'95 Maxima, 2 year problem gradually made car undrivable. HELP!
05-30-2007, 04:26 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 21
'95 Maxima, 2 year problem gradually made car undrivable. HELP!
I have a 1995 V6 automatic, it has ~110k miles on it. At around the 100k mile mark it started developing this problem with stalling out that has gradually gotten worse and worse. I am seriously offering a Paypal reward for anyone who can figure out what the hell is wrong with this thing. The dealership and two shops have already raped me and not fixed a thing.
At first, it would stop accelerating on the interstate. My foot would be in a steady position but the RPMs would just start falling and the car would slow down 10-15mph. Pumping the throttle and going WOT a few times would fix it for a little while.
Then a few months later it got to the point where it would stall out while slowing down to take turns onto other streets. Sometimes it would just fire right back up and no problem, sometimes you'd have to turn it over several times for 5 minutes before finally running.
Then it got to where you would have to drive around with your foot constantly on the throttle open a little bit so that it wouldnt die in traffic. This was a pretty reliable method to keep it from stalling, but the car was losing LOTS of horsepower and starting to smoke black (unburned fuel) a lot.
The last time it was on the road, if you went WOT it would barely reach 3 or 4k, pouring HUGE clouds of black smoke and never even having enough power to hit the next gear. As it sits now, I can go crank it and it may or may not:
A) crank and crank and crank and never even sputter or start to fire up
B) turn over for several seconds OR fire up right away, rev to ~3k initially then drop, sputter and stall out
C) fire up, run and idle just fine and dandy for as long as 30 minutes
If it does happen to start and stay running, tapping the throttle usually causes it to die, but sometimes it will sit there and idle fine and rev almost 100% normal.
It will often backfire through the intake as it is stalling out(a hollow sounding "FOOP!").
I have replaced the EGR, IAC, MAF, ECTS, FPR, O2, fuel filter, air intake, 2 starters and some other junk I cant remember with no changes except to the thickness of my wallet. I removed the fuel pump and bench tested it and it seems fine, the pickup filter was very clean. Although, when I changed the FPR I noticed a big decrease in black smoke, but no improved drivability.
ANY suggestions are welcome. I have been browsing this forum since ~2005 (joined in 2003 though) trying everything other people were doing.
At first, it would stop accelerating on the interstate. My foot would be in a steady position but the RPMs would just start falling and the car would slow down 10-15mph. Pumping the throttle and going WOT a few times would fix it for a little while.
Then a few months later it got to the point where it would stall out while slowing down to take turns onto other streets. Sometimes it would just fire right back up and no problem, sometimes you'd have to turn it over several times for 5 minutes before finally running.
Then it got to where you would have to drive around with your foot constantly on the throttle open a little bit so that it wouldnt die in traffic. This was a pretty reliable method to keep it from stalling, but the car was losing LOTS of horsepower and starting to smoke black (unburned fuel) a lot.
The last time it was on the road, if you went WOT it would barely reach 3 or 4k, pouring HUGE clouds of black smoke and never even having enough power to hit the next gear. As it sits now, I can go crank it and it may or may not:
A) crank and crank and crank and never even sputter or start to fire up
B) turn over for several seconds OR fire up right away, rev to ~3k initially then drop, sputter and stall out
C) fire up, run and idle just fine and dandy for as long as 30 minutes
If it does happen to start and stay running, tapping the throttle usually causes it to die, but sometimes it will sit there and idle fine and rev almost 100% normal.
It will often backfire through the intake as it is stalling out(a hollow sounding "FOOP!").
I have replaced the EGR, IAC, MAF, ECTS, FPR, O2, fuel filter, air intake, 2 starters and some other junk I cant remember with no changes except to the thickness of my wallet. I removed the fuel pump and bench tested it and it seems fine, the pickup filter was very clean. Although, when I changed the FPR I noticed a big decrease in black smoke, but no improved drivability.
ANY suggestions are welcome. I have been browsing this forum since ~2005 (joined in 2003 though) trying everything other people were doing.
05-30-2007, 04:45 PM
#2
What is FPR?
I know you said you bench tested the fuel pump but from reading your story the first thing that came to mind would be the fuel pump (not that I'm expert on this topic). I would also look into what is controlling the fuel pump as well as the injectors, coil packs, spark plugs (proper gap and torqued to spec). If you already changed the stuff I said then forget it. Or maybe you might have received bad batch of gas?
