br2an Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Hi. This is a problem that I posted here a few years ago without luck and thought I might try again. As stated, a 1993 SE with manual 5 spd. This is an ocassional problem that comes and goes for no apparent reason. It usually pops up if I don't drive the pathy for a few days (like when we came back after Christmas) but it has happened just by shutting off to get gas and restarting. The problem is simply that it won't rev past 2000 rpm. It feels like somebody turnes off the key but I really think the fuel injectors stop pumping any fuel. If I keep my foot on the gas pedal, it just stays dead and continues to drop rpm until it reaches idle, then perks back to life. If I depress the clutch right away it drops to idle speed and I can upshift and continue on (until it reaches 2000 rpm and same again) Codes are 55 and runs great in every other way. This happens about 4 times a year and lasts for 1 to 3 days then disappears. Unplugging battery to reset ecu sometimes works but it is so intermitant that it may not be helping. If you have ever heard of something like this happening in a Nissan (and what the fix was) post a here PLEASE. Thanks Brian (sorry for long post but not knowing even where to look is driving me nuts ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filthy Luker Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 How's yer ground? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Sounds like throttle position sensor maybe ?? Just guessing... Intermittent wiring/connector issue... Ground ?? I don't recall anyone stating this problem before... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 this sounds like an 02 or fuel filter too but the problem never just disappears.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2an Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 I've checked over the wiring as well as removing and cleaning all connections to sensors. I replaced the ground from the frame to the engine block a couple of years ago(old one was looking ratty). When I press on the gas pedal (in gear or driving) the engine accelerates up to 2000 rpm (sometimes the cutoff point is at 2200 or even 2400 rpm) then its like it shuts off, no stumble/roughness nothing! It shuts off and dies down until it hits around idle speed (800 - 1000 rpm) and presto! comes back to life. If I hold my foot on the gas the continually (say while in neutral) it just revs up to 2g back to 1g over and over. Up to 2000rpm it pulls fine in every gear. And it never cuts out completely. Lately, if it is acting up I can shut the truck off for half an hour and it might work great. Shut it off for another half hour and it might come back. This problem has been with me pretty well since I bought the truck 3 years ago. I have gone for up to 6-8 months without it happening and then one morning bang, it's back. It normally only lasts for a couple of days but has been hanging on for over a week this time. Suggestions? Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 check the throttle positioning sensor and clean up the maf one (sticky in the garage) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginc Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Check the fuel pressure first! Looks like fuel pump is going bad, or some clogging in fuel supply lines or filters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vengeful Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Sounds like what happened to Jed...his MAF went bad. Clean that up and also check the MAF grounding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vsicks Pathy Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Wipe down you coil with a damp cloth and check it for escaping spark or a crack when the car is playing up. It could even just be a carbon build up on it. If that all looks good thenit is something else. At least it cost nothing to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey.T Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 Just an odd ball idea... Usually I just go move the floor mat out of the way for the wifey, when it will only go so fast... Another possibility could be a clogged Cat and as it gets hotter it expands to a point where little to nothing is passing through.... I had this happen on a RX7 many years ago... Just another item to look at along with the MAF, throttle position senor... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 yeah, the cat.. friend of mine just had to deal with this.. very similar symptoms.. he drives a chevy and i just didn't think of it til i read the above post.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2an Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 The MAF and throttle position sensor I haven't looked at other than to remove the connectors and spray with WD-40. I can see them as possibilities. The rest of the suggestions like fuel pressure, coil, clogged cat don't seem to fit the symptoms. This thing will work great for months at a time. When it goes bad, it doesn't experience a break down in spark but a total loss of power. And it is so rpm specific it is scary. If I am driving downhill and go over 2000 rpm it feels like somebody turned off the key. I can press the gas to the floor or leave it alone no change. If I leave it in gear it will slow down (due to engine braking) until it reaches idles speed (this can take a couple minutes or more) and then kick back to life as if nothing happened. There is no backfire from a build up of fuel which makes me think the fuel is being shut off somehow. Whenever it starts acting up I usually ignore the tach gauge and try to drive normally. When the engine hits 2g and starts to die I press in the clutch and shift to a higher gear. As long as I let the rpms drop to idle between shifts somebody sitting in the passenger seat would hardly notice a problem. I think it might be the ecu shutting off the signal to the injectors and not letting it fire up until idle speed is reaches. But I don't know why. It stopped acting up a couple of days ago and I might not see this again for months to come. Makes the troubleshooting a real pain. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginc Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 (edited) Have similar problem few months before. Trouble source was clogged fuel pump intake filter. Need to open gas tank to reach the fuel pump. Edited January 10, 2006 by Ginc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest psyopper Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 The fact that it's intermittent rules out fueling problems, unless you have bad wires to the fuel pump or the fuel pump relay is going bad. My vote is for the MAS. Have a buddy with a Pathy? Or any other Nissan from that year? Swap MAF's (check the parrt numbers first). You might be surprised the range of cars that all use the same MAS, probably shares with a number of Honda's too. Intermittent problems suck. Usually they're wiring. There is more than one ground though, I think I spotted no less than three the last time I peeked under the hood of my '93. Make sure that the ground(s) have a good ground - pull them from the frame and clean ALL contact points (on the strap and the frame and washer and nut) with medium grit sand paper. Check for moisture in the connection of your MAS. DON'T clean electrical connections with WD-40, it's not a solvent even though it actls like one when you are hoping it might actually LUBE something... Use "contact cleaner" (not contacts for your eyes either!), you can get it at any reputable auto shop. It usually has an alcohol or acetone base so that it dries after it cleans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 Pull your mass airflow sensor. It takes a Philips screwdriver. Make sure the element and sensor wires are still intact, if so clean them with a q-tip and alcohol. If a wire is broken or almost-but-not-quite making contact with the base, you found your problem. Check the MAFS wiring connector for looseness or corroded contacts. Common problem, though I've never heard of a 2000 RPM cut-off so specifically. The ECU is designed to run in a "Safe Mode" under MAF or TPS failure, which limits RPM's to 2800, but not 2000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hjc Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 this is straight out of a service manual. Air flow meter malfuncution. If the air flow meter output voltage is above or below the specified value, the E.C.U senses an air flow meter malfunction, the throttle sensor substites for the air flow meter. Though air flow meter is malfunctioning, it is possible to drive the vehicle and start the engine. But engine speed will not rise more than 3,000 rpm in order to inform the driver of fail safe system operation while driving. There are more thing that start the fail safe system but most of these will give you a engine light.The fail safe system is canceled every time you turn the ignition switch off. other possibles are: crank angle sensor,E.C.U, engine temperature sensor,detonation sensor, throttle sensor.First two give you check engine light,the last three go into preset values. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2an Posted January 13, 2006 Author Share Posted January 13, 2006 O.K. Most people are pointing at the mass air flow sensor. I will follow 88pathoffroad's suggestion and remove it for a cleaning and once-over. I had been meaning to do that before just to see if it would improve gas mileage. I will also remove the connections to the TPS and clean it again (properly). When I checked the connectors previously none of them were corroded or dirty (on the inside) so I just sprayed with WD-40 and plugged back in. Just a couple of notes. It has been working great for the last week now and it may continue like that for the next 4-6-8 months. It seems if I park it for a week or so the problem will return when I start it up and may persist for a day or a week. As long as I use it every day it seems to run great. My last refill I got just under 300 miles out of a tank and that was with temps below freezing, a bit of 4-wheeling through snow and mostly in-town driving. I don't believe a cracked coil or weak spark would allow those numbers. Regarding failsafe mode, does the light always come on? And does it just keep rpm from going over 3000 or does it force the engine to drop right back to idle before reactivating the spark? Finally, I don't have a buddy with another pathfinder in that year (90-95) to quote: "Swap MAF's with". I wish I did but I may soon start looking for a parts car. The problem is so intermittent that even after a year of working good I still wouldn't be positve it was fixed. I'm out of town this weekend so I will update next week as to how the MAS cleaning turns out. Thanks for all the suggestions. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norcal200486 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 (edited) I have a similar problem. If I do a "brake stand" or try to pull up a boat ramp that fskcer bucks and kicks and cuts out at 2k. It always makes it up but damn. Also if I'm 4wheelin it cuts out and bucks at 2k. (Automatic transmission) Edited December 14, 2015 by Norcal200486 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toughroad Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Check the fuel pressure first! Looks like fuel pump is going bad, or some clogging in fuel supply lines or filters. I do agree on this. Looks like a fuel starvation problem. But I would guess it either the fuel regulator or fuel pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue109 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Had a 240sx act very similar and it was the MAF. hard to track down because it was intermittent, but finally just replaced it and it never happened again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toughroad Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 That could also be the culprit. But before anything else check the easiest and most obvious part in the engine that could be the reason of the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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