k9sar Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I got in the truck yesterday morning and it started and idled fine but when I dropped it into gear and hit the gas, it tried to stall out, almost like a 2-cyl when you don't have it choked enough. I feathered the pedal to keep it running and she coughed and sputtered for about 100 yards down the street until it seems to have cleared up and it ran fine all the way to work. When I came out of work at the end of the day, it did the same thing. I had to fight to keep it running but after a couple of minutes, it ran fine. It's been raining for a week or so and I wonder if that has anything to do with it, thinking that it takes a few minutes to get some heat on the engine to evaporate any condensation or whatever though I blast through puddles with no issues. Today, it did it again. I sputtered for half a block till it cleared up. thoughts? Could this be high resistance in the plug wires causing damp ones to fire to the block? Perhaps some sensor that controls the choke (is there such a thing)? It's supposed to rain heavy for the next week so there is no window to troubleshoot and diagnose it. If it's a known solution and fairly easy to do, I can get under a tarp or shove the nose in the garage but I can't screw around with trying to find the failure until the weather breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 (edited) How long has it been since you last changed your plugs/plug wires/dist cap and rotor button? If moisture gets under a dist. cap it will cause problems..so im thinking your dist cap has a bad seal or it could even be cracked? Moisture brings out the worst for electrical problem.. If its been about a year or longer id consider replacing the plugs, plug wires distributor cap and rotor button.. I'd say the best way to diagnose this as your problem is spraying WD-40 around your dist cap and plug ends, to displace the water! This is how im picturing it in my mind: Plugs and dizzy cap are wet when first started..as you go down the road, it dries them off eventually.. Puddles dont usually splash high enough to reach the plugs..i dont think, anyway..it depends on the size! As for the sensor that controls the choke..i dont think there is anything like that.. the closest thing i can think to that would be the Idle Air Control Valve.. which only controls your idle.. But i could be wrong! Just my idea, hope this helps! Edited September 7, 2011 by NissanNismoZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Leaking injector dripping into a cylinder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 I was leaning towards the plugs and wires. I can't see how moisture would get into the disty just sitting but I can pull it fairly easily and look. step 1 diagnostic would be to check the resistance of the coil and plug wires. step 2, replace plugs and wired (if needed). Looking to see if there might be something I'm missing. As for the injectors, a leak will throw a CEL so I don't think that's it. Was thinking of vacuum advance issues I used to have on older cars but I think the timing adjustment is via ECU and not vacuum controlled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverton Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Have you checked to see if you have any codes, even though the CEL is not lit, there could be a malfunction. check your MAF wiring, and clean your MAF if you have not done so recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5523Pathfinder Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 There is a TSB for stumbling/surging when cold. The repair is a new ECU. I have had my rig do something similar, but when I went to diag it, everything works fine. It hasnt done it for quite a while. Does your CEL flash at all when this happens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I was leaning towards the plugs and wires. I can't see how moisture would get into the disty just sitting but I can pull it fairly easily and look. step 1 diagnostic would be to check the resistance of the coil and plug wires. step 2, replace plugs and wired (if needed). Looking to see if there might be something I'm missing. As for the injectors, a leak will throw a CEL so I don't think that's it. Was thinking of vacuum advance issues I used to have on older cars but I think the timing adjustment is via ECU and not vacuum controlled. Yeah, checking the resistance works too.. heh. The ECU does control the timing on these, yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 You'd be amazed at how perfect your distributor cap looks, but somehow it has a tiny crack in it. I've had it happen to me about 3 times now. They have all done something similar to what you are describing, but that TSB for the cold surging seems a good bet to check too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 I can't see how moisture would get into the disty just sitting but I can pull it fairly easily and look. step 1 diagnostic would be to check the resistance of the coil and plug wires. step 2, replace plugs and wired (if needed). Looking to see if there might be something I'm missing. As for the injectors, a leak will throw a CEL so I don't think that's it. Was thinking of vacuum advance issues I used to have on older cars but I think the timing adjustment is via ECU and not vacuum controlled. Condensation. Wait a bit on the wires and