Does the upper intake need to be removed to gain access to the rear coils on a 2000 I-30? I am getting conflicting information.

If so, does the upper intake gasket need to be replaced?

Thanks.

Anovice

 

If you have the right tools and normal hands, you do not need to remove the IM. Is this for a spark plug change or just coil replacement? Either way it doesnt require removal. If you did remove it, it is recco you change out your gaskets, but thats standard practice. It can still function without replacement.

 

Thank you for your post!

It's kind of a long story. I will start out by saying that I am one of those women that know just about nothing about cars :-(

My 2000 only has 86,000 miles. However, based on reading a lot of posts, I seem to run into the same problems as other 5th generations. IAVC, high pressure power steering hose, certain oil leaks, and so on.

Since last May, I have had a strange intermittent problem. Out of the blue, the Service Engine Soon light came on. I drove to an Advance Auto Parts store and he put the scanner on and said it said "Cylinder 5 misfire". To get confirmation, I went to a Pep Boys and they too put a scanner on and it said P1320 Ignition signal, or possibly P1320 and misfire. I do not recall which. For the remainder of 2013, the light came back on infrequently and it idled and ran good all the time.


Sometime also in 2013, I did notice one change. When the car was cold, it would start up immediately and go to proper idle immediately. However, if I would drive even 1 mile to the supermarket, enough to where the engine was warm, when I would come out of the supermarket, and start the car, it would stall immediately. This would happen two or three times and then suddenly "catch", and I put the car in drive and go as if nothing happened. This has been happening like clockwork for at least a half a year now and only when the engine is warm. Never, when cold. Over Christmas we drove over 1,600 miles and the car ran perfectly. I would stop for gas off the highway and when I went to re-start, the same issue. Two, three or four times the car would stall. When it did not stall, say the fourth or fifth time, the car went to perfect idle, I drove off, got back on the highway and drove another tankful of gas without any sign of any problem. This has been the story from May 2013 through May 2014, with the Service Engine Soon light coming on about 5 times.


Two weeks ago, something different happened. I was also on the highway and suddenly the car started to "chug" along or shutter if you will. Kind of like I was running out of gas. This lasted for about 5 minutes and then the car ran perfectly. The Service Engine Soon light did not come on at that time. However, the next morning, just after the three or four stalls, the cars idle was a bit rough (this never happened before) and the light came on. I drove to Advance Auto and the code was P1320. My husband disconnected the battery and the light went off.


The car is back to the same pattern as the last one year. Starts up perfectly when cold, stalls two or three times upon starting when warm, "catches", I put it in drive and the car runs great.


It seems to me that "something" should be done now to try to correct this as the problem is clearly not going away. I have done a bunch of research and it seems the coils may be the cause (another issue with the 5th generation). My husband's thinking is to get all six coils replaced and since he does not remember when the plugs were last changed (he does remember they were NGK copper) to get them replaced with NGK Platinum. We do know an independent mechanic who is honest, we think good, and will allow us to purchase the parts.

I asked if the upper intake needed to be removed to get to the real coils (1,3,5) because the mechanic said he would charge about $100 labor if it did not need to be removed.

The easy decision seems to be that if all six coils are going to be replaced, it makes sense to change the plugs at the same time. Would you agree?

The difficult decision is how best to approach the coils, assuming this is the problem. I have read a number of different alternatives including:


1. Since the cylinder 5 misfire code came up in May 2013, just change that coil.
2. Get that one coil from a junk yard and replace the #5.
3. Switch out the #3 and #5 to try to isolate the problem coil (the problem with this and the one above is I am paying labor to do this and something tells me this is not the best use of paying labor...but maybe I am wrong)
4. Replace all coils since they have been known to be an issue with this car.
5. Only go with grey dot Nissan coils (my husband can get them for $83 each...OUCH)
6. Hitachi coils will work good (my husband can get them from RockAuto for $57 each...still OUCH)


Our intentions are to keep the car (even though the rear main seal now has a slight leak). However, we really do not know the best way to approach the coil issue and for that matter, even if to address it at all. After all, we have put up with the stalling issue (again, only when you start the car when it is warm) for a year now. What we don't know is if whatever is going on potentially might be creating other issues like ruining the catalytic converter!

One last point. The IAVC was replaced in April 2013. It did not do any harm to the ECU (or is it ECU) and I did not need to bring the car to the dealer for a re-learn. While the current symptoms are completely different that the IAVC problems, it seems odd that this problem started about a month later.


Anyhow, this is what is going on. I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts regarding the problem and which way you think we should go.

Thanks much.

Anovice

 

My advice, replace coil 5 only. Rockauto.com hitachi is is 58 bux and courtesy or some other nissan site has em at 78-83 as u have said each. Its best practice to replace all 6. Im not sure on how maintained ur car is, but u should be fine on single replacement. I have 215,000 miles and never had a misfire or bad coil. My manufacture date is September 1999. If theres a bad coil issue, I have not seen it. I would make sure the car is grounded well and batt connects are clean and grounded well. Coil shouldnt go bad unless theres a lot of fluctuation of current or moisture in the bad so-called connectors. I would also check your spark plugs. I run NGK BKR6 iridiums, and change them religiously every 50,000 miles. Slight leak on rear main seal, see if couple oil changes it goes away. They do that somtimes. Its a paint in the *** to replace the rear mainseal since u have to unbolt the upper oil pain ...

