Hello everyone! Name is Nate, and as the title says I have a 93 Sentra XE with a GA16DE motor on an auto tranny. I've read around these forums a little but havn't really used them till today. Reason I need the forum for now, is that I have a bad half shaft (CV Joint) that I need to replace and my wife is not confident that this is a job I should be performing. The part is like, 75 bucks or so w/tax, and it costs 169 to have a shop install it here. I've never done a half shaft and have some questions that hopefully the forums or people in the forums will be able to help me out with.
1- What are the procedures to replacing the drivers side half shaft.
2- Is a front end alignment required afterwards like it is on a Caravan.
3- Are there any special tools that I need to have like ring pliers or anything like that.
As for the car and future plans, well, plans yes, funds to make it happen, no not really. But eventually I'd like to put a body kit, upgrade the breaks to 4 wheel ABS all disc and capable disc breaks at that. Also I'm not sure which way to go, but, 1.5" lowering springs vs. coilovers, strut bars and anti sways. Then there's a list of other things for the motor, but I'm not sure how worthy this car is of the treatment simply because it's an auto and I don't know how many horses it's capable of performing along side of. Assuming it's pretty capeable, it will eventually get headers, and a disco potato w/intercooler kit.
The car already has 127K miles on it so, I'm sure there's other maintenance things that will need to be done, but for now the half shaft is really popping when accelerating around corners, heck, sometimes not even with the accelerating part. So, time to get her done.
I bought the car about a month ago from a guy who put it in the paper for 1900. I talked him down 400 becuase I had cash and because I knew it would have some little things that would need to be done, like.. the rear breaks are nearly gone (maybe 500 miles left on them?), and the half shaft popping indicating it would need replacement, and finally there is some mild body damage that is a bunch of little indentations which looks like someone popped it out from the inside from a minor fender bender (Rear drivers side corner under the tail light/turn signal). So, I've got some work cut out for me.
So far the car has been fun to drive, slow off the line, but zippy for a 110 HP car. Mods completed.. well, if you want to call them mods, I changed the air filter to a Fram AirHog, and changed the oil to Mobil One Pure Synthetic 5w30. Fuel economy was 21 on the first tank, so I did that work and it went up to 24. And I ran some Slick50 Fuel System cleaner through it and have gotten 27 in town on my last 2 tanks of fuel. From what I gather that's pretty much par for this motor with an auto tranny, so I'm happy with that.
The only thing I don't like for sure, is the smell of the car when I've pushed it. After I get out and walk around the front, it has almost a rotten egg smell which I'm assuming means either my Cat is bad, or something along the lines of a faulty EGR/PCV. Any thoughts?
That's it for now. If anyone knows or has specifics on the replacement steps and ease of work to replace the half shaft please holla at me. I am doing this in the street at my apartment and have a basic toolbox so keep that in mind when considering what tools I might need to complete the work.
Thanks for the warm welcome!
1- What are the procedures to replacing the drivers side half shaft.
2- Is a front end alignment required afterwards like it is on a Caravan.
3- Are there any special tools that I need to have like ring pliers or anything like that.
As for the car and future plans, well, plans yes, funds to make it happen, no not really. But eventually I'd like to put a body kit, upgrade the breaks to 4 wheel ABS all disc and capable disc breaks at that. Also I'm not sure which way to go, but, 1.5" lowering springs vs. coilovers, strut bars and anti sways. Then there's a list of other things for the motor, but I'm not sure how worthy this car is of the treatment simply because it's an auto and I don't know how many horses it's capable of performing along side of. Assuming it's pretty capeable, it will eventually get headers, and a disco potato w/intercooler kit.
The car already has 127K miles on it so, I'm sure there's other maintenance things that will need to be done, but for now the half shaft is really popping when accelerating around corners, heck, sometimes not even with the accelerating part. So, time to get her done.
I bought the car about a month ago from a guy who put it in the paper for 1900. I talked him down 400 becuase I had cash and because I knew it would have some little things that would need to be done, like.. the rear breaks are nearly gone (maybe 500 miles left on them?), and the half shaft popping indicating it would need replacement, and finally there is some mild body damage that is a bunch of little indentations which looks like someone popped it out from the inside from a minor fender bender (Rear drivers side corner under the tail light/turn signal). So, I've got some work cut out for me.
So far the car has been fun to drive, slow off the line, but zippy for a 110 HP car. Mods completed.. well, if you want to call them mods, I changed the air filter to a Fram AirHog, and changed the oil to Mobil One Pure Synthetic 5w30. Fuel economy was 21 on the first tank, so I did that work and it went up to 24. And I ran some Slick50 Fuel System cleaner through it and have gotten 27 in town on my last 2 tanks of fuel. From what I gather that's pretty much par for this motor with an auto tranny, so I'm happy with that.
The only thing I don't like for sure, is the smell of the car when I've pushed it. After I get out and walk around the front, it has almost a rotten egg smell which I'm assuming means either my Cat is bad, or something along the lines of a faulty EGR/PCV. Any thoughts?
That's it for now. If anyone knows or has specifics on the replacement steps and ease of work to replace the half shaft please holla at me. I am doing this in the street at my apartment and have a basic toolbox so keep that in mind when considering what tools I might need to complete the work.
Thanks for the warm welcome!