01' I30 stalls/turn off when on idle

[S13dg3]

Regarding the stalling when warm, I had the exact same problem with my Aussie release Maxima, (I30 equivalent). Took it in to an auto-electrical engineer who took apart the circuit boards and found dry solder joints. I can't find his work report at the moment to give you the exact components, but after it was fixed, the old Maxy purred

[loystock]

Most likely the MAF (Mass Airf Flow) sensor. Cleaning it in most cases will fix the issue. However, internal problem (poor connection, cold solder, cracked board) in most cases will not turn on the CEL. Tapping the MAF housing with the engine running and listening for engine response can at times indicate internal problem. Detailed testing of the output signal and related wiring (to ECM) with a multimeter, better with an oscilloscope, will typically show the problem.

[FLAi30T]

hey was just wondering how many miles were on the car when problem started?

[axd1152]

Well, I haven't had chance to fix the two CEL codes I had(P0446 and P01320), but now I got the third one which is P0301 Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected . Also, now my car(in fact my engine) started shaking pretty bad, so I think it is now time have that fixed first. I would assume that the shaking is because of Misfiring of the cylinder which in its turn is because coil #1 should be replaced(maybe some other ones as well).

So, considering that I have these three codes(P0446, P01320, P0301) and my car is shaking when I start/drive it(by the way for some reason it sometimes doesn't shake and behaves well) is coil replacement the best and the most right solution to the shakes?

[newbissan-tech]

on another note ive also had one that did the dying incedent when cold and it ended up being a upper plenum gasket that was leaking when cold, once the car warmed up the metals expanded and sealed up the vacuum leak! just a suggestion!

[loystock]

So you have been driving the car in that condition for more than a month now. You have been given detailed instructions before to address your problems but looks like you haven't done anything. Unless you do something about it, you may have to say goodbye to your car.

Ignition Coil for Cylinder 1 is located in Bank 1, close to the firewall. pax side. It's on top of the engine (LH corner when facing it). Disconnect the connector (push in the green part to release the latch then pull it out). Then remove the mounting screw (better use a socket instead of a Philips screwdriver). Replacing this coil should not take you more than 5 minutes. However, it would be better to check the condition of the spark plug. If the plugs have more than 90K miles in them, it would be better to replace them all.

[axd1152]

So you have been driving the car in that condition for more than a month now. You have been given detailed instructions before to address your problems but looks like you haven't done anything. Unless you do something about it, you may have to say goodbye to your car.

Ignition Coil for Cylinder 1 is located in Bank 1, close to the firewall. pax side. It's on top of the engine (LH corner when facing it). Disconnect the connector (push in the green part to release the latch then pull it out). Then remove the mounting screw (better use a socket instead of a Philips screwdriver). Replacing this coil should not take you more than 5 minutes. However, it would be better to check the condition of the spark plug. If the plugs have more than 90K miles in them, it would be better to replace them all.

Yes, unfortunately my attempt in following the instructions was not successful, so I just have up on doing it myself, and I haven't had chance to get a mechanic get it fixed. Because, the one I usually brought the car to said he can't do such things as coil replacement.

I just often times don't understand some of the terms you are using here, and don't even know where to look for specific areas you are mentioning.(Also, English is not my first language)

It would be much more clear for me if the instructions were on a video or at least in images, so that I would know where all the things you are talking about are located. Otherwise, I will probably have to print all your suggestions and take them to a mechanic who will do the job for me.

When you said the car might die, which problem were you referring to? All of them or which particular one is the most dangerous that I will have to fix immediately?(I would assume its the coil problem)

P.SSo, I found a video on youtube(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-iM5_C9Vh0 )for 4th gen maxima coil replacement. So, the coil is the plastic stick that sits on top of the spark plugs? If that is what is I can definitely replace it myself because I have replaced the spark plugs myself on my previous car. Can I buy coils at Advanced Auto parts or Pepboys or Autozone(by the way which one of them has a better quality?) When I go to the register in the store what do I ask for?(coil or coil pack? what's the exact term) Also, should I buy spark plugs there as well as long as they are not from Bosch brand? Should I replace all the coils and spark plugs or just the one on the 1st cyclinder?

Also, is it easy to remove the engine cover?
Modified by axd1152 at 8:08 AM 2/12/2010

[loystock]

If your mechanic does not know how to replace ignition coild stay away from him as he can do more damage to your car. Find a reputable shop or get referral from a friend.

Replace Ignition Coil #1. I have already given you the instruction and even the YouTube video shows it. It's at the Rear Bank (Bank 1 for Cylinders 1-3-5). You don't even have to remove the front engine cover as this is for Bank 2 (Front, for Cylinders 2-4-6). The Ignition coils for the Rear (Bank 1) have straight connectors while the Ignition Coil for the Front (Bank 2( have angled connectors.. So you need one with STRAIGHT CONNECTOR.

