Divewjason

Well, I thought that my Maxima's rough idling was a result of a bad knock sensor, but I found out on this forum that the knock sensor had ZERO to do with idling. The people at Autozone and Advanced Auto Parts told me too. I checked with the Nissan dealership just to make sure and they said that it was the coil packs. I also cleaned the throttle body just to make sure. The TPS is good, and the IAC Valve was also cleaned.(All this with the help of my Dad.)


Here's what's going on with this car. I'm experiencing rough idling. It drives fine on the road, except when I go up a hill at around 40 mph and below 2k rpm's the car tends to jerk a little bit. Nothing major, but it almost feels like a gear shift. When I sit in Park, the Maxima idles perfectly. If I'm at a light and my foot is on the brake, the car shakes and the RPM's drop and go back up. It usually does it at least once at every light, sometimes it's constant and annoys me to the point to where I just put it in park. I put some BG-44k in the car in case it was the fuel system. The car idled almost perfectly while the BG-44k was in the tank, but once I ran the tank out it went back to idling rough. A while back it was doing this, I replaced ONE coil pack and it didn't idle rough at all, then a few weeks later it started idling a little rough again and it has gotten worse.

I always use premium gas.

I checked with the dealer ship, each coil pack is 100 dollars a pop.

Now, I have a few questions:
1. Based on what you hear, does it sound like a coil pack problem? What other problem could it be if you don't think so?

2. Why did the BG-44k help if it was my coil packs in the first place?

3. Is there any way I could get these coil packs cheaper?

4. What kind of coil packs are recommended for a 1999 Nissan Maxima?(Besides Nissan plugs of course. I'm trying to go cheaper but I don't want to lose any performance.)

5. If I let it do this until the check engine light actually comes on, am I risking any damage to my car?

Thanks for your help in advance.

JAMAICANLOVRBOY

iTrader: (3)

for starters, dont buy coil packs form the dealer. u can get these for cheap, or slip one or two away in your tool box at the junk yard, i did. u may want to check your MAF. i had that hesitation issue, and as it turned out, one of my MAF wire was gettin pinched from the battery since i didnt have a battery hold down. why my MAF was so close to the battery u ask, well with the CAI i have, the wires r not in the original position anymore. just a thought tho, check it out.

Divewjason

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into the MAF too, but as far as I know the car is stock.

vqmaxman

The coil pack Is not your problem,If it were to be your problem the Car would not be hesitating or viberating It would definetly misfire and your car RPMS would fluctuate and The car would stutter and sputter a bite. I would look In to the bushing on the lower control arms and your balljoints and so on. I would say about the fuel cleaner that your car has so many miles that the fuel lines can be dirty and clogged the fuel system Is dirty. I would do the engine cleaning treatment. The RPMS dropping at the lights and the engine viberates that should be normal because your an AUTO my max does this to.

FishyMan

You have to describe your symptoms more.
Did you give your car a GOOD TUNEUP?
New plug wires, air filter, fuel filter etc. etc. Then we can narrow down.

Test your coils to see how it is. If not, maybe a vaccum leak?

99BlackMaxMS

iTrader: (85)

It is either your Coils or Injectors.

Your car is beginning to misfire. It wont hurt to fix it now...if you wait until the CEL flashes and stays on you will be risking your o2s and cat.

dubs1013

Matthew Schoenewolff, you are a Tool.

mywhitewolf

i had the exact same problem (still do) if my max is on overdrive and i put light pressure on the accelerator, it kicks/stutters, and it also does this when stopped at the lights (especally after a long drive), i've changed the fuel filter, replaced all ignition coils (although i did this because the car started randomly missing through out the entire rev range). ran fuel cleaner, i've taken it to a mechanics and they keep on telling me that "its not showing any codes (which is bull**** because it was showing a knock sensor code), but try and plug your air temp sensor in (it was unpluged after the issue started occuring) and then they said that they will swap coils around (which is pointless because i have replaced all the coils).

everytime i do replace or add something in the car though it seems to be better for a short period.

Divewjason

Plug wires were not replaced, neither was the air or fuel filter. I didn't have the money to do all that and Dad doesn't want to work on the car anymore. No tune-up was given at all.

Here's what we have done to the car since we got it.

1. Replaced a theromstat

2. Replaced the radiator

3. Oil and transmission fluid change.

4. Changed sparkplugs and one coil pack that went back.

5. Changed the fan assembly.

6. Put BG-44k in the car.

All the symptoms that I described above is all the car is doing so I really don't know how I can elaborate on it.

