This may have been posted before but I'm still uncertain and also low in budget to go spend money on parts that might not be my solution.

03 Nissan Max 160,000 miles Automatic

Issue
Lose of Power at 4000 RPM with Knocking/Rattling Noise
been avoiding highways as the car won't go pass 60 mph before its starts knocking and rpm dropping.

Code Pulled " OBD II Reader"
p0300
p1800 VIAS
p1574 automatic speed control sensor

Issue before last March this year was the knocking noise and random misfire.

parts replaced then to fix problem then

PCV valve replaced with new
camshaft sensor replaced
all coils and plugs replaced
intake gasket replaced
Alternator replaced

Still experiencing oil leaks but usually top off every 2-3 weeks with syndetic oil. one day my wife said the car would not go fast. checked oil level and was very low in fact there was not much in the block just a little trace on the dip stick. topped it off with 4.25 liter and still having acceptation problem and knocking once over 4000 rpm. revs fine in neutral or park but not in gear.
removed the MAF and prayed it with TB Cleaner not enough as my can was empty after a few weak sprays. did not pray well enough inside the tunnel. put the MAF back and no luck. can't really tell if I have a vacuum leak at least not noticeable by hearing around the intake manifold.

I have heard post on Knock Sensors going bad but doesn't seems to a case for 5th Gens. looked at the KS when I removed the air box and it looked good not a sign of crack or loose harness. not ruling this out as it could be the issue.

Has Anyone had the same experience with their car and how and what did they do to fix it?
Please Help

 

p1800


https://maxima.org/forums/5th-genera...574-c1109.html

p0300....i WOULD GUESS COILS OR PLUGS, MIGHT HAVE TO WAIT FOR IT TO DETECT WHICH CYLINDER.

 

Just had the same problem in mine. Paid 380 to get it fixed.

Is this fair? P1800

 

Jeez almost $400 for a 2 mins swap

 

thats alot for something you could have done yourself, i just replaced mine, now the car pulls past 4k rpm with no problems. 10 minute job

 

The obvious item here is the multiple cylinder misfire.

Having a faulty VIAS wont cause such catastrophic symptoms, mine has been disconnected for over a decade.

 

Now when you say you've replaced some items, coils and plugs. Did you preform the install or was it a shop? Did they use oem coils or another brand? Which plugs did you throw in? The P0300 is a literal PITA to diagnose as sometimes its a leak or sometimes it ACTUALLY is multiple misfires and the computer can't register which cylinders are misfiring. Nmex is right the VIAS wouldnt cause ANY issues that you've stated.
Honest suggestion, go find another maf from a junkyard. Try that. Then go back over ALL the work you've preformed... Check all the coils again with a multimeter, check all the vacuum hoses or better yet replace them its ten bucks well spent.

 

 

lol yes man literally 10 minute job to replace the vias.

 

Thanks for you input..
I replace all plugs with premium NGK and Coils from Amazon also recommended by other customers. I decided to order a new MAF Sensor that will be here Monday so I'll try that and update.

Just changed the MAF Sensor from the one bought from Amazon and the car went from BAD to Worst. After replacing the MAF and started the car, it took a couple of second more and idled poorly thanks stalled. I dried driving the car around the block but will over 4000 but not shifting gear. Maybe a bad MAF or not OEM. put the original MAF back and started normally and idle better at 500/700rpm. went to a junk yard and bought an OEM MAF but problem still the same. will be going back to Junk yard to get the VIAS sensor and update once I replaced and test. wish me luck. still open for suggestions please

 

Got a New VIAS Solenoid Installed and took a Video of the Valve while I rev the engine to see if it moves one I hit 2000 rpm which it did. the old one was bad as I did the same method and it did not move at 2000rpm. I feel The car has improved power but still jerks at around 3500/4000 rpm with knocking/rattling noise. at neutral I'm able to rev pass 4000 but not in gear. I do have a code for speed sensor mounted in the tranny so I'll be ordering a new one and see if that's the cure. will update may once I get that replaced this weekend. this car has been a real PITA for the last month and half.

