Ridemywideglide

New (1990, so only new to me, lol) Maxima owner here. I purchased the car for $400, thought I might have to tow it home but drove it the 22 miles. Idles poorly, almost like it surging. Upon taking off, if I apply normal amounts of throttle it acts like it's either loading up, or running short on fuel. Sputters, coughs, bucks, etc.. If I stab it to the floor from a stop, it takes off great. No misses, no sputters. It almost acts like (like I would think anyway) like a stuck injector dumping too much fuel. BUT I pulled all the plugs, and they are all white.. Way lean condition.....

Also, drivers window goes down, not up. I checked the power to the motor and I get nothing in up position, -12v in down position. Opened up the switch and holy sheit.. There's more electronics in that switch than on my whole Ram Cummins. Should a replacement switch solve this?

I've spent the week studying up, trying to prepare for pick-up day. But I know there's a ton I don't know..

I did ohm the injectors, all 12.5-13.5.

I also up'd a pic. The blue vacuum port cap on back of the motor was left open when I went to look at the car. I capped it, but it looks like it should go somewhere. Any ideas?
My FSM will be here sometime next week, and Chiltons doesn't have a vacuum diagram.

burhan92SE

check ur fuel filter first if u cant then just change it...u dont know how long its been since someone changed fuel filter on this car...

it is ur switch and change it.....

and resistance on ur injectors r according to the fsm so they r gud....

and about vaccum someone else can guide u as i don wanna give u any wrong advice....

1993-VG30E-GXE

Run all applicable Trouble Diagnosis steps in FSM - Section EF&EC Engine Fuel & Emission Control System.

It will help you pinpoint the source - although considering the age you may want to upgrade the fuel system - ie. New Hoses, Pump, Rail Hoses, check the regulator....etc

1993-VG30E-GXE

Also, I forgot to add, check the condition of the exhaust system (Header Pipe)...look for rusted out holes. If you have a serious leak, and the O2 sensor actually fell out or is broken, I got those same symptoms as you.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

No surprise it's not running right with the vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator not there Look under the intake manifold almost directly under that port you have capped, you will see the fpr under there, the vacuum line attaches on the underside of the fpr.

And yes, a new master window switch should take care of the window issue.

Ridemywideglide

Thanks for the answers. And great eye Greeny. The port I had capped is for the FPR. I took a bright drop light out there and started digging, sure enough there was a line tucked under there that went to the regulator.
It made no change tho.. I found the ECU, put it in mode 3, started it up and I get 5 red flashes and 5 green flashes.
I'm gonna search here for the codes as the damn chiltons manual is worthless. It's going back to the store tomorrow and I'll just have to wait until I get the FSM for some reliable book info.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

5 red 5 green = 55 = "no problems found"


so whatever is causing your problem is not ECU-monitored enough to throw a code

1993-VG30E-GXE

Caped did you replace your valve covers & fuel rail? They look different than mine.

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

i went to atlanta last month and bought Goon9's engine.

http://forums.maxima.org/6201562-post1.html
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u.../Goon%20visit/

all stock parts.. just painted.

1993-VG30E-GXE

Holy **** man - how come that thing looks so new? How did he get the unpainted metal to look like right from the factory?

I'm teefing all your pics by the way - they really will help me plan things before I start working. Thanks.

Ridemywideglide

I went out and tried in mode 2, started out with no lights after startup.
I raced it a couple times and then it sit there with both red and green one for about 30 seconds till I shut it down.

Wiking

Lots of work ahead Like most houses, Maximas are built on sound ground ... cleanup time. Seems spark wires have been cleaned, but if linear with the virgin pic, crap cap, rotor, wires plugs... Plus all Groundings loose, especially distributor gnd. See: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/10

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Well, the surging you you say it's doing is still a sign of a vacuum leak, so go grab about 15ft of vacuum line from the auto parts store and start replacing the old vac hoses.

also, as wiking said, it may need a tune up and the sensor/injector connectors cleaned, be sure to get ngk spark plugs.

Wiking

Yes. Whatever but not Bosch:

Quote: "Well I wasn't sure if it was the spark plugs, so i decided to buy Denso Iridium Long Life Spark Plugs, and replaced it, the car started just fine, changed it back to the Bosch Platinum +4 Spark Plugs and it went back to the way it use to be. Wasn't sure what brand of spark plugs to buy, but from what I saw on forums, Bosch sucked? And my case seemed to prove it."

Ridemywideglide

Thanks again.. I've got acap, rotor vacuum hose, electrical cleaner and die-electric grease.

