s14 keeps chugging and dying. someone help me please. - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

rainier · 12-09-2004, 01:22 AM

well yeah on my way to san diego from irvine today my car died about 4 times on me and it was struggling half of the way there. whenever i drive a long while it always seems to start chugging really violently and then i have to let in the clutch so i dont fuck anything up. i pull off to the side of the road and wait a couple minutes and go back on the road.

i dont know what the hell is the problem. a week ago i changed out my water pump since it was leaking fluid. and when today when i got to san diego i saw some coolant leaking from somewhere too. it isnt from a loose hose or anything. its towards the front of my motor where the radiator hoses go into my engine. if someone fixes this problem for me. ill give you 100 bucks. seriously.

idlafie · 12-09-2004, 01:31 AM

Check for a vacuum leak. If you swapped out your water pump last week, then there is a possibility that one of the vacuum hoses may not have been put on properly & worked itself loose.

As for your hose leak, re-check your clamps. The clamps might be a little too far down on the hose & will only leak when the engine/coolant is hot. Try sliding the clamps a little closer to the edge of the hose.

Anyhow, hope this helps...
ID

theicecreamdan · 12-09-2004, 11:31 PM

when I replaced the waterpump on my s13 it leaked a little the first day or so, but then it stopped.

mbmbmb23 · 12-09-2004, 11:35 PM

Chugging sound like you are running on 3 cylinders. I'd check your plugs and wires, maybe change your distributor rotor and cap.

-m

psychedelicbeats · 12-10-2004, 12:34 AM

at least i think i found my problem rainer! ahahah.... if it is bogging and if u have an EGR DTC, again.... definitely have that shit looked up because there's 1. either a leak 2. too much air due to sensor 3. electrical!!! HAHA! if it's 3. you're doomed like me...

http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=68145

rainier · 12-10-2004, 01:24 AM

actually i did check my plugs and wires. and my distributor rotor and cap. theyre all bad. lol it had nothing to do with the leaking fluid. i found it out on my way home from san diego when i broke down at carlsbad. suckksss. but yeah. ill fix it tomorrow when i drive back over there

rainier · 12-12-2004, 08:21 PM

so yeah its DEAD again. and it prolly isnt FLUID. its OIL. i cant seem to find out wheres its leaking though. i jacked up the car plenty of times. and it seems to be around my alternator area. nothing higher than that. anyone ever had these problems? someone please help.

rainier · 12-12-2004, 11:18 PM

maybe its the oil pan gasket. anyone know how hard that is to replace?
also my car was throwing out the MAF ecu code. so im gonna do that next week with a new o2 sensor and see if that works.

idlafie · 12-12-2004, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainier

.... i cant seem to find out wheres its leaking though. i jacked up the car plenty of times. and it seems to be around my alternator area. .... anyone ever had these problems? someone please help.

Check your oil pressure sender unit.....it could be leaking under pressure while the motor is running.
Anyhow, hope this helps...
ID

Ritz S14 · 12-13-2004, 12:03 AM

The coolant dripping is usually just left over coolant which spilled while you were swapping out your water pump which is quite normal. Sometimes your car will run poorly if you improperly have bled your coolant system. So make sure you loosen the 10mm bolt on top of the upper raidator hose and allow all the air to be bled out.

It's pretty uncommon for an oil pan gasket to leak. When most people see their oil pan saturated in oil they're quick to say that the oil pan gasket is at fault. Which in most cases is not true. You have to trace up as high as you can and a foward(front of the car) as you can. Cause as you drive the oil will move rearward, and downward.

As ID said, check your oil pressure switch/sender. Also check your most common things such as: valve cover gasket, oil filter, drain plug, transmission area(rear main seal), and lastly your oil pan gasket.

rainier · 12-13-2004, 12:25 AM

yeah so far when i look i find it on the top front of the oil pan. where the seal is. i know this has been sealed before from the past owner of my car. but yeah it might be coming from somewhere about that but not above the water pump. it looks like a sloppy job but yeah. maybe ill take it to some mechanic. blahh. never done that before but its time for a first.

ill check the oil pressure switch but no idea where that is. lol valve cover gasket leaks a little when i go about 90+ from the top nut that bolts it on next to the spark plug wires. always have to wipe it up.

idlafie · 12-13-2004, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rainier

ill check the oil pressure switch but no idea where that is. lol

Next to & to the right of your oil filter....you'll see a one-wire lead connected to it. Easy to spot.

