417max

Like the title says, my old NGK iridium had prob 30k on them. I was having some drive ability issues and figured it was time. They were ROACHED bad. So short on cash I decided bargain bin autolite copper plugs would be a huge improvement over what I had. And at $2.99 pc I figured I could handle a sub $20 repair. A failed coil pack had really started this whole ordeal, so I replaced it and the plugs. Car drove better than it had on prob close to a year and a half. I was in love again. I was also experiencing severe pinging among other terrible internal sounds before this repair and it all went away. Well my joy lasted about 5 miles maybe. Cause about 3-5 min after getting fully warm it started shuddering, died, and wouldn’t restart. So I tried and tried and finally got towed home. About to push it in the garage I tried one more time and it started. So the next day, today, after sitting overnight it started up fairly easy. Same thing. Shortly after getting warm it died. Wouldn’t restart until cooling. It’s throwing no codes. I also didn’t replace the intake mani gasket on this budget repair. Car is a 5.5 gen with 260k. And also against my better judgement I let a buddy spray my MAF with electronic cleaner before I started it after the plug and coil change.

So, cheap *** autolites are my issue?

not replacing gasket that looked totally fine?? ( I’ve sprayed carb cleaner everywhere trying to find a leak. None. )

cleaning the MAF??

help please.

Theslaking

Yes. These cars hate non-oem plugs and wires. It's very common for them to not run correctly with non-oem.

JvG

Your main problem seems to be temperature related. The engine control temperature control sensor or ECTS needs to be checked out or replaced. Possibly its connector needs to be cleaned.

The car likes NGK plugs.

copper ones are fine if money is an issue. They just last perhaps 30k miles. Platinum 60k iridium perhaps 120k. I doubt your irriduim plugs were bad.
​​​​

417max

oh oh they were most definitely bad. They had black buildup around the inner electrode like crazy and the outer electrode had major black buildup. Best way I can describe it is like flat worts. Stuff wasn’t oily or wet, rather pretty hard. It would chip off when I hit it on the table, but something wasn’t right. On a couple the ceramic part that holds the electrode was broken and missing about half. I did a comp test while doing this and all were 180+ with 1 coming in at 170.

Another thing to add to my blunders i never remembered to disconnect the ground from the battery. So idk if that would do anything.

I went ahead and bought some NGK Iridiums tonight and I’m in the process of redoing everything. Maybe I’ll find something I missed like a cracked hose or unplugged pigtail. But I’m most definitely looking into the ECTS after I google what it is and where it is.

Last time i was doing this (yesterday) I had found the tube connecting the breather holes to be cracked majorly at both ends and that’s fixed now, as well as a big crack in the flex portion of the air cleaner duct work after the MAF that connects to the TB. Got a better one. Those two holes couldn’t have been great for my idle and whatnot so I’m excited they’re fixed.

Let you guys know soon the outcome.

Anyone have any ideas what went went wrong with my last NGK Iridiums?? Let me see if I can get a pic posted.

This was just the first one I pulled. A couple were worse with flat wort like growths. These NGK Iridiums had about 30k on them.

417max

New Iridiums didn’t fix it. Actually it died even soon this try. In about 2 min from cold start and wouldn’t restart. Motor was just starting to warm. No codes.

417max

Started right up and ran for about 1 min today. About to try 2 CPS’s.

JvG

I'd say that you have an over fueling issue.
Check your fuel pressure.

Also check what temperature the ECTS or engine control temperature sensor is reading. A defective one might tell the ecu that it is 40 below zero outside. The ecu will obediently supply lots of extra fuel.


You have spark, you have compression.

keep your plugs. You can use them again once you solve your issue. The plugs are not the cause , they are a symtom.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

do you have fuel, spark or compression? That NGK was oil fouled!

417max

so last night I replaced the 2 CPS below/next to each valve cover on the drivers side and also the ECTS. Car wouldn’t start at all last night. I had the battery disconnected while replacing them. So, I decided to hit it with carb cleaner and it started and died. So I’ve got spark but no fuel. I then listened and noticed I don’t hear my fuel pump like I normally would. Got in it a few min ago and turned it to on and I could faintly hear it but NOTHING like I normally can. Tried it a few more times and what little fuel pump noise I did hear was gone.

So........ do I just have a bad fuel pump?? Something else?? Or is something telling it to turn off? I thought Nissan would cut both fuel and Spark if it wanted to shut it down.

