fuel filter/fuel pump

If you could not blow air through that old filter it surly had blockage. I don't think you caused a fuel pump problem just my thoughts if it fails it fails it's inside the fuel tank and thats a costly replacment. I also don't think the slipping in Trans. was a engine problem. I would get fluid and filter changed then see how it shifts.

i've got 180k with no trans fluid change to my knowledge and was told that a change of fluid and filter at this point could cause more damage than do good. not true?

also, meant to say - i didn't mean that the fuel pump could have caused the trans to slip, but rather that perhaps my perception that the trans was slipping was actually a result of poor delivery of fuel causing the acceleration to stutter. not possible?

Since the fuel pump isn't under the hood, it's unlikely to be the cause of your whine, bad filter or not. Were you running the AC at the time? It could have a bad bearing that's whiney.

Could have been that the filter was semi-clogged, but that's not likely to cause slippage, just poor engine performance.

Bill G '91 SE Auto

Stunned Silence. You have 180k with no known tranny fluid change? Ouch.

I'm surprised your car is still running. The slippage you're feeling is probably the transmission finally croaking. A fluid change at this point is likely to speed up the process, since the tranny is being held together with all the little metal shavings that have come off due to the fluid no longer resembling a lubricant of any kind, let alone a petroleum product. I may be wrong, but I doubt your tranny lasts another 3000 miles. Be prepared for a rebuild, or a new car purchase.

Double Ouch.

I change mine every 20k or so.

Bill G '91 SE Auto

180,564 miles

Given the pump is in the tank (or at least in the rear of the car..), that isn't likely..

???? Sounds more like the tranny may -be- the noise you're hearing or maybe the PWR steering pump is low on fluid?

This is typical of most owners, they want a "fluid change" when it's slipping or otherwise acting weird. Same with tune-ups etc. When someone comes in asking for a tune-up what they mean is "My car runs like crap and I'm hoping I can fix it by throwing a tune at it like would have fixed my

64 chevy..." When asked why they want a tune they say "Oh it's just time", so then I say "So it runs good?", then I get the real story...

i misspoke. i bought the car at 90k and had a new tranny put in at about 100k or 120k. so obviously the fluid was changed at that point! basically i was an idiot college student who didn't know anything about maintaining a car and am grateful that i've gotten the trouble-free miles out of the maxima that i have. the trans is the only significant problem i've had. so, now i suppose there are about 70k or 80k on the trans with no change. would it be damaging to do it at this point? should i go with a flush or a couple drain and refills over the next few oil changes?

Jack

i wasn't running the AC at the time. it hasn't made any noise since i changed the filter, but the noise was intermittent at the time, so i've got my fingers crossed.

I agree why worry about it at that milage.

You can do the Feul pump yourself. Assuming that Nissan build their cars similarly, on a 96 Altime I serviced, the feul pump is readily accessible from removing the back seat. You unscrew this large cap that seals the gas tank, remove some hoses, and voila. Be sure to get a Hanes or Nissan FSM to follow the PICs and do the job, as you pretty much have to work with one hand to get the feul pump out of the tank.

And yes, if you've severely neglected the feul filter, then it's just a matter of time before the pump goes. The recommended change interval for the feul filter in 95-99 Maximas is every 15K miles.

CD