 

I have a thought. You said In the op that there wasn't any oil on the dipstick. So you said you put 4 qts or ltr in. I think you have way too much oil in your car. Just because oil doesn't register on the dipstick doesn't mean you have no oil in the car. If you have no oil on dipstick it means you need oil probably 1 1/2 quarts or there about low. If you put 4.25 quarts in you probably have overfilled the oil. Pull the dipstick and see where the oil registers on the stick.

 

I doubt that is his problem, because i have the same issue of going past 4k rpm minus the knocking/jerking part. Anything below 4k-4.5k rpm is fine.

 

Sounds like clogged cats (or main cat clogged with the precats). It cant rev under load like in neutral b/c there's tons more exhaust trying to escape.

It burning a ton of oil is a big tip off that the cats are shot.

I've seen this identical behavior on an acura tl and precats were clogged. The maximas are blown up by the time i see em since they fall apart and ruin the engine.

 

you have a good point about the exhaust trying to escape/ more under load. But as far as i know i dont have the oil burn issue as of yet, tho ive only driven the car maybe 800 miles since i bought it. I check it everytime i do drive it tho.

 

Thanks Mattx
I will be checking that oil tomorrow now that you mentioned it. I hope it's that easy and stupid on my part. I just placed and order for a new Speed Sensor that I placed for overnight shipping as I'm off tomorrow to work on the car. will let you know how it goes with the oil check. Also I've failed to mention that I did not use Synthetic oil the last top off, and I've read some post where using regular oil on high mileage engines causes the pinging/rattling noise.

 

Ok got the part today " Speed Sensor" Behind the driver's side front wheel mounted on the top of the tranny. No Luck!! the car feels the same as it will not rev over 3500 rpm and check engine light blinks. this Frankencar is really gotten to my last nerve. I will be draining the oil tomorrow replacing them with Synthetic to see if that cures the knocking/rattling as it did before. last comment from a member suggested that I may have overfilled my oil causing it to be sluggish. will also pull and check all my plugs and coils and inspect and test.

 

Know anyone to swap mafs with or close to a junkyard? I mean, if that doesn't work...has to be precats.

 

I ordered a MAF from Amazon couple of weeks ago which made the car worst. it would not idle steady and dies right off. I then went to a junkyard bought a used MAF with no luck either. maybe it's bad too so I'll be doing a cotton swap clean tomorrow. before I installed the junkyard MAF, I did spray it with MAF Cleaner Spray.

 

Mattx
Just did the work and oil may have been slight overfilled but not much. put in 4 and quarter pure synthetic oil with a new fram filter. did a test drive around the block with same issue no rev over 3500 rpm but notice slight change in knocking/rattling noise is small. last time it took a couple of miles to completely rite of the noise. still puzzled as to what could be the problem? so far I have addressed all the codes by replacing sensors with no luck. I was going to check and test all my plugs and coils too but the weather has turned from mid 40's to now low 30's. had Pneumonia 3 weeks ago so don't want to go thru that again.

 

your exhaust may be clogged up somewhere. Pre-cats? main cat? any rotten egg smell? Most of the time i can rev to about 4500 without any trouble but i usually slow down and let off the throttle cause im already at the speed i need.

 

Just something that you can try that's free and isn't hard. After I had put a bunch of new stuff on my car I had a similar problem. Mine was a little different in that it would cutoff in that 3500 to 4000 rpm range. What I ended up doing was the ecu reset plus the throttle relearn and idle relearns. Do them in order just as the thread tells you. Once I did that problem was solved. You have to do them manually and in order. Don't use car gauge pro and think that'll work it won't. Search 5.5 gen idle relearn and the thread will come up.

 

I have this EXACT problem... anyone ever find the fix? I've searched high and low on the internet and have not found the answer

 

I just fixed this exact problem. It was my MAF sensor. Bought one replaced it bam problem solved.

 

wich mass air flow sensor did you buy i am having similar problems loss of power above 4k rpms but then sometimes it doesnt feel as bad as other times i have a 2002 maxima gle

 

Changed MAF Sensor and housing with Spectra Premium brand and worked the first time. About 10,000 miles later, unable to accelerate past 4000 rpm and changed the maf sensor again, no go. Disconnected negative terminal on battery for 30 min, overnight and still nothing. ugh!