Problems keep evolving for the worst…long cranking to backfiring and white smoke
03-13-2014, 08:48 PM
#42
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I started putting everything back together today. Should finish up tomorrow or the next day.
In other news, the PCV valve that I installed only 10k miles ago is already clogged up; and the TB is pretty dirty even though I cleaned that 10k miles ago as well. Time to incorporate a catch can into the system!
04-13-2014, 11:02 PM
#44
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Update time...
After I installed the injectors, it started up and idled perfectly! The white smoke remained for a few minutes but went away.
I went for a 15 minute test drive around the neighborhood and just cruised w/o putting the pedal to the metal. All seemed good. So good that I was impressed on how smooth it drove and how smooth it idled while sitting at a stop sign. Couldn't feel any vibration in the wheel and the car was quiet.
After 15 minutes of driving like a grandma, I decided to give it medium to max throttle. It launched hard and pulled like a ****. But after I left off the gas, it started to stumble and act like it was going to stall, but just for a second or two, then it's like it caught itself and all was normal again. Hmmmmm.
Well, later that day I went for another 15 minute spin to see how the car would behave. Same as before. All looked good until I gave it medium to max throttle. This time, about 10 seconds after giving it medium throttle, the car just shut off while doing about 50mph! Then it wouldn't start...It just kept cranking and cranking. I thought maybe it was the ECTS sensor, so I popped the hood and let it cool for 30 minutes. Still wouldn't start. I had it towed home and tried starting it about 4 hours later. Still wouldn't start.
The next day I tried to start the Max again for the hell of it, thinking no way will it start, and it did! It was like nothing had happened. Idled perfect too.
It seems like I fixed one problem but still have another.
Thoughts?
After I installed the injectors, it started up and idled perfectly! The white smoke remained for a few minutes but went away.
I went for a 15 minute test drive around the neighborhood and just cruised w/o putting the pedal to the metal. All seemed good. So good that I was impressed on how smooth it drove and how smooth it idled while sitting at a stop sign. Couldn't feel any vibration in the wheel and the car was quiet.
After 15 minutes of driving like a grandma, I decided to give it medium to max throttle. It launched hard and pulled like a ****. But after I left off the gas, it started to stumble and act like it was going to stall, but just for a second or two, then it's like it caught itself and all was normal again. Hmmmmm.
Well, later that day I went for another 15 minute spin to see how the car would behave. Same as before. All looked good until I gave it medium to max throttle. This time, about 10 seconds after giving it medium throttle, the car just shut off while doing about 50mph! Then it wouldn't start...It just kept cranking and cranking. I thought maybe it was the ECTS sensor, so I popped the hood and let it cool for 30 minutes. Still wouldn't start. I had it towed home and tried starting it about 4 hours later. Still wouldn't start.
The next day I tried to start the Max again for the hell of it, thinking no way will it start, and it did! It was like nothing had happened. Idled perfect too.
It seems like I fixed one problem but still have another.
Thoughts?
04-14-2014, 12:46 AM
#45
The fact that your car started the next day like nothing happened shows that the car got a chance to get rid of all the fuel in the system and start with a clean slate.
So, FPR or IACV issues? Even though your IACV is cleaned maybe electronically something is wrong. Since you have an SC do you have an adjustable FPR or something? If you have an OEM FPR that you've never changed then it is long overdue.....despite being a no maintenance item.
I would think that an OEM FPR in a supercharged vehicle would get the sh**t kicked out of it trying to maintain fuel pressure lol. OMG he floored it....NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
04-14-2014, 12:56 AM
#46
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^Thanks so much for reading my latest update and providing your input. My feeling was indeed the FPR or the fuel pump. I will replace the FPR first and see what happens.
I also forgot to mention that I compared this problem Maxima to all my other Maximas and even my ex gf's I30. What I compared was how the FPR sounded with the car off, hood open, and I put my ear near the FPR and listened to it as someone else turned the key to the on position (but didn't start the car). The Maximas and the I30 all sounded the same, but this problem Maxima...the FPR made a weird 'squish' sound every time the key was turned to the on position.
I also forgot to mention that I compared this problem Maxima to all my other Maximas and even my ex gf's I30. What I compared was how the FPR sounded with the car off, hood open, and I put my ear near the FPR and listened to it as someone else turned the key to the on position (but didn't start the car). The Maximas and the I30 all sounded the same, but this problem Maxima...the FPR made a weird 'squish' sound every time the key was turned to the on position.
