I had purchased my 02 SE 6MT 6/11 with 179.xxx mi
Admittedly it was a hasty decision as my mint 98 SE 5MT was totaled prior to that by some one rear ending me. Nevertheless, I saw my car for sale in NH for a super cheap price and had to have it lol I'm sure some of you guys that 'graduated' from a32s to a33s can understand, but I digress.

So upon driving the car home from purchase I noticed once it was at operating temperature the car was a dog and still is to this day. I am a proponent of the factory manual when it states let your car idle for 30 seconds after startup before driving, I have usually always done that regardless of the vehicle.

For that, lets say first 5 minutes my car is everything a stock 3.5 6spd should be, it feels great UNTIL the car reaches normal operating temperature. At that point I don't care if you drop the clutch at 5k the tires won't even chirp and it's a complete dog with what seems like a miss around 2-3k rpms once it reaches about 4.5k rpms it feels like it regained some of its power back but still not 100%

Now I know some of you might say dude replace the MAF. Well I had hernia surgery on 12/16 and I'm out of work and bored for at least a month or 2 and figured lets see if I can get this car to run right because I'd really like to start doing some mods.

Call Courtesy Nissan, order the MAF. MAF takes a few days to reach me in RI, day before the MAF arrives the MIL illuminates. p0139, p1147 p0327. Replaced the maf, cleared the codes and reset the ECM thru the tecnosquare method (which I'm not sure was useful or not seeing I have an OBD-II Scanner) no change whatsoever, although it does seem the car pings much much less under slight load at highway speeds.

So as far as troubleshooting, I have replaced the MAF and also replaced the elbow between the TB and the MAF as my factory one was cracked and had a good size hole in it. What baffles me is that this issue is only when the car has reached operating temperature. I replaced the elbow with a piece of heavy duty rubber hose and 2 brand new screw type clamps. I understand its not a proper fix however when the car idles or rev it without load spraying brake clean on the intake path does not change the idle of the car, so I'd like to say I'm pretty positive the fix is effective. Like I said I want to mod the car soon and have been eyeing the Cattman fenderwell intake.

I know some might say put bank 1 sensor 2 in, clear the code and call it a day but given the fact the issue has been around since months before the MIL came on I really don't think thats the issue but I will stand corrected and obviously am open to all input. Please help, and sorry for making you guys scroll down so far lol!

 

I would replace that O2 sensor. The coded P0139 & P01147 are both for the same sensor, bank 1 sensor 2. It is telling the engine that it is running too rich and the ecu is cutting back on the fuel, causing pinging, which is causing the P0327.

 

Dennis, thanks for the input. Those 2 o2 codes I think are showing that there is a problem on the intake side as well, not just exhaust wise. My primary concern though is whether or not the codes listed are actually what the trouble is with the vehicle or merely a by-product as the car was not functioning properly for nearly 6 months before I ever seen a MiL

 

The way I look at it, you have a problem with the O2 sensor now. Maybe it has been bad all along, just not bad enought to cause the check engine light. I don't know if that is even possible. There are plenty of threads about O2 sensors and check engine lights, so a bad sensor is kind of common. You might as well replace the O2 sensor and see what happens.

 

I agree with Dennis I'd start by addressing the CEL issue and go from there

 

Related to open loop? Maybe its a knock sensor but see what the CEL says first.

 

Yes open loop only, and the MIL is on for the codes I have listed above.
Also, I thought bank 1 sensor 2 does not effect performance, it checks the presence of the pre-cat. I wonder if maybe the cats are failing, but why would it only be an open loop issue if that were the case?

 

o2 sensor replaced, cleared the codes. no change in performance

 

Its those damn Pre Cats probably clogged like a mug especially since its throwing false o2 sensor codes, I suggest gut them, get new ones or get headers, a 179,000 miles on same pre cats not a plus, had two 5.5s and they were hella clogged especially on my 03 at like 148,000, 02 wasnt as bad but was getting there, but I put Headers on. And what Intake are you talking about from Cattman....GL...I say gut em or get Cattman Headers or OBX off ebay....

