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That sucks that it didn't fix it. I'm still going to do it just to see. I don't think it's the mounts, I think it's something causing the engine to miss, or the ECU is doing something funny. I wish I had a Consult...
Yeah, really sucks.
I'm not saying it's the mounts causing it, I don't know what is "causing" it. Theoretically, even if I had solid mounts, the engine COULDN'T move, and it was in fact caused by coils or something, there would still be hesitation and lack of power, but the engine wouldn't move. I have to think that it the engine couldn't move, the problem wouldn't exist, and therefore the problem itself is just the fact that the engine gets sent into oscillations rocking back and forth.
When comparing my case to other MAF/coils/etc. cases, mine is different. Most others with coil problems have trouble throughout the RPM range, in every gear, and most importantly, even if the ease into the gas. Mine is completely different than that. Even though the symptoms may be similar, the conditions under which they occur is certainly different IMO.
If my dad would answer his freeking cell phone, I'd have him bring home a Nissan Consult-II. I've used it before and it's freekin great!
Still working on uploading the vid. Windows Mobile FTL.
I've now taped all 6 coils... It doesn't seem to have solved the problem.
Next step: I just bought 2 brand new coils (1 front, 1 rear) off e-bay - hopefully I'll have them within the week. At that point, I'll try swapping them around and praying that I eventually solve the problem...
I've now taped all 6 coils... It doesn't seem to have solved the problem.
Next step: I just bought 2 brand new coils (1 front, 1 rear) off e-bay - hopefully I'll have them within the week. At that point, I'll try swapping them around and praying that I eventually solve the problem...
I'll keep y'all updated.
Wow, thanks for taking the plunge for us on that one! It would be nice to find a freeking solution, eh?
I've now gone through 3 sets or 9 total coils in the front (all used) and 2 sets or 6 total coils in the rear (also used). I've only tried taping one rear set and one front set, but I would think that if the coils were my problem, I would have noticed something during the course of 15 different coils!! Like I said, I just don't think my problem quite fits the description of the typical coil problem.
I'm gonna try to get some 1/4" steel plate and drill three holes in it. That way I don't have to fabricate an entire motor mount, but it will have the same effect. I'm confident that thats my actual problem. Hopefully I can do that relatively soon.
I'll keep you guys updated. And keep the ideas coming, we'll figure it out sooner or later!
Well, I taped all 6 of my coils last night, and it didn't make a difference. I would think if it was a coil it would have gone out by now. I also don't think it's the coils because I've changed all 6, and I've swapped the entire engine that came with 6 more coils, and the same problem exists even with the new engine.
Well, I taped all 6 of my coils last night, and it didn't make a difference. I would think if it was a coil it would have gone out by now. I also don't think it's the coils because I've changed all 6, and I've swapped the entire engine that came with 6 more coils, and the same problem exists even with the new engine.
I'd say that if you swapped the entire engine, and the problem persists - it's probably not the coils! Did your "new" engine have new sensors? (KS, MAF, o2's, etc?)
I'd say that if you swapped the entire engine, and the problem persists - it's probably not the coils! Did your "new" engine have new sensors? (KS, MAF, o2's, etc?)
I cleaned the MAF and TB before I put in the engine, and I also changed the fuel filter, plugs, and KS before it went in. It's just easier with the engine out. I didn't replace the o2's, but I don't have any codes, so I didn't think the o2's would make a difference.
Well, I taped all 6 of my coils last night, and it didn't make a difference. I would think if it was a coil it would have gone out by now. I also don't think it's the coils because I've changed all 6, and I've swapped the entire engine that came with 6 more coils, and the same problem exists even with the new engine.
so if we're starting to realize it's probably not the coils, then whats our next move? I mean rx7racr already pretty much ruled out most everything else with the obd-II tests...
