aleveran

When I accelerate somewhere in between 2000 and 3500 rpm’s the engine severely hesitates, the tachometer needle jumps up and down and if you still insist on accelerating the engine finally stalls. It feels like ‘no fire’ or ‘fuel cut out’ to the whole engine symptoms. Problem is constantly reproducible.
When I go at any speeds or any rpm’s without accelerating the problem does not occur. Starting or Idle is not a problem ether.


Recently received ECU codes:

09 01 - Front Right Htd 02 sensor heater (sensor replaced with new)

03 04 - Knock Sensor

10 08 - EVAP canister purge volume control valve (valve replaced with new)

01 01 - Camshaft Position Sensor (replaced with a new sensor twice, but the code still coming up)


Also, trying to fix this problem I’ve recently replaced: Spark plugs, Fuel filter, Air filter.

Need help!

Thanks, Alex (maxima 1995 A/T 165K miles)

Bobo

Is it the coils or MAF?

aleveran

I don't see any ECU codes for coils or MAF....

PAREDLINE

One bad coil wouldnt cause the engine to stall. It would just run rough. You said your knock sensor code showed up but you didnt change it.

I would try that.

Also look under your hood for any loose or disconnected vacuum hoses. I'm thinking you have a cracked hose somewhere that lets air into a hose or connection when you accelerate.

A bad camshaft position sensor can cause this problem. I think there are two of them. Maybe you changed the wrong one?

I would also do a compression test to make sure the problem is not your motor itself.

Mechanically, when someone has a problem around the RPMs you do we always look at vacuum and EGR. EGR works at 1500-3000 RPMs in most cars. You might have a clogged or corroded EGR pipe.

In short, the answers to your problems should be found by checking mechanics (the motor itself), ignition (coils and plugs/ECU), fuel (fuel filter/pump/lines/pressure), Air (Air filter, intake, MAF, Idle air control valve), and electrical/emission (sensors/EGR)

This is a brainstorm. You will probably change a lot of parts before you find the cause if you ever do find the cause.

I hope you find the problem.

Armani

two words:

ignition coil(s)

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

That might be the cause of your problem. You might have a bad wire from that sensor to the ECU. I'd start by tracing that connection back to the ECU to see if you have any open or shorted wires.

2 Da Max

iTrader: (2)

dam 2 times??? shiet

aleveran

This is wierd. Now I'm getting
0101 - Camshaft Position Sensor
0407 - Crankshaft Position sensor (reference)
0304 - Knock Sensor

I believe that the problem hides somewhere between those two sensors (0101 and 0407) as both of them can cause ‘no fire’ symptom

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

The Camshaft Position sensor controls the sequential fuel injection timing.
Crankshaft Position (REF) controls ignition timing.
Crankshaft Position (POS) reads top dead center on every piston and will cause a no start condition if it fails.

The KS is ... well we all know what that does. Most likely it's not even bad, your just getting the code because your engine isn't running right.

aleveran

This is it, then. I could end up pumping money to this car and never fix the problem???


Nissan Service wants $220 for diagnostics. But as long as I have those codes that’s all they going to tell me for my $220

97MaximaSE

i recieved the camshaft code last week...car was stallling all the time. replaced the sensor and the car stalled once more and threw that same code. replaced a broken vacuum hose and pcv valve and it hasnt come back but for some reason i still get occasional stalling in reverse but not in drive...let me know what you find out

PAREDLINE

A bad Camshaft position sensor can throw off the crankshaft position sensor and vice versa. Because the ECU doesnt know which one is off it may show both codes.

There's a way to test the resistance between the terminals on these sensors. It's in most service manuals.

Finally, the Knock Sensor should be interrelated as well in theory because the camshaft position sensors tell the ECU where the valves are so that timing can be advanced and retarded depending on the signal from the Knock sensor.

And the crank REF sensor tells the computer where the valves are in reference to the pistons.

They're all related. The trick is to find out if all of them are bad or just one bad sensor is throwing off all three codes.

97MaximaSE

well i threw off one code but the other ones never showed up....sounds to me like he had the problem with a broken wiring harness like i had before

aleveran

For now I've ordered and will replace 0407 - Crankshaft Position sensor (reference).

I appreciate all your inputs, especially technical ones.

jguillory

This sounds a lot like a problem I had with my 95. I had fixed several things, and had NO codes, but still had the problem; also the car would bump/miss at idle once warmed up.

