I just picked up a '92 GXE. It ran fine on the 1.5hr trip home, and the PO said he's never had any problems with the car:

But I've let it sit for about a month (with 1/2 tank of gas) since then - and I went to drive it yesterday and was faced with the following problems:

Heat Guage Was Fluctuating: After about 10 mins. of driving, I noticed that the car was running pretty cool. After a few MORE minutes, the heat Guage was showing almost ZERO temperature! The heater was still blowing hot air, and there was pressure in the coolant lines, so I just kept driving.... The Guage mostly read too cold, but occasionally approached the 1/2 mark. (never read too hot).

Then,

Car Lost Power, Stalled, and Tossed a Check Engine Light :

about 15 minutes into the trip, the car refused to operate under any load. It seemed ok at idle (stalled a few times) but if I hit the gas any more than VERY VERY slightly, the engine would stumble and die. The CEL came on. It behaved like a car running WAY too rich (and I wondered if the low coolant temp could cause this).
I made it home being REAL delicate on the gas...


Sooooo,

Does anyone know what may be causing either of these problems, or how I read/interpret the ECU code that's lighting the CEL?


Thanks a Lot!!! I appreciate it!

 

anybody?

Bueller? Bueller?

 

coolant temp sensor. it should cause both of your problems or just a bad wire

 

Find out what code the computer is giving you. Look behind the centre stack on the passenger side low down by the heater ducts. Remove the trim piece that's in the way of the computer. On the side you'll see a small screw. Turn it fully clockwise. When the green light (or maybe it's both lights) flashes 3 times turn it back all the way counterclockwise. You're now in Mode 3 which tells you the codes the computer has stored. The code is obtained by counting the number of flashes of the red and green lights. For example, red flashes 5 times (pause) green flashes 5 times - code 55, which by the way means everything the computer monitors is within specs. If there's more than one code stored each new code will start with the red flashing. Count them all until the sequences start over and you'll have all your codes.

 

this is what I was thinking at first...

I know the ECT sensors can freak-out an engine if they fail...


...but I wanna read the code first before I get too excited!


OH YEAH, and where do I look up the codes?

 

SOMEBODY OUT THERE'S GOTTA KNOW THIS ONE....


(even if you can't help with the other problems listed above...)

 

did you check the fawqs?

 

yessir - - didn't see anything on the subject...

 

I thought there was a link in there.

 

couldn't find it if there was....

lots of other fun stuff tho...



...Anybody know?

 

Don't know how useful but this may help
http://pages.cthome.net/bbachinsky/nissan_ecm_codes.htm