04-14-2014, 12:59 AM
#47
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No adjustable FPR. The SC kit is 100% original and the way Stillen sold/designed it. The fuel related goodies for the SC are a Vortech FMU and the Vortech auxiliary fuel pump.
04-14-2014, 04:13 AM
#48
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Its good to see Deatschwerks servicing. I've had good experiences with DW in OKC.
My caps looked like yours for cyls #2 and #5. I had a fairly consistent misfire on Cyl 5.
I think you will be happy with the results.
My caps looked like yours for cyls #2 and #5. I had a fairly consistent misfire on Cyl 5.
I think you will be happy with the results.
04-14-2014, 04:36 AM
#49
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Update time...
After I installed the injectors, it started up and idled perfectly! The white smoke remained for a few minutes but went away.
I went for a 15 minute test drive around the neighborhood and just cruised w/o putting the pedal to the metal. All seemed good. So good that I was impressed on how smooth it drove and how smooth it idled while sitting at a stop sign. Couldn't feel any vibration in the wheel and the car was quiet.
After 15 minutes of driving like a grandma, I decided to give it medium to max throttle. It launched hard and pulled like a ****. But after I left off the gas, it started to stumble and act like it was going to stall, but just for a second or two, then it's like it caught itself and all was normal again. Hmmmmm.
Well, later that day I went for another 15 minute spin to see how the car would behave. Same as before. All looked good until I gave it medium to max throttle. This time, about 10 seconds after giving it medium throttle, the car just shut off while doing about 50mph! Then it wouldn't start...It just kept cranking and cranking. I thought maybe it was the ECTS sensor, so I popped the hood and let it cool for 30 minutes. Still wouldn't start. I had it towed home and tried starting it about 4 hours later. Still wouldn't start.
The next day I tried to start the Max again for the hell of it, thinking no way will it start, and it did! It was like nothing had happened. Idled perfect too.
It seems like I fixed one problem but still have another.
Thoughts?
After I installed the injectors, it started up and idled perfectly! The white smoke remained for a few minutes but went away.
I went for a 15 minute test drive around the neighborhood and just cruised w/o putting the pedal to the metal. All seemed good. So good that I was impressed on how smooth it drove and how smooth it idled while sitting at a stop sign. Couldn't feel any vibration in the wheel and the car was quiet.
After 15 minutes of driving like a grandma, I decided to give it medium to max throttle. It launched hard and pulled like a ****. But after I left off the gas, it started to stumble and act like it was going to stall, but just for a second or two, then it's like it caught itself and all was normal again. Hmmmmm.
Well, later that day I went for another 15 minute spin to see how the car would behave. Same as before. All looked good until I gave it medium to max throttle. This time, about 10 seconds after giving it medium throttle, the car just shut off while doing about 50mph! Then it wouldn't start...It just kept cranking and cranking. I thought maybe it was the ECTS sensor, so I popped the hood and let it cool for 30 minutes. Still wouldn't start. I had it towed home and tried starting it about 4 hours later. Still wouldn't start.
The next day I tried to start the Max again for the hell of it, thinking no way will it start, and it did! It was like nothing had happened. Idled perfect too.
It seems like I fixed one problem but still have another.
Thoughts?
1) Two leaking injectors that look almost identical to yours.
2) The car shut off a few blocks from home and it wouldn't restart.
3) Impossible to start one day then it would start the next.
I pulled the O2 sensors so the engine could breathe, started it, then let it run for 30 minutes, then started it again, and again. I zip tied the O2 sensors to the body so they wouldn't dangle and took it for a drive without problems. So it turned out to be cooked/clogged cats. I think the flooding from the leaking injectors contributed to the cat problems.
If you have cats on it, then I would pull the upstream O2 sensors so the engine can breathe to see how it runs. It will only take a few minutes to rule out clogged cats by removing the O2 sensors. If you run the car with the O2 sensors out, note the heated O2 sensors really do get hot. <ouch>
Last edited by CS_AR; 04-14-2014 at 10:57 AM.
04-20-2014, 12:53 AM
#51
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Have some news today.
