Hi guys. I have manual transmission rb20det in s13.
My primary problem is one cylinder will go out after I drive my car for about 20min. I've read the engine error codes, and I have a code 21 "Ignition signal". I'm thinking after the ignitor gets hot from the engine heat, it just starts missing for some reason. If I wiggle the connector for the ignition signal wires from the ECU ( blue ones ) the missing cylinder will resume firing again. Also, if I push in on the connector, or push up, the missing cylinder resumes firing as well. As soon as I let go it usually starts back missing again. Now I've read of the ignitors going bad commonly on the rb20; do you guys think this is a harness/ connector thing, or do the pins in the ignitor get fidgetty since they are 20 years old?
It's really weird how this only happens after I've been driving about 20 minutes usually. Sometimes it takes longer for the miss to happen, but the miss never happens before 20 minutes ish.
Not sure if this matters, but my car will run for about 3 seconds after I take the key out. I can see the light for the ecu glow red for these 3 seconds, then when the ecu light goes out, the car stops running. Is this normal?
Why does one cylinder go out / start missing after warm up
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DriftingisLame
- Posts: 974
- Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:41 pm
- Car: '91 240sx coupe, rb20det
I disagree, Although I have had this problem in the past and repaired it with replacing a coil, read the whole post. He said once he starts playing with a connection on the ignitor, the coil fires again. There is likely too much resistance in this connection. I'd look at the connector and the terminals on the ignitor and make sure there is good contact, dielectric (sp?) grease helps.
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rswails
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:46 pm
- Car: 1996 240SX s14 kouki conversion sr20det s14 notchtop
1992 Nissan 240SX rb20det swap
Re: Why does one cylinder go out / start missing after warm ... (rswails)
Hi guys, I fixed the problem. At first I just inspected the wire side of the connections and they looked good. Then I realized I did nothing with the terminals on the ignitor. At that point, I decided to run a round file ( 7/16" ) on the terminals of both sides of the ignitor to knock any 20 year corrosion off because the engine was in a junk yard for many years I'd guess. After that, the misfire on one cylinder was fixed! I'm happy, but I can't celebrate yet for I have many more problems to fix :-(