Is it worth it

Tiny
MIKE1224
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 NISSAN MAXIMA
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 220,025 MILES
Okay, my dad gave me the car listed above that car sat for two years and I decided to fix it up. So far I have replaced the fuel pump, injectors, ignition, one ignition coil, valve cover gaskets, and fuel filter. I am waiting on my injectors to get here in two days. I have also drained all bad fuel and blew the lines. I just want to no since the car has 220,025 miles that am I doing all this work and spending all this money for it just to have a major problem down the road or will things work out.I have spent almost around $600.00 for parts and have done all the work myself. I just need to no if it is going be good or bad. Thank you and cannot wait to hear your response good or bad.
Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 5:27 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,743 POSTS
Why are you replacing all these parts, then worrying about the cost? Why was the car parked for two years? Did it develop a problem at that time? If so, that is all that needs to be repaired. I have a 1980 carburetor car with 45,000 miles, and a 1993 fuel-injected car with 4,950 miles. As you can see, I do not drive them very often. The gas in both of them is over five years old, but they run just fine. I do know people in some parts of the country have trouble with old gas becoming stale, but I have not run into that yet.

All the parts in the fuel supply system have gas in them all the time regardless if it is moving or not. Nothing happens to them from sitting. What you should be aware of is mold will grow in the gas if it has ethanol in it. If you have not replaced the parts already, replacing the filter would be a worthwhile, inexpensive investment after running a tank or two of fuel through it. At that point it would be good to expect the pickup screen inside the tank to become plugged. That should not be replaced until the mold is no longer in the tank.

I would not waste money on injectors. They do have extremely fine filter screens, but if your engine uses a fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail on the engine, fuel flows through that regulator constantly, and back to the tank. The mold will not collect in those screens.
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 5:51 PM
Tiny
MIKE1224
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
My cousin gave the car to my dad because he got a truck and did not need the car any more and the only thing that was wrong with it was the ignition car was getting hard to start had to jiggle key. So I replaced that. And gas was bad had already turned drown and fuel pump had seized up. And the injectors were bad did test on every one of them and poor or no gas injecting. That is why I did all that because it needed them and it sat for two years because my dad was going try and fix the ignition, but never got around to it.
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 6:54 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,743 POSTS
Dandy. I was going to mention a failed pump, but that should not be assumed by me until it is actually found to be bad.

As for, "is it worth it", in my opinion, I would stick a pile of money into my 1994 daily driver before I would put it toward a newer car. I have a 2014 Ram truck that I bought smashed, and rebuilt. I do not drive it much because I am a nervous wreck worrying about all the totally unnecessary electronics on it. I am an electronics expert and a mechanic, but for many repairs requiring a new computer, the dealer has to do the programming. I should not have to pay someone else to do what I have been doing for years.

Those computer controls on newer cars cause more problems than they solve too. Your car will have an Engine Computer, but little else, and that one does not cause much trouble. You are going to pay far less for repairs compared to a much newer car.
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 7:25 PM
Tiny
MIKE1224
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Yes, that is why I decided to work on this car rather then get a new one the older model vehicle are so much simpler and easier to work on. I am just worried about the mileage that if that kind of bad or since I am replacing all theses things if it should be good. Plus it kis not me worrying about the money it is my wife lol. And car is in great condition to inside is amazing no body damage nothing like that. So what do you think? Honestly do you think it is going be good to go?
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 7:37 PM
Tiny
JOHNNY G.JR
  • MECHANIC
  • 320 POSTS
Run a compression test on her, and or a cylinder leak down test. These tests can tell you a lot.
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 8:55 PM
Tiny
MIKE1224
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Sure will. Is there anything else I should be worried about? Like timing chain or anything major like that?
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Friday, February 17th, 2017 AT 9:08 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,743 POSTS
Your engine is not listed as an interference engine. If it was, and it used a timing belt, that belt, tension-er, and water pump would be recommended. Instead, yours uses a timing chain that is less likely to cause problems.

The things you can expect and plan for are the same things that can happen to any car. Once you have it running well, buzz off, . Mean drive off into the sunset and enjoy it. If you find it pulls to either side consistently, the steering wheel is off-center, or, over time you observe uneven tire wear, have the steering and suspension systems inspected at a tire and alignment shop.
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Saturday, February 18th, 2017 AT 7:46 PM

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