imnotoriousjoe

I have an 04 sl 4 sp and when I am at idle it can get pretty rough
so I was wondering what I can do to make it idle more smoothly?
I just had the oil changed and I had that bg 44k thing about 6000 miles ago any thoughts?

lightonthehill

Something isn't right.

I've driven Maximas well past 200,000 miles, and had no shaking or vibration from the engine.

Did this start suddenly, or come on gradually? Was it doing this before the 36,000 mile warranty period was up? What is the engine idle speed (in RPMs on the dash tach) as this is happening? Is any vibration noticable at any speed other than idle?

I can tell you up front that having the 4 speed auto should have nothing to do with this problem. We might have a bad motor mount or something.

Feed us more info. I'm sure there are those here who will have good ideas.

FrostMaxima

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like a bad motor mount to me!

04BlackMaxx

Maybe its something electronc that went bad which controls idle...I mean is it running fast? Mine Idles at one dash below 1,000RPM and it is very smooth like new @ 50,000Mi.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

No codes (engine light)? I would atleast get a free AutoZone code check. Unlikely, put it's possible a spark plug or wire may be bad.

How is "pretty rough"? enough to notice it inside the car, a little noisy, do you notice it only during cold morning starts, etc.

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

it might be something as simple as a ground kit, that will make the car idle nice and smooth, and shift better also..

thats if everything is alright with the car though, if you feel there's something wrong I would give it a check up..

RHMax

Rough idle as in varying engine RPM, or shaking the car, or just sounds rough? Any mods?

logik05se

rough idle could always be a fouled plug(or wire)....dont think cuz there platinum its impossible.

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

imnotoriousjoe

its just a little rumble
when it occurs the only thing I notice is the low rpm's sometimes its well under the 1k mark

also my car's engine has been taken out 3 times already
1 for a loose something dealing with the belts
1 from a poorly sealed oil pan( when it first got taken out they didnt seal the pan properly
1 for a transmission replacement

imnotoriousjoe

oh yea I have exhaust and intake
the only other vibration is the terrible shimmy while driving that they have yet to fix(Already saw the sticky)

imnotoriousjoe

also no codes
its just a little rumble like the car is getting old

04BlackMaxx

Now that you said it ocurs well BELOW the proper idle speed...it sounds like it is idling too slow and needs more gas. I had thishappen to my taurus..and when the motor was running too slow and about to die...it got rough. Your car isnt getting enough fuel at idle for some reason, take it in.

imnotoriousjoe

what is the proper idle speed?

imnotoriousjoe

most of the time its @ around the 600 mark

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

plugs, plug wires, air flow sensor, bad gas, are suspect!!!

logik05se

didnt see the first one

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

rpm are at 600? thats about right no?

04BlackMaxx

Is the needle bobbing up and down as the engine runs rough? Maybe im wrong, gas is a definate possibility too...Id take it in if its has been continuing through a few tanks...if its under warrenty id take it in now bc you should be good until 60k for engine problems.

imnotoriousjoe

yea the needle does go up and down
I thought that was because of the a/c though
and it has been happening for 3 months now
oh and its already @ the dealership getting the tranny replaced

RHMax

Clogged injectors, throttle body...

It sounds like your Max has been through a lot, get the '07

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

Agree, add in order of priority...

04BlackMaxx

Well thats definately an issue and why its running rough, that needle should hold steady at idle....like I said, take it inb before you pass 60k and then you are on your own.

dallasmax

Have you considered a knock sensor? Auto Zone can check it free for soft codes?

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

GUYS! his car is already at the dealer for more extensive work. So kinda pointless to go to take it in or to AutoZone when I'm sure diagnosis is already being performed.

I'm not sure I could go through that much trouble. I tip my glass to you for your paitence. try to see if the parts replaced (mainly tranny) receive an extended warranty. I suppose not likely, but worth asking.

Atomic_Ed

I have a 2005 SE with 12k miles on it now and mine started doing pretty much the same thing your describing a short while ago, maybe a month or two back. Before then you could not even tell the car was running it was so smooth. Now I never beat on the car or rev it high at all. I use only castrol GTX oil and nissan filters as well as only Shell vpower super. It is garage kept except while parked at work during the day. So I can not understand what is causing it either. I brought it to the dealer to check a couple weeks ago because I also noticed when it runs rough at idle that my tach needle fluctuates in sync withe the roughness. Almost like a slight miss on a cylinder or two. I thought possibly the fuel pump pressure fluctuating or bad coils. Who knows though. The dealer could find nothing wrong and no codes at all but could notice it as well. It seemed to be getting worse the other day and today it was running fine again. Really wierd. If you find out whats causing yours please post it back here.

RHMax

Sometimes switching gas station helps since the tank can get old and corroded which give you a little extra something in your gas.

imnotoriousjoe

is there anything I can do to try and get another car?
also I have almost 60,000 miles

imnotoriousjoe

also do you think that it could be from them taking the engine out?


Atomic Ed did you get your car new or used?
has the engine or anything else major been taken out before?

04BlackMaxx

Well in light of all this $hit i suppose my bad abs sensor (which is still on backorder 3 weeks later, they made me pay in advance also) isnt that big of a deal...good luck, unacceptable nissan.

Atomic_Ed

I bought it brand new and am the only one who drives it. Nothing major has ever been replaced or changed.

imnotoriousjoe

oh ok just wanted to see if that had something to do with it
but what type of gas do you put in it? I put 93

Atomic_Ed

I only use Shell V-Power high test in it since it was brand new. I baby the car like crazy. Also I had it at the dealer last week to check some things, they said they couldn't find anything wrong or codes in the system. Funny thing is, since I got it back it is idleing much better again. Still not quite as smooth as it used to but much better anyhow. They say they didn't do anything to it but it is 100% different then when I brought it in. Weird stuff like that drives me nuts. I did notice one thing though, whenever I drove in stop and go traffic for long periods of time it would do it the worst. Of course I would always check my temp gage and it was always at normal. I sometimes wonder if the computer isn't changing the mixture too frequently and possibly messing up because of idleing too much in traffic. I notice the MPG part of the computer changes quite frequently as well. Sometimes I get 25.4 mpg mixed driving and others 22 or 23. Nothing different about the route I am taking or the amount of traffic which is always the same.

imnotoriousjoe

My problem was also fixed "magically" when I mentioned it to them while it was at the stealership
It seems to get rough like you said when in drive

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

A 2004 Max and the dude provides the above limited information and, THATS your advice???

nick wolff

iTrader: (1)

how about you try some fuel injector cleaner and clean the intake??

i use seafoam for the intake manifold and ports to clear out the carbon build up.

i posted this before in jsmiths post i believe about bad tranny


anywho... if i ever have "roughness" i clean things, and everything's fine again.

i wouldn't go so far and say you need a new car or anything.

chernmax

iTrader: (15)

...........................BINGO! If that doesn't work analyze parts (plugs, wires, sensors) that control airflow, air/fuel mixture and work up from there...

At 18K miles, my rough idling problem was solved be replacing two fried spark plugs on the upper bank closest to the firewall. Still running smooth today...

imnotoriousjoe

how often do I need to change the Berk intake filter?
I got mine in June