My Fiancee's Maxima Needs Work

[dickie]

So, we've had this car for a while and it has issues. I'm considering fixing them but it may be a waste of time so I am trying to put together a list and get prices. Been searching for info but collaboration/verification from any of you Maxima experts would be appreciated.

1 - Motor mount. I am pretty sure it's the "rear" mount for the transmission because when the car accelerates, the engine rocks back and clunks. I hate this so much. I hate FWD cars and I hate working on them. From what I have seen this is either an easy task or a b**** to do. Or maybe it's the front. I don't know if it's the stupid electronic mount, the only way I have seen to ID this is looking for a connector and wires in a certain spot. I can't see from other people's pictures what this looks like to distinguish it from the other stuff sitting in that location. The trim level is GLE and parts sellers online either don't have it, charge more than I'm willing to pay, or don't distinguish the trim level to where I'd be uncomfortable buying it.

2 - Catalytic converter or O2 sensor. CEL is on, had them read the code and it came back with a bad cat converter or O2 sensor. Dunno which, don't remember the code number the guy gave me since it's been a while.

3 - Problems shifting. Sometimes - most of the time - when you try to accelerate the car wont find the next gear. As in, gas pedal down, shifts out to move down or up then just kind of sits there or sometimes "tries" to engage but doesn't, just keeps stuttering. Letting of the gas allows it to go back to into the previous gear - eventually. This makes merging into highway traffic dangerous and it's irritating leaving stoplights sometimes. It does it more when you're trying to go fast, and occasionally even under very light throttle application. Dunno whether this is the trans itself or a sensor/computer whatever somewhere that causes this.

4 - Problems holding idle on cold or humid days. I THINK I have narrowed this down to the rubber gasket between the upper plastic intake plenum as the symptoms are very similar to what others have experienced and resolved by replacing this. It's a $10 part and I should just buy it and see if it helps but I'm wary of spending any money or time on this car at the moment.

I hate this car so much that the mere thought of working on it raises my blood pressure and causes me to have blackout migraines. I am normally not this way about working on cars but the whole situation that led to her owning it pisses me off incredibly. I won't go into detail suffice to say it's actually titled in her dad's name, which he lied to her about, so we can't just trade it in or try to sell it without his consent. Really I'd love to trade it for a couple thousand towards an IS300 or at least something NOT fwd and NOT automatic so I can actually handle the maintenance without so much downtime and expense.

So if you know anything about the motor mounts on these, please chime in or point me in the right direction as that and the shifting are first on the priority list. I heard from someone that the transmission might be shifting weird BECAUSE of the blown mount but I don't know if replacing the mount will even fix it. If the trans is screwed I am going to tell her to just make due til I can buy her something better.

[audtatious]

Whaddup, YO!!!

what year is the maxi? You can go to AutoZone and pull codes again. Also sounds like the transmission has s*** the bed.

[loystock]

Yes, we need model year and trouble codes.

GLE comes with electronic engine mount. What it does is prevent engine vibration at Idle from being tranmitted to the chassis. As RPM goes up, over 1500, IIRC, the engine mount stiffens. A failing (shorted) electronic engine mount may even kill the ECU. You can disconnect the electrical connector and probably will not even notice the difference. I they are bad, you can probably use conventional engine mounts as replacement.

How's the level and color of the transmission fluid? Any service record? So many factors can affect erratic shifting. A blown engine mount can contribute but usually it's the Revolution Speed Sensor (top of transmission), the MAF sensor and even a failing alternator can cause such problem.

Depending on the model year, the car may have 3 or 4 O sensors so it's difficult to say which one unless you have the trouble code. If the car has been running reach for extended period of time, then most likely the cat has gone south.

[dickie]

ATF color is red clear, looks like it was changed just prior to her 'buying' it. level is always good warm or cold and there are no leaks.

im going to a junkyard to pull a (probably free) mount and swap it in to fix that issue. idgaf as long as it enhances trade-in.

i figured it could be sensor since it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. narrowing down to which one is going to be a pita. guess ill start by having them pull codes again. now that you mention it the bad mount could contribute to the engine/drivetrain rocking and f*** up the wires/connector/sensor on the top of the trans, yes? maybe i will look around in there when attempting to do the motor mount.

dont care about the cat so much, bad 02 sensor is supposedly "common" on these?