My car just started doing this the other day and I'm a bit lost because it seems intermittent. When I was cornering in 2nd gear at about 3300 rpms, the engine randomly paused. Didn't feel like a stall or misfire. Just like time stopped. It immediately picked up and ran fine. Today it got worse. I was driving at about 60 in 5th at 2800 rpms when I started to accelerate. At about 3000 rpms it started misfiring like crazy and wouldn't accelerate. Felt like a fuel cutoff, but wasn't. It wouldn't go past 60 due to the condition. Seems to only happen when it's warm. I'm thinking fuel pump, maf, or ecu? Anyone else experience this?
UPDATE:
It's definitely not the maf. I swapped it with my friends and the problem is still there. The car is running lean. It gets worse the more you depress the pedal. On wide open throttle, the car will crawl to 4500 rpms and just stays there like it's restricted. The plugs were brown and toasted. Fuel pressure after the filter was around 33, which is good. So now I've swapped maf and ecu plus I tested the fuel pressure and all checks out. Help me please!
S13 struggling to make power? I'm lost.
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SlidewaysPOS13
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:02 pm
- Car: 1991 240sx FB Base
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CSUPUEBLOTIM
- Posts: 742
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:45 pm
- Car: 1992 240sx Sr20det Coupe Silvia Front
Re: S13 struggling to make power? I'm lost.
whats your timing look like?
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mechanicalmoron
- Posts: 790
- Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:04 am
Re: S13 struggling to make power? I'm lost.
I'd bet anything it's not your ECU.
But, it seems plausable that it could be your o2 sensor, which you can use your ecu to check, without a consult tool.
Could also be an intermittant heat-related failure, like a distributor/plug/wire problem, where a gap opens too wide for things to work right when it warms up.
It would be odd if it was this sudden, but it could be fouled injectors. Maybe you got bad gas or something. Or maybe you have a clogged filter, and you have the pressure at idle, but it can't keep up with higher flow and pressure drops with RPM. You could try injector cleaner or seafoam or something, and let it idle a while. Or a bad fuel pump or strainer could do that same thing, and keep up pressure until flow is higher.
It's not (entirely) your tps, but you could check your tps, it does cause funny shaking, i believe it controls advance - though it generally is only noticable at lower rpm - couldn't hurt to adjust it.
Check all your plug wires to see that they have the proper ohm reading (I think it's like 37 of whatever the smallest division a standard multimeter will have, or something like that)
One thing that I've never heard of causing problems, but that could actually restrict flow, if you really think it's that, is if whatever controls the butterflies in the intake manifold failed, and they're shut no matter what your main throttle is at - if I'm understanding them properly.
But, it seems plausable that it could be your o2 sensor, which you can use your ecu to check, without a consult tool.
Could also be an intermittant heat-related failure, like a distributor/plug/wire problem, where a gap opens too wide for things to work right when it warms up.
It would be odd if it was this sudden, but it could be fouled injectors. Maybe you got bad gas or something. Or maybe you have a clogged filter, and you have the pressure at idle, but it can't keep up with higher flow and pressure drops with RPM. You could try injector cleaner or seafoam or something, and let it idle a while. Or a bad fuel pump or strainer could do that same thing, and keep up pressure until flow is higher.
It's not (entirely) your tps, but you could check your tps, it does cause funny shaking, i believe it controls advance - though it generally is only noticable at lower rpm - couldn't hurt to adjust it.
Check all your plug wires to see that they have the proper ohm reading (I think it's like 37 of whatever the smallest division a standard multimeter will have, or something like that)
One thing that I've never heard of causing problems, but that could actually restrict flow, if you really think it's that, is if whatever controls the butterflies in the intake manifold failed, and they're shut no matter what your main throttle is at - if I'm understanding them properly.
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SlidewaysPOS13
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Feb 29, 2012 12:02 pm
- Car: 1991 240sx FB Base
Re: S13 struggling to make power? I'm lost.
Haven't checked the timing yet. That's my next step.
II checked the tps today. Needs adjusted (0.649 volts closed) but it checks good and works well.
New injectors when I bought it. Filter is a clean. New plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. Also ran some extra ground wires. Took the catalytic converter out as well. I think the fuel pump theory may be correct in a different way. As in, there's no clog, but the 22 year old pump just can't give me the volume at WOT.
UPDATE: TPS is adjusted. Changed the distributor today to no avail. I'm running out of options!
II checked the tps today. Needs adjusted (0.649 volts closed) but it checks good and works well.
New injectors when I bought it. Filter is a clean. New plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. Also ran some extra ground wires. Took the catalytic converter out as well. I think the fuel pump theory may be correct in a different way. As in, there's no clog, but the 22 year old pump just can't give me the volume at WOT.
UPDATE: TPS is adjusted. Changed the distributor today to no avail. I'm running out of options!