ok, I have read through pages of forums and has been very helpful.
I am again getting the famous "p1320" ignition code: coils must be replaced.
I will do them all since I have 82K and am looking forward to another 82K.

Where is the best and cheapest place to get/order the coils from?

I am also looking to diagnose my own problems and want to purchase a handheld model? What kind and where?

Thanks

 

Just wondering, what do you mean by "again". Have you replaced them once already and still getting the code? If so, how many miles did they last since you last change them? They should last you about 50-60K if you have the more updated coils. You could try the classified forums. Sometimes some members sell some new coils. Or, try ebay. Every once in a while there may be a seller selling a set. The P1320 code could also arise from other problems other than the coils, such as the crankshaft positioning sensor. It's rare, but possible.

 

P1320 is NOT an "automatic replace coils" code. The coils don't all die at the same time anyway. Is the car performing normally? Is the SES light on continuously or has it ever gone out? Any missing? Like MIXXMAX said it could be a crank sensor. Could be a harness issue or the condenser as well. First try checking all the electrical connectors on each coil. Make sure that you push them "home". Check for any obvious damage to the coil harnesses. If the coils were replaced before, where did you get them?

 

ok, I was diriving about 3 months ago, car was warm, and suddenly the engine started to feel shakey, I could tell the engine was bogging and shakey but only slightly. I stopped the car at the store for a minute and when I started it back up the engine was doing it again. The check engine light came on. I had it diagnosed with p1320. (Paid b/c no self-diag like the 4th gens) I told the guys at the shop not to start replacing parts b/c they said it was a [general] ignition system code and needed to be further investigated (i.e., more $). Had ecu reset. I canged the plugs per their suggestion (they wanted $70+ parts to do it). Light stayed off for a good 2-3 months but was still doing it. Came back on. I have been researching and believe it may be coils. I have 82.5K. Research here led me to that possibility... any thoughts?

 

As it sounds like you have in fact not changed any coils, you could be having a coil going south. The misfire codes don't seem to get set by the ECM in the early stages of a coil problem. With intermittent missing at idle and then under load, it seems that it has to progress to a certain "level" before a P03XX code is set and the SES light comes on. (Severe missing can cause the SES to flash.) This happened to a friend's '99 Maxi. When warm it developed an almost imperceptable intermittent miss at idle, slowly progressing to an "obvious" intermittent miss under load over a period of about a year, before the SES light ever came on. The one coil was changed and it's been OK for over a year now. If you have some time why not buy one front and one rear coil and start systematically swapping them out. One caveat.....don't start disconnecting/reconnecting one coil after another trying to find the duff coil during a "missing" episode. Not good for the cats. Or spend the bucks and change them all I suppose. If it is progressively getting worse I wouldn't wait too long though.

 

thanks alot. I am considering just changing them all out. If the coils are notorious for going on the 5th gens around my year (2000) as they appear to be, I might as well change them all since I plan on keeping the car for a few more years... I do miss my 4th gen 98 Max... R.I.P...D@MN YOU DEER!!

 

coils problem is very common so dont worry and replace all of them. i bought mine at www.pinnaclenissan.com
yours may run around $94 each. to diagnose for free go to autozone.

 

Not sure what model year you have, but for 2000 maximas, you'd want to replace it when the updated (grey dot) coils. Those can be found on Ebay for $280 shipped. This is the best deal I've come across, just explore the search function on Ebay, good luck.

 

Go to O'reilly auto parts and get them, they are like 5 dollars more than the cheapest nissan coils you can find, and they have a WARANTEE!!! Nissan coils do not have a warantee

 

Here we go ,coils problem, it's very common so dont worry and replace all of them. Or you can get a multimeter and check one by one for resistance.
They run around $94 each or alittle more. Free checks autozone or advance auto. GOOD LUCK

 

What he said. I replaced mine about 10 months ago with a $280 for 6 from ebay. Got some oem NGK plugs at the same time and did them all in one job. My 2k max had about 80k miles at the time.