I've noticed that over the last few months my max has been losing power... she doesn't seem to accelerate like she used to and when I push the pedal down there's a short hesitation before I feel the acceleration kick in.

Any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks!!

 

I think its time for new spark plugs. I switched over my platinums for coppers on the weekend and it made a huge difference.

 

I replaced my spark plugs with some platinum-tipped ones about 8k miles ago...but I didn't have a torque wrench so I tightened by hand. Think that might be it?

 

Sounds like a bad knock sensor to me. Have u done any maintenance lately?

 

could also be one of your ignition coils if its not a sparkplug. this happened to me

 

Did you gap them?
Sounds like you're the hands-on type so its best to invest in a torque wrench.
I've read that problems can happen if they're not torqued down properly.

 

The gap on the spark plugs looked good out of the box, so I didn't mess with it...and I think I'll go out and buy a torque wrench when I get paid and tighten them down to see if there's a difference.

Just normal maintenance stuff...

 

I picked up a Sears Craftsman torque wrench. $29.99 on the Sears website.

 

You really have to make sure the gap is set correctly on the plugs and torqueing them down properly is imperative. Also, pull your codes when you can. The monitoring system on these cars is pretty in depth and will surely tell you of any problem you might be having. Also, someone mentioned knock sensor. Thats a big cause of lack of power and pulling your codes will definately inform you of your problem or problems.

 

Bad injector! Betcha idk.... 20$? haha jk but im pretty sure thats what it is.

While the car is idleing... in park, unplug each injector and with each one you will notice the car idle differently and shake. Keep doing that until you come across the one that doesnt change anything and that is your bad one. If you cant tell from the outside have somebody sitting in your car and watching the tach, there will be a substantial drop with each plug you pull.

 

Does it sound loud when you accelerate? Mine does the same thing. I've come to realize my engine's getting old.

I'm working on changing my cat and my headers to see if I can boost up some more power.

 

where could he get good fuel injectors? not stock ones but performance ones...?

 

I'm having the same problem right now. I replaced my spark plugs and the rough idle went away for a car ride or two. Then all of a sudden the rough idle comes back. I have no idea were to begin to fix this problem because of so much stuff that is wrong with my car. I read that everyone gets 23 miles to the gal. I'm lucky to get 15mpg. I don't know where to begin but I'm going to start with the ignition coils tomorrow. Does that sound like a good remedy?

 

Sounds like A knock sensor to me. Could also be the plugs or the injectors. I have kinda the same problem, but it happened when I put on an Injen intake.

 

another symptom of a bad fuel injector.

 

Captain Fill.

Describe in detail the problems of your car and the org members will help you.

 

I've replaced the following parts on this car with the help of org members.

Knock Sensor
3 o2 sensors
starter
alternator
AC Belts
Fuel Filter
1 Fuel Injector
Spark Plugs,
Spark Plug Wires

 

Do you feel a kick in your tranny or a jump? My car has the same issue but mine sounds like I have an intake when I don't. I took apart the entire intake system and checked everything nothing. Now i'm going to replaced my cat and my exhaust system. I think it's just not enough air going through the exhaust. I looked at my cat yesterday and saw rust all over and around it.

 

I bought mine with an Injen intake. I have the same issue! Is that really the cause!? Ive slowly been taking other measures such as: plugs, cleaning MAF, cleaning TB, seafoam, fuel filter...thats it, so far. Car idles smooth. Starts up nice. Runs great except for this weird power loss around 3k. Its like a lag or kinda bogged down for a while. Happens in all gears, all weather, all the time. I thought it might be the intake but wasnt sure. Hearing you say you had an Injen also, makes me think I should just deal with it. I dont race or anything, its just annoying when I go for spirited drives to have this strange acceleration issue.
Well...time to use the search to see why my clutch pedal has no pressure on it and the gears wont engage =[

 

stock intake FTW.
sounds like a KS to me run your codes man and let us know what you get.

 

Didnt know are cars had spark plug wires!!!!!!!!

 

yes it does

 

The best $25 I spent for my car is a OBDII reader off of ebay that actually resets my codes as well, these are the guys I bought it from http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZalpha-bidQQhtZ-1

 

lol hell yea maximafrenzy, i bought the same one. Now I don't have to worry about going to autozone every time.

 

You can pull your codes via the ecu by turning the screw. It sounds like a knock sensor to me.

I recently had the same problem and did the following.

Clean EGR Tube/Valve
Clean TB
Clean IACV
Change Spark Plugs, gapped at .36
Replace Knock Sensor

My car is better than new now. I am supercharged btw

 

Yeah, I'm going to try tightening my spark plugs this afternoon and checking the gap on each...if that doesn't work, I'm going to go ahead with your suggestion. I'll let you know how things turn out.

It does sound louder, but my max only has 70k miles on it...the engine isn't old yet

I'll see what I can come up with. If setting the gap, tightening the spark plugs, and checking my injectors doesn't work, I'll try and pull some codes..

 

Zlevine does the car idle ok? From what I've read you are only having the problem under acceleration. If the car is idling steady at the correct RPM's then pulling the injectors one by one won't tell u anything, right?............someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Or a timing belt..... learn something new every day

 

could be a MAF also. put check your spark plugs and stuff like that what everyone else suggested.

 

goin' for that big 5 extra horsepower, eh?

 

do a basic tune up and maybe include a ks,to go along with that.

 

well depending on the headers, i've heard from the forums that cattman headers give you about 10, and either cattman catback probably about 8 or 9 so total of 18 maybe.

What do you think?

 

you said you were changing the cat, not the catback. not positive of the exact numbers...cant be higher than 18 though.

 

Here's the update..

Looks like it was the knock sensor. I tightened up the spark plugs and that increased performance slightly. After I started up the car, though, the Check Engine Light went on (it's never been on before).

So I took it to AutoZone and they pulled a Bad Knock Sensor code off it...so it looks like you guys were right. I'll change out the knock sensor this weekend and things should be running ship-shape again!

Thanks again,
Zach

 

Both bad KS on my different Maximas did not set Check Engine light.

 

Yeah...I'm surprised it only came on after I tightened my spark plugs. Coincidence, probably..

 

From what Ive heard here a ks alone will not set off cel, it is only a ghost code.