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92 nissan max trouble all around


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guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 6, 2008, 4:01 PM

Post #1 of 13 (1587 views)
92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

i have a 1992 nissan maxima gxe 3.0 sohc 267776miles. i had problems with it idleing and riding rough. i replaced the the fuel filter, fuel line from the filter to the intake, plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor button and still nothing. i took it to the nissan dealership and they replaced the #3 injector. it ran fine for about two weeks and started doing the same thing again only worse. while the car was running i could take the take the plug wires off one by one at the cap and the engine would die on #1 and #6. i got a set of injectors at the junk yard and had a buddy of mine who is a mechanic put the injectors in today. the car ran fine the 12mile trip home and the car set in the cold for about 3hrs. then i went to the store and its taking a while to start, and when it does it smokes on the start up. it also idles irratic and seems like its missing when driving. the timing was replaced at 223000miles. im getting very stressed and aggrivated. is there any hope or should i just give up on the car?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 6, 2008, 4:14 PM

Post #2 of 13 (1585 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

It's enough age and miles and who knows when to give up. Just keep things cheap at this point.

BTW - is it particularly cold where you are? It's been a long time but this does seem like good old moisture in the fuel type troubles.

If that even sounds possible try to warm whole car up, add isopropyl alchohol type dry gas, perhaps some injector cleaner and another new fuel filter and you may get past this IF it is water in fuel problem. If there's tons of water you have to dump all the fuel - not common lately for that problem,

T



guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 6, 2008, 4:23 PM

Post #3 of 13 (1582 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

it gets down in the 20s at nite here and like today it only got up to 37. i dont know if it was something he did or didnt do but watching him it seemed like he did everything right. he said the water pump may be about to go out and my brother said that the water pump on that car is linked to the timing so i dont know what the prob may be.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Dec 6, 2008, 4:51 PM

Post #4 of 13 (1579 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

The possible water = ice thing was just a thought and the attempt is cheap to try. Seems as though when fuel system was touched for anything it worked properly for a while so I wondered what would be the connection and then go bad again.

I don't think (don't know this engine that well either) that water pump is driven by any belt involved with timing. Couldn't get good info when I just looked for a diagram of the pump and procedures.



If the pump looks like that and you can see it "belt driven" by a common belt for other items it's not involved with timing. That doesn't mean it's any good but just not the immediate trouble.

Re water/moisture: I didn't think much would make it past a good fuel filter for fuel injected cars. Water used to be a bigger problem in older cars AND when no alcohol was used in fuel AND they didn't check tanks at gas stations as much as they do today. Then just plain condensation would build up water at the bottom of tanks and was harmless until it was too much.

I dunno. It was just an idea,

T



Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
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Dec 6, 2008, 4:55 PM

Post #5 of 13 (1577 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

I've run into so many Nissans with coolant temp sensor problems, that I look there whenever one is running rough after warmup. Many times, it is just a poor connection at the sensor. Other times it's the sensor itself. From what you described, I'd take a peek. The sensor tells the computer the engine temp so it knows how much fuel to deliver. A cold engine requires a rich mixture, then the computer begins leaning the mixture as the engine warms (in leiu of a choke). It is entirely possible that the CTS is telling the computer that it is much colder than it really is, thereby 'flooding' the cylinders with fuel, which could account for the smoke on startup. The used injectors should have been cleaned and resistance checked prior to installing? You may want to pull the spark plugs to see if they are wet with fuel. Good luck.
Loren
SW Washington


guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 6, 2008, 7:01 PM

Post #6 of 13 (1574 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

i appreciate everybodys help and like i say im just stressed out with this dang car and i dont know what else to do. i love it to death, its been the best car ive ever had, but maybe time to check out another one.


guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 8, 2008, 12:28 PM

Post #7 of 13 (1552 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

ok. so im not the smartest person when it comes to cars thats why im asking all you guys for help. the coolant temp sensor, i dont even know where that is. i took the car back to the guy that worked on it and he looked and looked. checked the plugs and all were fine but the #1 was completely black and smelled real bad of gas. he said that he thinks that fuel regulator that was on the whole fuel rod assembley that i got from the junk yard was bad. i dont know, what do yall think? im wondering if it may be the mass air flow sensor. the car runs fine when cold, not a problem at all, but when it warms up and i come to a stop the rpms drop to 400-500, then go back up to 1000 and back down and up till i put it back in gear and go. i have to put it in neutral and give it gas while i sit there to keep it from cutting off. i replaced the mass airflow sensor at about 230k cuz it was cutting off when you come to a stop, but i cant remeber if it was doing the idle thing then.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Dec 8, 2008, 1:51 PM

Post #8 of 13 (1551 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

Coolant temp sensor should look like this. Most right near thermostat and would have this type plug to ID it.

IF, IF, IF this is telling your puter that engine is always cold then unplugging it should make it better or worse when warmed up - brain dead today - can't recall whether better cold or hot if unplugged or see how to test it with an ohm meter belowCrazy

T



***********************
A defective ECT sensor may cause some of the following problems:
  • Hard engine starting
  • Rich or lean air/fuel ratio
  • Improper operation of emissions devices
  • Reduced fuel economy
  • Improper converter clutch lockup
  • Hesitation on acceleration
  • Engine stalling

The ECT sensor may be removed and placed in a container of water with an ohmmeter connected across the sensor terminals. A thermometer is also placed in the water. When the water is heated, the sensor should have the specified resistance at any temperature. If the sensor does not have the specified resistance, replace the sensor.



Specifications of an ECT temperature sensor.



guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 9, 2008, 2:32 PM

Post #9 of 13 (1534 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

ok... so i found and disconnected the ect sensor. it made the car idle higher upon warm up but once the car warmed up, it seemed like it was idleing at normal rpm and pretty much no missfire. i didnt drive it, but put it in gear with my foot on the brake and the rpms dropped some, but did not try to cut off like it has been doing. the fans stay on constantly but i guess with it disconnected that they will? so im guessing that this was the problem?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Dec 9, 2008, 2:35 PM

Post #10 of 13 (1531 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In


Sure makes it worth a try with that,

T



Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

Dec 9, 2008, 5:32 PM

Post #11 of 13 (1522 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

Don't leave it disconnected! Either repair the connection or replace the sensor, whichever is the problem.
Loren
SW Washington


guitarlamario
Novice

Dec 12, 2008, 10:57 AM

Post #12 of 13 (1515 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

well, i replaced the coolant temp sensor and nothing. starts a lil better but once hot still real bad idle with popping from the exaust and if in gear at a stop it tries its hardest to stall and sometimes does, even in neutral. im really to a point where i dont know what to do.


Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

Dec 12, 2008, 2:29 PM

Post #13 of 13 (1506 views)
Re: 92 nissan max trouble all around Sign In

Of course I can't be certain, but your symptoms sound like it is still overfueling. Might be time to have diagnostics run. Overfueling is very harmful, can damage the catalytic converter (even plug it), and fuel can wind up in the crankcase, dilluting the oil. Sorry can't be of more help.
Loren
SW Washington






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