I know you said you bench tested the fuel pump but from reading your story the first thing that came to mind would be the fuel pump (not that I'm expert on this topic). I would also look into what is controlling the fuel pump as well as the injectors, coil packs, spark plugs (proper gap and torqued to spec). If you already changed the stuff I said then forget it. Or maybe you might have received bad batch of gas?
05-30-2007, 04:52 PM
#3
05-30-2007, 05:14 PM
#5
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Ya know, fpr was going to be my first question.... Did you go with a new one? and just to clarify, there are no engine codes correct (other than maybe a bank x rich). Also, very simple thing to do is clean the two grounds on the lower intake manifold, pry them apart and sand in between them, all sides, and the im as well. Where are you located btw?
05-30-2007, 06:38 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by KRRZ350
Ya know, fpr was going to be my first question.... Did you go with a new one? and just to clarify, there are no engine codes correct (other than maybe a bank x rich). Also, very simple thing to do is clean the two grounds on the lower intake manifold, pry them apart and sand in between them, all sides, and the im as well. Where are you located btw?
I bought an adjustable FPR off ebay, although the gauge doesnt work
. The only engine codes I got were the KS and ECTS, I replaced the ECTS.I took a LOT of things apart today in the fuel system, including those grounds, and believe I've made some headway. It runs, idles rough, but will actually stay running and tach up. I'm wondering if something had become unseated in the fuel pump, making it act so unpredictable? I'll update if the car makes some distance. I need to change year old oil in it before I do any further work.
I'm located in northeast Alabama, btw. That's Alabama Internation Dragway at Steele (and my black Mustang) in my sig.
05-30-2007, 06:52 PM
#7
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Location: Middleboro/Carver, Ma
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Did you use someone else's gauge? How did you set the fuel pressure when you put on the adjustable regulator? Is it set to, ummmm, I *think" 36psi @ idle, and reconnect a vacuum source to it as well?
05-30-2007, 10:54 PM
#10
You sir, have a large large vacuum leak after your MAF that seems to be coming and going for whatever reason, perhaps temperature related, or whatever. Exact same symptoms developed on my car after an engine swap when I forgot to tighten a clamp down and thus my charge piping came off behind my maf. I'd bet my house on it. Check all hoses, bolts on intake manifold, etc. Could be the gasket between the upper and lower intake manifold, those are known to wear out from time to time.
From your sig it seems like you know your way around a car most likely, so obviously you know of the various ways to check for vac leaks I assume? Smoke in a pressurized intake tract would be an easy way to find such a leak.
From your sig it seems like you know your way around a car most likely, so obviously you know of the various ways to check for vac leaks I assume? Smoke in a pressurized intake tract would be an easy way to find such a leak.
05-31-2007, 10:27 AM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 256
I agree with Slinky, you should check your TPS. It's very easy to do it, you don't even need to start the car. Just get a resistance meter (ohm meter) and follow this link:
http://www1.autozone.com/az/cds/en_u...rInfoPages.htm
If it IS the TPS, then it's a cheap fix: $50 for a new one at Pep Boys.
http://www1.autozone.com/az/cds/en_u...rInfoPages.htm
If it IS the TPS, then it's a cheap fix: $50 for a new one at Pep Boys.
06-18-2007, 10:10 AM
#12
You could check your coil packs using the Hayes manual. All three of mine tested bad that are located under the intake manafold (high temp location I guess). You will need an Ohm meter. Easy check and fix if its bad.
06-18-2007, 10:22 AM
#13
It's absolutely an air-related problem. The ECU is struggling to create an effective air-to-fuel ratio because of some sort of unregulated changes in your air intake path.
My first thought was faulty MAF, but it says you replaced that, so moving down the line: Tear in intake tube allowing extra air to come in, loose connection allowing extra air in, TPS is broken and engine computer has no idea how much air is coming in, leak at throttle body allowing air to escape, leak at intake manifold gasket allowing air to escape.
Start a the very first thing in the air path and work your way down. SOMETHING in the intake is broken/leaking.
My first thought was faulty MAF, but it says you replaced that, so moving down the line: Tear in intake tube allowing extra air to come in, loose connection allowing extra air in, TPS is broken and engine computer has no idea how much air is coming in, leak at throttle body allowing air to escape, leak at intake manifold gasket allowing air to escape.
Start a the very first thing in the air path and work your way down. SOMETHING in the intake is broken/leaking.
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