2000 Maxima- Stalls after engine warms up??!!

[meet07]

OK. I got a customer that has a 2000 Maxima that would start and run for like 2-3 minutes and cut off. I hooked up my craftmans obd2 diagnostic tool and found P1320 which is primary coil(bad coil pack). I back probed all 6 coil packs at 2500 rpm's and found one bad coil pack. I replaced that single coil pack, replaced the plugs with double platinum.

I Started the car and let it idle to see if the problem was solved. The car idled fine for about 2-3 minutes and cut off. Started it back up and it immediately dies. I could keep the engine running if I hold the revs but it was obviously running rich(black smoke from tail pipe). I checked the plugs to be sure and yes they where fouled out.

Did some research and seen that cleaning the IACV might have needed to be cleaned. So I removed the IACV, cleaned, tested according to the FSM and still the same problem. I'm not getting anymore codes.

1.Has anyone else had this problem also?
2. What else can I check

I know I can fix this just needs a little direction to save time.

Thanks

[Fezzik]

My bet is that its a bad cam sensor. it wont shoot out a code sometimes when its failing.

Replacing one coil may not do it. If those are the original coils they were notorious for going bad that Nissan replaced a lot of them> I don't remember if it was a recall or TSB on it. The new ones have a green dot on it.
bad cam sensor though. it wont shoot out a code sometimes.

[meet07]

Bad cam sensor? If tthat's the case I can see that on my obd2 scanner. See if its pulling timing at idle right? If I'm not mistaking I saw 15° at idle

[meet07]

1)will a bad O2 sensor make the car run rich like this?
2)does this year model have 2 O2 sensors?

according to the obd2 scanner I have, only one sensor is warming up

I'm rigging up a gauge to put on the return line for the regulator going back to the tank to see what the pressure is. I noticed that the Maxima has 2 fuel pressure regulators. How to you test the inbound regulator?

The manual says 50psi with key on and something like 32-36 or so at idle

[meet07]

after doing some more reading It seems that the MAF could be the problem. I mean I cleaned it with MAF cleaner but I decided to un plug the maf and start the vehicle. After doing so the car ran fine. Idled longer than before. Idle fluctuated between 1000-850 rpms but she didn't stall. Does that mean the maf is bad??

[NutriaforBreakfast]

I have had 2 MAF's go bad. Unplugging them is how I figured out they were bad

You might try to clean them first but i bet it wont work

[meet07]

Yeah cleaning the maf was one of the first things I did. And the problem was still there. I haven't called the dealership yet to price a maf but I'm sure its somewhere around $400 bucks. I seen some maf sensors(w/o the housing) for like 30-40 dollars. Has anyone tryed them?

Thanks for the feedback guys

[Fezzik]

the o2's depend on if the car was cali spec or federal spec. cali had 4 o2's
The cam sensor going bad can not throw a code.
Usually a bad maf will not cause the car to stall but go into limp mode.

[meet07]

It ended up being a bad maf. I purchased one of those cheap ones off ebay and it did the trick. The old MAF was reading something like 1.7 at idle and the new one was well below 1.0 volts

Thanks everyone

[OwnerCS]

With 2 VQ30DEs in the family I keep a spare MAF (that I pick up, clean, and run test from a salvage yard for $30) in my garage workshop for the eventual failure. If your Maxima has over 100,000 miles, since you replaced plugs with double platinum, and the original O2 sensors are still in use, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the improvement in performance and mileage new O2 sensors will bring to the VQ30DE.

I like to buy used Maximas (usually for a song) with about 150,000 miles that feel tired or are throwing a CEL code, then replace plugs with the correct double platinum NGKs, NTK O2 sensors, clean or replace the MAF, new filters, fluids, and then feel the new car like performance return to drive it for yet another 100,000+ miles.

[Fezzik]

It ended up being a bad maf. I purchased one of those cheap ones off ebay and it did the trick. The old MAF was reading something like 1.7 at idle and the new one was well below 1.0 volts

Thanks everyone

Awesome you got it figured out. yeah, Maf's are notorious for going bad on us.