I buy OEM parts as much as I could. It's your choice where to buy the parts. But the fact that you are troubleshooting, it may get complicated with aftermarket parts.

The Ignition Coil at Autozone is @ $65 while discounted price from IoS (Infinti of Scottsdale) - infinitipartsUSA.com is $78 (MSRP @ $104). The OEM spark plugs, PFR5G-11, is $8.25 at IoS (MSRP $ 11). You can buy these OEM parts from Nissan/Infiniti dealership near you but you may have to pay MSRP. Cheaper OEM plugs can be bought from NGK.com, a.k.a. "sparkplugs.com."

[axd1152]

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE REPLY AND YOUR HELP!!!!

Since I am cheap, I just went to Advanced Auto Parts, and bought some of these spark plugs: http://shop.advanceautoparts.c...74___ They also had NGK ones, should I go and exchange those for NGK plugs?

My mechanic knows how to replace coils, but he doesn't know how to test them for failure. So what he advised me is to go and buy all 6 coils from a junk yard. I was like But, then I thought about that and called couple of junk yards, and one of them had the coils from maxima. So, I will buy them tomorrow.(What would be a fair price to pay for a used one? The initial price they gave me was $50 and I said them that you could buy them new for 60 from advanced auto parts, and then they said that they will sell it for $40, and this whole thing was over the phone, so I assume that when I go there tomorrow in person I would be able to lower the price to $30 or should I ask for even a cheaper price?)

Now to the good part . I went ahead and tried replacing one spark plug just to see if I still could do that. And I did it So, I now can replace all the spark plugs. But I wasn't able to disconnect the harness wire from the coils yet, do you just pull them out or anything special you have to do there? So basically I will be able to change the plugs, and coils. I know for sure that I need to replace coil for the 1st cylinder because of the code P0301. So, hopefully that will take care of that code. But troubleshooting of P01320 suggests that I need to check all the coils, which means that I will have to somehow check all the coils for defect. One of the mechanic shops that I called said that they can do that for $42. Should I do that or should I just replace the cylinder 1 coil?Also, since I am replacing spark plugs, should I replace spark wires as well?(I don't know how to do that yet, is it easy?) How many of them should I buy, the Advanced Auto Parts guy got me confused about that, he said he has them for $33 and I that I need 3 of them. But then he said I need one per bank, and I have 2 banks, so that got me confused.

So, basically the question comes to should I just replace the spark plugs and coil #1 myself and save the money I would pay to mechanic to do that. OR Should I give the mechanic $50 to check the coils and put on the spark plug wires(and I will replace the spark plugs/and then the coils myself while he is going to be doing testing of coils), which mean I will spend money on any other defected coils and spark wires.

[loystock]

Did you even read my last post? It says "replace Ignition Coil #1." In the 2nd to the last post, I told you how to disconnect the ignition coil plug. If you're lucky, when coil #1 is replaced, it may get rid of P1320 (since P301 is cylinder-specific while 1320 is a generic misfire).

For Nissan/Infiniti cars, recommended plugs are by NGK. Denso is mainly for Toyotas. Denso may work. How good/bad, I don't know.

Your car is equipped with DIS (Distributor-less Ignition System). As the name implies, there is NO DISTRIBUTOR and therefore NO SPARK PLUG WIRES.

I don't know what you are trying to accomplish by buying a used coil with UNKNOWN STATUS. Common sense dictates that you must first have a KNOWN GOOD COIL to install in cylinder 1. Since you have P1320, the other coils are questionable. You need a brand new one, preferably OEM. Once code P301 is fixed, then you can use this KNOWN GOOD COIL to swap with other coils for T/S purposes, if P1320 persisted. And if you want, you can then get that used coil in place of the KNOWN GOOD COIL and see if the used one is good or not.

[axd1152]

Yes, I read your previous post, I just thought that 1320 generic misfire means that some other coils could have gone bad as well. It looks like the more I read, try doing this things, and watch youtube videos about that the more I learn and the more comfortable I become with all the terms that you were using.(I didn't understand more than half of the instructions you were giving, and now it all starts making sense, so thank you for your patience)

Now, there is another good news! My friend has a multimeter(ohm meter) that he knows how to use, so he will be able to help me out with the testing tomorrow! Just wanted to verify actions to be taken testing the coils and ask more detailed questions:1-So, once I remove the wire that goes to the coil, I will see three pins on the coil. So, I will just check the resistance plugging one end of the ohm meter to the 2nd pin and the other end to the 3rd pin, and 0 ohms will indicate a bad coil. Do I need to have the car started to do this or do I have to have ignition switch on or the car should be completely turned of?

2-Next, Voltage measuring(for this step I need to have ignition on). I hope that friend's multimeter can do this as well. So, I will just measure Voltage in pin three of the wire that goes to the coil for the required voltage. If all of them read right I'll go to next step, if some of them are reading bad, then I will get back and post here.

