LastTraintoMEM

Now I can start my own thread, so I will stop hijacking someone elses. Thanks though!

I am having a hard time getting this thing through inspection. She keeps failing "hydrocarbons". Is this common? Anything to check that might cause this? Yesterday I did find a vacuum line broke that went from the back of the throttle body, down towards the front and under the battery. It was too cold and miserable to trace it. What does this line go to? I wish Haynes manuals had vacuum diagrams like they do for wiring! I wish it would warm up!

I did replace the air filter and pcv valve with no effect. Has anyone plugged the pcv and used a breather on the valve cover? I thought this would help cut hydrocarbons. What size is the pcv valve for a plug?

Also, this motor runs nice and smooth except for when it is in drive and idle. It has a low vibration that makes the dash rattle. Not a miss, just a moan. Any ideas? Touch the gas and it goes away. Put it in reverse, park, neutral, and it goes away. It's more annoying than anything.

thanks for the help!

1800bucks

iTrader: (8)

Does the idle change when the fan is turned on? Does it smooth out?

LastTraintoMEM

Which fan? AC or radiator cooling? Either way, no it doesn't, but would be interested in how that would affect it.

1800bucks

iTrader: (8)

Many years ago I owned an '87 w/5spd, it idled rough, but when I turned the blower fan on (even on just setting 1), the idle would smooth itself out. IIRC there is a relay that causes it to idle up, something to do with taking a load off the engine. Like I said, its been many years, but I'm pretty sure there is a relay. Maybe somebody else has heard of this and tell me I'm not freakin crazy......?

LastTraintoMEM

Interesting! Almost sounds like it could be a vacuum problem too, but I haven't thought about a relay. I will mess with it when it warms up and see if I notice any changes in idle. I don't remeber it doing anything different, but I wasn't really looking for that anyway. Thanks!

Big_E-Dog

iTrader: (14)

idle control. there is the idle up solenoid atached to it. replace that. and get a new cat, sparkplugs (gap them correctly), plug wires, and adjust timing.

LastTraintoMEM

Thanks for the info. I have changed the plugs, wires, rotor. I haven't checked timing or cat. I wish you could dump the cat! BIG question; how plentiful are parts like the solenoid for this thing at a place like AutoZone? Is there on supplier who has more parts than others for older Maximas like O Rileys/Parts Plus/Napa?

arsonist63086

do everything "E" said and chang the o2 sensor for the smog check. as for the idal up solinoid you can just take it apart and clean it up with carb cleaner and pop it back in and check for risistence of the windings (i belive the hayins manule shows you how to do it with an owm meatter) the other way you can check thim it apply 12 volts to each os the solinoids and see if they click after you've cleand them up... also look for vac leaks in the rubber intake boot on the throttel body and the hole intake pipeing after the maf's...

p.s. if your going to chang your cat dont let them sell you the more expensive obd-2 cats the reg cats are good enuff... this cars are obd-1 not obd-2 (1992 - present OBD-2)

LastTraintoMEM

Thanks for the input! Just to update; I got the b*tch through emissions yesterday! She got by the skin of her teeth, but I'm good to go! While waiting in line at the inspection station I did test out the idel up solenoid and it did seem to work fine. I still got the low vibe though, just not a deep, if that makes sense. Once it warms up a bit, I will check for vacuum leaks. Working on cars at 15 degress F is no fun! Thanks for all the help! Good to see there are a couple of people still driving, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about these classic rides!

John Masters

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have the same problem you did before you had enough posts...I recently swapped out my 87 gxe (auto) tranny with one I got from a salvage yard. Seems to work just fine but the problem I have is the new drive shaft output seals are leaking. Took it to AAMCO and they have replaced the passengers side seal three times and it's still leaking. We're waiting on new seals and I also got another axle on the chance that even though the old one looks good, it's not. If it continues to leak after replacing the seals and axle, what else should I be looking at? I've never had this kind of problem before and I'm stumped...please help! (and again, sorry to hijack the thread)

Son of Lars

Old thread, I know. But I want to get my post count up, and thought I could offer something here.

Failing on HC is very common failure. But what you need to understand is that a hydrocarbon is unburnt fuel. It typically present as a big bad misfire. I bought my 88 SE after it failed on HC and the owner just wanted it sold. Number 5 ignition wire had basically fallen apart, and was misfiring. Injector was pumping fuel, but there was no spark to light it off. It goes out the pipe as a hydrocarbon.

