Hey guys,

I have a complex problem that I have been dealing with for awhile now, and I have done some searching on the forums and can't seem to find anyone with the same symptoms, or perhaps I'm not using the correct search terms, I don't know.

Anyways, my car is currently doing 2 different things, and I'm not even sure if they are related or not at this point. To give some background, I have a 2000 Maxima SE w/ a 5spd manual. To my knowledge, the clutch is still factory.

1. When I start driving the car and it is still cold, at low RPMS but in higher gears (doesn't seem to happen too much if I'm above 3000RPM in 1st or 2nd gear) sometimes it feels as if the clutch is rapidly skipping across the flywheel, catching and then releasing multiple times. My car feels like a machine gun when this happens, surging forward rapidly. It is generally when I already have the clutch pedal all the way out. Once the car warms up, this problem goes away entirely. My car has been doing this for quite some time, but it seemed to get worse after I replaced a clutch line, as the old one was leaking. I'm just spitballing, but would it be a pressure plate going bad or something? Oddly enough, once it is warmed up and everything, I can put it in 5th gear going 35-40 mph, floor it, and the clutch doesn't slip whatsoever, so I'm not necessarily inclined to think that's what it is, but I haven't been able to rule it out.

2. Pretty much any time that I am driving the car, cold or warm it seems, if I'm actually driving it a little harder, the instant my engine hits 3500RPM, it feels like it loses a whole bunch of power all at once. To my knowledge, the VIAS doesn't kick in until 5000RPM, so I don't think that's what it is. The spark plugs were replaced about 20,000 miles ago with NGK platinums, so I don't think that's it either. I was wondering if perhaps it was a fuel delivery issue, but the way it is consistently right at 3500RPM, I feel like it probably has something to do with an electronic component of some sort failing. My CEL has no codes. I have not replaced the MAF, but then again since I haven't seen any codes, I don't have a reason to suspect it. Any ideas on this one?

If you guys have any input or possible ideas on both or either of these problems, it would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I've ran through rudimentary troubleshooting and tried to rule out what was obvious, but I'm about at my wits end!

 

2. Probably a bad MAF. Same thing happened to me, no CEL for it. Call up DaveB and order a new one. Problem solved.

How many miles on the car?

 

Roughly 125,000. I will do that and see how that turns out. Now if I could get #1 sorted out.....

 

Yea I would definitely replace the MAF. As for #1, I'm not the person to ask. Good luck though.

 

Another for MAF.

 

have you ever put in a new clutch or flywheel?

 

i think i have the same problem as you stated in number 1. refer to my thread

weird accelerator surging problem?

 

I have this issue too, but I have replaced the MAF and also had the ECU Flashed at the dealership. New Plugs and no obvious coil problems. Any ideas?

 

I have a similar problem and wonder what your thoughts might be.

My '00 SE 5 spd hesitates when I have the pedal to the floor until it hits about 28-2900 RPM in any gear. It revs normally without load, and Saturday we put a new MAF in (I had cleaned the current MAF and reset the ECM a few weeks ago, with no change). New MAF made no change, though I don't think the ECM was reset by the shop that did it.

Also, have replaced all 6 plugs with Iridiums and have grey dot coils. I replaced one of the precats (P0430 code - honeycomb was pushed back into the coverter housing about 3 inches), and took it in for a reprogram -- which they said was unnecessary for that replacement. But they did pull a P0325 code, which is the KS. Could a bad KS be robbing me of low end power to the point where the car doesn't respond at all to input on the accelerator? If so, what else should I do while I have the intake manifold off to get to the KS?

Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

 

I'm not the pro on Maximas, but some of my older cars had a MAF sensor in addition to MAP (Manifold Pressure) sensor.

The problems you are describing in #1 sound like a MAP sensor malfunction, and can also be attributed to air leaks in the Intake Manifold.

Again, not a pro, but it's a possibility. Worth having it smoke tested to determine.

 

Maximas only have a MAF.

And problem #1 was posted almost a year ago.