3-So, if voltemeter read correct voltage for all coil wires, then Quote »Start the car and check the CONTROL signal from the ECM. Each Pin 3 (striped wire) should read an average of @ 0.2VDC (200 mV) w.r.t. chassis GROUND. If not, bad wiring or signal from ECM. The presence of this voltage also indicates the crankshaft position sensor is working. Again, an oscilloscope, if available, will give a better display of 'firing' signal from the ECM.[/quote]Now, how do I check CONTROL signal from ECM, where is ECM? Which Pin 3 should read that voltage?

So, since my friend has the ohm meter, I now can go and buy those used coils and test them using the ohm meter, right? So buying a used one should be relatively safe now with the ohm meter And I am so glad that I don't need to buy Spark Wires So this whole repair work might come down to around $50 if only one coil needs to be replaced! That's damn cheap!Thank you!

P.S. I will exchange the spark plugs to NGK tomorrow. I hope my gas milleage will go up after replacing the spark plugs, because it was just horrible, about 16mpg.

[loystock]

If your friend knows how to use a multimeter, a.k.a. VOM (Volt-Ohm-Meterm he should know that for resistance or continuity testing, power must be off (Ignition OFF). For voltage testing, power must be on (Ignition ON).

You have a copy of the FSM. Print page EC-509 and EC-510 so he will know the wiring connections and how test each pin.

A reading of 0-ohm across Pins 2 and 3 of the coil (NPN power transistor portion) indicates a BAD coil (short circuit between Base and Emitter of power transistor). However, a reading other than zero does not necessarily mean the coil is good. That is why you need a KNOWN GOOD COIL for comparison.

The ECM is the brain of the car. It processes the signals from various sensors and meters the fuel and control ignition timing to achieve target speed/RPM. It is usually located behind the audio console, close to the accelerator or the glove box. Refer to the FSM for actual location and connector numbering.

[axd1152]

Ok, I DID IT!!!!

Replaced all 6 spark plugs!(I got NGK instead of the one I previously bought) and coil #1!!! (I ended up buying brand new one from PepBoys for 60 - 10 Coupon I had = $50 + tax)Took me like three hours outside in the snow to do that

I also tested all the coils with ohm meter, but I am not sure what these numbers mean.Can you elaborate more on that, please?

Coil 1: 1408 ohmsCoil 3: 1514 ohmsCoil 5: 1490 ohms

Coil 2: 1460 ohmsCoil 4: 1372 ohmsCoil 6: 1534 ohms

When I originally tested the brand new one at home it showed 1534ohms, but when I tested it again outside, it showed 1434. I don't know why.

I didn't test the voltage on the pins yet, I will do that next time, was too tired to do that now.

I had the CEL reset and then drove couple of miles, and the CEL came back up very quickly. So, I think that is the P0440 which caused such a quick CEL light back on. I will drive another week or so and then have the CEL checked again at Autozone, and will have my fingers crossed by then.


Modified by axd1152 at 4:38 PM 2/13/2010

[loystock]

A 0 resistance indicates a totally dead coil (short circuit/crippled). A resistance reading on a transistor (base-emitter) may vary, depending on it's condition (just like a man can walk but not necessarily run). On components with PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient), like copper wire, the resistance goes up at higher temp and goes down at lower temp.

Don't wait! Have the car scanned again to make sure the P301 and P1320 are gone. If P301 is gone but P1320 still exists, you can use the KNOWN GOOD COIL and move it around (swap with other coils) to identify other 'weak' coils. Better mark the new coil so you don't get confused later on.

[axd1152]

Hmmm..the reason I said I will check the CEL code in week is because I was told that you have to put some mileage on a car after CEL was reset to get all the codes showing up again. So, that is why I thought that even if I check CEL now, and the error might not show up just yet until I drive about 200 miles or so(that's what I was told). Or is that an incorrect information?

Another thing is how do I use the known good coil to identify the not working ones?
Modified by axd1152 at 2:38 PM 2/14/2010

[loystock]

If there is a HARD FAULT (real/existing problem), the ECM will detect it and store a fault code, and if applicable, turn on the CEL.

It's different for INTERMITTENT FAULT (problem that comes on and off). A failing O2 sensor may throw a fault code and turn on the CEL but once reset may take a while to trigger the CEL again. A dirty/failing MAF sensor may or may not throw a fault code.

If 0P301 and P1320 are gone, then the misfire problem is fixed and no further action is needed. You can then look into your EVAP and transmission issues. However, if P1320 still exists, misfire is still there so you may have engine hesitation off and on. You need another KNOWN GOOD COIL and move it around. At this time, Cylinder #4 Coil is a likely candidate due to its low resistance reading.

