so, chasing a demon with maxy right now, have replaced 3 injectors, 4 coils, spark plugs and keep getting a c/e light and/or code(s). i saw a video where the guy said if the condenser is bad, it might not be giving enough power to get your coils firing properly and to test your coils for proper voltage. i have had 2 solid days of rain and i had a tooth pulled yesterday ( that sucked royal ***** ) and the car is actually running pretty good, but i'm getting slight hesitation and she feels like somethings holding her back when i step on the pedal. condenser? replace remaining 2 coils? ( i know i need to ) iacv is original but i think that's ok, will it throw a code? ideas and proper answers only please, thanks

 

Here's a video from our buddy over in Jersey..

 

Looks like your remaining 2 coils u have not replaced are going to need replacing.. It's screaming "replace me" it's probably just on its way out. I mean this year honestly there has been so much misfiring issues I've seen from coils or injectors. It's about time.

 

I had the same issue a while back... I replaced all the coils. Ran great for about 3 days and then it started doing it again. Does it hesitate on take offs and start jerking.... doing the same jerking when coming to a stop?

 

not really, just sputters when in drive at a stop light. hesitates at take off a bit too. iacv possibly or maf, i have yet gotten to test/replace those.

 

I vote for MAF. The last three bad ones that I replaced had the stoplight sputter symptom. Though, the IACV is an easy thing to clean and rule out as a first step.

I've got two or three bad MAFs collecting dust in the workshop. I need to figure out how to do the wiring fix to refurbish them. I haven't seen a 2nd gen Q45 hit the salvage yard in a while to pick up anther spare. The Maximas and I30s usually have the MAF stripped by the time I find them. So I'm without a spare at the moment.

 

The exact words you said "sputters when in drive at a stop light. Hesitates at take off a bit too" are exact symptoms of failing ignition coils.. I remember experiencing this exactly at stop lights/hesitates at take off.
I thought it was so many other things. I've been told it was MAF/IACV/Intake leak/many other things..But it was the coils.. don't make it complicated. I'm sure its the old remaining coils you have left that is doing that.

 

The thing that is throwing me is that if it were a bad coil, an OBDII reader would tell you it was a misfire in exactly what cylinder. A MAF sensor issue will just give you a general error pointing to the MAF. Or a P0100 error.

Here is a good thread explaining the problems with the MAF and its' symptoms as well as a fix.

MAF Thread

Also.... I guess if you only have a couple more coils left to replace, why stop there...

 

That might be so with your '99 but my '96 doesn't indicate which cylinder is misfiring. I had to use the trial and error method but eventually gave up and replaced all 6 coils with brand new Hitachis.

 

Yeah same, when mine was misfiring, it didn't throw a CEL. Replaced all 6 with Hitachi.. this was atleast 6 months ago and no problems at all.

 

hitachi is not oem, only hanshin or mitsubishi are. hitachi is considered aftermarket.

 

I've seen a lot of people have issues with aftermarket coils. They work ok for a little while and then down the road they go bad. OEM coils are the best ones to go with.

 

Hitachi is Hanshin actually. If Hitachi were aftermarket. It would of have been giving me problems.. but it hasn't. Many Org members have replaced the coils with hitachi and have not given them any problems at all. There are however aftermarket coils that give problems immediately.. but from my experience.. Hitachi has given me zero problems. All smooth.

 

To Josh's point, here's a bit of automotive history about our cars control systems and the Hitachi relationship.

JECS Corporation (formerly Japan Electrical Control Systems Co Ltd) is an automotive components company headquartered in Isesaki, Gunma, Japan and a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi. Its principal products are electronic control units, software, semiconductors, mechatronics, resin molding, inspection technology and material analysis.

JECS was formed in June 1973.[1] It was a joint venture between Robert Bosch GmbH, Nissan Motor Co. and Diesel Kiki Co., Ltd.. It enabled Nissan to use Bosch's engine control technology and gave Bosch access to the Japanese market. JECS later expanded to manufacture many other automotive parts besides EFI systems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JECS

Over my past 6 years of (4) 4th gen ownership, I've been extremely lucky in avoiding coil problems. I've only had one OEM coil fail in all that time. I keep spares that I've collected from wrecked cars so I could quickly change and rule out a bad coil as needed. I believe my 4th gens with aging coils like NGK copper v-power plugs. That is one of the reasons I prefer to run that plug. Copper is an easy electrical conductor. Sure I need to replace them at 20,000 to 24,000-mile intervals. The cost is low and I like to read my aging engines' plugs more frequently than I would on a newer engine where I would be running iridium or platinum plugs without giving it a second thought.

As far as Hitachi coils go, I know many Nissan VH engine owners like the one in the picture, that report their Hitachi coils are the only non-OEM coil that does not give problems. If you think a VQ engine is picky about coils, just wait till you start replacing coils on an 8 cylinder VH. It quickly becomes an expensive and time-consuming ordeal. It's time-consuming to maneuver through the layers of ornamental covers that reside under layers of lines and pipes that bury the engine in a real car.

So when the time comes for me to try a new set of coils, you can bet they will be Hitachi. Meanwhile, I'd rather spend money on fun stuff like suspension upgrades.