Swapped out the FPR with another used FPR. Oh what fun that was getting those soft brass screws out. I didn't even attempt to use a normal screwdriver; I went right for a ratchet with a phillips bit attachment. While one hand pushed down on the end of the ratchet, my other hand pushed the back of the ratchet into the screw as hard as I could. I got them out w/o too much trouble, but could tell the brass screw heads were slightly stripped due to how darn soft they are. Went to Lowes and bought replacement hardware with allen key heads so I'll never have this problem again. For those that care, the size you need to replace the two brass screws holding the FPR are M5-0.8 16mm. Don't forget to pick up some M5 lock washers too.
Any way, the new (used) FPR seems to have done the trick. I drove around for 20 minutes and hammered it probably at least 15 times. **** pulled hard and was chirping tires from a 20mph roll! No signs of hesitation or stumbling after going WOT. I'm still pessimistic though for some reason and don't feel like this car is reliable enough to drive far. Gonna use it locally for a week and see how it behaves. I'll keep you guys updated. Thanks for all your help thus far.
Swapped out the FPR with another used FPR. Oh what fun that was getting those soft brass screws out. I didn't even attempt to use a normal screwdriver; I went right for a ratchet with a phillips bit attachment. While one hand pushed down on the end of the ratchet, my other hand pushed the back of the ratchet into the screw as hard as I could. I got them out w/o too much trouble, but could tell the brass screw heads were slightly stripped due to how darn soft they are. Went to Lowes and bought replacement hardware with allen key heads so I'll never have this problem again. For those that care, the size you need to replace the two brass screws holding the FPR are M5-0.8 16mm. Don't forget to pick up some M5 lock washers too.
Any way, the new (used) FPR seems to have done the trick. I drove around for 20 minutes and hammered it probably at least 15 times. **** pulled hard and was chirping tires from a 20mph roll! No signs of hesitation or stumbling after going WOT. I'm still pessimistic though for some reason and don't feel like this car is reliable enough to drive far. Gonna use it locally for a week and see how it behaves. I'll keep you guys updated. Thanks for all your help thus far.
04-20-2014, 05:25 AM
#53
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Location: Central AR
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Hey Man - Glad to see you found the solution.
I'm with you on replacing the phillips head screws with stainless steel hex. Actually, I replaced all the phillips heads on the injector mounting caps with hex head M5-0.8 16mm also from Lowes. The mechanic that installed the replacement engine installed the new FPR. I think I'll go back and get more hex head M5-0.8 for the FPR.
I like the idea about the "catch can". Keep us posted when you install it.
I'm with you on replacing the phillips head screws with stainless steel hex. Actually, I replaced all the phillips heads on the injector mounting caps with hex head M5-0.8 16mm also from Lowes. The mechanic that installed the replacement engine installed the new FPR. I think I'll go back and get more hex head M5-0.8 for the FPR.
I like the idea about the "catch can". Keep us posted when you install it.
05-14-2014, 12:58 PM
#54
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Just wanted to bump this one last time since it's been a few weeks and wrap up the story so that others can possibly benefit from this thread in the future.
The Max is running great!
Getting the fuel injectors serviced and rebuilt solved the rough idle, longer cranking and white smoke out the exhaust, while installing another FPR solved the car shutting off issue after going med throttle to WOT.
The Max is running great!
Getting the fuel injectors serviced and rebuilt solved the rough idle, longer cranking and white smoke out the exhaust, while installing another FPR solved the car shutting off issue after going med throttle to WOT.
Last edited by The Wizard; 05-14-2014 at 01:21 PM.
05-17-2014, 12:58 AM
#57
Hey Man - Glad to see you found the solution.
I'm with you on replacing the phillips head screws with stainless steel hex. Actually, I replaced all the phillips heads on the injector mounting caps with hex head M5-0.8 16mm also from Lowes. The mechanic that installed the replacement engine installed the new FPR. I think I'll go back and get more hex head M5-0.8 for the FPR.
I like the idea about the "catch can". Keep us posted when you install it.
I'm with you on replacing the phillips head screws with stainless steel hex. Actually, I replaced all the phillips heads on the injector mounting caps with hex head M5-0.8 16mm also from Lowes. The mechanic that installed the replacement engine installed the new FPR. I think I'll go back and get more hex head M5-0.8 for the FPR.
I like the idea about the "catch can". Keep us posted when you install it.
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