3rd Generation Maxima (1989-1994) Learn more about the 3rd Generation Maxima here.

engine mysteriously dying while shifting gears.....

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-16-2009, 03:31 AM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
SEninedeuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chi-town
Posts: 19
engine mysteriously dying while shifting gears.....

Kind of a long read, but please read and help me out guys!

I need your help guys. I already took it to my mechanic and he can't pinpoint the exact problem.


I drove my car last friday to work, and going to work was no problem. Then the issues begin:

When I went to lunch to Subway, I decided to floor it on third gear, after 3500 rpm the car kind of did a sharp stall and I had to downshift back to second and then third.

Leaving work after I got off the expressway, @ third gear the car just suddenly loses power and I have to wait until I go to a complete stop to restart the engine. Very embarrassing. While I'm getting the car to a comoplete stop I hear sounds from the muffler like a gun shooting noise....

Almost home from a red light, I shift to first, and then the car hesitates, shakes and dies. Have to restart. IDK what this is? Anyone have this problem?

I see it as four possibles:

one, maybe I shift a little bit too fast(doubt it because I'm not jerking the engine or tranny btw shifts)

two, bad injectors causing major misfire?

three, bad muffler, catalytic?

four, bad VTC?

Sorry for the long read, but I really need your help so I don't have to pay a mechanic to find out what the problem is. Thanks and God Bless.
SEninedeuce is offline  
Old 07-17-2009, 11:55 AM
  #2  
mod or sell?
iTrader: (30)
 
internetautomar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Skokie (look it up)
Posts: 19,760
how is your battery?
does the car idle smoothly and solidly?
internetautomar is offline  
Old 07-17-2009, 03:53 PM
  #3  
2 VE's are better than one!
iTrader: (31)
 
James92SE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Dallas
Posts: 7,358
Did you check the engine bay for anything obviously out of the ordinary (connections, vacuum hoses, etc.)?
James92SE is offline  
Old 07-17-2009, 05:14 PM
  #4  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (7)
 
maxitech's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 3,306
I had a similar issue on another car (although it was a Buick). It turned out to be the crank sensor. Might be worth at least checking into...
maxitech is offline  
Old 07-17-2009, 07:09 PM
  #5  
Way out West
iTrader: (11)
 
Cliff Clavin's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Oregon
Posts: 6,565
First, check to see if there are any ECU codes (doubtful, but you should check).

Second, you will have to see if there is anything obvious (hoses, wires, connections, etc.)


One bad thing about these cars is that they are getting old and there are a lot of sensors and electronics that can malfunction. It's really tough to diagnose because the computers don't really help much like an OBD2 car. Unfortunately, you have to do a bit of deductive reasoning and trial-and-error replacement.

Did the car "stall" kind of electronically? Like it went from 3k rpm to dead while you were accelerating?

This sounds kind of like the problem members have had with bad coil packs. Mine did that, especially when I accelerated really hard. One of my rear coil packs was bad. Injectors and coil packs are common problems and a pretty good place to start.
Cliff Clavin is offline  
Old 07-18-2009, 06:28 PM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
SEninedeuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chi-town
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by internetautomar
how is your battery?
does the car idle smoothly and solidly?

other than needing a new muffler, it sounds and rides good. Even on idle. When I rev it up on neutral, no signs of misfire.
SEninedeuce is offline  
Old 07-18-2009, 06:39 PM
  #7  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
SEninedeuce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chi-town
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin
First, check to see if there are any ECU codes (doubtful, but you should check).

Second, you will have to see if there is anything obvious (hoses, wires, connections, etc.)


One bad thing about these cars is that they are getting old and there are a lot of sensors and electronics that can malfunction. It's really tough to diagnose because the computers don't really help much like an OBD2 car. Unfortunately, you have to do a bit of deductive reasoning and trial-and-error replacement.

Did the car "stall" kind of electronically? Like it went from 3k rpm to dead while you were accelerating?

This sounds kind of like the problem members have had with bad coil packs. Mine did that, especially when I accelerated really hard. One of my rear coil packs was bad. Injectors and coil packs are common problems and a pretty good place to start.

yeah, that's it. Before the problems started, I tried to floor it on third gear, the car did a sharp hesitation and I had to downshift.

After that when on 3rd, the engine would just die, and the rpm went to zero. I couldn't do anything but brake to a stop and restart the car. And then after five minutes at a light, putting it the first, the car jerked and died again. It's embarrasing and I want to take care of it.
SEninedeuce is offline  
Old 07-18-2009, 08:00 PM
  #8  
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (21)
 
hadman's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,179
With the car dying out while in motion it can be a number of things, such as a bad MAF, IACV, injectors, or injector plug/harness, coil packs. Def not 1, 3 or 4 from your list.
hadman is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sctludwig
3rd Generation Maxima (1989-1994)
8
09-01-2022 01:32 PM
hez8813
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
11
03-12-2020 12:06 AM
bryants95max
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
10
10-02-2015 12:52 PM
seesole
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
15
09-14-2015 12:38 PM
ballerchris510
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
6
09-11-2015 05:29 PM



Quick Reply: engine mysteriously dying while shifting gears.....



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:54 AM.