Kevin Clla

Hello
I purchased 2000 Nissan Maxima. This car has multiple issues but I am not here to complain because I got the car for dirt cheap. I needed a car to get to work and back to the house so I ended up buying it. It has 184k mileage, automatic transmission and from the look of old oil due sticker, it's been through a lot with poor maintenance. first thing I did right after I bought the car was to take it to the indy shop and had oil changed done. I asked the shop to run a code reader to see what the engine light saids and all they told me was that I needed to change spark plugs and coils and some injection cleaner... they estimated $600 dollars..

So after an oil change, I brought the car back home and started looking for mobile mechanics because they are fairly cheap and some of them are actually very good at fixing cars. i called one of mobile mechanic and he's schedule is packed until Sunday so im trying to educate myself and maybe you guys can help me out here.

Here are some symptoms from driving for the past two days. I drove about 100 miles since I bought a car. It vibrates.. I mean it vibrates a lot.. stopping.. idle.. driving.. misfires like crazy.. but it still drives.. has no power at all. I believe this 2000 maxima model makes about 200+hp correct? but it feels like 100hp car. when I floor it, i can smell gas. I can't tell where the gas smell is coming from but I can def smell it.

I called a seller and asked him about the maintenance and the seller told me he did following things..

Fuel lines injectors pulleys belt and ignition and spark plugs and coil pack.

that's the exact word to word from my txt message..

now i can tell why he sold me this car for dirt cheap. because he couldn't fix it or ended up giving up.. argh.. I'm not sure wether i should drive this car until this engine gives up and just do a motor swap.. can somebody help me? thank you for your time..

PS: I did search before on google. I found massive amount of articles about misfire but the information i am looking is not there. at least i could not find it.

BlackThornDemon

Do you only smell gas when you're at a high throttle (i.e. 'flooring it')? Did you pull all the parts that he 'said' he replaced to see if he actually replaced them (or installed correctly)?

It sounds like all your problems are from the misfires. I'd find out which cylinders are misfiring and fix those first.

Also, the vq30 is 190 hp, and the vq35 290 hp.

user name001

You couldnt possibly have searched for this issue and come up empty ...
If the oil change place did scan it and it came up as coils, do them. Go buy some oem coil packs (not aftermarket) and some platinum or iridium plugs and throw them in. Its not hard to do on a 2000-2001 but you will have to search for a how to. It could be many of things though but ifthey told you thats what codes are popping up then I would replace them. It could also be an injector but you would get other codes too.
You have to fix it.. or stop driving it.. dont have a mantality that " ill throw another motor in it" because, 1- its not that simple or cheap 2- you could very well find a motor pay 1000 dollars for it and to be installed and have a million other things wrong with it, like the autotragic slipping and your not able to notice it because your soo under powered.
Best bet is go and have an actual mechanic, not a lube shop that has a scanner and get it diagnosed. If its a simple as the coils , tell him your gunna wait and search on here for a how to and do it yourself. Im sure some will be for sale in the classifieds or go to a wrecker and pick a set up.

user name001

No.
2000 -222hp, 2001 ae -227hp, 2002-2003-255hp

george__

iTrader: (1)

Sell it ><

CADguy

I had the same misfiring problem in my 01. Turned out it was one coil pack. Changed that and the plugs, and she runs like a champ, even with 160,000 miles now. If you get code P030x (1,2,3, etc.) that will tell you which cylinder is misfiring. Hell, even Autozone can pull those codes for you, and it's free there.

Pilm

First step is to find out exactly what code(s) the car has. If the shop won't tell you, take it to AutoZone and they will run it for free. Once you get codes it'll be a lot easier to figure out how to proceed. You might just have to replace one coil pack if you're lucky, and you can do that yourself and it'll only cost you about $75. In the mean time you could remove a few coil packs to check to see who made them, if the prior owner replaced the OEM with aftermarket coil packs that's a sure recipe for ongoing codes. As far as driving the car, I'd keep it to a minimum till you know what the gas smell is from, and maybe carry a fire extinguisher with you just in case!

Kevin Clla

hey guys, today i took it to the nearest auto zone and had their free code reader service.. came out to be multiple codes but narrowed it down to coil #6.. bought a coil for 65 dollars and replaced it.. and BOOM.. car is like NEW!!!!!!!!!.. thanks guy!!!... so glad i got this car for 2G!!!!!!!!!!

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Check it for codes again right now i bet you have a 1320 code and in a month a cel and misfire

Kevin Clla

I think I had that misfire.. 1320.. i still have engine light on but car runs real good.. what do you mean ill have misfire again?

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Non oem coil goto dealer buy oem return the one you got there now

Kevin Clla

let me verify this.. so if its not oem won't clear the engine light correct? just because i have aftermarket coils don't mean it will go out within a month right?

T_Behr904

The 1320 code will come back, because most aftermarket coilpack's aren't within Nissan's resistance value specs, and therefore it will trip the light again, even thou the coil pack is functioning as it should. Factory Nissan coil packs only for our cars. They will have a gray dot on top of them.

cjandura

iTrader: (3)

Yup the light on as long as you got that coil in!

Kevin Clla

thanks guys! i appreciate for input. but im planning to keep this car for a long time and engine light won't bother me. as long as it perform like it should its fine.. =D hopefully i won't ignore the light when other problem comes on though.. but spending big amount of cash to get rid of that light right now doesn't make any sense right now..