How do know when they have gone bad?


I have a 95/se.auto...have had it since new...it did sit still for about 3 years at one point...the engine doesn't seem to be performing like it should...but when I try to drive it will almost just stop going after a few hundred yards...could be the tranny fluid, it was replaced 13,000 miles ago, but probably 4 or 5 years ago (this is where the 3 years fit in)...but the engine, while running and reving just doesn't seem to be breathing like it should. The CEL is working but not giving any codes.


Any help here is greatly appreciated!!! I am not a mechanic, but have been able to do work on the car with help from here in the past.

 

Why do you guess that the cat is the cause of your problems?

A trip to a mechanic for an opinion would be less expensive than paying for a cat which you most likely do not need.

You are also guessing about the trans fluid. It would not cause this either.

Cause could be a fuel filter or a sensor. Do you have a code reader?

 

It is not throwing a code. Those were the first two things that came to mind, but I think I have ruled out the tranny fluid...I don't believe it will make it to a mechanic.

 

Try replacing the fuel filter. The old gasoline may have congealed while the car sat unused and plugged the filter.

 

^ i agree, when a car sits.. especially for 3 years, things can get real clogged and dirty inside. Should of driven it atleast once a week for 30 mins to get those fluids/parts moving. thats where i would start.

 

After the car sat for the 3 years, I did a ton of work to it including changing the fuel filter...that was in the summer of 14. I will change it again...that's easy enough. This happened suddenly. I was guessing at the cat and tranny fluid and I am not a mechanic...so any ideas are greatly appreciated.


I do not have a code reader...I just do that screw trick that I learned here.


Thanks for the responses thus far...I will be back at it tomorrow afternoon...and I'll change the fuel filter...I really do hope that is it.

 

You should put more detail into the "this happened suddenly " description. Off the top of my head, a sudden change in performance could be most likely attributed to something electrical. I'm wondering if you should unplug the MAF, clean the contacts, then plug it back in and see what happens.

How does the car run when it's cold?

How does the car run when it's warm (temp gage reaching just below the halfway point )?

 

Finally got back in town...replaced the fuel filter...was reminded why I hate doing that (long arms that don't want to cooperate with getting my hands in there)...cleaned the electrical connectors to the maf...still having problems...so, I still need help, please.

 

If you are going to keep this car and also want help from this forum, please spend about 30 dollars for a code reader.

 

Get. A. Code. Reader.

You can get a good one for under $50, and you can probably get a used one for $30 or less.

There could be a pending code, too. Which won't turn the CEL on, but it will show up when you hook up a scanner.

 

OK...since these cars ('95, SE in my case) are a little quirky when it comes to some things, which one should I look for and where? I do know that mine is not odb2 compatible.

 

All 95 maximas are Obd2 compatible

 

OK...thanks...when I have gone to the auto parts stores in the past, the would tell me no, but that may have been from the 95...is there a scan tool you recommend?

 

Something like this is all you need: https://www.amazon.com/Oxgord-Scanne...rds=obd+reader

 

OK...thanks...was just looking at that (and the other three that look just like it but have different names)...going to head out and see what I can find locally before ordering online...with the pickiness that these cars have (ngk spark plugs, oem (hitachi, I believe) coils, etc) I didn't want to go out and buy the 'bosch' of obd readers...thanks again!

 

I have that same reader.

I paid 30 dollars.

Now they are 15 dollars.

What don't all of us have something like this?

 

Can You get a back pressure gauge hook it up into where the O2 sensor and find out how much pressure ?
I got a similar issue how much pressure would determine is clogged?
Could a bad Detonation sensor cause it? Have you checked that?

 

I have had the car since new in '95, so I plan to keep it. Got the code reader, tested it three times, and it is not throwing any codes. What next?

 

I disconnected the exhaust before the cat, problem was gone, got a new cat coming from RockAuto, I should have just done this in the first place. The silver lining is that Walker has a $50.00 rebate going on right now, since this isn't a daily driver I guess the wait was worth it.