last weekend I took the Upper intake Manifold off so I could change the rear valve cover gasket and seal it up. I got it all back together and all was well.
fast forward to yesterday . I pull out of a parking lot into heavy traffic and poof! the car dies. I sit there for a minute trying to restart.. car sputters a couple of times. I pop the hood to find that I had never tightened the clamp that holds the MAF to the resonator. and it separated a week after assembly.
I never had any idea a missing MAF means car not gonna work

 

I've actually ran into that issue on a past car I had. Its funny how it all works together. Did you have to replace it or just reconnect it?

 

Hmm...for some reason after going through couple threads on here that the car can still run without the MAF but in limp mode. Won't be able to go as fast just like you were in traffic but it should have still ran right??

 

yeah you can run without the MAF if its unplugged but you can only rev to 2500rpms...that happened to me once upon a time when i was a newbie...i forgot to tighten down my coupler before the MAF and it just stalled out...i believe the reason for that being is the MAF is receiving a massive vac leak and getting really off the wall measurements

 

Quick question....will the MAF always kick out the code if it is bad?? I am having a very harsh issue right now with the car continously stalling when dropping idle to take a turn, stop abruptly or sit idle at a light....i hit the accelerator and the car kinda chokes...and eventually registers that i am hitting the gas...then takes off....freeway driving is fine...occasional sputter between 60-70 mph....but worse time seems to be at idle?? any ideas at all?? changed knock sensor when it coded...also changed out the IACV...all other emissions sensors tested good.

 

hows your throttle body position sensor?

 

No, the MAF can go bad without throwing a code. When you replaced the IACV, did you adjust the idle correctly??

 

We are actually going to check that out this weekend....i was thinking the same thing...will keep posted on results, Thanks!

 

We initially did 1/2 turn counterclockwise I believe, then when we replaced IACV, we did not touch the idle....test drove the car and ran with the a/c on as well......she ran awesome, no issues...drove it hard and attempted to simulate same traffic conditions to see if it would stall.....and nothing, until the next morning...so we put just the idle back to original setting and have been trying to figure out what is choking the car ever since....

 

Ok when you start the car from cold, where is your RPM needle at? Also, when it reaches operating temperature, where is the RPM needle? Post back readings..

 

well right now it starts off right about 900....then when it warms up to normal it hovers about 700.... i have noticed consistently that when i just leave at idle in park....after a slight shudder, drops to 600/500 .....then recovers and stays smooth again 4 a few...then repeats the same pattern. The TPS tested good as well. car still chokes out when slowing to a stop, turn, or at a light. and when i accelerate, it chokes out and/or takes a couple seconds to recover or register that i am hitting the accelerator. We just ran a code check for giggles again even tho no engine light...and got the P0136- oxygen sensor or faulty circuit...not sure that will cause all this, but checking it again 2maro.

 

For the beginning fo the day when you start from cold, it idles at 900 RPM?? You should be between 1300RPM and 1500RPM. Also, you state after a slight shudder in park, it drops to ~500RPM and recovers?? Sounds like you have a coilpack on its way out which is giving you that misfire. Leave the car running and start disconnecting the coilpacks one by one until you no longer have that shudder and that's your defective coilpack. Replace it when you come across it with an OEM coil..

 

my 99 max has the same turn the corner shuts off sometimes. changed all coilpacks even changed sparkplug one at a time, it seems all the leads point to bad MAF, i changed to a another used one and the stuttering and idle swings have gon away and it doesnt as often as it did shuts off on turns. so thinking cause the maf i got is used and on the way out, also bought brand new from fleebay, junk, now the car after stepping on gas responds 2 seconds later, dont buy anything from fleebay , they have the sensor inside going sideways rather then long-way like the OEM type. so see if you can find a better MAF and try that. as i'm looking to get a brand new OEM one myself

 

Just thought I'd chime in and add a kink to it all. I am having almost the same exact thing happen ot my 95 maxima. Stalling coming to a stop. Idles at 900 when cold and then drops to 700 or so when warm. Replaced fuel pump, IACV, TPS, Cam PS, cleaned TB and MAF. Kept throwing IACV code then code went away after IACV was replaced. Still no code and still stalling. So MAF can go bad and not throw code? I'm outta ideas.

 

Add me to the list fellows.....coming to a stop, idle drops, car shakes and .... dead. i have to wait for the engine to catch then give it gas.rev up to about 4500 rpm then see if it would come back to 700.all that before i throw it in drive..otha issue is when in idle, go to gas the car,it cokes and the rpm dips mad low to about 250 den jumps up to go...crazy. and i m getting a strong gas/fuel smell...idk what esle to check

 

I had almost the exact same problem not too long ago along with MAF and KS code according to OBDII reader. I cleaned MAF, TB, IACV, and EGR as described in this thread: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...g-dummies.html . Plus I replaced all cracked, worn out hoses and PCV valve.

The stalling or idling problem went away and the car is smoother and feels more powerful. The MAF and KS code is still there and I will have to replace those, but the car is in much better shape now.

 

I've been fighting the intermittent dying for about a month now (not continuously tho ) 98 GXE Auto

Changed plugs (NGK Plat), CKPS (both), CMPS, TPS, MAF, Fuel Filter, swapped fuel pump, cleaned and added grounds.

Car will run good (idle or drive) for 20-45 minutes then the rpms fluctuate and the car dies (there are no golf or ping pong ***** in my gas tank ). The car will start again, right away, but dies much sooner unless I let it sit for 30 or so minutes. NO CODES.

When I first start the car, it starts easily, RPMs are ~1300, after it warms up they drop to ~600 RPM. When the car starts to act up, it will restart easily at first then the more times it dies and I restart the more likely it is to backfire through the intake (I try to avoid that).

My hands are too big to get at the KS and I can't get a wrench on the ECTS (will a crows foot wrench work there? I have none, but could buy them I guess)... so??? Probably gonna throw in the towel and take it somewhere, unless any of you have suggestions.

thanks,

dersh.

 

Did you buy a new MAF sensor? I had a lot of stalling problems last year and finally after putting in a $135 ebay MAF knock-off part, all stalling has stopped.

Around that time, I had also cleaned the TB, had my mechanic put a new ECTS, changed the EGR solenoid valve myself, cleaned all grounds, and finally, put on a new gas cap.

I really don't know whether the MAF alone solved the problem. It could have been the new gas cap and everything else thrown in.

A gas cap is less than $20. Maybe you should try that first?

 

I messed with the gas cap tonight... started the car, let it run for about 30 minutes (ran good with or without the gas cap), when it eventually died, I opened the gas cap... there was some vacuum, but nothing excessive. Really no change in symptoms. Not sure if I'll buy a new cap or not...???

The MAF is a Cardone reman. I also replaced the rubber boot (gasket) that goes with the MAF.

Thanks,

dersh.

 

I have a 97 gle...its been giving me a headache...it stalls when stopping sometimes(have to pump gas a couple times and it'll stay running)...As im driving and giving alot of gas lights dim then when i slow down RPMs drop and it stalls...I replaced the MAF, spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, and cleaned TB...The killer part about it is it doesnt do it all the time but i dont trust it enough to drive...SOMEBODY HELP! O yeah i checked alternator and it puts out a ave. of 13.5-14.2...please help

 

FYI... I finally gave up and took the car to a mechanic... after two weeks of fiddling with it, he found a leaking upper intake gasket. The car runs great except I have to give it a bit of gas to get it going on cold mornings, once it starts it runs all day.