Finally took it to a shop, and the did a real OBD-II scan (although I had no CEL and the ECU/screw method gave 0505 - no codes). In our 95's, due to the early change over to OBD-II, there are some codes that will NOT set a CEL or show in the ECU but are visible through a full scan, and that's what I had - fuel system left bank fault. It was just a dirty MAF element; fixed problem and idle is much improved.

dladams

I am have some serious problems with my Max. It is a 96 SE with a 5spd tranny. It has 167,000 miles with one owner. A couple of months ago it started running rough at an idle and sputtering on acceleration. I was told that it was most likely the fuel filter or fuel pump. So I replaced them. got a little better. Received an error code saying it was the IACV. So I replaced it. got a little better. then about a month ago the CAI sucked up enough water to fill all six cylinders with water. Had the car towed home and removed the spark plugs and cranked the motor to get all the water out. the motor was locked up so tight that it shattered the bendix gear of the starter. So I replaced the starter. I finially got all the water out and got it running again. about a week later it really began running like crap, when you push in on the clutch to stop at a light and the rpms would drop all the way to 0 and the engine would would just die. I would only run if your foot is on the throttle.
the error code I was getting was one of the front o2 sensors. So I replaced all 3 of them. the codes where gone but it still runs like do do! I thought it was just clogged fuel injectors, so i repace all 6 and the pressure regulator. When I was instilling the injec***ors I noticed the the upper intake was just caked with carbon. So the bottom line is the car runs like do do(spudders, rough idle, hesatation when you rev the engine in neutral, and now it smoke when ever you press on the throttle, and now it is making an slight nocking noise that seems to be coming from the rear cylinder head over the number 5 cylinder) and here is a list of everthing that has been replace in the last month.

6 brand new fuel injectors
fuel pressure regulator
fuel pump
complete clutch kit
IACV
6 Spark plugs
2 upstream o2 sensors
1 downstrem o2 sensors

I also ran a compresstion test. 5 of the cyclinders where within 5 lbs of each other(200lbs) the number 5 cylinder was 160lbs with 7lbs bleed of in 5 min. Normally I would say that it was a blown head gasket. but there is no water in the oil or oil in the coolant. the spark plugs are caked with carbon not oil. the mileage is at about 1 mile per gallon. I am trying to keep this one running until I get the new motor finished (VQ35DE rebuilt from the ground up to support 2 garrent t25bb turbos with intercooler.

So if anyone has any ideas on WTF! is going on, please feel free to let me know.

PAREDLINE

Dladams. Quite a story man. And for your first post.

In your entire saga you didn't mention anything about the heads. If you had a bad head gasket the compression in the bad cylinder would be low in addition to it being low in the next cylinder over.

Is the car burning any oil?

My best bet would be that a valve is slightly bent or not seating properly.

dladams

That is what I thought but the #3 cylinder's compresstion is 213 lbs (which is the highest). I figured that was because of the carbon build up on the piston heads. and no it is not burning any oil. the coolant is about 3 quarts every 4 days.

the compresstion is as follows:
#1 = 203lbs
#2 = 200lbs
#3 = 213lbs
#4 = 206lbs
#5 = 160lbs
#6 = 204lbs
I let all the cylinders hold the pressure for 5 min to see if they bleed off any, #5 bleed 7lbs in 5 mins.

PAREDLINE

I think you have bad sealing of the #5 valve. I think once the threshold reaches a certain pressure, a burst of air goes up into the head.

Here's what I mean. Suppose your piston produces 205lbs. One of the valves can't take this pressure so they open just a little. enough to let 30 lbs through and then close at around 170 (167). The remaining 7lbs is lost because there is a small leak. Its like the cap on a pressure cooker.

Depending where you live, you can get a remanufactured cylinder head for about $150-200.

Another thing, Carbon on the valve seats would cause them to not seal against the head properly. You said your motor might be carbon logged.

There are a few things on the market to dissolve carbon. If you have free time you might want to take off the valve cover and turn the motor so that the #5 intake and exhaust cylinders are open (disconnect all of the ignition coils) and see if you can spray some Seafoam Deep Creep onto the valve seats and try to dissolve some of the carbon -if any- on the valve seats.

Also I don't know if you have done this already but squirt some clean motor oil into the #5 cylinder and repeat the compression test. If the compression rises to 200lbs then you have a bad piston ring or a scored wall. Unlikely since our walls are microfinished but still a possibility.

dladams

Thanks! I will put some oil in #5 and re-test. I did put a can of seafoam in the fuel tank with about 8 gallons of gas and let it idle for about an hour. After that is when the faint knock started after it warmed up a little.

aleveran

[QUOTE=aleveran]The I accelerate somewhere in between 2000 and 3500 rpm’s the engine severely hesitates, the tachometer needle jumps up and down and if you still insist on accelerating the engine finally stalls. It feels like ‘no fire’ or ‘fuel cut out’ to the whole engine symptoms. Problem is constantly reproducible.
When I go at any speeds or any rpm’s without accelerating the problem does not occur. Starting or Idle is not a problem ether.
QUOTE]


I was thinking, could anybody tell me what are the symptoms of dying fuel pump ???

PAREDLINE

Most of the time there are no symptoms. It just dies.

Sometimes you hear a buzzing noise coming from the fuel pump.

