Car sometimes running on 3 cylinders! - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

usdm180sx · 08-19-2006, 12:44 AM

Stock ka24de with 183,xxx miles. The motor starts to sound like a subaru wrx and it feels weaker like it's running on 3 cylinders. It started acting up today and it only happens on and off but it's getting pretty frequent. I was told it was either a bad injector or no compression in one or more cylinders. I bought the car with 150,xxx miles and have changed oil every 3000 miles and filled it with 91 octane.

I checked the spark plug wires. Haven't checked the spark plugs yet but they were changed ~7-10k miles ago. No check engine light warning either.

I found this thread: http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...ight=cylinders

Sounds similar to mine except that mine happens on and off. Any other ideas or suggestions?

Edgar · 08-19-2006, 12:49 AM

Have you done a compression test yet? Change the spark plugs?

Id RaThEr DrIfT · 08-19-2006, 12:50 AM

i had a similar problem my car sounded like a wrx/ diesel truck

it was a miss fier in one of my cylinders of course i jst changed the coil pack and solved everything =-) but yeah take ur spark plugs out 1 by 1 if the car stays the same as in it still sounds the same doesnt try deing on u that means that that one aint fiering or u could just check for spark on each one ... hope that help'd out

SiI40sx · 08-19-2006, 03:45 AM

its ur injector

Id RaThEr DrIfT · 08-19-2006, 10:00 AM

or what he ^^^ said could be either or

theicecreamdan · 08-19-2006, 08:51 PM

dont pull your spark plugs while the car is running, just the wires.
If its intermittent I doubt you have a compression issue.

aznpoopy · 08-20-2006, 10:53 AM

if an injector goes out, you should start seeing a bit of smoke come out the exhaust. it'll be gas mixed with oil being burned off. smells like gas, looks a little bluish. your oil may also be contaminated. run the car and open the oil filler cap. if there's a STRONG smell of gas, it's prob an injector.

other way to check injector is to unplug it and see if it changes the idle while its running rough. or put a screwdriver against it and put the butt end against your ear. a working injector will click regularly as the car is running.

good luck.

the head · 08-21-2006, 04:08 PM

If it's intermittent it is most likely an electrical short either in a plug wire or and injector lead

fire the car up in the dark open the hood and look for arcing current from the plug wires if the injectors are firing fine. I know you stated that they were new wires but i have had bad wires out of the box before.

use tests for injectors stated above.

trybal · 08-21-2006, 04:12 PM

thats waht my car did with a screwed up injector. would do it every once in awhile on hot start, then it just started doing it when the car warmed up

usdm180sx · 08-21-2006, 04:43 PM

Thanks for all the replies. It turned out to be a bad injector on the #1 cylinder. Replaced it and now it runs fine. Thanks again

s0ldats · 08-21-2006, 10:23 PM

i figured i wouldn't start a new thread, my problems are very similar.

the last time i drove my car was last christmas, and i recently took it out of the garage. upon starting the engine shook as if running on 3 cylinders. sound was like a wrx.

this was never an intermittent problem.

in what order should i check the distributor, coil, spark plugs, wires, injectors?

also could it be bad gas?

ballr858 · 08-22-2006, 04:53 AM

i hate having bad gas.

08-19-2006, 12:49 AM	#2
Edgar Post Whore! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Indianapolis,IN Posts: 4,980 Trader Rating: (13) Feedback Score: 13 reviews	Have you done a compression test yet? Change the spark plugs? __________________ Drift Indy

08-19-2006, 12:50 AM	#3
Id RaThEr DrIfT Zilvia Addict Join Date: May 2006 Location: socal Posts: 845 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i had a similar problem my car sounded like a wrx/ diesel truck it was a miss fier in one of my cylinders of course i jst changed the coil pack and solved everything =-) but yeah take ur spark plugs out 1 by 1 if the car stays the same as in it still sounds the same doesnt try deing on u that means that that one aint fiering or u could just check for spark on each one ... hope that help'd out __________________ "WhEn SoMeOnE yOu DoNt KnOw HaTeS yOu ThAtS wHeN yOu KnOw YoUr ThE bEsT"

08-19-2006, 10:00 AM	#5
Id RaThEr DrIfT Zilvia Addict Join Date: May 2006 Location: socal Posts: 845 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	or what he ^^^ said could be either or __________________ "WhEn SoMeOnE yOu DoNt KnOw HaTeS yOu ThAtS wHeN yOu KnOw YoUr ThE bEsT"

08-21-2006, 04:08 PM	#8
the head Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: in a dark room mastering the art of typing with one hand Posts: 2,164 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	If it's intermittent it is most likely an electrical short either in a plug wire or and injector lead fire the car up in the dark open the hood and look for arcing current from the plug wires if the injectors are firing fine. I know you stated that they were new wires but i have had bad wires out of the box before. use tests for injectors stated above. __________________ I never knew you could do that with an eggplant

08-19-2006, 12:44 AM	#1
usdm180sx Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: 562 Posts: 4,807 Trader Rating: (5) Rides Gallery: usdm180sx Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Car sometimes running on 3 cylinders! Stock ka24de with 183,xxx miles. The motor starts to sound like a subaru wrx and it feels weaker like it's running on 3 cylinders. It started acting up today and it only happens on and off but it's getting pretty frequent. I was told it was either a bad injector or no compression in one or more cylinders. I bought the car with 150,xxx miles and have changed oil every 3000 miles and filled it with 91 octane. I checked the spark plug wires. Haven't checked the spark plugs yet but they were changed ~7-10k miles ago. No check engine light warning either. I found this thread: http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.p...ight=cylinders Sounds similar to mine except that mine happens on and off. Any other ideas or suggestions?

08-19-2006, 03:45 AM	#4
SiI40sx BANNED Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bass bumpin, mind trippin Age: 38 Posts: 3,394 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: SiI40sx Feedback Score: 0 reviews	its ur injector

08-20-2006, 10:53 AM	#7
aznpoopy Post Whore! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: New Jersey Age: 44 Posts: 5,013 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	if an injector goes out, you should start seeing a bit of smoke come out the exhaust. it'll be gas mixed with oil being burned off. smells like gas, looks a little bluish. your oil may also be contaminated. run the car and open the oil filler cap. if there's a STRONG smell of gas, it's prob an injector. other way to check injector is to unplug it and see if it changes the idle while its running rough. or put a screwdriver against it and put the butt end against your ear. a working injector will click regularly as the car is running. good luck.

08-21-2006, 04:12 PM	#9
trybal Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle wa Posts: 299 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	thats waht my car did with a screwed up injector. would do it every once in awhile on hot start, then it just started doing it when the car warmed up

08-21-2006, 04:43 PM	#10
usdm180sx Post Whore! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: 562 Posts: 4,807 Trader Rating: (5) Rides Gallery: usdm180sx Feedback Score: 5 reviews	Thanks for all the replies. It turned out to be a bad injector on the #1 cylinder. Replaced it and now it runs fine. Thanks again

08-21-2006, 10:23 PM	#11
s0ldats Zilvia Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: so. cal Posts: 657 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	i figured i wouldn't start a new thread, my problems are very similar. the last time i drove my car was last christmas, and i recently took it out of the garage. upon starting the engine shook as if running on 3 cylinders. sound was like a wrx. this was never an intermittent problem. in what order should i check the distributor, coil, spark plugs, wires, injectors? also could it be bad gas?

08-22-2006, 04:53 AM	#12
ballr858 Zilvia Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Diego Posts: 214 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	i hate having bad gas.