ID

rainier · 12-13-2004, 02:05 PM

okay so as of today the car wont even start anymore. we changed out the rotor in the distributor cap and put it the correct way back together and now it wont even start up. my dads friend which is a retired mechanic said it can be the whole distributor. and other people say it can be the MAF. i hate s14s. anyone wanna buy it like this for 3000?

Ritz S14 · 12-13-2004, 02:17 PM

Have you checked for spark and fuel?

s14 blacktop · 12-13-2004, 02:32 PM

did you replace your wires yet? cuz thats what it might be, bad connection or not strong enough current, this happened to me when I was 19, me and my dad also took the distributor apart, but it just wound up being the spark plug wires, the only thing different is that it was on my 92 prelude, but same problem, also dont wash your motor when its not at optimum temp.
hope this helps

rainier · 12-14-2004, 12:06 AM

it only does it when the motor is hot. well i dont know anymore since it doesnt start anymore.

Ritz S14 · 12-14-2004, 12:09 AM

Do you have spark?

rainier · 12-14-2004, 12:16 AM

nope. i havent even got to check out the car. its at my dads house in san diego and he cahnged out the rotor in the distributor and said it didnt start. my friends down there told me that it didnt spark either so i guess not.

rainier · 12-14-2004, 12:17 AM

the starter tries but engine doesnt go

Ritz S14 · 12-14-2004, 12:19 AM

Sounds like a module to me. Usually when the car is cold, it'll run. But once it warms up, the car will tend to poop out and/or stall. If it's really bad, it may not start at all. You may also want to check if the injectors are turning on with a noid light, if you have access to one.

Always check your fuses first.

12-09-2004, 01:22 AM	#1
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	s14 keeps chugging and dying. someone help me please. well yeah on my way to san diego from irvine today my car died about 4 times on me and it was struggling half of the way there. whenever i drive a long while it always seems to start chugging really violently and then i have to let in the clutch so i dont fuck anything up. i pull off to the side of the road and wait a couple minutes and go back on the road. i dont know what the hell is the problem. a week ago i changed out my water pump since it was leaking fluid. and when today when i got to san diego i saw some coolant leaking from somewhere too. it isnt from a loose hose or anything. its towards the front of my motor where the radiator hoses go into my engine. if someone fixes this problem for me. ill give you 100 bucks. seriously. __________________

12-09-2004, 01:31 AM	#2
idlafie Zilvia Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: ..So Cal.... Posts: 940 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Check for a vacuum leak. If you swapped out your water pump last week, then there is a possibility that one of the vacuum hoses may not have been put on properly & worked itself loose. As for your hose leak, re-check your clamps. The clamps might be a little too far down on the hose & will only leak when the engine/coolant is hot. Try sliding the clamps a little closer to the edge of the hose. Anyhow, hope this helps... ID __________________ Weekend Mechanic for my Not-So-Mechanically-Inclined buddies....

12-09-2004, 11:35 PM	#4
mbmbmb23 Zilvia Contributor Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Charlotte, NC. Posts: 1,776 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: mbmbmb23 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Chugging sound like you are running on 3 cylinders. I'd check your plugs and wires, maybe change your distributor rotor and cap. -m __________________ 400x200

12-10-2004, 01:24 AM	#6
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	actually i did check my plugs and wires. and my distributor rotor and cap. theyre all bad. lol it had nothing to do with the leaking fluid. i found it out on my way home from san diego when i broke down at carlsbad. suckksss. but yeah. ill fix it tomorrow when i drive back over there __________________

12-12-2004, 08:21 PM	#7
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	so yeah its DEAD again. and it prolly isnt FLUID. its OIL. i cant seem to find out wheres its leaking though. i jacked up the car plenty of times. and it seems to be around my alternator area. nothing higher than that. anyone ever had these problems? someone please help. __________________