If you're lucky you'll notice a progressive decline in acceleration. Stomping on the gas won't really make the car go fast anymore.

It will happen at all RPMs not just certain RPMs.

Your car may also stall when you stomp on the gas because you'll have lots of air but not a lot of fuel.

aleveran

OK, it is not the case then. Thanks for info.
b.t.w I found this: http://www.jatan.net/tsbs/043205.pdf

aleveran

That’s it, I’m doomed.
Changed Crank and Camshaft sensors for a new once again, but the problem (no fire symptom during acceleration) still persists and 0101 code is still being thrown. All wires look good. I don't know what else to do. Help!!!!!!! Please, advise....

97MaximaSE

ive said this a million times and no one tries it....i had a problem like that for 2 years one day it got so bad the car would barely run....i grabbed the wiring harness and yanked it in all directions as hard as i could and the car died out on me. i had 2 broken wires in my harness.....there is a TSB for this. just recently the wires broke again since i didnt splice them back correctly. either way i went crazy for 2 years replacing every damn sensor in the car only to find out that my harness had 2 lousy broken wires.

C3nthusiast

iTrader: (3)

Shake the wire harness going into the MAF sensor. I bet the wire is broken inside.

aleveran

Thanks Steve, I will definitely try that. Also I will try to contact you via AIM. Possibly we can talk over the phone, so I can tell you exactly that “IT” does, so you can tell me if “YOUR” did the same thing. Thanks again. Alex (AIM – aleveran)

97MaximaSE

it was basically a very annoying hesitations that was between 2 and 3 grand turned out to be my maf wire and camshaft position wire. once my camshaft wire broke fully the car was undriveable and i must have spent over 600 bucks including all new ignition coils just to diagnose a broken wire problem

jackiss2888

iTrader: (3)

ehh, ditto on the coils

PAREDLINE

hmm. the wiring harness could be the culprit now that you say you replaced a lot of sensors.

Is the problem still only the #5 cylinder?

aleveran

Could you tell me where exactly were broken wires located in the harness, so I can shake the correct part.

aleveran

As per '97MaximaSE' suggestion will try to shake the harnes.
Also. I will go through TBS http://www.jatan.net/tsbs/056841.pdf procedure.

Corrently I'm reading:

01 01 - Camshaft Position Sensor
04 07 - Crankshaft Position Sensor (reference)
I can't get rid of them by changing those sensors. Severe hesitation and stalling persist.

Will keep you posted. In the mean time I will appreciate any other suggestions.

aleveran

No luck. Wires seem ok.

01 01 - Camshaft Position Sensor
04 07 - Crankshaft Position Sensor (reference)

Can't get rid of them. Hesitation and stalling persist.

nismology

iTrader: (8)

First off, never replace sensors without checking the resistance using a multimeter first. Secondly, there's one more IMPORTANT sensor you're forgetting about, the CPS (POS). That's the one by the transmission and it determines engine speed.

97MaximaSE

i still think its that harness. it was the same exact problem i had. try to open it up and look at the wires with your hands individually. its a mess cause theres about 100 of them but its worth a shot....there are also two wires wrapped up inside the harness which is were most of my breaks occured

aleveran

I did open the harness up and shook all wires individually. The problem is that I’m not able to shutdown the engine even if I unplug those two sensors…..

aleveran

Currently I'm getting only 04 07 - Crankshaft Position Sensor (reference) code + 0304 (knock)

I can't get it by changing Crankshaft Position Sensor (reference) sensors. Severe hesitation and stalling persist.

Anybody experienced something like that?

THEJEFFERATOR

thanks for the heads up on your thread... is this not the most aggravating ****. i also tried messin with the harness and a bunch of other wires, never opened it up though. i've never gotten any cps codes.

i'm workin on a new theory... how good is your battery ? mine is weak and i havent been drivin this bomb too much. when it sits a day or 2, barely starts and has our symptoms almost constantly. batt was low on water, filled it and charged it overnight. so far no symptoms !!! too much goin on for the alt to keep up, chargin and runnin everything else at the same time ? there is alot of load with all the sensors, coils, acces. especially at low rpm ?????

aleveran

No, it's not battery, after start engine works from alternator power. (even at low RPM's)

For all the time I experience this problem I was not able to find anyone who fixed or anything that fixes that problem. No resolution. Although, TBS http://www.jatan.net/tsbs/056841.pdf procedure seemed very legitimate. But it was not my case.

THEJEFFERATOR

although the engine runs on alt. power after start-up, there is extra load placed on the alt. when trying to re-charge an extremely weak battery. if the total load requirement exceeds the maximum output allowed by the regulator, something may be cheated of the neccesary voltage ? much like when trying to jumpstart another car, load increases, the idle drops and sometimes takes a while to start it cause the alt is limited to its output ? i don't know if any of this makes sense, im just tryin to convince myself !!!!