FishyMan

^^Sorry about plug wires, but I know you got my point. I don't think this has anything to do with the oil or additives. If either fuel or spark is an issue, you'd be getting misfires and werid idling.

Maybe you are sensitive but I do notice some odd clunk with my maxima sometimes as if it doesn't shift smooth or good. Well on an open road from 0-60 or whatever it's good. But when your in stop and go or whatever and the car starts to hunt, you feel it being odd.

If a car IDLES FINE and SMOOTHLY then I am not too sure if it's engine related.

Fasteddie01

Please; 1) you still haven't said if you've checked codes. That can tell you a lot. 2) EVEN IF you're an Automatic, stopping at a light shouldn't cause you to idle rough and shake. My 98 has about 130k and runs smooth in those situations - even panic (city traffic) stops ( with the knock sensor jumped - 91 only). 3) for my 2c, I'd look at airflow (filter) or MAF - sounds more like choking that fuel starving.

Divewjason

It only shows a knock sensor code.

crazyrodent

check the maf

bigpulve+

iTrader: (11)

Fuel injector is most likely on the fritz...I had one that wasnt flowing enough at idle and the car would shake a bit, but would run fine other wise...Check them.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

mazzivart, how did you verify which injector was in question, and how was it determined that it wasn't flowing enough?

My vote is coil packs, just because it's a 99. Nothing against them, but this is a very common problem with them.

Divewjason

Yeah, I talked to my girlfriend who works at a Honda(she's a cashier) car dealership and they are going to look at my car for free. They'll look at the coil packs and everything else. I'm going to go ahead and have a fuel filter put in while they are at it because that needs to be changed anyways.

aussie983

iTrader: (16)

What is your idle speed?

vqmaxman

I would try to clean the MAF to because the MAF can be choking the air flow in to the engine and causing the engine to idle very slow or maybe to a point It could cut off. I would also change the fuel filter because clogged and dirty fuel filter will only get dirty gas into the engine. The car could be running low also because the filter has not been changed in a while and It's not filtering 100%.

Divewjason

When the engine is first turned on it will settle at about 1100 RPM. After I get moving the RPM stays at around 900. Once the engine is warmed up it goes down to about 750 and that's when all the rough running starts.

Divewjason

Yeah, I think I might try that, I'm taking it somewhere on Saturday, I can't get under the hood long enough to do all that stuff because I was in a car accident that totaled my Prizm in August. My back starts killing me if I'm working under the hood for even 15 minutes, as I found out when I replaced my fan assembly myself.

Divewjason

Can anyone tell me where I might be able to get quality coils for cheaper than the dealership? I might check with autozone but they may only have their brand of coil packs(I don't know if they have their own brand for these or not, I do know that they have their own brand for a thermostat.)

Jesse729

I am having this same problem I'm not so sure it's coil packs though I don't feel like it's mis firing and i have no codes. I have a 99 it kicks and stutters at idle and below 20% throttle in any gear but as soon as I give it more gas it runs like it always has. The problem only happens sometimes and it will always go away. I can't really take it to the dealer because it won't do it when I get there and they will just overcharge me for nothing. Could this be a symptom of a bad TPS? Can that effect idle?

maxfever1987

iTrader: (93)

TAKE MY ADVICE AND LISTEN TO IT ITS YOUR COIL PACKS U CAN TEST OUT WHICH ONES THEY ARE BY LOOKING ON AUTOZONE.COM BUT ONLY CHANGE THE ONES YOU NEED TO NOT THE WHOLE 6 ITS YOUR COILS HOW MANY MILES DO YOU GET TO THE TANKI GET REALLY BAD GAS LIKE 190-200 MILES PER TANK HOW ABOUT YOU?

bigpulve+

iTrader: (11)

Settle down there sparky....take the caps lock off.

Snypa

iTrader: (35)

check your 6 packs man.

Divewjason

Yes, it can be your TPS. Have them check it, or check it yourself. How long has it been since you cleaned your throttle body?