417max

ANOTHER update, definitely a lack of fuel issue going on. Leaning towards pump. After taking a moment to listen to it upon turning the key to on, it doesn’t sound the same. At all. If I cycle the key 3 times the Kay with attempt to start and stumble and die. I can give it gas but it only causes it to die faster. Sometimes it will start but only for seconds. Like I said, just doesn’t sound the same. So I guess I’m going there next.

I thought i might of had it had it last night. Somewhere somebody had posted “check your grounds” and the engine ground was soooooo gunked up and nasty I don’t know how it could have been making contact. But, it wasn’t it. Obviously cleaned it anyway.

This forum sure is dead anymore. Kinda disappointing to only get a couple of reply’s from a community this large. Guess the guys that post have seen it all, answered it all, and now it’s just the same issues only worded differently due to the op’s perspective.

JvG

The 4th Gen group is still active.

Cmax and myself are 4th Gen members.

Your car is derived from the 4th Gen, and similar in many ways.

The Wizard

iTrader: (43)

Could be one thing, or a multitude of things. You'll have to diagnose/check them one by one. Also, when you replace parts like sensors, MAF's etc, I recommend OEM vs aftermarket. For some parts, these cars are picky and respond best to OEM parts.

Things to look at in no particular order:
Injectors
Fuel Pump
FPR
MAF
Grounds

Hopefully you replaced the ECTS with an OEM one. I'd look at the FPR next, as a failing FPR will cause a no start condition, and your earlier problem of gunked up plugs.

417max

thank you. I’ll look at the FPR next. From reading it doesn’t sound the the pump fails much. And I’m surprised to read what all replacing it and the filter requires. Sound like a delicate operation to open the housing to get it apart.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

Fuel pump filter may have never been changed since these are in the fuel tank and maybe it restricted.... If it's the pump Run 12 volts to your fuel pump straight from you battery and see if the car will run! I just read that you didn't change your intake gasket maybe you have a huge intake leak as well! That's not a good practice just so you know!

417max

and ive wondered if that could be. I read up on whether to change or not to change and seemed like there was a lot of ppl saying just be careful and don’t bend it. So I was and I figured all was good.


Ive also been pondering the fuel filter thing a bunch as well. It’s coming up next I suppose because I had another thought. When I removed the intake it had a lot of oil in it. Not really thinking I laid it upside down on the work bench the first time I had it off. I may have pooled a bunch of oil and crud up to the throttle body. (Cars a 2002 if anyone forgot). So I just bit the bullet and did what I’ve been avoiding and cleaned the dirty Throttle Body attached to the intake with the key on. I’ll let you know how things went shortly. Could be good, could be really bad lol. Stay tuned.

Update: Car started wonderfully on the third kick. Joy lasted about 10sec until it died. It restarted pretty easy the first and second try after dying but then wouldn’t restart. Very confusing ordeal with this car.

I have a humming sound when the key is in the on position coming from the starter area I’ve never noticed before.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

When are you going to run power straight to the fuel pump?

JvG

+1.

We know that the pump probably works.

What we don't know is how long it wants to work.

Hot wiring the pump like CMax wants you to do will force the pump to run.

Should the car run normally for some time after you hot wire the pump, we will know that the pump is fine.

If the pump is fine, the problem is in the circuit which supplies power to the pump. Perhaps a fuel pump relay.

01bluemax

I had an issue similar to yours on my first Max where it would run until warmed up, then die. Like you, I changed the plugs, and it didn't fix the issue. I even took it to a mechanic, and he was stumped. Car had no codes. I actually figured it out by accident, by leaving the MAF unplugged, it would start up and run, albeit poorly. It wouldn't die. I put in a new MAF, and that fixed it. My suggestion is to unplug the MAF and see if it will run, and not die. Don't drive it like that, though.

CMax03

iTrader: (3)

You may find out the hard way that the intake gasket was your problem to the car engine not running after your maintenance! You should've at least applied a little bit of gasket sealant to the gasket or sprayed it with some Permatex Copper Head Gasket Spray! That **** works!

maxiiiboy

Yes, on our cars the MAF is quite often the problem. And usually, it does not throw a code.
Unplug it, as suggested by Bluemax. Even better, you may want to get a spare one, for use in situations like this.