 

o2 sensors do go bad but effect the performance no, right now only one of my o2 sensors is plugged in the harness but not in the piping, since i got to extend my primaries that are in the headers, to get them to reach the harness, and no power lost at all.

 

Thanks Rod, but if the cat or precats were clogged whether partially or completely, would it make a difference if the car was at operating temperature or not?

 

for me in my 03 power would feel like its there sometimes and then disappear, in my 03 with some mods done to it, a stock Scion Tc was keeping up with me, had a bad MAF also but you already tried that, either that or somethings with the engine, cause you aren't getting no other codes right, and with no codes a mechanic is going to be pretty stuck. If you got the time or somebody to jack up the car and drop the y-pipe and look with a flashlight at the rear pre cat to see how it looks.

 

Well.. Here is my thought process. I got the car for a great price, but there are a few things about it that I don't like. The performance issue being one and the gray cloth interior. The body is in good shape, avg rust on the fenderwell in the back and the front is pitted from highway use. These are all easy fixes but the car is clean I could get out of it now and get an 03 but that requires more money and starting from 0 again. I would like to put the full Cattman headers/y and catback on it, but the price is a bit much now. I was thinking maybe getting a warpspeed y as I hear the factory headers do flow decent, but for me it's all about the noise the vq35 has with the Cattmans. But the original question, to identify cat failure w/o any other codes does it matter if the car is cold or warm, anyone?

 

this is the cattman cold air i was considering...

http://cattman.com/prod_intake.html

 

Shouldn't use brake cleaner on the intake. It will destroy the finish and probably build up gunk faster. Being that it happens when it is at operating temp could be any number of problems. Are you saying its a tranny issue? Because if it happens at operating temp then it could be burnt clutch plates

 

I didn't use the brake cleaner inside the plenum, once everything was together I ran the car and sprayed where the clamps on the intake are to see if there were any leaks. Pretty common practice from what I've seen.

I don't think it's a trans issue. If I let the car idle for 5-10 mins to reach normal operating temperature, release the ebrake and roll out of the driveway and press the gas hard it will do the same thing.

 

The operating temperature is def going to help you narrow it down because when something heats up? thats when it starts

 

Yes, if i start the car let it idle for a few seconds for good measure and then commence the beating the car is fantastic, responds and feels great. Spins 1st and hits 2nd so hard the sunglasses tray and change compartment will open lol.. As soon as it hits that 3rd or 4th hashmark on the temp gauge which seems to be normal operating temp for the car, something just goes wrong lol.

 

does it actually overheat or stay normal?

 

Sounds like a cheap *** used 87 and killed the KS and you have other problems.

 

The car does not and has not overheated. I had to replace the radiator as it was leaking and the hoses upper and lower I did at the same time. I can't speak for the previous owner, but I would assume he ran it on 87. Since I've owned the car it has been either Mobil or Shell 93 octane only.

 

could just be as simple as clogged pre cats

 

But if the cat or pre-cats were clogged, what bearing does the operating temperature have? I wish I had a pyrometer so I could check the temp on the front and rear of all the cats.

 

Another thing to check is the ECTS. The problems it causes are more evident at cooler temps, but maybe...

 

Just wanted to revisit this thread and provide an update
The car is now fixed!
I knew changing the plugs that I wanted to address the issue with the valve covers seeping oil. When I took the rear vc off #5 was full of oil. I cleaned that coil out along with the tube by starting the car with that plug out and blowing the oil out of it. I replaced the plugs, the valve cover gaskets and used plenty of Ultra Grey permatex. When I do the manifold spacers I will put the 6th gen valve covers on. The car still didn't run right after this. I replaced the knock sensor and all is well minus a small hiccup at low rpm which I believe will disappear when I replace the coil that was originally in cyl #5. Also the car no longer pings anymore. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

so the knock sensor fixed it or the valve cover fixed it?


did replacing the plugs fix it?

i am sorry if i dont understand your post

 

Replacing the knock sensor was the last thing I did, and that completely fixed the problem.