Pyromaniac1050

iTrader: (6)

clean the MAF, Throttle Body, and IACV.
Replace all spark plugs, fuel filter, and run some cleaner through it.
If you do all that and it still acts screwy on you, then it most likely is your coil packs or "6 packs"
as some like to call them

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Well, I had a hesitation problem a few thousand miles back with my 99. I thought it was the coil packs, spark plugs...etc. Just like you have done, I checked a lot of that stuff. Turns out, it was some kind of intake gasket and only cost about $300 including the labor to fix it. I finally had someone diagnose it, and it has been fine ever since then. (Probably 30,000 miles since).

Also, I have some coil packs that I never took back after I found out they were okay. A couple of them have never been fired, and a couple of them have been fired just a few times. I took them right back out and put them in the box. Just let me know if you want some of them. I will sell them cheap. I need to get them out of my closet. Email me at: Bruceaulrich@gmail.com

Divewjason

Alright, if I find out that's the problem I'll shoot you an email. Even if it isn't a problem I'll let you know.

Jesse729

This Gasket you speak of did it cause any vacuum leaks I've had a vacuum leak that shows up very rarly

av8orjb

I had the exact same problem that you described, stuttering at idle in gear. I thought it was either my injectors or coil pack. Here is what I did to check them out. Wait until car is warmed up and showing the symptoms you described. Put the E-Brake on and make sure it holds well with the car in Drive. Block all four wheels GOOD!! Have someone in the driver seat with foot on brake .Pop the hood put the car in drive. Car should not move at all... pull off the connector of one coil pack. The rpms should drop. What you want to do now is listen for the hesitation and or misfire. If you still hear it then that’s not the cylinder misfiring. Install connector and remove the next coil pack connector. Repeat this process until you identify which cylinder is misfiring. When the rpms drop and the hesitation stops you have found the cylinder giving you trouble. Swap that coil pack with one from the next cylinder over and repeat test. If the problem moved to the new cylinder then the coil pack is bad if not check your injectors. This process took me 5 minutes to do and was very conclusive... Bad coil pack.

That’s what I did..

Av8orjb

97 Max SE

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

That sounds good, because I don't get on this forum very often any more. Just let me know.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Nope....no vacuum leaks. My max has run strong ever since. It pulls hard, every day.....it is a fast daily driver.

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

This is actually good advice. I did this, but it turned out not to be any of the coil packs. Try it out....

My brother had some of the best advice about fixing cars that I have ever heard:

He would say that you ought to start with the cheapest thing that "could" fix the problem. If that does not work, then move to the next cheapest thing. So on and so forth until you find out what is wrong. That is why you will almost always hear people trying to replace their spark plugs on here....they are cheap, and pretty easy. Then, if they are not the problem....you move on from there.

Hope this helps...

FLA99MAX

does anybody know the part# for the spitfire coil pack fora 4th gen...i need new coil packs and i want to buy high performance coil packs....plz help

surfer1

I have a 98 Maxima with a 5 speed manual transmission. The car has about 152k miles on it and it was running great until recently, when it started losing power and torque. What happens is this: the engine starts and runs smoothly, but it seems that the engine ignition timing is being retarded and the engine leans out too much. It gets to the point where the car will not even chirp the wheels when shifted aggresively from first to second gear. I checked and cleaned the MAF. No improvement. I am suspecting the coils, which are the originals, Not so much the coils themselves, but the boot part that is attached tot he coil. The engine does not miss yet, but there is definite hesitation on acceleration.

Any ideas?

BTW, Advance Discount Auto Parts has Beck and Arnley coils for this car for $ 30-35/piece. Anybody tried these?

KRRZ350

iTrader: (29)

Your better off looking into finding the actual cause. I've seen the following failures of 4th gen coils, and since your a new member I'll just say this- I currently have 5 maxima's at my shop and one in the driveway.

2 aftermarket STI coils (same car)
1 on a '95 or '96 that had 240k
2-sets of mitsubishi '99 ones have been replaced.

If you are seeing retarded ignition timing AND lean mixtures that REALLY pinpoints to a maf that isn't reading the actual airflow into the engine.

FLA99MAX

i just looked em up and they are about 70 -100 $ a peice and i need 3 so 210-300$ they not 30-35$

represent24

did you ever fix our rough idling and jerking? well, if you didn't, here is what i had to do when encountering the same problem. i changed everything in this order:

spark plugs (NGK iridium)
coil packs (all)
air filter
BG induction service and BG-44k
fuel filter
mass air flow sensor
oxygen sensor (all, i have 3)

i plan on replacing the knock sensor in the coming weeks

hopefully this helps if you or anybody else having this problem!