97maximaman

For the past couple months my car has been feeling very rough at around 50-55mph. It feels like either the front end is vibrating really bad or at times it feels almost like the car is lugging but the rpms don't fluctuate. I was thinking rotation and balance of the front wheels, but i've never fealt that in person, only heard story's of it. The best way i could describe it is if you could move your foot on and off the gas really fast. As if somethings holding it back as you try to accelerate. And theres a CEL but i never was successful at properly reading the code(cant count a blinking light, sorry).

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

There lies your problem, you have a cel and don't know what it is. Maybe take it to autozone or advanced auto equivilant and have them do the obdii for free if you can't figure out the count. Could be a coil pack or injector.

Snypa

iTrader: (35)

sounds like a def cel to me.do what maxgtr says.

Keatz

figure out what you CEL is telling you, most likely thats the cause of your problem.

97maximaman

Hmm, autozone does this for no charge? If thats the case i'll take it there tommorow.

ManualMaxima

iTrader: (10)

yea they do, but they are not always correct in descriing them or they tell you, that you need parts when that might not be the problem, so find the code out and research it

i work at autozone i know

97maximaman

O sweet, nice to know things from the source. Well i'll have em pull the code tommorow, i wouldn't trust them anyway, all i want is the code so i can see for myself. I'll let you guys know what the code is tommorow, then maybe you guys will be able to help me better.

BTW: Do you know if autozone sells that red stuff u got covering you engine bay, im looking for the exact same stuff just cant find it cuz i dont know what the proper name for it is.

97maximaman

Got the codes today, two were for the Intake Air temperature, one for front o2 sensor. I cant see where either of these would cause lugging or vibration but maybe im wrong. Could they be related?

97maximaman

Nobody? Any help appreciated.

SmurfLeech

The vibration could be due to many things. Your tires are not balanced nor aligned, your wheel bearings are shot, tie-rods could be broken, lack of lubrication at balljoints or tie-rods, strut mount worn, etc.

You should check to make sure your tires don't have abnormal wear. Also, listen for strange sounds while driving; do you hear a "clunk clunk clunk" or "clink clink clink."

Also look at the boots for your struts and CV joints. If your CV joints have cracked boots, you'll need to fix that ASAP.

I highly doubt your O2 sensor is causing that problem.

On a side note, I just replaced all three of my O2 sensors this week and the job was easy.

97maximaman

K, well im doing my exhaust(warpspeed y, new cat, and magnaflow muffler) this week. Y and cat should be in tommorow according to fedex so i'll pick up the new o2. Cant afford to do all three but i'll atleast get that on sorted out. As for tire wear, well yes could be, because my passenger front is more worn than the driver front, by about 10-15%. Dont hear any clunks or clinks, but i'll check the CV joints in the morning anyway.

I dont even know what tie rods, strut mounts, or balljoints look like so how do I check for breakage or lube and then go about lubing or fixing? I would bet its alignment or balancing of tires, because they haven't been done in a few years, but we'll see.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

None of the CEL culprits would cause your vibrations...if they are vibrations at high speeds, Ditto to what Smurfleech said.

I would add to his list, in this order, a bent rim, improper inflation, worn lower control arm bushings, and/or worn tie rod bushings.

Does your car pull to one side when you drive it?

Does the virbration seem to lessen the longer you have been driving? If the answer is, "Yes," then try adding 4 to 6 psi of pressure above stock, and see how it drives then.

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

Could be an injector. When I switched to 370s my emanage didn't have the right program so it wouldn't scale down my injectors, I first got the front bank code, and eventually I got the rear o2 code. When I got them to scale I cleared the codes and it has been fine. What you can do is start the car, on the front injectors, unplug one, is there a change in rpm? If not replace and got to the next. You can only do the front 3. If the rpm doesn't change, you have your culprit. I don't think injectors throw a code, just the items linked to them. you can also just do an ohm test on the injectors, they should read around 11-12 ohms.

97maximaman

How do i check tie rods and the other things? Sorry, such a noob. Didnt see anything relevant while searching.

mtrai760

iTrader: (19)

http://www.amazon.com/Haynes-Nissan-...7221845&sr=8-1

67whitegoat

iTrader: (4)

What were the actual codes. IE: p0110 etc.

97maximaman

Codes they wouldnt tell me, they would only state what it reads, on was the left bank o2 i think or whatever bank is the foremost. The other two were intak air temperature.

Sam o nela

My I30 did this at 70mph (front end vibration and steering wheel shake). Turns out it was bad tire...replaced all four (had to anyways) and problem was solved...

ZachsMax

iTrader: (5)

If the tread on any of your tires is really low, you might be hitting the wear bars.. any tires that are extremely low on tread?

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

Get a front end aligment, and have the mechanic check for any loose fits in the CV joints, tie-rods, control arms, and steering gear.

Usually. vibration at high speeds is caused by the wheels -- either one or more tires are bad or badly worn (as what happened above), the high-speed balancing is off, or the venerable bent rim.

With the roads around here, NOT having a bent rim is a rarity.

97maximaman

I'll be getting new front tires and a alignment and balance done. But its not really a vibration problem so much as a sputter or hesitation. I hit the gas and it kinda hesitates past 2500 rpm in 5th gear(55mph). For now I'm just going to leave it because i think its an injector or two, but I'm turboing in 2 months so I'm getting 370cc injectors all around with a 255lph pump. Should be fine after. As for the o2 sensor would it be worth it to just get a WBO2 instead of an oem? As i said, I'll need it in 2 months anyway.

Divewjason

Yeah autozone does it, just ask for a diagnostic test to see what's wrong with your car. If it says that it is running lean(Not running on enough gas.) then it may be your fuel injector. I had a problem with my 2001 Chevy Prizm that was hesitating, I found out it was the fuel injector and got that taken care of, then I had a car accident, which is how I met my Maxima.

Car dealerships make a lot of money on a diagnostic test. It helps to have one done for free at autozone and take them the codes. This will save you bundles if you have to take it to a shop. Watch which car shop you take it to though, if you don't have a warranty on your car they won't do as good of job at fixing it. I would take it to a Nissan dealership or some place that you know you can trust. But they know that when your nissan is toast that you may buy another car from them, which gives them a reason to provide the best customer service possible so that they might keep your business.

97maximaman

You should read all the posts, i had the test done at autozone, an o2 sensor and intake air sensor came up. From what i've been told, fuel injectors dont show on the CEL. I might just get my ohmmeter and test each of them, but then again i might not because im getting 370's in a month or so.

ROCKART

iTrader: (23)

sounds like balance and tirepressure. if the car is driving smooth at 20-30 and then at 50 its shaking, its definetly a weight distribution issue.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

Some questions:

Is it throwing any codes?

Can you reproduce the hesitation at other speeds and/or gears?

.Does it sputter when revved in neutral?

Any difference betwen a cold engine and a warm one?


Some other things that can cause the hesitation:

1. Fouled spark plug electrode
2. Plug wire damage or bad connection
3. Vacuum leak
4. Bad knock sensor (won't always throw a CEL)
5. Too much timing advance (more than 15 deg. TDC)
6. Sticky throttle plate
7. Crappy gasoline

and the 02 sensors (if it only sputters when engine is warm) and fuel injectors.

I'd stick with the OEM, direct-fit 02 sensors.

97maximaman

I can reproduce it in other gears, but not just by revving. I'll be changing the plugs soon(first time in 60'000+ miles), also as i said im doing the 370 injectors. I'll clean the throttle body as soon as my cold air get here. As for tonight, i just put the car in the garage to do a gas filter. Haven't changed one since i bought the car.