I'm lost.......

[rsmithdrift]

Alright, I have pretty much given my car a complete and utter tune up (not going to list agian what all I have done) and now I have a new problem.

When the car is cold, or still warming up a bit, I have a HUGE, I MEAN MASSIVE, UNBELEIVABLE, MAKES THE CAR STALL AT 2k RPM, STUMBLE. It occasionally does it below half throttle, but I mean if I do go to half throttle, or let out the clutch too fast it just plane shuts off on me. It'll give you whip lash it jerks so hard. And it does it repeatedly, like you go to half throttle at 2.5k and it'll start dieing, then launch forward, then slow down, then launch again. Mind you this is all while holding the throttle steady at about half.

When it's warmed up occasionally it'll give a just noticable flutter at around 2-3k rpm and the idle is always at 900. It also seems to be always down on power, especially in 1st-3rd gears. It's like it pulls harder in 4th and 5th than it does in 2nd.

I just don't know what it's problem is. I've looked and looked and looked and cleaned every electrical connection and checked every hose for vacuum leaks and cleaned/replaced everything I could think of.

What is this cars problem?? Are there vac lines I don't know about?? Is there a sensor I should check/replace?? It has a new 02 and clean maf. I've never checked the ignition timing, could that cause this??

I'm just lost. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN.

[Chezedik]

The car is going into limp home mode. That is what is causing the condition after 2.5K. On the ones before OBD 2 there were only a few things that could cause that. One of them is a bad MAFS. The others are coolant temp, TPS, and Ignition switch (FSM EF & EC-26) Sounds to me like a bad coolant temp sensor. I have one I am selling if you would like. Also, I have the FSM I could email to you, or you can download it from NICO if you can find the sticky.

[rsmithdrift]

How hard of a job is the coolant temp sensor?? When I was looking for the cause of the failing the emissions test I got the o2 and coolant temp sensors priced and the 02 was $17 and the coolant sensor was $12.

I replaced the o2 and that's what made it pass emissions.

Aren't there two coolant temp sensors on these cars?? One for the gauge and one for the ecu? The gauge works so I know it's not that one.

[Chezedik]

One is just a sender. The one with the red bosch connector end is the coolant temp sensor. It is just a matter of wrenching it out, putting the new one in. Removing the coolant bleed bolt, and topping off coolant. Don't forget I will sell mine for much less than 17.

[rsmithdrift]

And adding to my confusion.........

I got in it today and started it up on this 24* morning and let it run for only a minute before driving off and it ran perfect. I even got on it and ran it to 4.5k to see what would happen and it had more power than normall and didn't have any problems. It then idled at 700 after it got fully warmed up (whitch it should, just normally doesn't) and had all of it's power.

So.................... loose wire somewhere???

Erm....... How much did you say you were going to sell that temp sensor for? Because all the autoparts stores around here have the wrong part and only the dealerships have it for like $40 or something stupid like that.
Modified by rsmithdrift at 3:55 PM 2/10/2006

[Chezedik]

Definately you should include an inspection and maybe even continuity test of the suspected parts of the harness. Have you ran codes yet? Do you have the FSM?

[Chezedik]

5 bux plus ship, here is the link of all the stuff I am selling.

zerothread?id=158018

[hazw8st]

Bump back on top.....

[Chezedik]

You know it bumps when I post too.

[rsmithdrift]

I haven't run codes off of it yet and I can't figure out how to get the damn ecu out of it's little hole to get to the mode selector.

I have a chiltons, but not a factory manual and I've found the sticky.

I cleaned all the connections again and tightened up a couple of them and it got the car a tiny bit smoother, but it still goes crazy untill it's warmed up. My 0-60 a few minutes ago was 8.1 seconds (hand held stopwatch ) so it's not too down on power, but it drives like a turd untill it gets up to temp. That's why I can't stop thinking that coolant sensor is the problem.

[youngmanvr4]

If you haven't already pull codes, its easy.

It sounds like you are for sure going into safe mode or limp mode rather. I doubt its ingition timing but it never hurts to check it out.

Having a bad reading on the MAFS, TPS, Coolant temp senser or ignition switch and make the ECU going into fail-safe mode which will trigger the Fuel injectors, IAVC-AAC valve, or Malfunction lamp.

Outline, The fail-safe system make the engine starting possible if their is something malfunctioning in the ECM C.P.U. circuit. In former models, engine starting was difficult under the perviously menitoned conditions. But with the provisions in this fail-safe system, it is possible to start the engine.

Fail-safe system activating condition when ECM is malfunctioning, The fail-safe mode operates when computing function of the ECM is judged to be malfunctioning. When the fail-safe system activates, i.e. if a malfunction condition is detected in the C.P.U of the ECM, the malfunction indicator lamp (check engine light) turns on.

Engine control with fail-safe system operates when ECM is mulfunctioning, When the fail-safe system is operating, fuel injection, ignition timing, and so on are controlled under certain limitations.

Cancellation of fail-safe system when ECM is malfunctioning, Activation of the fail-safe system is canceled each time the ignition switch is turned off. The system is reactivating conditions are satified after turning the ignition switch from off to on.

