D-max up and running!!

[RacnJsn95]

I wanted to thank everyone for the advise on this sweet ride! Through some experimentation I was finally able to get it timed, and running like a champ! My next problem was getting it registered with the DMV, as there was some problems with the paperwork, but after almost two months everything is straighted out and I was finally able to start driving it on the street this last Friday. Smoked like a big dog for about 10-15 minutes, but cleared up after that, and is running like a champ without the smoke problem. Seems like the more I drive it, the better it runs, and the more stuff starts working on it lol. Cold A/C, cruise works, all the windows started going up and down, as well as the antenna.

I don't know why, but this car is a blast to drive! I have more fun driving this car than I do my 04 GTO.

So my next plans for this are to buff out the paint, and hopefully finish the tach adapter board I started (If I can find it )... The only other thing I would like to see if it's possible to change is when the converter locks up? It seems like it locks up too early to me, usually around 40 mph, while I'm still trying to accelerate to the speed limit. Is there a way to wire it up manually, or perhaps delay it?

[asavage]

If you figure out how to delay/disable the TC lockup, I'm listening -- it would be very nice to delay lockup, esp. when towing. AFAICT, it's entirely hydraulic. However, one of the lines is external (?).

My '82 locks up right at 37 MPH.

[RacnJsn95]

I paid a little closer attention today, and it seems to come on at about 37 as well. Since you mention it's hydraulic, and has an external line, I do have a couple of theories, One to possibly delay, and one to make control comletely manual. Of course how it would work would depend on whether the external line is the "in-flow" that activates it, or "out-flow" that just comes out...

Would anyone happen to have any info at all on this auto? I believe it's the 3N71b? Exploded views, FSM, schematics?

[rlaggren]

You do a painstaking enough search in the forums and I think there's a note somewhere about lock NOT working if the external line is pinched off - or something like that. The FSM has schematics of the hydraulic lines and you can (I think) identify the external line. However, to me at least, their info was extremely brief and clear as mud; since I never studied auto tranny's it would take me lots of hours to deduce what might happen if you valved that line. It may also be that some minimal flow is require ALWAYS to lubricate something, so you might want to try to get a handle on what _all_ it's functions are before valving it. There's a couple of springs in there but I don't know how easy they are to reach - somebody w/more hard info needed here.

The line itself is on the driver's side and fairly easy to access from below. If my experience is any indication you _must_ use a backup wrench - but you woulda done that anyway, right? <g>

Rufus

[RacnJsn95]

Well hopefully I can win an FSM off ebay, I know I'm overdue to own one. As far as this goes, I'll keep doing research on a way to disable the lock up on command, although I wasn't able to find anything extremely useful by searching.

BUT, My real beef with the trans is that the whole ordeal was shifting too soon into 3rd gear (IMO), so I've been shifting the transmission manually through the gears. I was secretly hoping that if you disable the vacuum to the modulator after it got into third, it would disable the lock up, but stay in third. Since I don't have a good vacuum solenoid, or purge valve handy, I just disconnected the vacuum from the modulator all together to see what it would do... I was under the impression that if the vacuum was disconnected that it would just shift hard through the gears, but on an OD trans it would not shift into OD. Turns out it won't even shift out of second on a 3 speed trans. So what I did was a put a restrictor in the vacuum line to delay how soon it shifted into third while in drive. It does seem to have worked, although I need to drive it some more to see exactly when it shifts now, and I am much happier with how the whole trans affair is working now, even with the lock up kicking in at 37mph. For a restirctor I put a Holley #74 jet in the line, perfect fit. I will test with a couple different jet sizes and see the results, as I'm thinking I should still drop a few more sizes.

*edit* Turns out the "restrictor" didn't work at all... Oh well, it was a valiant effort, eh? I forgot to bid on the FSM too! I checked the auction, and Al is the lucky winner for 99 cents! Wanna sell that Al?

[Carimbo]

I don't know why, but this car is a blast to drive! I have more fun driving this car than I do my 04 GTO.

Lighter weight?

[asavage]

04 GTO.

Lighter weight?

The Maxima Sedan is, what, about 3200 lbs? I don't think the GTO is a lot more than that. Or is it?

[later]
OK, the GTO is about 3700+, but it also has a 350 HP V8 etc. But, yeah, the Maxima is lighter.

[RacnJsn95]

Dont get me wrong, the GTO is faster by far, and handles better. It weighs 4000lbs with me in it, and the maxima weighs 3250 with me.

Driving the maxima is cool because it makes me laugh. People give me crazy looks and check it out because it's a diesel. Everyone loves it, haha!

[asavage]

If I had a dollar for every time someone tells me , incredulously, "I never knew the Maxima had a diesel! . . . "

[asavage]

I forgot to bid on the FSM too! I checked the auction, and Al is the lucky winner for 99 cents! Wanna sell that Al?

Sure. I think I'm into it about $6, which will make it about $11 by the time I re-mail it to you. I haven't seen it yet, but PM me your mailing address and I'll ship it out when I see it.

[davehoos]

I wanted to thank everyone for the advise on this sweet ride!
I don't know why, but this car is a blast to drive! I have more fun driving this car than I do my 04 GTO.

for some bizar reason to export the GTO to USA as a performance car they added loads of wieght and detuned the performance and handling.
i think the 6 cyl was in usa buick speck,and not AU spec and the GM engine was in crate mode needing to be rebuilt after its run in.
the old narrow body was much better[except the overheating] and the early nissan powered 3 4X4 liter version would have been a ledgend if it had made it to mass production.
aust version of maxima with all options was 1400KG starting around 1135KG and ive seen jap 910 LD20 under 1000Kg.

[RacnJsn95]

Just an update for everyone. The D-max seems to be running like a champ. I'm getting between 26-27 mpg with it. The only problems I've had is recently it seems to have developed a charging problem, not sure if its battery or alternator related. I made a post about it in the Gen1 maxima section.