davis449

I have 119k on the odometer and I don't remember a time when my car ran so crappy. I keep getting engine miss. Some days it will run like a champ and other days (most) it runs horribly. I have a rough idle I can feel that engine miss as I take the tach up to about 3k and it tends to quit after about 4k. I especially feel this with the A/C on. Here's the work I've had done very recently: both strut mounts replaced, oil changed, tranny fluid drained and filled, spark plugs replaced with Bosch platinums, and currently running fuel injector cleaner. The spark plug wires are in great shape and there's no worn hoses and the belts are practically brand new. So what could be the problem? I was thinking of getting the fuel system cleaned, but I've been delaying it cause it costs so much. Any suggestions?

superdesi

1. Take out the Bosch platinums.
2. Install NGK BKR6E-11 plugs.

Do this....and then let me know.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

You have the ve30de powered maxima. One common problem is that the engine coolant temp sensor's connector gets corroded and sends a false signal to the ecu. This can create hesitation problems. Look at your engine right near the fuel pressure regulator. It's the red connector right inbetween the fuel rails(transmission side of the engine) You have to undo the two sides of the clipped wire(don't break the red connector) and pull up. Clean both the female and male sides of the connector and apply some dielectric grease to the metal connections. Reconnect and see if that helps. It helped on mine and others here. Besides it's free. I noticed that this connector never had any kind of dielectic grease from the factory. It should have.

brubenstein

Bosch sparkplugs have screw on pieces where the plug attaches to the wire/ignition coil. They are only on finger tight out of the box. This can cause a poor connection and a miss. Pull the plugs and make sure they are on tight.
Also check for vacuum leaks.

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

Plugs would be the most obvious. Replace them with the proper NGK platinums and see if you continue to have these issues.

bill99gxe

iTrader: (1)

So:

Jeff92se = Daniel B. Martin?



The tone/sentence struture/etc. is just eerily familiar.

davis449

You guys are probably right. I will go and take the Bosch's back and get some NGK's and see if I can get my friend to help me again. Then I will let you know. As for the temp sensor, I do have a major problem with it. Every time I degrese the engine it works fine and I'm having no trouble with it right now. However, that may change. I took it to the dealer not to long ago and they performed the "maintainence" on it and I really don't mess with stuff like that. Thanks so much.

eric93SE

iTrader: (1)

I dont think the plugs are causing the trouble. Right now (I know its unorthodox) but I'm running Champion!! and it runs just as good. I have also indexed the plugs for that extra little bit. I ran bosch plats. in the past and havent seen any noticable difference from the originals. I know the champions wont last as long as the NGK's would but I like experimenting with the plugs, so in another 10k I'll put something else in.
I little while ago I installed bosch plat. +4's in a 4th gen and it ran great.

Also Just to discuss that issue that burbenstein brought up about the screw on piece on bosch plugs. I dont think thats a problem at all, dont forget that the ignition runs at very high voltage and for the spark to jump through the threads on that screw on piece will not create any additional resistance.

Are your ignition coils original?? If so they DEFINITLY should be replaced. The design on the ve coils have been changed on the 4th gen maxs. The ve coils get VERY hot b/c they are imbeded in the head. On the 4th gen the coil is exposed to provide better cooling.
You can get the igniton coils from courtesy nissan for about ~50 a piece.

I replaced just the rear bank for now (didnt have the loot to replace all six) and saw a big difference in performance.

brubenstein

Yes the electrons will jump the small gap, but that uses up energy, giving a weaker spark at the plug. It also generates heat. It was enough on one of the plugs on my wife's 2nd gen to burn through the sparkplug boot, causing a major misfire. And, yes, the plug wire was nice and tight.

bigjay

the resistance between the coils before replaceing them, and eventhough i think bosch makes the ngk plugs for nissan, when i used bosch aswell as spit fire i had these difficultes

jpMAXse

I had the same problem with the engine miss, so I took Jeff92se's advice about cleaning the coolant temp sensor and it made a great difference. It doesn't run perfect now, but it is much better than before. If that sensor was replaced, it would probably do the trick.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

It takes almost no mechanical ability to clean the connector and to put some dielectric grease on it. Just becarefull when you unclip the connector because it has a metal retainer. It's also free so why not??

I would make damn sure your coils were bad before replacing them. They cost ALOT of money! Too much just to be guessing.

So clean the connector. If that does work, change the plugs. Finally if you still having problems, post and we will run you though some other stuff. ie.. cleaning the TB etc..

superdesi

Will the Coolant Temp. Sensor cleaning also work in the VG30E engine? My car run fine but when it idles, I can feel the vibration on the steering wheel.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

Yes is my guess. BTW I just looked a buddies temp sensor connector. It looked really clean. So maybe just the VE guys are having a problem. But by all means take a look at it and clean it if it's corroded. Let us know how it goes. How's your TB? Clean??

superdesi

I've been wanting to clean my TB for a long time. I have already bought the cleaner. But I still don't have the new gasket which I will need when I put it together.