 

Again, thanks so much for your post.


I would like to confirm some of your points and I need clarification on others:


1. Your advice is to replace coil 5 only.


2. Yes, the Hitachi at Rockauto is about $58 and the OEM is $78 to $83 at a few places. Would you spend the extra $20 to $25 extra for the OEM coil?


3. But then you said “Its best practice to replace all 6”, which makes me think that is your advice. My car has been maintained well, but the coils have not been changed. If you were to replace all 6 would you trust the Hitachi's from Rockauto? That would save $120 to $150 for all the coils.


4. I have read go only with the newer Nissan gray dot OEM coils because, they are “sealed” which does not allow moisture to get in, which was the problem with the original Nissan coils. But you have not had the problem?!?! I have also read that people have replaced their original coils with the Hitachi's and are pleased after 3 years. I have no idea if they are sealed. On one hand I would think Hitachi would make a good coil and on the other, I think to myself is $120 to $150 really that much more for the rest of the life of the car.


5. My records show that the plugs were changed in 2009, about 25,000 miles ago. There were NGK, but copper. So it is time to get the plugs again. You are using NGK BKR6 iridium’s. I think the 6 stands for a colder plug. The OEM plug is NKG PFR5G-11 which are platinum. Do you think it makes a difference?


6. I think I understand what you mean by making certain that the battery connectors are clean and grounded well. However, what do you mean by “make sure the car is grounded well”? How would I do that?


My last question/comment seems most relevant as it directly relates to most of the points above:


7. I made note of your comment “and change (plugs) them religiously every 50,000 miles”. Clearly you see this as important. To change the plugs, which I need done, requires removing the coils. So it seems that I am already paying for the labor to remove and put in coils, may they be the old ones or new ones. Correct? And, you said “Its best practice to replace all 6” and not just one (even though your advice was only replace #5 based on my post). Doesn't this really mean that since I am already paying the labor that it makes sense to replace all the coils with new ones? If so, then the question is do I go OEM or save $120 to $150 and go with the Hitachi's at Rockauto?

Thanks again.

Anovice

 

1,2,3) So yes, if money is a constraint, just replace coil 5. Best practice is based on what most mechanics recommend and nissan as fresh coils will produce consistency when all brand new. Yes it works with just one replaced, but there has been time when one is replaced and its a domino effect on other coils or nothing happens. Best practice is the recommended plans. Hitachi manufactures the factory coils as well as their own. Whether their revision is similar to grey dot I am not sure as I have not personally bought one. Honestly when I do change coils, I will go with grey dot or yellow jacket or splitfire( if u can even find em). I usually like upgraded parts because they are built beyond OEM specifications but thats personal preference. Like I said, ive never replaced a coil, but going on what I see common in our forums and actual real world results from personal friends who are mechanics for over 10 years and see common problems. Common practice is to do all coils and if ur in a pinch do one.

4) I can not personally verify this as I have never replaced a coil. I will say, like before, hitachi makes our coils and I am not sure if grey dot revision from nissan is same one hitachi follows.

5) I live in houston and drive my car extremely harsh. Temperature here is usually quite hot and humid. I run 6 to prevent misfire and because I am advanced to 17btdc in my ECM. Its personal preference, but if u live above mid point in the US, u should be fine with heat range 5.

6) Checking your ground on the battery making sure u do not have build up. Check the chassis mount point and then engine mount point for loose wire or corrosion. You can check your voltage. If you have a lot of accessory dimming or hard times with starting, you may have a ground issue. If you have stock system per say, and u pump it up to 75% or more and u have dimming lights, you might have a ground problem. Having ground problems will potentially ruin many of electronics in your vehicle and everything would seem normal until it presented it self. Its just a suggestion of possibility but may not actually be you issue.

7) Copper plugs need to be changed yearly or sooner than iridium. The BKR series is a performance plugs and should be replaced at 50k. Factory for our cars calls for platinum which can last 100k miles. The expensive NGK iridiums are like what I have but have platinum ground to extend mileage to 100k. It doesnt help that we have 10% ethanol now in our gasoline. That 10% should be accounted for in your maintenance interval. Id take 10% off the mileage of servicing anything that comes in contact with that 10% ethanol or get a tune for 10% ethanol which is not likely.

 

Thanks so much for the clarification!

I do not think I have a ground or plug problem (I spoke with the technical folks at NGK today) but if I am going to replace all the coils, of course it makes sense to change the plugs. And since I need new plugs, I need to decide how to proceed with the coils...just #5, all 6 Nissan, or all 6 Hitachi.

I will keep you posted.

Thanks much.

Anovice