wires, I doubt it is the case. You'd be amazed at how perfect your distributor cap looks, but somehow it has a tiny crack in it. I've had it happen to me about 3 times now. They have all done something similar to what you are describing, but that TSB for the cold surging seems a good bet to check too. This is fairly common, possibly by overtightening or temperature(extremes) and vibration. My first Pathy had a stumble at low rpm in first and second gear. It had lost the rotor electrode in the center of the cap and was just arcing down. It melted a nickel sized cone around the rusted spring in the center. Other than that it ran fine, I even put the cap back on and drove to the auto parts store. I'd say the best way to diagnose this as your problem is spraying WD-40 around your dist cap and plug ends, to displace the water! This alone might do it, but it will make you look at your dizzy cap... I'd also check the ecu temp sensor and TPS for resistance/function per the FSM and check the ecu for stored codes. That shouldn't take long at all. Good luck. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismothunder Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 The very first word written by the old man is my guess. It makes puuuureefect sense because it only happens after sitting for a while. As far as blasting through puddles with no issue further makes me believe its condensation, and not a cracked cap(it could very well be cracked, but not to the point were its allowing liquid in). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) I got in the truck yesterday morning and it started and idled fine but when I dropped it into gear and hit the gas, it tried to stall out, almost like a 2-cyl when you don't have it choked enough. I feathered the pedal to keep it running and she coughed and sputtered for about 100 yards down the street until it seems to have cleared up and it ran fine all the way to work. When I came out of work at the end of the day, it did the same thing. I had to fight to keep it running but after a couple of minutes, it ran fine. It's been raining for a week or so and I wonder if that has anything to do with it, thinking that it takes a few minutes to get some heat on the engine to evaporate any condensation or whatever though I blast through puddles with no issues. Today, it did it again. I sputtered for half a block till it cleared up. thoughts? Could this be high resistance in the plug wires causing damp ones to fire to the block? Perhaps some sensor that controls the choke (is there such a thing)? It's supposed to rain heavy for the next week so there is no window to troubleshoot and diagnose it. If it's a known solution and fairly easy to do, I can get under a tarp or shove the nose in the garage but I can't screw around with trying to find the failure until the weather breaks. I have been having this same issue for quite a while now. It got much better and less noticeable after I gave it a tune-up with new cap and plugs and wires, replaced the temperature sensor, cleaned the MAF, fixed the MAF wiring, and put a new O2 sensor in, which isn't very new anymore. My truck has been doing this ever since I upgraded to a new exhaust with headers and a 2.5" pipe. Chances are it's the ECU although I still have that annoying exhaust tick somewhere which I'm trying to get rid of and I think it can also be part of the problem. I didn't investigate the TPS in depth yet so that could also be an issue. The issue doesn't bother me that much as it goes away almost instantly as the truck warms up and gets to operating temperature. Before anyone says something, my codes are 5 5 which means no problems. Condensation. Wait a bit on the wires and wires, I doubt it is the case. This is fairly common, possibly by overtightening or temperature(extremes) and vibration. My first Pathy had a stumble at low rpm in first and second gear. It had lost the rotor electrode in the center of the cap and was just arcing down. It melted a nickel sized cone around the rusted spring in the center. Other than that it ran fine, I even put the cap back on and drove to the auto parts store. This alone might do it, but it will make you look at your dizzy cap... I'd also check the ecu temp sensor and TPS for resistance/function per the FSM and check the ecu for stored codes. That shouldn't take long at all. Good luck. B If it was the distributor cap then it would run crappy most of the time and not clear up this fast. Edited September 8, 2011 by Tungsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I have been having this same issue for quite a while now. It got much better and less noticeable after I gave it a tune-up with new plugs and wires, replaced the temperature sensor, cleaned the MAF, fixed the MAF wiring, and put a new O2 sensor in, which isn't very new anymore. The issue doesn't bother me that much as it goes away almost instantly as the truck warms up and gets to operating temperature. If it was the distributor cap then it would run crappy most of the time and not clear up this fast. You didn't change your dizzy cap either... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I did, that's the fun part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 I did, that's the fun part. Don't tell me you thought that was hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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