Nissan Maxima pre-cats common problem

[Rohan]

2004 Nissan Maxima 3.5L
Engine=109k
Transmissions= 179k

This is my second motor that was installed at 70k miles ago and now on my odometer has 179k miles that make an engine got 109k miles on it now. I have not yet decided to keep a car or not but let say if I do. What options do I have to delete front & rear pre cats? I want to avoid buying new F&R pre cats every 60k miles and damage engine before it get to late. I know some of you will say gutted the cat but to do that it need to be done really good otherwise engine get damage soon. Can't I just unbolt the y-pipe?

Very common on VQ35 and 2.5L engine

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Something is damaging the cats. Burning oil, oxygen sensors, something that isn't the cat itself is destroying them.

 

[dishdude]

You have 179k on the 5 speed auto? That's a record.

 

[asand1]

There are aftermarket y-pipes that are catless. You may get a CEL depending on whether it is Cali or Fed emmisions. The main cat will be enough to pass a sniffer test. Check with warpspeed, they are popular in the Maxima community.

 

[asand1]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Something is damaging the cats. Burning oil, oxygen sensors, something that isn't the cat itself is destroying them.


Nissan's do have some problems with pre-cats breaking up and wiping out the cylinders, although afaik it's only 4cyl Sentras.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Rohan
...Very common on VQ35 and 2.5L engine...

Most common on 02-03 2.5L Altimas and Sentra SpecV. But yes as you are acutely aware the [censored] precats do affect the VQ35 too and considering the age of your Maxima, not surprising.

Happened to my 03 Altima as I posted about HERE. There's also a post showing a VQ35 engine with pics showing the issue posted HERE

As for solution, quite honestly I don't know. I've read about boring out the precats. Thinking I also read about just using a straight pipe but can't say for sure. I do wish good luck and you should whatever is needed to keep the lousy precats from doing their damage again.

This is an example of what the great (Not) Mr Ghosn brought to Nissan with that fine "Renault-Nissan Alliance" ie., dead engines. Shameful. And what Mitsubishi has to look forward to now.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Originally Posted By: asand1
Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Something is damaging the cats. Burning oil, oxygen sensors, something that isn't the cat itself is destroying them.


Nissan's do have some problems with pre-cats breaking up and wiping out the cylinders, although afaik it's only 4cyl Sentras.


That was moreso on the Altima.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Well it's 100% illegal for street driven, but if you wanted to make this puppy a track car, you might be able to hollow out the precats and put anti-foulers on the downstream sensors. I know a few people who have done this on their Jeep trail rigs and been able to avid getting a check engine light.

 

[mclasser]

Check out the Maxima forums for more info. Good guys on there.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
Well it's 100% illegal for street driven, but if you wanted to make this puppy a track car, you might be able to hollow out the precats and put anti-foulers on the downstream sensors. I know a few people who have done this on their Jeep trail rigs and been able to avid getting a check engine light.

Yep, illegal to touch emissions and one of the reasons I never seriously considered touching the precats. That and the fact that I was under the mistaken impression that the Nissan recall for the issue actually meant something. Unfortunately for me and thousands of other owners, it was completely BOGUS and did nothing except give a courtesy oil change and the fake but common Nissan ecu reflash. JOKE.

Why I say now, if the OP plans on keeping the ride he should do what's needed. This is completely on Nissan and no one else.

 

[Rohan]

It not burning any oil or no cel on yet I know it will come on soon and I would like to avoid that for pre cat cel. I want to avoid putting other engine in again and that will be my 3rd engine if it got damage. My original engine got damaged because off the pre cat damaged. I don't mind hollow the precat out and added anti-foulers on the downstream. What parts of location I need to added anti-foulers at? On the y-pipe ? I have straight pipe on the 3rd catalytic converter mean no cat at that location.

I still have 5spd OEM Transmission and I added b&m tranny cooler long time ago after 2nd motor was installed and that made a tranny last longer. The only issues I have is hard shift from 2nd to 3rd shift during taking a corner.

I might need to look into at maxima.org and what people did before buying new pre cat. I know a lot of them bought a set of header which I want to avoid that because it not a perfect fitment and to buy header for this car is only Cattman header which goes for $1400 and top of that I believed he's out of his business.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

You may want to try Magnaflow's y-pipe.

If the car keeps giving you this problem every 60k, you may want to junk it and get something else