TravellerTN

Hey all

Searched around and have tried several fixes but no luck yet. Figured I'd plea for some help.

99 Max, 163,xxx miles.

Car has 2 symptoms that may or may not be related.

1. Car has bad trouble starting when it is at operating temp or warm and it also smells of gas when it finally does kick over. Takes 10-15 cranks to start.

2. Car runs real rough, mis-fires and has no low end to it. Idle also fluctuates at a stop. Sometimes dipping down to 400 and back up to 900. White puffs from the exhaust as well.

Only CEL light I have seen is for random misfire. Will have codes checked again tomorrow.

I know these are common problems, but I've tried lots of solutions and had no luck so please don't bang me for not searching for old posts.

So far here is what I have done..

New ECTS
6 New Coil Packs
4 New Spark plugs (had trouble getting the last 2 out)
1 New Camshaft position sensor
1 New Crankshaft position sensor pos
Cleaned and metered Crankshaft position sensor ref
1 New fuel pressure regulator
1 New fuel filter
1 New air filter
Cleaned PCV
1 New Knock sensor
"listened" to all fuel injectors with a long screwdriver and all appear to be running

I'm kinda stumped at this point. And bloody knuckled as well from that damn knock sensor.

Any ideas would be more than welcome as this is getting annoying as well as my gas mileage is succccccking.

Thanks all!

johnnymack43

have you checked your cel. I would check some threads out about reading the error codes. sounds like a bad sensor somewhere

hornepirate

iTrader: (23)

I would try to replace those two spark plugs at least...

have you tested your Fuel pressure regulator? just a thought but they maybe going out. When mine died i had trouble starting when warm.

TravellerTN

Already replaced it. No change.

Thanks though.

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Have you tried cleaning your IACV?

TLMNICK

iTrader: (1)

Since you have a 99, check your "security" light on the dash to see if its on solid when you're cranking. If it is, then you have an issue there. The car isn't seeing the proper transponder.

I would also recommend doing all you can to replace those two last plugs that you couldn't get out before. IF they're really that difficult to remove then they can't be good.

If you haven't checked already, I'd check the MAF too. 4th gens have a tendency to lose their ground signal for some reason, and it causes the engine to freak out....and it doesn't always throw a code for it.

SandyMax96

iTrader: (12)

I do hope you check your cel, but I am not trying to sound like a D*ck, but I want you to tell me that you have a P1320, which would be the "jackpot" code, but I can bet you that it's one of your injectors!

Are you wasting gas like there is no tomorrow? Heavy gas smell from the bay and inside the cabin? White thick smoke putting heavily from the exhaust?

If those are your symptoms, it's either that one of your injectors that's gone back, or, if you're lucky, one of the injector clips is broken and it's flooding your system, in which case you'd have to get some from the junkyard or create your own so that the o-ring that sits on the end of the injector doesn't slide down when it sprays. Another thing could be the fuel rail damper, which is a big, thick o-ring that sits inside of the fuel rail, but it's where the injectors go through.


Those are just my guesses and I really hope you fix it. It's a biatch to do, but I've already done it about 5 times. Ask me anything in regards to fixing it if it is your problem, and I'll be more than glad to hand out any advice or how-to's by pm dude

cashoit

Sounds like an air issue to me man. bad MAF or bad iacy. Clean both per how tos. Test both per FSM.

TravellerTN

Just drove car for about 30 min.

Came home and pulled the 4 easily accessible spark plugs and found no gas fowling the plugs.

Metered front 3 fuel injectors and all checked out fine at 12.8 ohms.

Any suggestions on what to do next??

On a side note, the spark plug in 3 seems to be stuck. When I slide my socket down to grab it, it just spins, like there is nothing there for the socket to grab. Not sure how to handle that....

THanks all.

tigersharkdude

iTrader: (20)

^^The plug or head could be stripped, hence why the spark plug wont come out

what brand coil packs do you have? I hope you bought OEM coil packs

DBear

Are you sure you're not leaking vacuum somewhere?

cashoit

damn how the fawk does that happen.