LastTraintoMEM

I forgot all about this thread, but I thought I might revive it since I have a new problem and it involves inspection stations again. I was taking the Max in for inspection and it died right at the station. A guy helped me push it off the street and told me it sounded like my coil went out. We disconnected the plug wire for the distributor and held it to the inner fender while cranking it and no spark appeared, so I went and got a new coil. I put it on and it cranked right up, ran for 20 seconds and died. I couldn't get it restarted, so I left it over night and came back the next morning. It started right up again then died 10 seconds later and hasn't started since. I thought maybe a fuel problem, so I changed the filter and the pump is pumping fuel. I got it home and did the inner fender test and no spark on the new coil. I tested with an ohm meter and both the old and new coils look to be good. So what else could it be? The ECU? In the last 10k I have replaced plugs, wires, cap, rotor, timing belt, battery so none of these should be a culprit.

LastTraintoMEM

After doing a little more research, I am considering the ignition control module might be the culprit. At least I hope it is. This thing cost $130 at Auto Zone and means I am about $200 in the whole for this problem!

LastTraintoMEM

Well, I guess the 1st/2nd gen sections of this site doesn't get much traffic these days because I feel like I am talking to myself. I will keep posting results for that occasional drifter who owns an older Max and is trouble shooting. The ignition control module WAS NOT the problem. I will be cleaning that part up and returning it to AutoZone...LOL. I swapped out the ignition relay in the fuse box with no luck there either. I also pulled out the ECU which appears to be working fine. It blinks 4 red and 4 green for trouble codes, which has no reference, so I am not sure what that means. Next step is running a hot wire from the battery directly to the coil and see what happens. These old Maxima's are fading away. Mine might be fading away too if I can't solve this problem soon! Too many electronics that get worse with age.

yevgenievich

not familiar with 2nd gens but you can check if you have cam position sensor or crank position sensor that would send a square wave signal to the ignition module. If it is not getting the correct trigger signal it will not run correctly or die. This might not relate to 2nd gens at all but something to check. I usually use a portable oscilloscope to check square wave signal if required but you can try just using voltmeter to see if you get any voltage spikes

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

i still lurk lol

yeah check your crank position sensor, 3rd gen VG30E have them so 2nd gen should as well. a couple of years ago on my old 3rd gen when the engine was overhauled i looked for one but couldnt find any available

i'd have to see the actual car to be of more help, but otherwise try cleaning your MAF. other things that are a possibility are the distributor is bad, or less likely the timing belt skipped a tooth or the ECU went bad. for that 20 seconds did it run like normal or did it sound like crap?

otherwise check your grounds and other wiring

arsonist63086

ignition modules on this cars dont go out often. usually the 1st thing to go is the coil not the module. the coil can be replaced with any other coil even a msd coil and its a lot cheaper then the oem coil. if anything just go to the junk yard and pull the coil with the module .. as for your other problem check the egr and make sure its working ..

LastTraintoMEM

Glad to see some lurker here. I almost gave up on this forum, but thought I would check back. Glad I did! To answer questions: It did run normal for that 20 seconds. The timing belt was new with about 5000 miles, so I don't think it is the timing belt. I have since replaced the spark plug wires again, and taken off a lot of emissions stuff (including egr) as that crap can make a car run like hell and I don't have to do emissions testing anymore. I plugged all the vacuum ports for that stuff. Engine bay looks a whole lot cleaner. Checked grounds fuses and relays. Still not starting. I have a crank position sensor on order and will be putting that on this afternoon. I will keep posting results. I am up to about $400 in trouble shooting fees!

vernk

have you checked codes

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

theres still a chance a new timing belt can skip a tooth, but if it ran normal for those 20 seconds thats most likely ruled out. it would chug and barely run if it skipped teeth/broke the tensioner

if the crank sensor doesnt fix it let us know

LastTraintoMEM

Success! It was the crank angle sensor! I am so glad I didn't have to put the Max out to pasture. The talking lady SINGS tonight! LOL! Word of warning for others who go down this road. The Haynes Manual says that the CAS isn't available separately and you have to order the whole distributor. It is available separately now. That manual was probably written in 1990. The big thing is, they don't tell you how to change it out and the new CAS doesn't come with instructions. I was good until I got to the actual CAS. There is a metal thing that the optical disk sits on and the CAS spins around. I couldn't figure how to get it off. It looked to be presseed into the shaft. I actually tore up the old CAS trying to pry this thing off with a flat head screw driver. I thought maybe the manual was right and I was going to have to buy the whole distributor. After an hour of racking my brain, I just started twisting it and holding the gear that goes into the engine. It started to twist tightly. I thought it might be threaded, but it wasn't. I eventually started to pull and it came off in my hand. It was all down hill from there.....except I wiped all my markings off while fighting the distibutor....LOL! It all worked out though and I have learned a lot about my Maxima. Thanks for the input!!!!! Now for the next project, replace the rear motor mount! Anybody got any tips or hints on this? Looks like it could be a pain too?!?!?

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

ah thats good, glad its running again