I thought I'd check the o2 sensor since it seemed the most difficult on the list for today. I pulled the plug apart and I have different color wires on each side. Looks like this;

Sensor side ECU side

Red >> Green
Black >> White
White >> Black

I havent taken the sensor out to clean up the contact area yet, but I get no continuity from any sensor-side wire to ground. I do get ground on black and green on ecu side. Testing with a digital multimeter on open/closed circuit setting.

Reading up some more on Pohjola's site to see anything about this.

Wiking

Theres a self diag for O2, the signal can also be measured with dmm while engine running just above idle. Should go continuously up/down 0 -to- 1V

Ridemywideglide

Ok, I think the o2 sensor is fine.

I started going through the vacuum lines, took of the TB and cleaned that up since I needed to get a couple lines behind it. Pulled up the battery tray and hit the ground and several lines running down in front of that. Then I look up and see a crack in the part pictured below. You can see the crack in the pic. I don't know what this is, but my guess is the crack is huge leak in the system.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

That is a vacuum valve solenoid, and yes it could cause a open vacuum leak being cracked like that, just stop by a local junk yard and grab a few while your there.

or i might have few extras in my junk box if you want to buy them.

Ridemywideglide

We don't have many junk yards around here.. I figured out via Pohjola's site it's the EGR solenoid. What's the proper way to bypass this?

Pictured with arrows, I pulled off the line at the red arrow, and stuck a bolt in it, basically capping the blue arrow port. I couldn't feel any vacuum at either the red or blue arrow locations tho.

I also pulled the line at the white arrow and could feel no vacuum at either the hose or the port on the solenoid.

Is leaving the blue arrow capped off how I would stop the EGR from activating?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

don't try to bypass it, replace it. your egr needs to be "active"

Ridemywideglide

I've also got a security light flashing at me anytime the key is not on. Is this normal?? Auto arming system?

CapedCadaver

iTrader: (8)

is it still flashing when you lock the car and leave it alone for a few minutes? if a door is open or if someone is in the car or it's unlocked i think the light will flash. mine always flashes cuz i have Goon's hood on my car still, which won't shut all the way, so the hood-closed button isn't getting pushed.

Wiking

Disconnect its solenoid ctrl wire and/or vacuum hose at intake. Last time visiting Colorado (Springs at least) there was no need any enviro stupidities; keeps intake cleaner. The Power valve is another stupidity u may plug off: that kept salesmen happy when the max was young and marketable uh "variable intake" ... If u wish, plug their vacuum ports at the intake. If not, hoses have to be faultless: u wont see any difference.

Ridemywideglide

I checked it this morning and the light is not flashing now. Must be as it should be, I hope..

As for the EGR, I pulled the vacuum hose and capped it, hope it's the right hose as there was no vacuum to be felt on any of those down there. Maybe there's a leak behind the solenoids under the intake. I"ll find it soon enough.

Also, I was browsing injectors on the web, what's the difference between blue dot and black dot. I noticed that the blue dot injectors are pink bodied and the black are more sherbert/brownish colored...?
I have some of each in my car. I think 2 pink bodied, but I'll look later to be sure. How does this affect things?

Wiking

Two weeks ago had the same question, read this: http://forums.maxima.org/3rd-generat...t-my-mind.html

Ridemywideglide

I get to that read in a minute, thanks Wiking.

Another thing I realize after reading a few threads on fuel pressure. I changed the fuel filter yesterday, but had not squirting or pressure release when I unclamped it.There was fuel in the filter that drizzled out into a rag while I finished getting the clamps undone, but nothing else.

What do I need to test my fuel pressure?

Wiking

Pressure gauge. Basic for troubleshooting is stiff hose when pressure is up. Low pressure is from bad pump, bad voltage supply (ECU controlled), leaking hose, pressure regulator leaking.

On power up (just ign ON), my pump is noisy about 5-10 s, then silent: pressure is up. (Pump relay is in trunk rear panel, behind cover.)

Ridemywideglide

Yes I get the 5-8 seconds of pump as well before starting..

Just to clarify the line arrangement; feed comes in through filter, the to hard line next to regulator, the through the rail and back out port on the regulator correct??

Mine has the filter feeding the regulator....

on edit; nevermind, turned the lights on and it's not like I said..

Ridemywideglide

I unhooked the lines from the motor, put compressed air through the rail and at around 40#'s it started gushing fuel out the FPR.
Blew through the return line and got bubbles in the tank.
Don't have a pressure guage here, but, I put the inlet line in a gas can and cycled the pump. lots of fuel in a short amount of time. I realize it could be weak under pressure, but usually this is a good sign.

If I advance the timing as far clockwise as it will go with the bolt in, it idles better, but doesn't run much better.

