here's my story.
the car ran fine until one day, out of nowhere, it had trouble starting.
had to give it gas (which i usually didnt), and it finally got going but was very shaky. died a few times, then started back up and made it a few miles home without a problem. next day, it wouldn't stay running at all, and that is where i'm at now.

it turns over and starts, but then as it idles back down, clutters and stalls. if i continue fluttering the gas, it'll last a little longer but doesn't sound healthy. my manual says that it's one of three things:
-insufficient fuel reaching the injectors
-bad electrical connections around crank angle sensor, coil and alternator
-vacuum leak

i am wondering which of these would cause it to gradually die rather than suddenly. i'm wanting to check the fuel pump, cuz my immediate reaction was that the car felt like it was running out of gas, as it was shaking quite a bit. i have 3/4 tank though.

can someone please advise me as to what to try first?
thank you all.

 

can someone please advise me as to what to try first?
thank you all.[/QUOTE]

Check the fuel pump with a tester from autozone. Check before and after the fuel filter to see if the filter is plugged. Also, I had a 90 SE that had a sort of similar problem with the fuel regulator. I never had to replace the regulator- what I would do is disconnect one of the vaccuum lines on the rear of the intake plenum (the one to unplug and the procedure is in a Chilton's manual) and then drive it around the block. While driving it didn't have the problem at all. Then I would plug the vaccuum line back in and the car would run fine. It's certainly worth a try.

 

sweet! *crosses fingers*

 

yup.. could be many things..

fuel pump
vacuum leak
MAF sensor going bad...

I'd put my bets on one of the first two though. check the fuel filter, check the pump (turn your radio completely off so the antenna doesn't move, then you should hear it running for 7-8 sec when you turn the key to "ON")

there's a few things to check... mine did the same thing a while back.. turned out the fuel pump was going south. I pull it out and put it back in and it worked long enough for me to order a Walbro high flow pump to replace it.

 

yeah i had another thread here about the possibility of a problem with my MAF sensor, and i'm really hoping that isn't the issue cuz i'm afraid they are quite expensive aren't they?

about how much is a good replacement fuel pump?

 

165 for MAF, ~100 for fuel pump

www.internetautomart.com

 

id be willingto put money that its the MAF....my car did the same excat thing....but it wasnt the MAF itself...it was the harness that it plugs into...bought an MAF from a 92 SE and i havent had a problem since

 

so, can i just remove the MAF temporarily and it will still run?
is it not good to run it without the MAF connected?

 

it won't run above 2200rpm or so with the MAF disconnected...

it's the sensor that measures the air going into the engine so that the ECU can feed the proper amount of fuel. without the MAF, you're skrood.

 

ah i see.

well, now after cranking the engine a few more times, it now stalls quicker. you can tell something is preventing it from starting from how abruptly it shuts down. i'm not sure if it quite feels like lack of fuel though, but i'm still crossing my fingers.

should unplugging the MAF help me at least get the engine started?
(if that is the problem) i ask this because i removed it and still the engine died abruptly.

 

if the car isn't running, the maf won't make much difference...

 

so it is more than likely still a fuel-related problem like pump or filter clog?
i will work on those first before attempting to replace the MAF i guess.

 

what sort of pressure are you getting in the fuel lines? what did the tester show you?
on my gf's 626, it actually turned out to be the belts...they started slipping and couldn't keep the alternator and other items running. The car ran like crap and would shut down unless you gave it extra gas. something to check

 

Have you replaced your fuel filter?

 

anything that you do where your taking parts away from the MAF willl cause your car to go into a safe mode and you wont run over 2k...mine was just a bad plug...it still is bad but at least it doesnt kill anymore...im still sticking with my previous claim and saying its the MAF

 

i haven't gotten a chance to pick up a tester for the fuel pressure, first in line was the fuel pump tester.


not yet, i planned to pick one up when i get a fuel pressure tester.

so even if the MAF were bad, the engine could idle right?
it won't even do that so i'm assuming that means something else is wrong, plus the MAF could still be bad, right?

 

Maybe its worth a look, l had the same problem with my Se, I found out I needed three ignition coils, I put them in and have never had a problem since!
Good luck!

 

ok, i replaced the fuel filter and tested the fuel pump, it works ok and now the car will not start at all.

what can i try next? i was thinking maybe plugs, wires, coil or distributor maybe?

what can be learned from the ECU? i was reading in the manual about setting it to diagnostic mode. could that help me understand what could be going wrong?

 

check the maf

 

but i can't even get the car to start, i thought it would still run, but not above 2200 rpm (as matt said a few posts back)
and how do i "check" the MAF exactly? i removed it from the harness and it still wouldn't start.

 

If you removed the MAF and it wouldnt start, you MAF isnt the problem. It sounds to me like you have a clog catalytic converter. It maybe hard to remove to test unless you have an impact wrench, so you might have to take it to a shop. But, before you do that, test the spark plugs, see if you are getting a good spark from each one.

 

yeah i was thinking i'd replace the plugs after i try the fuel regulator thing that yellowd recommended.
how much do ignition coils go for?

please help me get my max back on the road!
thank you for all your suggestions so far.
it is much appreciated.

 

could be a bad IACV

you should be able to pick up an ignition coil from your local autozone or auto parts store for about $30....if thats the problem

 

I'm surprised no one mentioned injectors. Considering our injectors fail so commonly I wouldn't be surprise if it's a injector(s)

After you have confirmed you have good fuel pressure you need to break out hte ohm meter and check the resistance in each injector.

MIKE

 

Did you try replacing the fuel filter? It could be a problem as simple as the FUEL FILTER... Hope everything work's out good for you. I feel your pain. My 1990 Honda Civic just blew 2 cylinders, I lost it.

 

yeah i replaced the fuel filter with a brand new one. while i had it off, i tested the pressure (without an actual testor) and it seemed to be sufficient. i thought it at least ruled out the possibility of the pump being defective, no?

the manual lists a few fuel-related problems as possible culprits, including injectors as candiman suggested:
leaking fuel injectors
bad cold start valve
fuel pressure regulator (this is the next thing i'm going to check)
bad spark plugs (2nd thing i'm checking)
bad wires in ignition coil or bad coil
bad crank angle censor

how many injectors are there? 6? are they ~$100 each? (as listed on www.internetautomart.com)

boosted, what is the IACV?

 

Actually that link takes you outside of my site, to my friends site.

At least for now.

 

of all the things listed above that could go wrong, could someone please advise me on the best place to start? i've been reading around alot of articles/posts/how-to's here and on google, and alot of these parts seem to go bad often. including injectors, coils, and MAFs.

i've replaced the fuel filter, checked the MAF, checked the fuel pump, am about to replace the spark plugs and ignition rotors. i am by no means a mechanic and need all the help i can get with this. anyone on the boards from the Tulsa area? i'll make a maxima.org donation if someone can please help me. (if you are accepting them right now). plz help.

 

Matt93SE is from the Tulsa area but lives in Housten.

Maybe you and Gjohnson need to hold a meet and see if Matt will come running