ok so i have an auto 99 maxima and for some reason everyday, the first time i start it up it is really sketchy (after the first time i start it, it starts fine). the RPMs jump all over the place and it seems like it is just going to die out. someone suggested it could be a fuel filter, so i replaced it...didnt help. i had some boshe platinum spark plugs so i threw them in to see if maybe it would help, that didnt. i heard it could a sticking throttle cable...not sure how to figure out if it is. and my teacher who used to work at nissan said that most cars have the RPMs spike up like mine when you first start it up due to the cold(although he didnt witness it, just told him about it). but if im remembering correctly, it happened when it was warmer out too, just not as dramatically. so does anyone have any ideas of what i can try to do to fix it? or if it is just normal for it to do it?

 

Stickies > You

1. Get rid of the bosch plugs, go get some NGK copper or platinums plugs
2. You have a 99 year, which is prone to coil pack failures - look into that
3. Good work on donating - use the search and you'll find all sorts of similar stories and help.

 

oh ya, and the car has about 118,450 miles on it.

 

ok, will do...how would i figure out if the coil packs were bad or not?

 

Unplug them one at a time to see if the engine note changes.. if it doesn't - then the coil you just unplugged is bad... again - lots of info available - just search for coil pack, etc

 

couldnt figure out how to do a search, so call me stupid. last question (hopefully): by 'engine note' do you mean the sound/pitch of the engine while its running?

 

Mine did the exact same thing. Mine was a bit worse though mine died when starting for the first time. So what I did was clean the throttle body and ran some seafoam and it WORKED!!!!! The next morning the car shot straight up to 1300 rpm and didn't move a bit. So I would recommend cleaning your throttle body first and if that doesn't work maybe run some seafoam to clean up your engine a bit and if that doesn't work then.... I heard a few other people say it was there ECTS and once they replaced that it was fixed.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/search.php

engine note - really meant if the engine starts to stumble/hesitate, etc.

 

edit: NM

10char

 

Actually he did donate, otherwise he wouldn't be able to start a new thread with < 15 posts.

 

lol, you beat me to it. noticed that right after I posted.

 

( j/k)

 

hehehe
well, as 97maximaSE97 stated at the end of his post, I was also thinking your problem could be related to the ECTS. Hopefully it is, as it's a relatively cheap and easy fix. You should check for any codes that may be stored in your ECU. that's probably the best place to begin. info can be found in the stickies, here, to be exact: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=104931

 

ok, but my check engine light isnt on. i have a in class lab tomorow so i can clean the throttle body then. and this seafoam stuff, can i get it at autozone? and do i just put it in the gastank?

 

Use seafoam at your own risk....I wouldn't, I have seen it cause more problems than it fixes, up to you.

 

ok throttle body looked pretty damn clean, coils seemed to be ok, pulled my airbox/intake out to get at the trottle body better, now check engine light went on. the code i got was P0100: mass air flow sensor problem. checked and tightened air box clamps and such. now car jerks worse then before. it happens only when im idling in drive or reverse and sometimes as im accelerating. any more ideas?