I'm going to try to get a video with digital cam so you guys can hear and see it.

I discovered an exhaust leak yesterday at the CAT/headpipe connection. Sounds like crap but it's behind the o2 sensor so I don't think it should make much difference. I have issues beyond what that would cause.

Ridemywideglide

Here's the link to the first video.

http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/j...t=HPIM1012.flv

I unplugged the KS and tested accross the terminals. I get a run-up of numbers until it says out of range. From 1 side to ground I get .5k, the other side to ground I get the same out of range.

Checked the CTS and I'm getting 1.34k on a pretty much cold motor, getting 4.87v across the plug going to it. When I unplug it the motor idles seemingly better, but also idles higher. I'll get a video of that here in a minute.

Wiking

- test with KS bypass, it typically dies at 10 yrs (see page 9)
- O2 can be disconnected. Then it will use TPS instead. O2 is used only with warm engine, TPS when cold -or- if O2 is missing.
- IACV cleanup time?
- test engine temp sensor ohm reading
- Bad distributor Ground warps engine speed signal, check

The engine looks like ww-II vintage: how good is the gas, is it german booty?

Edit: Based on the video above, I do suspect IACV jams as giving more air helps. Adjust the idle, if no help, then clean IACV assembly. Another issue (playing with that throttle) is TPS potentiometer action ---> the resistor may be broken. Measure it and how linear it is. See page 6, autotranny self diag has one phase for testing TPS...

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

+1 wiking

That seems like a dirty/bad IACV..

Wiking

+1 Thanks for the blk/blue dot injector info. They work perfectly together; the blue old lady is currently beating new bmw's ...

O Shame/Edit/Correction: ...beating 95% of the new TURBO bmw's.

Ridemywideglide

I'll try and get a resistor this afternoon and try the bypass.
I checked the engine temp sensor (CTS I thought...?) ohm'd at 1.34 on almost totally cold engine, approx 40*-50*F here.
Here's the video with the ECTS unplugged.
http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/j...t=HPIM1013.flv

I pulled the distributor ground tab, cleaned it all up and moved to the top, but have not added additional ground for it yet.

Yes it's dirty, but the gas is all new.

I'll get some gaskets and tear into the IACV and take it from there.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

oh, wait...This video and info should have been posted first... If it's no longer trying to stall out with the cts unplugged, replace the cts before messing with the iacv.

Ridemywideglide

It still does try to stall and die, and drivability is the same. It just takes longer to do it.

I checked the TPS and adjusted the throttle closed stop as the butterflies were closing enough to hold a pool of TB cleaner. I set them so it just barely leaked the pool out, then reset the TPS when it was all back together. Also had good linear resistance on that test. Made a hole in the top and flooded a few times with electrical cleaner while moving back and forth.

Wiking

Fans come on like they should, rpm should then go to ~1500. If IACV functions only partly, I guess thats just the effect. Whatever, cleaning IACV wont harm.

My temp sensor is 3kOhms at +20C +72F. The colder, the higher reading. My opinion is that your ECTS value is low. Too low ? dunno... Where does it drop after warmup?

Check your T-belt tightness. Top cover bolts out, pry cover ajar, press the belt. Should bend down max half inch; NO slack. Top priority is to change it ASAP if not sure when it has been swapped.

Edit: my guess is that distributor is still fully turned CW?

Ridemywideglide

I'll check the temp sensor when I get the IACV back together and on. THis thing was totally plugged up with carbon.
I can't get the front of the motor to seperate, the screws won't come out. I'll keep trying but I don't want to tear them up.
Also in the pics there is a "locking" piece around the button. It looks worn pretty bad on the upper portion from the button trying to turn inside of it..?? This normal? Should I flip the "lock" over so it's tight again?
Also, I get normal ohm readings, but I get nothing when I follow the sequence of powering 2 pairs of pins at a time. No movement, no change at all.
Just up'd these to photobucket. easier than resizing.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/HPIM1014.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/HPIM1016.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...e/HPIM1017.jpg

Ridemywideglide

I tested the temp sensor after the gauge was up in the normal area, it came out .330ohms.

After putting the IACV back together and back on I warmed it up and it will hold an idle on it's own, but it's idling about 500-600rpm.
I followed the set idle procedure to no avail. The idle screw on the IACV doesn't seem todo much. All the way out I can hear more air sound from the filter intake, all the way in it will kill the motor.

Also, I meant to add this earlier. When I tested the potentiometer on the TB, while it was linear in response, it only read from 1 to 7.4. I couldn't get a reading of 9. Don't know if this makes alot of difference.