dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

For some reason, the search is down again. So, apologies for asking this.

Wife was driving the maxima today. When she went to work, car was fine. After work, it fired up rough. I figured it was low on gas and asked her to fill up. She called in as still rough. Drove it home (thankfully it didn't die on her).

I fired it up and it is indeed very rough. Took it for a spin and it is rough through all shifts and drives like it catches on periodically (jerky and not smooth like it normally is).

I am thinking its the coils. Buddy has a OBD II scanner so I will scan it tomorrow. I do have the P0400 code since over a year so the CEL was always on.

Am I on the right track to suspect coils (99s did have the problem)? I am at 89K. Can it be MAF or IAC valve? I remember dealer did replace IAC years ago for the low idle RPMs.

Also, since I cannot search, does the OBD II scanner tell you what coil it is?

Also, is it advisable to replace all coils or just the one that's dead?

Lastly, any places running deals on coils?

RPM

If I were you, I'd just wait to see the codes instead of assuming anything.

If you don't want to wait for your friend, you can check the fault light http://vbxmaxima.8m.com/ecu.html.

The obd code does give you with coil if it is indeed the coil.

If it ain't broken, don't fix it..

PS: reading the stickies helps.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

It could be a coil, yes. As said above, check the codes yourself.

Unlike the previous post, an ignition system code will not (and cannot) point to a specific cylinder. If you get a misfire code, you may or may not get a code for a specific cylinder, it's really luck of the draw.

Personally on a '99 I consider buying new coils preventative maintenance.

For cheap coils, check either the classifieds or eBay.

Kilo15

I also had this problem, but when I scanned it it was random misfire. I replaced plugs but its still rough. If it was the plugs, would I need to clear the codes or would it just run fine anyway?

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

If it was the plugs, it wouldn't run roughly regardless of there being codes in the ECM. That or you installed them incorrectly.

You're a '99, have you replaced your coils?

Kilo15

nope, that was my next guess. Just wanted to double check.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. I know I can check the codes using the screwdriver. I have been here long enough to know that. But, why fumble around the bottom in the cold and dark when I can just plug the scanner in tomorrow?

And yes the stickies do help but with no search, which one of the dozen of 'em to go through? Plus, mostly the stickies help after the problem has been diagnosed.

AndrewR2442

iTrader: (1)

Yeah so the search can't help me out since it's not working. Its a coil question so i figured i'd bump this thread. I also am having coil problems on a 98 that has hashin style coils.






Are there any distinctive physical features that the mitsuibishi coils posses? (the third picture are supposedly mitsubishi coils. Anyone know or seen these before?)

If it doesn't say hashin or mitsuibishi, is it a knock off aftermarket coil?

What style coils are in 99 maxima's? Hashin's Correct?

Are mitsubishi style coils superior to hashin style in the failure rate?





Hashin's


Mitsubishi's


???Mitsubishi's???











P.S. Here's a fairly nice priced site for OEM quality coils. http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...layCatalogid=0 Anybody got anything cheaper that's OEM?

I'm thinking i'm going to stay away from the cheaper prices and buy only 100% OEM products.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

So, what have most folks been doing? Replacing the one coil that's bad or is it better just to bite the bullet and replace the whole set?

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Chances are the rest of them are going to die as well, I would replace them all. If you only have the money for doing them one by one, then that works as well.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

The verdict is in. P0301. Decoder up in the stickies says Cylinder 1 misfire. I am assuming Cylinder 1 is the first one on the outside by the battery. Is that it? The search is still down. I am going to switch to the google search on this site to see if I can locate some pix. But if any of you know of the top of your heads which one is Cylinder 1, please post.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

There was just a thread on this.



Right bank, front cylinder.

trooplewis

iTrader: (1)

Transverse engines should not be allowed to have left or right banks, just north and south ones or front and back ones.

The front of an engine should be the part by the front of the car!

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Ok. So, rear passenger side is Cylinder #1 so it seems based on this diagram and also past posts. But now, searching through past posts has me confused. I did my own 60K service and am now at 89K. My car was built in the middle of 1998 but I bought it in Jan of 1999 and its a 1999 SE. Should I be worried about the injectors? I erased the code and the CEL went away but the car is still rough. Shouldn't the CEL be blinking? Now, I admit I didn't drive the car but it was still rough just in P. I suppose moving the coils around is an option and if its the coil, I suppose I should get a P0303 for now cylinder 3 misfire. If that happens its the coil pack if not its the injector. Am I on the right track here?