 

I'm new here, Junebug, so maybe everyone else knows you have a '96, I did not. Nor am I aware of the actual year of the Maxima which is actually having this problem.....Max Ride 41's.

I am simply stating what I know and helping out as best I can.

I would suggest a quick way to check if it is the MAF or not. It isn't 100% and I know everyone has their opinion, but, go get your self a can of MAF Sensor cleaner.. I used it when I was having the SAME symptoms and after replacing all 6 of my perfectly good coils and it made the car run smooth again.... for a day or so.... then I would have to do it again.... until I replaced the MAF.



About $9 at Autozone..... Cheaper than $140.00 for a new MAF....
Or the $200+ for a set of coils....

 

funny thing is is once the car warms up she runs fine. it's getting her warmed up and getting past the early morning shivers that annoys the crap outta me. lots of white smoke and trial and error, going to replace the rad next week, then the trans mount and motor mount, then, one of my new tires got a nail in the sidewall where it's NOT repairable and the tire was $140.00!!!!! i'm outta money after that stuff gets done so i hope that the car is done breaking.

 

Ok.... only when it's cold...
White smoke? Not black?....

This is a different beast altogether...

White smoke would indicate coolant or water getting into your combustion chamber. A misfire would give you intermittent puffs of dark grey or black, I believe.

Only in the morning...... Double check your vacuum lines and/or coolant lines. Could be something as simple as that.

I was assuming the symptoms you were describing were under normal operating conditions. Not a starting condition.

If you have already checked your vacuum lines and cooling lines, check your throttle body and intake to be sure it is bolted tight... It sounds to me as though water may be getting into your intake by mistake or accidentally. You could always pull your plugs first thing in the morning to see if there is any condensation on them or fouling. This would be a damn good indicator that something is wrong there. Especially if it is during cold morning starts but clears up after driving.

 

nope, got code p 1320, cleared that then i get code 0300 this morning? i'm out of money right now and patience. must either be last 2 coils in the back or ignition condenser or i'm going to try the drop resistor at some point just for the f of it.

 

From multiple experiences on multiple vehicles I've repaired over the years, bad coilpacks and/or bad injectors will cause white smoke out the exhaust.

I'd smell the fumes coming out the exhaust. If it smells like gas, you've got at least one bad injector

 

I'm telling you, its the last 2 coils.. I'm 100% positive on that. Or the injectors. Its only those 2. Nothing else.

 

no argument, i do smell gas but the 0300 code isn't specific to which injector it is? usually it will misfire and run like crap on 5 cylinders if it's a specific injector, i replaced all 3 injectors in the back and cylinder 3 coil pack and still get 0300.

 

I know, the 0300 code sucks. Keep clearing it and with any luck you'll get a cylinder specific code.

 

it won't even let me clear it, dammit!!!! i tried with my pity-*** little scanner and auto-powned wouldn't do it (pussies)

 

The P0300 code can be a nightmare. I got it earlier this year. It even threw her into limp mode!

This website gives good direction in troubleshooting that code

http://www.random-misfire.com

 

thanks man

 

On the website, they mention something about mode $06 misfire diagnostic for individual cylinders. Does our the 4th gen maxima store these information? This would be really helpful for narrowing down which cylinders are the misfires.

 

so many things could be going on even with all i've done. i had a 0400, 1320, and now a 0300. still got a small list of things to do before i can rule anything out.

 

ok, post 6,000!!!! woot!! anyhow, i replaced all this in last few months:
1. radiator 2. alternator 3. right side lca 5. 3 rear injectors 5. 4 coils and last 2 are at my po box!!! 6. front rotors and pads with all new fluid 7. trans drop resistor 8. fuel filter 9. large air intake hose 10. 2 new and 2 used tires 11. spark plugs 12. every damn hose on the motor that looked run down or iffy 13. new drivers side mat ( looks only ) oem 14. trans mount and all motor mounts, i'm done for awhile except maybe a new/used maf which i'm guessing at 280,000 i should replace? i hope the damn p 0300 disappears with the replacement of the last 2 coils.

 

found this on ebay and since i replaced almost everything else i figure why not? still have an erratic idle and will be cleaning out the maf next.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Throttle-Pos...BYVNcX&vxp=mtr

 

That's an SMP Intermotor TH325. It sells at www.rockauto.com for $99.

Is your Max a 95 or 96 model?

New OEMs sell for $135 to $140. The best deal at AdvanceAuto is $145.

Like most Intermotor parts, unless you can get a deal somewhere like at RockAuto, they cost about as much or more than OEM. Also, that's one of few Intermotor parts that I'm not running. So I don't have experience with that particular part.

With all that said, I'm not sure I would buy a new one.

If I thought I had a bad TPS, I would get one from a salvage yard and try it first. I haven't experienced a bad TPS yet. It doesn't appear to be a high failure rate item like MAFs.

I would exhaust all TPS testing procedures to be 97 to 99 percent certain it is bad before I would replace one.

 

even at 281,000 miles? maf is next and i have 1 coil left to do today. and yes it's a production date 12/94.