Recently my car has had some hesitation between 1500-2500 rpm, this only happens when I am driving easy(it is fine when I floor it). I have a '97 5spd with 53k. I have never changed my fuel filter, should I do that and clean out my throttle body as well? Thanks for any help.

 

Your fuel filter should be changed every 15k miles.

 

Damn, that thing must be pretty nasty. I bought it a year and a half ago with 28k and I guessing the dealer didn't change it. Is there good reason to believe that this is causing the hesitation?

 

Clean your throttle body as well, I think hesitation may be caused by a lot of different things..

 

I was planning to do those when I got the chance to see what happens. I know they are both pretty easy to do. Could there be any other factors.

 

What octane level gas do you use?

 

Yes -- if you search posts that I have put on this board you'll see that I've had the EXACT same issue -- and I have tried EVERYTHING to try and resolve it...Here's what I've done:

1) Changed fuel filter
2) Cleaned TB and IACV
3) Changed my Knock Sensor
4) Checked all vaccuum lines

And I STILL have this f'ing problem...so, please clean all you can,
and hope for the best!!!

If I ever figure this out, I'll let the .org know...

Hope this helps.
FLO_BOY

p.s.
If its a backward fuel filter, I will cry like a b*tch...

 

come to think of it, i might have this hesitation also, and it might be normal, just the way the powerband is on our engines..

 

NO CHANCE!!!

Would you buy a car that shudders and dies at low rpms? because, that
is what's going to start happening until the problem is fixed...mine
keeps getting worse and worse!!!

FLO_BOY

 

it doesn't shudder and die, it just kind of lags a little at around 2000 rpm. It's been doing that ever since I can remember, and we bought the car new.. Sorry to hear about your problem, I hope I don't get the same thing

 

Mine doesn't shudder and die below 1,500RPM, but sometimes its not the smoothest acceleration in the world. I believe the wide torque plateau begins somewhere from 1,500-2,000RPM. I figure mine is a combination of lack of torque at that far of a low end, and an aging clutch. It seems depending on how I give the car gas, and of course if I'm on an incline/in a higher gear for the situation I should be, I can avoid it by downshifting or giving less gas until it reaches 2,000RPM.

 

HOw about checking your TPS?

 

What is TPS? Btw, I run 93 octane guys, and I didn't have the problem until recently it has not always been like it. It was very responsive when I first bought the car. I am going to clean my TB and change my fuel filter this weekend(hopefully), and I will let you guess know any change.

 

Nevermind I was just told it is the throttle positioning sensor.

 

OK...Count me among you folks with the hesitation problem. I'm especially interested in Flo-Boy's trail, as I've done many of the same things in an attempt to resolve the problem and am getting tired of this hunt. I've been reading several of the past threads spanning several months, and it seems that nobody has nailed it yet. However, the last two sensors I've not yet tried, but that have had some success with other Maximoids in past threads, are the TPS and Coolant sensor. Has anyone had some recent experience with these?

Flo-Boy...Whatdaya think?

 

At 53K, your OEM spark plugs are near their 60K lifespan. Maybe they're fouled a bit early. You can try going on the highway, blast at 100-120 mph for a half hour, or, it wouldn't hurt to give it the good ole tuneup, plugs, air,oil, and feul filter and change oil.

The highway suggestion is a bit naughty but it may really help.

DW

 

I've changed my engine coolant temperature sensor...and also my mass air flow sensor...recently, I retrieved a "left front heated O2 sensor" code, but, that shouldn't be the problem...

recently, I remembered that a dealership tightened some ground wires in my car, and the problem went away for a few months...I just called the dealer that did the work to ask them what ground wires they tightened, and hopefully I can re-tighten them to alleviate my problem.

my other guess is that my fuel pump is toast...

FLO_BOY

 

Anyone ever think of checking their injectors? I would try one treatment of cleaner before doing all that work. Alot of people think the gas injector treatments are bs but I think some of them do good for your engine. I had the same hesitation when gassing it at low rpm, and my engine would stutter a little on startup in the morning. All gone after one tank w/ cleaner in it. I think these bottled types are a little more effective than what they mix into the gasoline. Don't be expecting a huge difference in pickup but rather smoother accelleration, startups, and idles.

 

Flo-Boy...Thanks for the feedback. You've saved me a few bucks already (i.e. guess I won't be changing the coolant or MAF sensors right away). Re: the fuel pump...Based on the number of forum posts over the past several months with this symptom, I'd be surprised if we're having a pump problem...I'd be surprised if there were that many problematic fuel pumps out there; although anything is possible.

Ground wires?...Very curious. Would be very interested in the response from the dealership.

Sensor problems seem more common. What's your opinion about the TPS?

 

Yeah, I hear yah on the fuel pump issue...but, anything's possible!
TPS -- I checked mine, and its "OK", but could probably use an adjustment.

Ground wires --> Dealer still needs to get back to me...but, I REALLY
think that this is the culprit...I'll let you know.

FLO_BOY

 

I am having the same problem, did you check the ground wires on the knock sensor?

 

Not yet...but I'm still waiting on some info from the dealer...
BTW -- what does it look like?

FLO_BOY

 

I saw a really good write up on the other day, let me see if I can find it and I will post the location back here, but I thought you had said you changed the knock sensor?


Here is the link about the grounds

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....t=knock+sensor

 

I had the same problem. Replaced a couple of bad injectors, all my O2 sensors, fuel filter, cleaned TB, and knock sensor. Turns out it was the TPS. Drilled a hole in the bottom of my TPS, sprayed in some radio shack contact and tuner cleaner, worked it around, and sealed the hole..... (I was checking the variable resistance before,during and after as well) Problem solved. No hesitation, and didn't have to spend $50 + on a new TPS. That was 9 months ago and it still works great! Good luck!

 

My max had a slight to moderate hesitation below 3,000 rpm when i was driving easy as well. First I checked for codes and none were stored.
Then I pulled all the spark plugs and inspected them. My spark plugs only have 9,000 miles on them. The spark plug for cylinder #6 had heavy carbon deposits but the rest of the spark plugs were fine. Then I checked all the fuel injectors with a digital multimeter and they all checked out fine. So it had to be the ignition coil for cylinder #6.

I replaced the coil and spark plug for cylinder #6 last week and the hesitation is gone and my max pulls a little stronger down low now.