Maxima Forums - View Single Post - #2,4,6 cylinders not working...engine swap....desperation

decus · 01-06-2009, 12:14 AM

I'll start with an apology for the long post.

I just finished swapping the VG30E/AT in my max with the same from a donor car (that had been sitting for a year, but was running before that). I replaced the front oil seals, timing belt and swapped the whole injector rail from the old engine (old engine has a blown headgasket). I did all the vac tubes and cleaned all connectors as I went.

Just finished the swap last night and started it up, rough idle/vibration on startup, but not super bad. But when under load (AC on, or put tranny into drive) the RPM's drop from 1000 to ~500 and its really rough/vibration. If I rev the engine it is smooth.

At first I was thinking IACV so I cleaned that, didn't help, so replaced it with the one of the old engine. No good.

No codes except O2 sensor.

Anyway, after a lot of checking I find that all the front cylinders (2,4,6) aren't working

I didn't check straight away because at idle it doesn't look like its running on 3 cylinders! I found this out by pulling spark plug wires, no change in engine running.

I was hoping I had just forgot to connect the front bank injectors...no suck luck. They were connected and I checked them again, all within spec (all ~12ohms). When pulling the plug wires out they spark against the case, so I'm guessing that means they are getting juice. I swapped wires and cap to check, no good.

I pulled the sparkplugs and while they weren't dripping wet you could tell (compared to the back working ones) that they had liquid on them. So I'm guessing they are getting fuel. Took a wild guess and swapped over the camshaft position sensor, no help.

Ok, so what else to check? What would cause the front bank to not work?

I'm starting to think that maybe I stuffed the timing belt change (off by a tooth or something). It’s the first time I have done one on a maxima, but I have done a timing belt on my 300zx VG30ET before. Everything lined up perfectly.

I just found that my inhibitor switch on the AT is not working, I can start the car in drive and the diagnosis doesn't run. I don't think this affects my symptoms (my idle issues happen turning the AC on as well)_, but I will fix the switch.

I'm pretty much at the end of my list of stuff to check. If no one has any ideas I'll prob pull apart the front to get to the timing belt to check ad then try swapping ECU's? Bah.

01-06-2009, 12:14 AM	#1
decus Member Join Date: Nov 2005 iTrader: (0) Posts: 60	#2,4,6 cylinders not working...engine swap....desperation I'll start with an apology for the long post. I just finished swapping the VG30E/AT in my max with the same from a donor car (that had been sitting for a year, but was running before that). I replaced the front oil seals, timing belt and swapped the whole injector rail from the old engine (old engine has a blown headgasket). I did all the vac tubes and cleaned all connectors as I went. Just finished the swap last night and started it up, rough idle/vibration on startup, but not super bad. But when under load (AC on, or put tranny into drive) the RPM's drop from 1000 to ~500 and its really rough/vibration. If I rev the engine it is smooth. At first I was thinking IACV so I cleaned that, didn't help, so replaced it with the one of the old engine. No good. No codes except O2 sensor. Anyway, after a lot of checking I find that all the front cylinders (2,4,6) aren't working I didn't check straight away because at idle it doesn't look like its running on 3 cylinders! I found this out by pulling spark plug wires, no change in engine running. I was hoping I had just forgot to connect the front bank injectors...no suck luck. They were connected and I checked them again, all within spec (all ~12ohms). When pulling the plug wires out they spark against the case, so I'm guessing that means they are getting juice. I swapped wires and cap to check, no good. I pulled the sparkplugs and while they weren't dripping wet you could tell (compared to the back working ones) that they had liquid on them. So I'm guessing they are getting fuel. Took a wild guess and swapped over the camshaft position sensor, no help. Ok, so what else to check? What would cause the front bank to not work? I'm starting to think that maybe I stuffed the timing belt change (off by a tooth or something). It’s the first time I have done one on a maxima, but I have done a timing belt on my 300zx VG30ET before. Everything lined up perfectly. I just found that my inhibitor switch on the AT is not working, I can start the car in drive and the diagnosis doesn't run. I don't think this affects my symptoms (my idle issues happen turning the AC on as well)_, but I will fix the switch. I'm pretty much at the end of my list of stuff to check. If no one has any ideas I'll prob pull apart the front to get to the timing belt to check ad then try swapping ECU's? Bah.