Missfire - hesitation - EGR
11-06-2001, 08:55 AM
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Missfire - hesitation - EGR
Hello everyone!!
For a few months now, i've noticed a slight hesitation during accleration. I'll shift, push the accelerator 1/2 to WOT and hold steady. The car accelerates, but not smoothly...I can't tell if it's surging, or hesitating, but either way, the acceleration is not constant. I recently (last two weeks) changed plugs and fuel filter. After the fuel filter change (this weekend), things seemed to be better, i didn't notice this problem until yesterday when things went real bad... loss of power, bad hesitation, etc. I was running low on gas (light wasn't on yet) and it was acting like it was running out of gas (no power, jerky, hesitating). I pulled into a gas station and put in 5gal.
I started driving again and got the check engine light. I checked it and saw a "Cylinder 5 missfire" and a "knock detected or circuit fault" codes. I cleared the ECU the normal way and also disconnected the battery for a while. I checked the EGR valve operation per the Haynes book, "rev engine to 2k-4k then let close the throttle and feel for the EGR shaft to move". I couldn't feel the shaft, but i could feel the diaphram. It moved slightly (maybe 1mm total) while reving up, but didn't move when closing the throttle. This doens't seem right... I tried to disconnect the vaccume tube to the EGR to test for vacumme, but it wasn't able to pull it off. So i just started the car and went for a test drive to see if the low gas caused the problem, then the ECU adjusted for the missfire and knock, but now i have gas and reset the ECU...so maybe all is well??? Nope... the care stared good, sounded smooth... I revved the engine and it seemed ok... but the more i revved it, I could tell something wasn't right. I started to drive... it threw the same codes again... Cyl 5 misfire and knock detected.
Seeing Cyl 5 both times is interresting. If it was an emission control problem, it shouldn't just be picking on cyl 5. So i swapped the plug and coil from cyl 5 with the plug and coil from cly 3. The plugs looked identical, i didn't see anything wierd on the 5 cyl plug. Started back up, drove it, no error lights, no major problem, but the hesitation/surging that was present before was still there... so somethings still not right.
That EGR thing still bugs me, and the hesitation is livable, but not right... any ideas???
Sorry it's so long, but i wanted to be through with the problem and the things I already tried.
97 Max SE
65,000 miles
JWT Pop Charger
Manual
For a few months now, i've noticed a slight hesitation during accleration. I'll shift, push the accelerator 1/2 to WOT and hold steady. The car accelerates, but not smoothly...I can't tell if it's surging, or hesitating, but either way, the acceleration is not constant. I recently (last two weeks) changed plugs and fuel filter. After the fuel filter change (this weekend), things seemed to be better, i didn't notice this problem until yesterday when things went real bad... loss of power, bad hesitation, etc. I was running low on gas (light wasn't on yet) and it was acting like it was running out of gas (no power, jerky, hesitating). I pulled into a gas station and put in 5gal.
I started driving again and got the check engine light. I checked it and saw a "Cylinder 5 missfire" and a "knock detected or circuit fault" codes. I cleared the ECU the normal way and also disconnected the battery for a while. I checked the EGR valve operation per the Haynes book, "rev engine to 2k-4k then let close the throttle and feel for the EGR shaft to move". I couldn't feel the shaft, but i could feel the diaphram. It moved slightly (maybe 1mm total) while reving up, but didn't move when closing the throttle. This doens't seem right... I tried to disconnect the vaccume tube to the EGR to test for vacumme, but it wasn't able to pull it off. So i just started the car and went for a test drive to see if the low gas caused the problem, then the ECU adjusted for the missfire and knock, but now i have gas and reset the ECU...so maybe all is well??? Nope... the care stared good, sounded smooth... I revved the engine and it seemed ok... but the more i revved it, I could tell something wasn't right. I started to drive... it threw the same codes again... Cyl 5 misfire and knock detected.
Seeing Cyl 5 both times is interresting. If it was an emission control problem, it shouldn't just be picking on cyl 5. So i swapped the plug and coil from cyl 5 with the plug and coil from cly 3. The plugs looked identical, i didn't see anything wierd on the 5 cyl plug. Started back up, drove it, no error lights, no major problem, but the hesitation/surging that was present before was still there... so somethings still not right.
That EGR thing still bugs me, and the hesitation is livable, but not right... any ideas???
Sorry it's so long, but i wanted to be through with the problem and the things I already tried.
97 Max SE
65,000 miles
JWT Pop Charger
Manual
11-06-2001, 09:08 AM
#2
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (29)
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Kernersville, NC
Posts: 1,766
well, this might not help but my egr valve was clogged or something, but my mechaninc cleaned it out for me. i cant say i can tell it runs any better, he said it could cause some damage later on, but.. what kind of gas are you using?
11-06-2001, 11:31 AM
#3
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
iTrader: (19)
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
Cylinder 5 misfire - you most likely need a new coil pack on that cylinder. If your car is misfiring, (cylinder 5) you will feel the loss of power you describe.
From what you mentioned about your EGR, it appears it's working corectly. They only open under certain engine conditions and they open only slightly to let some exaust gas back into the intake. If you felt it move, it's working!
If you really want to know for sure it's the coil pack, remove the #5 coil pack and put it on another cylinder. Reset the ECU and drive, when the code comes back it should point to the cylinder you put the bad coil pack on.
From what you mentioned about your EGR, it appears it's working corectly. They only open under certain engine conditions and they open only slightly to let some exaust gas back into the intake. If you felt it move, it's working!
If you really want to know for sure it's the coil pack, remove the #5 coil pack and put it on another cylinder. Reset the ECU and drive, when the code comes back it should point to the cylinder you put the bad coil pack on.
11-06-2001, 12:52 PM
#5
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (29)
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Kernersville, NC
Posts: 1,766
Originally posted by dwapenyi
This EGR valve, its not a regular maintenance item, is it?? I've never seen it in any of the maintenance shcedules.
DW
This EGR valve, its not a regular maintenance item, is it?? I've never seen it in any of the maintenance shcedules.
DW
11-06-2001, 03:58 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Yes... even with my long winded post, i failed to mention that i swapped the plug and coil to cyl #3... no code yet... hesitiation/surging a little, but no code...
I tried to test the coil with an ohm meter as described in the haynes manual...but their coil looked different and the pinouts were different. I did compare cyl #5's coil resistances with the coil from cly#3 ... no major differance.
I tried to test the coil with an ohm meter as described in the haynes manual...but their coil looked different and the pinouts were different. I did compare cyl #5's coil resistances with the coil from cly#3 ... no major differance.
11-06-2001, 04:12 PM
#7
I do remember reading that a faulty egr will affect the car's performance. I think if it stays open during the wrong time, it might do this.
Do a search to see if someone else has elaborated on what the symptoms of a faulty egr is. It's cheaper than a coil pak(it's gotta be!)
Do a search to see if someone else has elaborated on what the symptoms of a faulty egr is. It's cheaper than a coil pak(it's gotta be!)
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