That is one of my worst fears with doin plugs

ADROX

shine a flashlight down there to see if it's stripped out or possibly broken but that doesn't sound good and would bet the problem would be in one of those plugs. might just have a bunch of crap down in there. know it shouldn't but ya won't know till ya look.

tigersharkdude

iTrader: (20)

Same. I so hate changing spark plugs for this reason

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

Unplug the MAF and run the engine, check for the puffs and bad idle.

Hell remove the whole damn air intake.

When the idle bucks down, stand under the hood, see if anything else changes (EG. Fans coming on etc.)

Also turn off all accessories while testing (No radio, no A/C, no lights, no nuffin).

TravellerTN

Checked MAF via manual. All meters out ok more or less. Although the manual says that under acceleration the MAF should jump up to 3.0v it only got up to about 2.5.

Can see the sparkplug in there but can't see if it is stripped. It's the one thats been in the car when I bought it and was running fine for the first few months I had the car, till my current problems started.

Not even sure if the warm start problem and the rough running are related.

Ugh.

pflicht

iTrader: (2)

Happened to me. Same symptoms. Clips broke and was dumping fuel into a couple cylinders. Replaced clips now all is well. U can get replacement clips (20qty) off ebay for 9 bucks rushed shipping

TravellerTN

is there anyway to confirm a leaky injector/broken clip and then which one it is?

I pulled the easily accessible sparkplugs and saw no signs of fuel on them.

I'd hate to pull the whole manifold off to get to the injectors and find out nothing is wrong.

Thanks again.

njmaxseltd

iTrader: (19)

The broken pintle cap on the injector doesn't cause it to dump fuel.
You'll have a misfire.
More detail on the puff of smoke??

ChrisMan287

iTrader: (34)

Have you tried cleaning or at least testing your IACV yet?

TravellerTN

Cleaning and testing the IACV will be the next step although I'm not hopeful.

Puff of smoke only happened once that I've noticed. Although the exhaust does come out in a Put-put-put-put sound.

Still crappy mileage, strong smell of fuel. Errattic idle sometimes, sometimes it's rock solid. Occasional misfiring, loss of low end torque and hard hard warm starting.

BrooklynCyclone

If the plugs are spinning pull it out with the magnet thingamajig,perplexing situation though,gotta change those last two plugs and go from there...gl

SandyMax96

iTrader: (12)

Not true. I was missing ALL 6 of them. It was shaking like a muthar! I made some out of my old 00VI pintle ones and it worked.

And again OP, I'm really hesitant to it being that same thing. The injectors could test good with the voltmeter, but if you're getting a lot of fuel smell, the super sluggish drivability, and white smoke, well, let me ask this also now that I thought about it, are you also getting raw fuel coming out of the exhaust? I wasted a whole half a tank driving that way for only 30 miles... Ask my buddy pandamax, and he can vouch for it


The only way to check the injectors to see if they're missing the caps is by taking off only the UIM, and loosening the fuel rail without losing any grommets, spacers, o-rings into the valves, cause then you're !@#%^$. If they're not at the bottom of the injectors, and the o-ring they have has slid down to nearly the bottom, it's that. I can bet you %100 that it's that same issue which I've already experienced 3 times through trial and error.

TravellerTN

Anyone have any photos identifying these parts? Pintle etc.

May dive in and pull off the UIM this weekend. Need to know exactly what I'm looking for and then what to do about it?

Thanks all!

ADROX

there's a write up on the UIM in here somewhere with pics but not sure about the injector issue.

SandyMax96

iTrader: (12)

http://forums.maxima.org/3rd-generat...ntle-caps.html

That's the thread here on the org for where to buy the pintle caps and any other o-ring part for the injector.

http://injector-rehab.com/shop/Nissa...intle-Cap.html

This is the thread for the parts, and shows the breakdown diagram of the injector. The last piece that hangs at the bottom of the injector is what I'm hoping is your problem. I'll take pics of another fuel rail setup and post them up later on today to give you a guide of what you should look for when you're taking off the UIM.

