So im almost convinced my car is possessed.....seems every time i turn around im fighting some battle with it.....if u read my drivers half shaft issue thread last week, this is an extension of that. I had it in the shop to have them do the cv shaft and it finally got done....while it was in there i had them do the timing chain tensioner because i was hearing the rattle on cold startup and it was especially noticable on cold days and took longer to go away....

before i go on car is 5mt w ~170000mi on it.

now i go to get the car and start it up...notice check engine light is on....perfect. check with code scanner....p0325 knock sensor, which will not go away no matter what i do, and p1320 distributor signal interrupt. wtf there is no distributor....i took it back and he says they even checked timing after they put tensioner on....they said it read 13-15 deg base time so its within spec...when driving its bucking and feels like its missing, it has all 6 new coils only a few months old. pretty much idles like it should just when its under load its bucking and stuttering....more pronounced the more throttle you give it.

i need to know where to start looking here.....if anyone has dealt w this id love some info! a million thanks.....

 

^^what brand coils?

P1320 is means

Diagnostic Trouble Code 0201 (P1320) indicates a problem with the ignition coil and power transistor. The ignition signal from the Engine Control Module is sent to and amplified by the power transistor. The power transistor turns on and off the ignition coil primary circuit. This on-off operation induces the proper high voltage in the coil secondary circuit.

The malfunction is detected when the ignition signal in the primary circuit is not entered during engine cranking or running.

The items to check include
- Harness or connectors (the ignition primary circuit is open or shorted.)
- Power transistor unit built into ignition coil
- Condenser
- Crankshaft Position Sensor (REF)
- Crankshaft Position Sensor (REF) circuit

A misfire on any individual cylinder should set a code, and a problem with the CPS should also set a code.

I would have expected to see DTC 0201 along with one of the following DTCs.
0407 - Crankshaft Position Sensor (REF)
0608 - Cylinder 1 misfire
0607 - Cylinder 2 misfire
0606 - Cylinder 3 misfire
0605 - Cylinder 4 misfire
0604 - Cylinder 5 misfire
0603 - Cylinder 6 misfire



My personal guesstimate is you have non-OEM coil packs, non-OE coils will instantly throw a P1320 code.

 

Coils are hanshins, all 6.....guy at shop also said it could be ecm....although he also suggested i put some octane boost and seafoam in and that "should fix it". im going to local pick n pull this weekend to grab a 5mt ecm since i know they have one and its pretty much the only thing that is specific to my car....and possibly expensive....

o and my coils have lifetime warranty.....

ive been doing some research on the ignition condensor and will prolly just order it mon since its so cheap.....i wouldve thought that cam and crank sensors would throw codes for being faulty too....and im leaving harness last since that would b a major pita to do...

o i also have new plugs btw less than a month old.....ngks...dont remember the number but they were like 12 a piece i remember.

thanks a lot.

ps i also just did the cleaning of the MAF, TB, IACV, and EGR tube. all gaskets replaced and ran fine afterwards.....this has all transpired since going in the shop.

 

I had that code come up when I replaced new aftermarker ignition coils. Swapped them out with good used set and code was gone. Fore some reason, aftermarket ignition coils, like from autozones, sometimes don't work properly and will set that code even though your car might be running well.

Either get a good used set or pay for new oem coils.

good luck.

 

ya might just pick up a set at the pick n pull to this weekend....see if i can find a lower mileage max out there i kno they have a few.

side note i just checked condenser and it checks out ok.....

 

so whats the difference between AZ hanshins and courtesy nissan parts?

 

Someone needs OEM coils.

 

courtesy nissan are oem parts.
autozone are aftermarket.

I checked the AZ coils and the resistance didn't match oem coils. Even thought they "work", as far as fixing the misfire, sometimes they set codes like the p1320 code. I have heard of other using AZ coils without problems but I always had problems with AZ coils on nissan maximas for some reason.

 

Some cars are just more particular about certain parts than others. Our Maximas seem to thrive only on OEM.

AZ has a bad rep around the GrandAm forums as well for electrical stuff like coils/starters/alternators....

 

Guys Hanshin and Mitsubishi are OEM coil packs so that throws that theory out the window. Matter a fact 3/4 of the sensors and electronics on the car comes from Mitsubishi.

 

exactly my thought arent oem hanshins and az hanshins basicly the same thing? or are the az ones remans built to diff specs....

 

^^parts store handguns will throw the code...at least one did on my car

 

handguns?

 

ignition coils...they look a little like a popgun if you hold them the right way...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

 

Two years ago I threw in aftermarket coils I got from ebay and they threw codes within 2 weeks. I then purchased 6 used OEM coils from another org member and they've worked fine. Search the classifieds for a set of used OEM coils.

 

The problem is probably the ground reading for the aftermarket coils. I believe it is the same problem I would get running emanage blue with the ignition harness intercept. To fix it you had to solder in some resistors to the harness and run the other end to ground (emanage blue p1320 fix, a DandyMax write up). It is also possible to get the code because of the igniter condenser which is a small black box with a .50mf capacitor inside. If it had an open it may throw the code.