Isolating a failing ignition coil is a time consuming process that is why most mechanics would rather replace all of them at the same time. This may be too expensive for your current situation.

Another method to isolate a faulty cylinder (due to coil/plug/injector) is to perform a Power Balance Test. The basic idea is that a multi-cylinder engine (4/6/8/10/12 cylinders) must have each cylinder contributing an equal amount of power/torque to the overall output of the engine. If one goes out (as when ignition or fuel injector is disabled) then the engine RPM/output goes down and may cause the engine to stall or shake. For example, if a cylinder is GOOD, disconnecting its ignition coil will cause the RPM/output to go down. If the cylinder is BAD or barely functioning, disconnecting the coil will not cause any change in RPM/output (since it's dead). Some shops have diagnostic tool that can even detect subtle changes in RPM/output when a cylinder is deliberately disabled.

[axd1152]

Oh Yeah,

Just came from Autozone, and guess what? No more P0301 and P1320. Yahoooo! (I hope it won't come back after a while)

But now there is only two of P0446 left, which I am gonna look at during this weekend then.

As of right now, I am more worried about transmission. So, I started calling local shops to see how much they charge for transmission oil flush/drain/refill. And unexpectedly to me, I found a really good price for that at the local Delta sonic. They said that a full flush costs 99.99(but they don't do it to cars with a mileage more than 100k, which mine is close to 150 now), and the drain/refill is only 49.99!!! I asked how they do that, and they said that they suck 95% of the oil using vacuum and refill it with new oil. So, the whole thing is done only once. They also said they don't even unscrew the oil pan, and that they don't replace filters because they don't have gaskets, but they said if the filter is external they can change it. I assume that we probably have an internal filter which is under that oil pan. They also said they do drain/refill to about 30 cars a week.

What do you think, should I do that for just 50 bucks?(Assuming that if I do it myself I will spend almost the same amount just for the oil + it's winter now, I wouldn't be able to go under the car to do that) I will take the list of the transmission oil that you listed as recommended to see if they have it.

Also what are the chances that the transmission oil change will solve the problem with shifting(gear slipping) ? I mean that the gear always slips when I press the gas hard when going from gear 1 to 2, so I assume that it is most luckily a mechanical problem rather than a bad oil problem. So, I know oil change wouldn't hurt, but if I am selling the car in a year or so, then if the transmission oil change doesn't solve the problem, may I just should add some oil to the transmission(which I think I need to put in some oil) and save the money($50)?
Modified by axd1152 at 2:42 PM 2/16/2010

[axd1152]

Hey, where are you?

I was going to do transmission oil change, but was waiting for you response regarding my previous post before doing that.
Modified by axd1152 at 12:46 PM 2/17/2010

[loystock]

Congratulations for being able to fix the ignition problem.

If there is no record of previous ATF flush, most shop will refuse to do a flush due to liability issue (the flushing chemical may free up so much gunk that can make the transmission worse).

If the internal transmission filter is dirty, replacing the fluid will not help you much since there is restriction in the ATF flow. You need to do a pan drop, clean the pan, magnets and check the condition of the ATF filter. If it is dirty (most likely if no previous service was done), it must be replaced. You can buy a Transmission Service Kit from IoS - infinitipartsUSA.com. The kit comes with gasket, filter and crush washer for the drain plug and the price is 25% off MSRP. You can also get it from a Nissan dealership.

The bolts (21 ea) for the pan are supposedly one-time use (with thread locker) but other members have re-used them without any problem. It is the filter that can be problematic - mounting bolts have different lengths (take note as each bolt is taken out) and one of them is a NUT (watch out for this nut and make sure you loosen it properly).

Make sure you have the correct level of ATF before doing a pan drop or drain. Always refill with the exact amount of fluid drained. An under/over-serviced transmission can be problematic. You only measure the level with the engine warm and running.

I normally use OEM fluid from Nissan. Your car needs Nissan Matic-D. But you can use Dexron III (discontinued by GM) or the newer and better Dexron VI or the more expensive Mobil 1 ATF. Since you said you are cheap, you can buy ATF from Walmart (SuperTech or something?). You may need @ 15 quarts of ATF to ensure enough to cover the pan drop and multiple drain and refill. A pan drop may drain @ 5 quarts. A simple drain (from drain plug) may get you 3-4 quarts.

After the pan drop, restore everything, add the required amount of ATF then then run the engine for @ 100 seconds while shifting gears. Stop engine and immediately drain and refill . Repeat engine run, drain and refill sequence until the transmission fluid is like new (pinkish red). This may take 3-4 series of drain and refill. The multiple drain and refill is similar but not identical to ATF flush. At the end of the drain and refill, add a bottle of LubeGard Red (not black) ATF Protectant. New ATF + LubeGard will improve the performance of your transmission.

[axd1152]

Thanks,Then I will hold off for transy oil drain/refill till it becomes warmer.