need help BADLY for 93 240sx please read! Car runs like a slug!

[smokin240]

--Please read this, i know its long

I have a 93 240sx all stock and for months now ive been having the same problem with it. If it sits all night and i start it up the next morning it runs fine for about 5 or 10 min until it warms up. Thats when the problem starts, it starts acting extremely sluggish and i lose ALOT of power if im not between 2500rpm and 3500rpm, after that the car accelerates very slowly, like theres something pulling it back and just loses alot of power and jumps. Anyway I had a friend mechanic to look at it and he's not much on imports but he thought it was the coil that connects to the distributor cap, so he tested it with a volt meter and it tested bad, suppose to do .5 ohms resistance and its doing 1.5. So what I did was I went to the nearest junkyard and got a new coil to replace it. At the dealer its 240$, at auto zone its 160$ and I got it there for 75$. I was thinking not bad if it works but anyway I test drove it before i bought it and it wasnt it, it did the same thing!! I had a feeling that wasnt that problem. My friends next idea was the module behind the distributor cap. I have no idea how to test this to see if its bad, no idea on prices if i have to replace this, and my friend is going on vacation tomorrow morning... I wouldnt be so worried if I wasnt going from indiana to arizona in a couple days (moving).... Im afraid its not going to make it and I just want my car running like its suppose to. Please any help would be greatly apreciated, thank you for taking the time to read this!!! Feel free to ask questions, ill answer them as best as possible. anything to get my car fixed

[240sxJay]

First off like most post I answer to these types of problems "lost of power or sluggish" is lets check the maintenace on this sucker.

When was the last time you:

Changed Spark plugsChanged Spark wiresChanged Distributor Cap and RotorChanged Fuel FilterFlushed the radiatorCLEANED your injectors (most important)

How many miles does the car have and is the check engine light on?

[smokin240]

My car has 165,000 miles, the light never comes on, i put fuel injector cleaner in my car, checked the spark plugs, wires, Distributor Cap and Rotor, havent changed the fuel filter but a mechanic said its not it, and I havent flushed the radiator :-/ So im kinda confused, I dont have the money to throw out and start buying parts, and now im running out of time. I've been trying to pinpoint the problem but have had no luck so far. errrrrrrrr

[240sxJay]

Hmm, what makes the mechanic think that it's NOT the fuel filter, usually that is the culprit with loss of power. It's an inexpensive part and you can do it yourself, might as well change it and see if it helps. I remember how my car would SUCK, no power what so ever, even reving the engine harder. Changed fuel filter, badda bing badda boom, worked perfectly.

Maybe your check engine light bulb is broken? Trying testing it with and OBD I i believe since your car is a 93 , and see if it gives any codes.

Also did u check your air filter / MAF ...there might be gunk in there that is choking your car to death.

[smokin240]

no maf is free of gook but i was told you cant eyeball that? anyhow, i took it to a place where they hook it up to a computer and run tests on it. That should pinpoint the problem, hopefully its not too hard to find and if it is the fuel filter, then im gonna be kinda bummed because i probably shouldve did that earlier but my mechanic said thats probably not it....

[NISTECH]

thats probably not it. If it were the fuel filter the car would really struggle cold since it is running richer to help warm it up. try unplugging your O2 [yes it will throw a code] If your o2 is phase shifted rich it will run like that since it is constantly trying to lean it out. Disconnecting it puts it in open loop and it doesnt use the sensor to control fuel. Let the car warm up to operating temp [when it typically screws up] and drive it see if the same symptoms are present.

[smokin240]

guess what.... they found out its the MAF. DANGIT thats going to cost me friggin 600$ to replace. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[gumby]

sounds like a $600 rip-off to me

[smokin240]

i know, friggin BS

[Nitrus0nous]

600$. GEEZ. Did you try cleaning it yet again? i'd at least try before dropping 600$

[CaptainHenreh]

600 dollars for a MAFS?

Cheebus. I've got one you can HAVE. Just pay me shipping. If it works, you can keep it, if it doesn't, I'll pay you to send it back to me.

[180fan]

Damn you could have picked up a set of cams with a used mafs from a member for that much.

[Maverick7687]

I have a 93 hatch with the EXACT same problem....If I first start it in the morning and pullout of the driveway..I can lay rubber all the way up the street...but when it warms up ..it feels really laggy...like it wont rev quick enough...i have to let it rev a little before I can take off....in the mornings I can start out with the clutch and by the time it grabs the motor is at a good speed.....i dont get it.. I hope I dont have to pay $600..i will drive it like this damnit..Mav

EDIT: I picked up a can of Seafoam yesterday...im prolly gonna try to use it tomorrow....anyone have any tips on doing this?? and will I need a new O2 and plugs??

[s13sr20chris]

it sounds like a fuel control issue to me. try unplugging the o2 and see if it helps. if no, then unplug the fuel pressure regulator and see if that helps. those two things will change the fuel ratio and see if you are a little rich or a little lean. once the car is moving do you have as much power when hot? or is it just right off idle? if its just off idle you can turn up your idle to compensate.

[Maverick7687]

I dont know about smokin240..but mine is all through the revs when hot...Im gonna try unplugging those things now and see if it helps...Mav