 

I lol'd.........autocorrect fail from the phone

 

i got your back tiger....just use a little imagination they can look like phasers or somethin'

 

Next time I go to the junkyard.....ill pick up some phasers

 

Thanks a lot guys i def have my work cut out for my.....already checked condenser per fsm and it checks out....next ill grab a set of coils from pick n pull mon morning and see if that does it....im sure hoping so....seems odd tho that it runs fine when i took it to she shop and runs like **** when i get it back...oh well theyre pretty cool with working with me on this and these arent actually AZ coils that was just a reference, they were ebays and have been on since june....altho ive had parts just **** out too.....

on another note ive had to replace all 8 coils in my q45 this month too.... that was $$$$painfull!!!

been a bad month for coils lol

 

^^ebay coils........$100 says thats your problem

grab a set from the junkyard

 

This may seem irrelevant, but when I had this code, it was cause I had a faulty fuel injector, which just spewed a $h1tload of gas and wasn't fixed until I replaced it.

However, during that time, I also replaced the ignition condensor from Nissan which was like 6 bucks, I replaced two coil packs which I knew were faulty, and still nothing. It kept bucking, but the code went away for sure.

The bucking though dude, surprisingly enough, I fixed by switching to NGK V-Power coppers, which were two fitty a piece instead of 12 each yikes! So far, it's been nothing but smooth sailing... *knock on wood* and I'm gonna stick away from the platinum for a while. I found that 2 were incorrectly gapped, and I think that's what could've been the culprit as well..

Hope this helps man!

 

First assumption i'd say coils or crankshaft sensor. But you don't wanna just go throwing money at the car. And you must have money if you put 8 new coils in the Q45.

Ok... when the shop changed the chain tensioner did they also do the water pump? Use the factory service manual as a reference... Remove both ground screws on the intake manifold. Sand them down with sand paper. Re-attach grounds, (yes that is in the manual almost word for word).

Check grounds going from neg battery cable to Engine block. Unplug maf sensor, check harness for dirt,breaks, reattach harness. Check maf for dirt. Check throttle body for dirt. Check that there are no vacuum leaks around the air intake. Check each coil and make sure that the resistance readings are consistent. Too bad none of us own equipment to check coil performance.

Pull out each sparkplug and check for any type of fouling as well. Because as someone else stated this could be a fuel issue that has popped up. If all plugs look the same I would not assume they are the cause of your problem. Do the basic test of listening to each fuel injector to make sure they are all clicking. Remove and clean the camshaft sensor which is on that side of the engine where they were working.

Check both crankshaft sensors and harnesses. There are tests in the fsm. Check the large engine wire harness, which is what they had to have moved in order to remove tensioner. Use a scan tool and reset the codes... See if you can get the computer to trigger a certain cylinder misfire... Check the maf connections etc. The max is a good engine but it's a picky b*tch. As you can assume I learned a lot about the vq engines but they are not forgiving at all. One little problem and you will get a check engine light.

If you want more advice on what to check or how. Feel free to post up and I will try to help. Also, many of the tests require back probing to the ecu to check continuity of the signal wire from the sensors. Many people don't wanna do that cuz it's a pain... but once you know how its ez and you will feel better knowing that a part passed its test and can be excluded (usually) as the culprit.

 

Thanks a lot for that....i went to the yard yesterday and pulled many new parts off a 4th gen w only 101000 mi on it lol.....

oh and i don't have money b/c of the q45 coils....lol

Parts i got.

MAFS
Crank sensor (the one by the trans)
Cam sensor
6 Coils
New fans (old ones got stolen when i did the radiator and ive been using a set of 5th gen fans since)

Ill be heading out real soon to start pulling and testing parts and replacing what needs to.....ill also prolly grab some new plugs while i have em out maybe give the coppers a shot.....

 

here ya go tigersharkdude.....twas those damn ebay coils....im gonna c about gettin my money back. althought in the process i checked a few other things out....the ckps near the trans was horrible so i put the "new" one in. after cleaning it obviously.

old one on the left


and put my new fans in....literally even tho i got em from a pick n pull i think theyre almost new


also tried out used maf for s*its n giggles....

thanks to all who gave advice and helped me....its why i love this forum.

 

sweet, now that water pump is only got be $200

 

How much did your mechanic charge you to just do your timing chain tensioner? Ive been told that everything would need to be replaced since they are going in there anyway, how accurate is that. One shop told me 12 hrs of work, is that accurate?? The car I was looking at purchasing is a 95 max gle.

 

the shop labor site said 1 hr.....ended up taking them 3 but they only charged me $100 since it went quite a bit over

 

Glad you got your baby running. I had mechanical skills before getting the max and had taken classes in school. But the max is a lot of trial and error. What I love about it is that once you do the repair it's so much easier if you have to do it again.