TravellerTN

Awesome. Thats kinda my question...

I pull the UIM....then what? What do I need to look for/test??

Don't have time to do it tonight but would it help to pull the front 3 injectors to test them? It looks like I can get to them without pulling the UIM off??

TravellerTN

Another quick and telling update.

Pulled codes via the flashing CEL light trick...

"Fault in primary ignition circuit"

Guessing that explains my starting issues??? Any ideas???


AND....


"Fuel injection system running lean (left bank)"

The question is
....whats causing it? Since ive been smelling gas i would think it was tunning rich???

Thanks again all.

BTW...cleaned IACV today and checkrd via fsm....metering high....37ohms instead of 30. Cleaned and reinstalled.

ADROX

"Fuel injection system running lean (left bank)"


was only getting about 19mpg and had the 0210 code. replaced my front o2 sensor and fixed that. the one closest to the radiator. hadn't checked the mpg but definately an increase in miles per tank afterwards.

imaking133

check this vacuum hose to see if its cracked on either end

TravellerTN

Interesting....im wondering if a bad O2 sensor would cause that error AND give me yhe gas smell...

Thinking the primary ignitio fault means new ignition??

TravellerTN

Backprobed and checked O2 sensor per FSM. FSM shows that at temp it should fluctuate between .1 and .9 volts.......actual reading holds steady at about .555.

Bad O2 sensor???

Is there just the front and rear one on a 1999? I hear mentions of all sorts of left front right front etc etc. Manual only lists front (pre cat) and secondary (post cat)

Thanks everyone!

TravellerTN

Alrigh, changed upstream O2 sensor....

Car now puffs white smoke from exhaust.

WTF....shoot me.

ADROX

you replace the one at the very front? it's hard to see. I believe my car (98) has 3 total. you have to take the plastic guards off to see it. it's only about 12 from the radiator.
as far as the smoke, I have no clue why it would make it smoke. mine ran fine except for the gas mileage. I had forgot but I also did find a small hose that was cracked and taped that up. It's possible the lean code could be caused by the fuel problem that you're having as well as the smoke.

TravellerTN

I replaced the upstream one on the downpipe before the cat. It's weird, the FSM only mentions 2 (upstream and downstream) doesnt mention left or right or anything.

Gonna give the MAF another cleaning next, but other than that I'm out of ideas. Gonna have to take it to the garage I guess

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

Try resetting your ECU. SOmetimes over time it has adapted to all sorts of problems and once your fix those problems a reset can help it run real smooth. For the 02's you must check if your car is a cali or fed spec. Go into the FAQS and there is the vin decoder for you to find out. All engine directions are given as if you are facing the engine from the drivers side so left is radiator side and right is firewall side. Bank 1 is the sensor on the y-pipe right behind the radiator and the sensor is right there(bank 1 sensor 1) the other upstream is on the y-pipe as well but is on the firewall side(bank 2 sensor 1). Then you have the post cat sensor(bank 1 sensor 2). These are for fed spec like my car the Cali spec have 1 more sensor I believe. The puff puff could be a mis-fire as well or your IACV going bad

gregkal123

hey bud try seafoaming your car, it will get all the gunk out

TravellerTN

That was the first thing I tried when I started having issues.

Will reset ECU and see if it helps.

Last time i pulled the codes I got

"bank one running lean"
"random misfire"
"Primary ignition fault"

Ugh.....chasing my tail is exhausting lol.

Reallyslowrio

seems youre straying away from this problem. I put a socket down into one of the holes on mine and it just spun also. Looked down in there and part of the coil boot had torn off down there, preventing me from getting to the nut portion of the thread.

TravellerTN

Strayed away a bit yes. I would think if the plug were a problem i would get a cylynder 3 missfire code instead of a random one.

Looked down there and dont see a torn boot. It looks just like the other plugs do.

Running a bit better after O2 sensot change though still hard starting when warmed up.

Will clean maf and reset codes tomorrow.