Are we back to thinking it could be a fuel problem, like indicated by your dancing gauge, slickismax? I know I mentioned wondering about the fuel pump, but I just had another thought too...what about a fuel pressure regulator? Could that cause this? I'm just wondering because they are operated off of vacuum, and isn't more vacuum created when you hit the gas? Idk, it just sounded good in my head.
what are you guys thinking?
actually, I guess if we wanted to test for a broken harness we could test all the wires for coils listed in the service bulletin...that could still cause the coils to fk up and replacing them wouldn't make a difference if the harness is faulty.
so if we're starting to realize it's probably not the coils, then whats our next move? I mean rx7racr already pretty much ruled out most everything else with the obd-II tests...
Are we back to thinking it could be a fuel problem, like indicated by your dancing gauge, slickismax? I know I mentioned wondering about the fuel pump, but I just had another thought too...what about a fuel pressure regulator? Could that cause this? I'm just wondering because they are operated off of vacuum, and isn't more vacuum created when you hit the gas? Idk, it just sounded good in my head.
what are you guys thinking?
actually, I guess if we wanted to test for a broken harness we could test all the wires for coils listed in the service bulletin...that could still cause the coils to fk up and replacing them wouldn't make a difference if the harness is faulty.
I don't know what the next step is. Since I've had this problem for so long, it seems that if it were caused by something about to fail, like a sensor or coil pack, that it would have finally failed by now, or at least have gotten worse. I haven't swapped the MAF, and I have one laying around, so maybe I'll do that as well just to see. I am honestly out of ideas. My last resort idea is the swap the ECU and see if that fixes it. The only one I have laying around is for an auto though, so I don't know if it would work.
Ok - - I may have made my prior comment a bit prematurely...
Two days ago, when I took my car out for a test run after taping coils 1,3 and 5, I only drove for about 5 minutes, and, even though this isn't typically enough time for the surging problem to show itself, I thought I felt a slight hesitation. Being the pessimist I am, I promptly logged on and said that taping the coils didn't work...
...well, I've driven the car about 140miles over the last two days, and made numerous attempts to produce the surging symptoms. I've gotta say, even though I'm still feeling a VERY slight decrease in power between 3-4.5k RPM's, I have not once been able to make the car surge like it's been doing for the last few months. While I'm still not convinced that the tape necessarily solved the problem, I am becoming convinced that the tape has certainly affected the symptoms. This makes me optimistic that the coils are, in fact, the issue... ...my pair of new ones should be coming within a week, and then I'll see for sure...
Ok - - I may have made my prior comment a bit prematurely...
Two days ago, when I took my car out for a test run after taping coils 1,3 and 5, I only drove for about 5 minutes, and, even though this isn't typically enough time for the surging problem to show itself, I thought I felt a slight hesitation. Being the pessimist I am, I promptly logged on and said that taping the coils didn't work...
...well, I've driven the car about 140miles over the last two days, and made numerous attempts to produce the surging symptoms. I've gotta say, even though I'm still feeling a VERY slight decrease in power between 3-4.5k RPM's, I have not once been able to make the car surge like it's been doing for the last few months. While I'm still not convinced that the tape necessarily solved the problem, I am becoming convinced that the tape has certainly affected the symptoms. This makes me optimistic that the coils are, in fact, the issue... ...my pair of new ones should be coming within a week, and then I'll see for sure...
Keep us informed. Mine is still just as bad with the tape on all 6. I'm going to try and look for my extra MAF sensor today. I have too many parts in boxes around here!
in the last 20 days since taping all six coils, I've had consistently smoother performance. Just to verify that the tape wasn't a placebo, I un-taped the rear 3 coils yesterday. the car returned to its previous behavior, with much more pronounced surging than with the tape.
SO - my e-bay coils (1 front, 1 rear style) finally showed up. I plan on cycling the new rear-coil into each position until the problem suddenly disappears (in theory).
I just installed it into the cyl#1 position, and I'll test the performance on my 60mile commute tomorrow.
Yes this is exactly what my 99 SE-L 5spd does, I'm trying the coil pack wrap thing tomorrow. Where do you tape it at, the shaft of the coil pack?