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

...no.

North or south would depend on the placement of the car, no? Left/right is a perfectly good indication of where something is, if you actually know what you're talking about.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Bump for an answer for me question a post up.

trooplewis

iTrader: (1)

OOooooo!

Actually, been in the car business for 26 years. People in the business have always referred to front wheel drive motors as running "east and west" while RWD motors are oriented "north-south".

It's in relationship to the front of the vehicle, not magnetic north...

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Why would you be worried about the injectors? Do you mean coils?

The CEL will not necessarily indicate a misfire, it's more a luck of the draw type of thing.

Yes, swap coils around to see if the misfire changes cylinders. That would help you diagnose the coil, if it's not the coil it could still be several other things.

Swapping the coil takes a minute, do that first.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

You could call it whatever you want, but I have never heard anyone ever say the 'east side' of the motor...that's just ridiculous. And most of my time wrenching has been with someone of the 'old school' variety around.

Unless you're just referring to talking about how they're mounted, and not referring to which side of the engine a component is on (in which case that's not even the topic at hand).

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

I am not that much worried. I will be working on the car tomorrow when I am off (thankfully I have 3 cars and hence the Maxima can stay in the garage for a couple of days). So, I wanted to gather as much information as I could before starting work. I will rescan the car. We drove it a couple of miles yesterday and it still drove rough and did not set the CEL. I hope it still threw P0301.

On reading other posts, folks only mention Coils or Injectors for the issue. Although, I suppose a broken motor mount could also do this. I am going to check the coils first tomorrow.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

A broken motor mount won't cause a misfire unless the engine harness is damaged and moving around excessively.

What I was saying is that it could be an internal mechanical problem, at which point it's surely cheaper to throw in a lower mileage VQ30 or DE-K than to open it up and locate, then fix the problem. However that isn't likely at all, you're undoubtedly looking at a coil/injector/plug problem. Out of those 3, coils are the most likely.

AndrewR2442

iTrader: (1)

i recently had a bad experience w/aftermarket coils... i bought 3 right coils for $60 and put them in. My car started bucking like a bull... It threw multiple cylinder misfire code. So only get OEM if you are replacing them!

Jesse729

There seems to be a lot of posts on this lately I just replaced one of my coils and found out some interesting information

I have had a barely noticeable rough idle for about a year now i assumed coils so i decided to wait for a Check engine light. On the way to work this week I got a very noticeable misfire and soon after the flashing check engine light. and after that the solid check engine light. Drive it home with solid check engine light starts flashing again on the way home and goes back to solid all while running rough. I pull the code and get Multiple cylinder misfire got worried because I thought I would going to have to put tons of time and effort in to find out what cylinder it was.

Here is the interesting part...
I knew it could only be in one cylinder because it was running fine the other day. So i reset the code and drove it for 2 min no CEL so i go to Autozone to buy a front and rear coils dealer was out to start guessing and checking the cylinders. One the way I get a flashing CEL and then a solid CEL check the code cylinder 4 misfire. So I buy the front coil. It was cylinder 4. once I replaced the coil it ran and idled like new.

But I put the bad coil in and I did a few more tests resetting and driving the car forcing it to misfire and get the CEL. I found that if you force or get a misfire (flashing CEL) 2 times. The code stored in the ECU is multiple cylinder misfire regardless of how many cylinders misfire. But if you only get a misfire once you will get the specific cylinder. So if cly. 4 misfires 2 times you may get the multiple cylinder misfire code. This may be helpful for those who get that code.

Another interesting thing and this goes along with a previous post. I have read that Autozone stocks the Hashin and Mitsubishi coils just like the dealers do. But I think they also get some knock off aftermarket ones. I ended buying a front and rear coil from Autozone. The front was a Hashin identical to the one on my 99 and the rear looked like a Mitsu but it had no marking on it and I had nothing to compare it to. Maybe some one can confirm that the Mitsu coils have or don't have markings. So just a note you may want to look at the part before buying it from Autozone. And obviously don't buy it from your local dealer when Autozone has the identical part for less.

For those who don't know Hashin made the coils in 99's+ and some 98's and Mitsubishi made them prior. I have heard Mitsu is a little better in terms of reliability.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Thanks guys. I was planning on testing out the coils and oder the OEM coils on the bay. I was going to give DaveB a call to see how far off he was from the OEM price on the bay (reputable seller) and buy from DaveB if the pricing wasn't too far off.