12-10-2004, 12:34 AM	#5
psychedelicbeats Zilvia Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: Southern CA Age: 40 Posts: 823 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	at least i think i found my problem rainer! ahahah.... if it is bogging and if u have an EGR DTC, again.... definitely have that shit looked up because there's 1. either a leak 2. too much air due to sensor 3. electrical!!! HAHA! if it's 3. you're doomed like me... http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=68145

12-12-2004, 11:18 PM	#8
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	maybe its the oil pan gasket. anyone know how hard that is to replace? also my car was throwing out the MAF ecu code. so im gonna do that next week with a new o2 sensor and see if that works. __________________

12-13-2004, 12:03 AM	#10
Ritz S14 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: C A L I F O R N I A Age: 43 Posts: 3,586 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	The coolant dripping is usually just left over coolant which spilled while you were swapping out your water pump which is quite normal. Sometimes your car will run poorly if you improperly have bled your coolant system. So make sure you loosen the 10mm bolt on top of the upper raidator hose and allow all the air to be bled out. It's pretty uncommon for an oil pan gasket to leak. When most people see their oil pan saturated in oil they're quick to say that the oil pan gasket is at fault. Which in most cases is not true. You have to trace up as high as you can and a foward(front of the car) as you can. Cause as you drive the oil will move rearward, and downward. As ID said, check your oil pressure switch/sender. Also check your most common things such as: valve cover gasket, oil filter, drain plug, transmission area(rear main seal), and lastly your oil pan gasket.

12-13-2004, 12:25 AM	#11
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	yeah so far when i look i find it on the top front of the oil pan. where the seal is. i know this has been sealed before from the past owner of my car. but yeah it might be coming from somewhere about that but not above the water pump. it looks like a sloppy job but yeah. maybe ill take it to some mechanic. blahh. never done that before but its time for a first. ill check the oil pressure switch but no idea where that is. lol valve cover gasket leaks a little when i go about 90+ from the top nut that bolts it on next to the spark plug wires. always have to wipe it up. __________________

12-13-2004, 02:05 PM	#13
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	okay so as of today the car wont even start anymore. we changed out the rotor in the distributor cap and put it the correct way back together and now it wont even start up. my dads friend which is a retired mechanic said it can be the whole distributor. and other people say it can be the MAF. i hate s14s. anyone wanna buy it like this for 3000? __________________

12-13-2004, 02:17 PM	#14
Ritz S14 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: C A L I F O R N I A Age: 43 Posts: 3,586 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Have you checked for spark and fuel?

12-13-2004, 02:32 PM	#15
s14 blacktop Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: down south, deep south Age: 44 Posts: 274 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: s14 blacktop Feedback Score: 0 reviews	did you replace your wires yet? cuz thats what it might be, bad connection or not strong enough current, this happened to me when I was 19, me and my dad also took the distributor apart, but it just wound up being the spark plug wires, the only thing different is that it was on my 92 prelude, but same problem, also dont wash your motor when its not at optimum temp. hope this helps

12-14-2004, 12:06 AM	#16
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	it only does it when the motor is hot. well i dont know anymore since it doesnt start anymore. __________________

12-14-2004, 12:09 AM	#17
Ritz S14 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: C A L I F O R N I A Age: 43 Posts: 3,586 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Do you have spark?

12-14-2004, 12:16 AM	#18
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	nope. i havent even got to check out the car. its at my dads house in san diego and he cahnged out the rotor in the distributor and said it didnt start. my friends down there told me that it didnt spark either so i guess not. __________________

12-14-2004, 12:17 AM	#19
rainier Nissanaholic! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Diego / Santa Ana Age: 38 Posts: 2,093 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	the starter tries but engine doesnt go __________________

12-14-2004, 12:19 AM	#20
Ritz S14 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: C A L I F O R N I A Age: 43 Posts: 3,586 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Sounds like a module to me. Usually when the car is cold, it'll run. But once it warms up, the car will tend to poop out and/or stall. If it's really bad, it may not start at all. You may also want to check if the injectors are turning on with a noid light, if you have access to one. Always check your fuses first.