I taped pretty much everything south of the coil-body. I used overlapping winds of electrical tape and went all the way down to the spark plug boot, then back up. It used a LOT of tape, but I can say with confidence that it made a difference. I was so shocked that this worked, that after my ~20 day experiment, I removed the tape just to see if the symptoms returned - - they did.
Recommendation: tape 1 coil at a time and go driving (maybe do 1 a day). this will make it a lot easier for you to figure out which one is the problem without wasting a lot of tape.
Why waste all that tape make an extension (use an short spark plug wire) and plug one end into the coil end and the other onto the spark plug! Get a test light and attach it to the battery (-) post, then slide probe around each coilover plug assy until you find the one leaking voltage from it's tower, etc.....the car is running when you do this!
Why waste all that tape make an extension (use an short spark plug wire) and plug one end into the coil end and the other onto the spark plug! Get a test light and attach it to the battery (-) post, then slide probe around each coilover plug assy until you find the one leaking voltage from it's tower, etc.....the car is running when you do this!
That's a good idea. Having never used that kind of test light, are they sensitive enough to pick up very slight leakage? Could you post a link to an example of the kind of test light you're talking about?
I'll be back tomorrow with results of the next test: coil #3
...and it's not coil #3 either.
this leaves only coil #5 before I've gotta start considering multiple-coil failures and/or another type of malfunction altogether... fingers crossed....
I don't think a timing light would pick up voltage leaking. BUT, I'm not too familiar with the use of inductive timing lights on cars with coil-packs, so anything's possible.
After my 8/27 post, I swapped my new coil into the #5 position. By this point, I felt that I had amassed enough evidence (through all the testing/reasoning/advice above) which suggested that my problem was:
A.) due to coilpacks
B.) due to one of the rear coilpacks (1-3-5)
C.) not due to coilpacks 1 or 3...
So #5 was my last hope.
And.....
.
.
.
.
After 140 miles of driving the car (trying often to reproduce the symptoms), I have not experienced a single missfire/surge/hesitation anywhere in the RPM or Throttle ranges.
140 miles may be a little early to claim victory - but it sure seems like the problem has been cured. I intend to swap the old coilpack back into the #5 position later this week - just to see if the symptoms re-appear. If that happens, I will feel that this case is closed, and my '95 Max suffered from a bum #5 coilpack.
Many thanks to everyone who helped out with this - I greatly appreciate it!!
After my 8/27 post, I swapped my new coil into the #5 position. By this point, I felt that I had amassed enough evidence (through all the testing/reasoning/advice above) which suggested that my problem was:
A.) due to coilpacks
B.) due to one of the rear coilpacks (1-3-5)
C.) not due to coilpacks 1 or 3...
So #5 was my last hope.
And.....
.
.
.
.
After 140 miles of driving the car (trying often to reproduce the symptoms), I have not experienced a single missfire/surge/hesitation anywhere in the RPM or Throttle ranges.
140 miles may be a little early to claim victory - but it sure seems like the problem has been cured. I intend to swap the old coilpack back into the #5 position later this week - just to see if the symptoms re-appear. If that happens, I will feel that this case is closed, and my '95 Max suffered from a bum #5 coilpack.
Many thanks to everyone who helped out with this - I greatly appreciate it!!
Good to hear your problem is gone..I'm still driving around with tape on my front coil packs..my problem is 95% cured..I guess taping the rear ones are in order and if that doesn't work, ebay it is for new coil packs..
well glad to hear it. Maybe i didn't tape mine enough
I did put in a modified MAF the other day and it seemed to get worse. So I thought it was MAF related...but then I put the stocker back in and it seems the same. So maybe I'm just on crack.
Good to hear your problem is gone..I'm still driving around with tape on my front coil packs..my problem is 95% cured..I guess taping the rear ones are in order and if that doesn't work, ebay it is for new coil packs..
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