Runs rough at idle, no power up high?

LiquidCache · 04-22-2004, 09:22 PM

Well, ever since I put the motor in this car i've had a problem with it running rough at idle. Up to about 1500rpm. Anywhere after that, it screams and sounds great. I've replaced plugs. Wires cap and rotor are fine. Checked and double checked everything i can think of. The damn thing just won't idle worth a shit. It won't die though. It just idles rough as hell. Rough enough to get the car to shake when i'm sitting at a stop light.

My other little problem is this. I put a can of seafoam through it. did it per the instructions. I only noticed the power decrease after I did this. Below 3krpm it seems fine. After that, it almost seems like the clutch is slipping, but it isn't. My foot's to the floor, and the car accelerates, but hardly goes anywhere! The speedo rises, but VERY slowly. I went to pass a Camry today and It took FOREVER! Fuel filter's new as well.

One odd thing I did notice when I was messing with it today, the car seems to run a Teeny bit better with the O2 sensor unplugged. I'll pick a new one ASAP if someone thinks that could be it.

Ugh! I just want this thing to idle well! :-/

masterbunta · 04-23-2004, 03:27 AM

Its funny how people dont realize that carbon on the pistons gives you slighty higher compression and makes the car feel stronger. People think that it horsepower in a can, hahaha. Using that stuff changes all the settings in the car for idle. If you can imagion that over the years the car has changed slightly to adjust for the carbon buildup everywhere. Then you go and take all that away, so now everything is out of adjustment, this happens all the time. I would never use that stuff.

But to answer your question, your 02 is fine as long as it changes the cars performance, but maybe that seafoan stuff jacked the 02.

Check all the basics, plugs, wires, cap, rotor. Adjust the idle and timing as per instrustions from nissian, under the hood it will tell you.

Still problems, do a compression test to make sure all is well: warm engine, cut fuel, turn over with throttle open untill needle stops.

The idle control is your next target, you need an FSM for this. good luck