Mass Air Flow Sensor Malfunction, If the mass air flow sensor output voltage is below the specified value when the starter switch is being turned off, The ECM senses an mass air flow senser malfunction. In the case of a maltfunction, the fuel injectors operates without the mass air flow sensor. Altought the mass air flow sensor is malfunctioning, it is possible to start the engine and drive the vehicle. But engine speeds will not rise more than 2,400 RPM in order to inform the driver of the fail-safe system operation while driving.

Engine Coolant temperature sensor malfunction, When the engine coolant temp sensor output voltage is below or above the specified value, engine coolant temp is fixed at the preset value.

Starting: 40c Running: 80c

Throttle Position sensor malfunction, When the throttle position sensor output voltage is below or above the specified value, the throttle position is fixed at a specified value. In this condition, the ECM doesn't on use the TPS output. The closed TPS is decided by mass air flow sensor, crankshaft position sensor output signals.

While idling you will have low engine speeds.While accelerating you will have poor acceleration.

How to pull codes, Find the ECU on the passenger side on passenger wall under the glove box. Take the trim peices off to get find it. Their will be 2 bolts you have to take off, one of the top and one of the bottom. On the front facing side of the ECU you will see a bulb/L.E.D. Next to it you will see a place you can put a screw driver in and turn. On the same side it will tell you which way to turn and all. But just in case yours doesn't, Turn ignition switch to on (not start but on) Turn diagnositic test mode selector on ECM fully clockwise. Wait for 2 seconds, Then turn selector fully counter clockwise. Then it should start blinking, I'll explain blinking codes later. After you get the codes turn fully clockwise, wait for 2 seconds, then turn fully counter clockwise. Then bolt even thing back up.

In the OBD test mode a trouble code is indicated by the number of flashes from the red L.E.D. Long (0.6 seconds) blinking indicates the number of ten digets and short (0.3 seconds) indicates the number of single digets. So if you had code 13 it would be long blink, short blink, short blink, short blink. The codes will cycle through if you have more than one code. If you only have one code then it will just repeat over and over.

It is best to drive the car for a good 5-10 minute before you pull code to make sure you get all of the codes you might get under your normal drving. After you get back from driving its a good idea to NOT turn the igniton switch off all the way, just simply turn it to on. When I pull codes I get the ECM out and ready to read then go drive that way you dont have to wait and have the chance of resetting the ECU.

Then come back to us and tell us what you got. If you showed code 55 (5 long 0.6 second blinks and 5 short 0.3 second blinks) then your good to go. In other words your ECM is not getting and malfunction.

I hope this helps. Nate
Modified by youngmanvr4 at 8:06 PM 2/10/2006

[Chezedik]

I would have to go look at the FSM, but if that isn't in it, that is almost worthy of a write-up. He is telling you what I did, but in so many more, better, word. Thank you, VR4. Oh, and get a Nissan j/k.

[youngmanvr4]

Some of that was copied from FSM and some of my own words. All to make it pretty clearly understandable.

Some one can sticky my post if they want. I dont really care. I know people are having fail-safe problems, so maybe a sticky wouldn't be a bad thing to add.

Nick, you know Justin in Pittsburg? He has a black 240. I'm the one who bought his high compresion KA engine when he swapped in his SR.
Modified by youngmanvr4 at 12:49 PM 2/11/2006

[Chezedik]

I know of him, I am a friend of his roomate, but somehow I have never been introduced. I hear good things about his car though. How do you like the motor?

[youngmanvr4]

Not to hi jack the thread but I love the engine. It took me a month to get it running right after I put it in. Which is a long story, but its why I know what I know about the fail-safe system; becuase I spent a month just researching the fail-safe system and why I didn't have power.

Ok, I'll explain, it started out with putting the engine in (SOHC to DOHC with no engine in to start with) and a the auto to 5-spd swap. Overall the install went pretty good. But when I started it up for the first time it didn't seem like it was runnin right, but I didn't know how it should run since I only had a header at the time and never even drove a 240. So I took it out for a drive for the first time and I think my 0-60 was 2 minutes. It was horrible, it idled bad, could accerelate worth a crap, just felt pretty bad. So I spent the next month trying to figure things out. I checked everything from all of the fail-safe system to the ohms on the injectors to make sure they were ok. I checked the input and output on the MAFS and the TPS. Check fuel pressure and fuel pump. The list goes on and on. So finally I decided to check the timing. Before I did I though I'd check the spark plugs, then I got the idea of checking the spark plug wires when I pulled the plugs. This is what I got

1 goes to 1,2 goes to 3,3 goes to 2, 4 goes to 4.

So in short I was running on only 2 cylinders for a month lol. I felt so stupid!!! What had happened is when I picked up the engine the spart plug wires were hanging out, it was like 8 pm and it was dark so I just simply put the wires back in for the trip home. Now when I put the engine in I never thought about checking to make sure I had the wires in the right places, I had to many other things I was working on as you anyone can guess doing a swap. So a simple fix that wasn't so simple lol. I laugh at it now.

Just to add to it all it didn't have power steering for 2 months and a half months. It ended up that the guy I bought the PS pump from sent a bad pump. But the guy was super understanding and sent another pump for free, no shipping charge at all. But I tell you what, I know alot about that PS system lol. But I'm super happy with the engine, it made the 1,800 mile trip from Kansas to Cali so the project was a success. No problem spinning the wheels and getting sideways, the Kaaz 2-way lsd helps too

Again sorry to hi jack the thread.

[Chezedik]

If you are interested I am selling an exhaust cam, check it out on the link above.