Jun 23, 2013 12:18 pm
Last November I bought a 99 Maxima SE 5-speed with 140,000 miles for my 16 yo son to be his first car. When I bought the car it was throwing a CEL code for the downstream O2 sensor. I soon replaced the faulty downstream O2 sensor and started waiting for a sale to pick up two additional upstream sensors. I figured the old sensors were factory OEM and should be replaced at the car's mileage.
After school was out in May, he started driving the car a good distance each day to his summer job. He had been complaining about poor gas mileage and the cost of premium fuel. I thought the complaints were based a fuel cost comparison with his buddy's 4-cyl Honda. So based on the 4-cyl (regular) to 6-cyl (premium) fuel cost comparison, I didn't pay much attention to (dismissed) the complaint and figured it might be a good thing to slow down the mileage that comes with "going places" during summer school break.
Last week the radiator had to be replaced. So while replacing the radiator, I decided to go ahead and replace the upstream front and rear O2 sensors. By this time I had used some sale coupons to save a few bucks on new NTK sensors. Please note the car was NOT throwing any CEL codes with the old upstream O2 sensors. This was a preventative maintenance operation based on the car's mileage with understanding the original O2 sensors should have been replaced at 100,000 miles. As soon as I finished replacing the O2 sensors and checking out the cooling system from the radiator replacement I took the car for a test drive. I could tell an immediate performance improvement. It seemed to loose some of the jerking that was happening in 1st and 2nd gear. So I put away my tools and called it a day.
Three days later I ask my son how the Max drives with the new O2 sensors. His response: IT HAS MORE POWER and IT USES LESS GAS. So I want to use the money I'm saving on gas to buy a new Front Strut Tower Bar(FSTB). Well that's ok with me.
Since I didn't measure the bad mileage with the old sensors, I can't be scientific and post the mileage in MPG numbers. However, I guess from my son's perspective, the benefit to his pocketbook in (one week) fuel cost saving resulted in a new FSTB (~$30). Yep.. get more FSTB (and other performance accessories) by saving fuel with O2 sensor preventative maintenance. Note: He keeps the car rolling when he is not working or sleeping so he is racking up the miles on it like most kids do at his age.
NTK/NGK Part numbers for a non-CA model:
Quantity (2) NTK24525 - Upstream Right or Upstream Left,
Quantity (1) NTK24630- Downstream
Approximate NTK/NGK cost using internet sale coupons ~$200 shipped
Last edited by
OwnerCS on Tue Jun 25, 2013 8:52 am, edited 3 times in total.