Instead of working on my car, this past weekend I found myself taking apart the lawnmower and giving it a good tune-up. It works like a champ now! LOL.

eric93SE

iTrader: (1)

He has alot of miles on his engine. When you get the money go for diagnostics at nissan and get a power balance test done. This will show immedeatley if any injectors are leaking, clogged, or blown. the ve engine uses pintles on the injectors and over time (when injector cleaner is not used on a regular basis) injectors will fail. Sure its easy to test the resistance on a injector to see if its blown but it can be leaking and contribute greatly to poor MPG and hesitaion created by the 02 sensor trying to compensate for the uneven mixture to the cylinders.

Secondly just to check the resistance on the coils is not sufficient, this will only show if the coil is fully blown and not if its missing or not. I used an oscilliscope and the magnetic pick-up off of a timming gun to view the output of the coil and I could see the difference in output between a new coil and a old one. An old one would miss and output irregularly (remember I only have 74k on my engine). When I replaced the rear bank I saw a big increase in torque, I could then chirp the tires at WOT just by replacing the rear bank, and like I said earlier I will replace the front bank when I get the $$.

Domesitc cars that have a distributorless ignition replace their coil packs along with a normal 70k tuneup (duh and jap cars are no better and should do the same).

I spoke to a service manager at Nissan a while back and I described the running condition and he said that they regularly replace those coils. What they would do is replace a whole bank of three and see if the conditions were remedied.

NYCe MaXiMa

iTrader: (9)

Interesting,
The things you said about the injectors make me think. I get horrible gas milage, less then 200 miles per tank. Also, my car runs like complete trash, in the year I have owned it, I remember how great it used to be, very responsive acceleration, etc.. Now it feels slower then my brothers Corolla, hard time picking up speed, hesitation as well.... I also failed the emissions test...
hmm

If I can only find a decent nissan dealer in NY area that can run a diagnostic and not tell me to go use a lower grade of gas to solve my problems.

davis449

Ok well, my friend said he would gladly help me so sometime next week I will probably install the NGK's and see if that makes a difference. I also had the fuel injectors cleaned by the oil change place and the car seems to run a little smoother, but not how it used to. As far as cleaing the coolant temp sensor, I will have to try that. WHo has instructions on this procedure? Thanks.

mentor

my car is maxima GXE and it runs like crap as well...very rough idle, poor acceleration, loud humm when it gets to 3k and above...

I recently hit 100K ..

Is it really just the coolant temp sensor causing all the problems? Please let me know if these instructions will work on a GXE ...THX !!!




"One common problem is that the engine coolant temp sensor's connector gets corroded and sends a false signal to the ecu. This can create hesitation problems. Look at your engine right near the fuel pressure regulator. It's the red connector right inbetween the fuel rails(transmission side of the engine) You have to undo the two sides of the clipped wire(don't break the red connector) and pull up. Clean both the female and male sides of the connector and apply some dielectric grease to the metal connections. Reconnect and see if that helps. It helped on mine and others here. Besides it's free. I noticed that this connector never had any kind of dielectic grease from the factory. It should have."

NYCe MaXiMa

iTrader: (9)

Look at what Jeff92SE wrote, or you can search for posts by "RosenKen" and Coolant Temperature sensor.....

Basically it's a small red connector, you need to carefully disconnect it, then get a small size flathead screwdriver, then get some small grid sandpaper and attach it to the tip of the screwdriver (I glued it on) Look for any corrosion on the connector, basically use the screw driver to carefully clean the connector slowly, becareful not to bent it or damage it, don't work too hard, just until it's clean......
For better directions, use the search function, I remember RosenKen posting much better description on how to do it....

davis449

Can anyone tell me where this sensor is? I think I know what y'all are talking about but I'd rather be sure than be without a running car. Does anyone have a pic posted anywhere? I would really like help!

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

Look at where your air intake meets the intake manifold, then slightly diagonally left and down there is a red sensor sticking out of the area between the two sides of the V of the block.

Anyway....my question is, how the heck did u clean the prongs?? I took my sensor off and it is corroded as hell, but I don't own any screwdrivers small enough to properly attack the female (top) side of the sensor. Has anyone priced the cost of a new one? If its reasonable, I may just do that since my corrosion looks like it may take hours to scour off properly.

89GXE

No you will not need the gasket I have never had to
replace it when cleaning the TB on the VG motor.

superdesi

Did you scrape off the old gasket, and then apply Nissan Liquid Gasket (aka RTV)?

89GXE

No the gasket will stay on the tube going to the TB
and doesn't tear.

davis449

Ok I cleaned both of the sensors right there in between the fuel lines and the car seems to be running much better. NO more rought idle and I have yet to see any hesitation but it's only been about 7 hrs. or so since I did it. I still don't think it's running quite like it should but so far I'm pleased with the results and my damn temp gauge finally works. I guess I will go ahead and put NGK's in the engine and see what happens. Thank you guys so much for the support. I'm still open to suggestions though.

superdesi

If you follow the Upper Radiator Hose from the radiator to where the other end meets, is that where this red connector is? The male side is red and the female side yellow?