Since this was all too sudden (car worked fine on the way to work and rough coming back), I hope its just the coils and/or plug. I can handle those two. I don't think I can handle the injectors.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

I now need HELP.

I opened up the car today. Removed the Cylinder 1 coil and it seems OK. Removed the plug and it too seemed OK. I removed the Cylinder 3 ones to compare. The plug in Cylinder 1 was a bit darker from the inside but tested the same as Cylinder 3 with an ohm meter. I also tested the coils and they too are same with the ohm meter.

I buttoned her up and took it for a drive. The car shakes more in R or D. In P or N it does shake but a LOT less. Also, when its shaking the RPMs on the guage cluster are bouncing too. Removed the plug on the coil #1 and it shook a bit more but the car was in P. After that it threw two pending codes P1320 and P0301.

The exhaust seems to sound like it is missing.

So, now, I am stumped. Do I get plugs or coils or get the motor mounts checked. I have no idea where the other mounts are I only know where the front mount is.

Also, since this happens a lot more in R or D, can it be the tranny (no tranny codes is odd though). Can it be IAC valve? Also, I have had the P0400 EGR code for over a year. I check and reset it every quarter to ensure its that code and nothing else. Can that have now gotten worse?

All this crap started when the fuel was fairly low. Can it really be the injectors but I am not brave enough to get to the rear bank injectors.

Welp and tell me if I missed something. Can't afford to take it in.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Again, what do your motor mounts have to do with your misfire?

So did you not swap the coils to see if the misfire changed with the coil?

It's not a trans issue, you can just feel it more in gear because it's under load.

Have you ohmed out the injector?

You have a code for a specific cylinder, focus on just that cylinder for now.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Ah. Thanks. I knew I was missing something. I completely forgot to swap the coils with #1 and #3.

Now, the car doesn't throw the code but runs rough. I am not sure when it will throw the code after the swap. Any hints on how to get the code back asap? Also, the CEL never blinks like some of the posts in my searches indicate (now that the search is up). Is that a problem?

Thanks and sorry about the missed step in diagnosis.

I will go swap the coils now.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

You don' t need the code to know which cylinder is missing. Just like the flashing CEL, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't.

Anyway, swap the coils, and if it's still missing on 1, ohm out the rear bank of injectors.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Thanks a ton pmohr. Thanks for practically walking me through the tests.

I swapped the coils and let the car idle (this time even in P it was rough just like the other day) and lo and behold, now the code (scanner showed it as a Pending code no CEL) is P0303. It is the Coil #1 definitely.

Car has 90K and by posts in the other threads, it seems the Zone has OEM coils but each one is like $85. There is a seller on the bay selling brand new OEM ones for circa $300 or so shipped. I am leaning towards the whole set. Does any one have any experience with the seller?

Thanks for your help and do chime in if swapping out all of 'em is not a good idea. Also, the plugs now have 30K on 'em. If I go for the whole set, I might swap the plugs with OEMs too.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Is it OK to buy used coils off ebay? There are folks selling complete used OEM sets for like $70 - $90 with some pretty good feedback scores. Any one bought used coils off the bay?

loxety

I would replace the plugs while you are there.. they are $2-3 per at autozone for the ngk platinum. When I replaced the plugs on my 96 gle with 175k+ miles the idle was more smooth.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

The plugs only have 30K on 'em but if the $2.99 one is the same as OEM, then I can change the plugs too while I am at it.

Does anyone know the difference between the following two plugs?

$2.99 NGK GP Platinum
http://www.autozone.com/R,3397023/ve...ductDetail.htm

$12.99 NGK Laser Platinum
http://www.autozone.com/R,2940771/ve...ductDetail.htm

Quickywd01

iTrader: (16)

The laser platinum is what your engine had installed and what should be installed. They have a platinum electrode and ground which is laser welded while the other cheaper plugs only have a platinum tip. If you want to use "cheap" plugs then you can use the ngk copper plugs but replace them every 30k. I bought the oem ngk laser platinum plugs and even though they were pricey they work great. But I use premium fuel and good oil/filters so that is why I went with the laser plugs. Also picked up a tube of dielectric grease and aluminum anti-seize. The TQ wrench also helped.

dvpatel99se

iTrader: (1)

Just an update guys. Maximaguy shipped the coils Monday and I got 'em yesterday. My baby is back.