I have a 1985 Sentra that is causing me fits! It is 4 cyl., auto., 61,000 miles. When I bought it, it ran perfect. After a few weeks, it died all of a sudden and has slowly gotten worse. I have changed the plugs and wires, starter, new fuel pump (I heard they are notorious for that year/model) and cleaned the carb really well. In fact, I was going to have a carb kit put in, but being in the "boonies", the repair place said they didn't know how to do it since it is a carb/injector type system!
The symtoms are:
1.) It will run perfect for a few miles then start to sputter and stall.
2.) Then it will die and become hard to re-start.
3.) When it does start, it rough idles and hesitates when you try to accelerate. IF I let it sit for a while it will start and run easy then it all starts all over again!!
This is a sweet little car that was garaged and ran very little (as you can tell by the mileage. Any help would be appreciated.
One word: Distributor. Sitting is just as bad on them as over-running them. If you can get yourself a 1982-83 Sentra/Pulsar Vacuum-advance distributor or a California Sentra/Pulsar vacuum advance distributor, I'll show you how you can kill that problem...for good. Hit me back...
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One word: Distributor. Sitting is just as bad on them as over-running them. If you can get yourself a 1982-83 Sentra/Pulsar Vacuum-advance distributor or a California Sentra/Pulsar vacuum advance distributor, I'll show you how you can kill that problem...for good. Hit me back...
Would a "regular" brand new distributor do the same thing?? Along with a rotor replacement would that help? I am unfamiliar with this type of distributor....know any place I can purchase one? (to be honest, I don't know much about cars...period!)
Thanks again for your reply...I need all the help I can get.
when you replaced the pump did you replace the Fuel Filter???? If one came into the shop with symptoms like this, the Filter would be one of the FIRST things to get checked/ replaced... Just my $.02
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when you replaced the pump did you replace the Fuel Filter???? If one came into the shop with symptoms like this, the Filter would be one of the FIRST things to get checked/ replaced... Just my $.02
Yeah, I forgot to mention that I did replace the fuel filter also. It was fairly clean but I chucked it and put a new one in anyway. Thanks for the suggestion. ALL help and ideas are welcome.
im not sure if there is one on that engine but how about a idle speed control valve, or some time of idle valve or electronic sensor that gets overheated and starts to short, maybe even coil
im not sure if there is one on that engine but how about a idle speed control valve, or some time of idle valve or electronic sensor that gets overheated and starts to short, maybe even coil
Slacky,
Thanks for your reply. I will look into those. I wonder if there is a way to test them? If it only starts acting up when the engine is warm, sounds like a sensor...maybe? I also hear the Mitsubishi carbs on these are prone to problems (but you woul dthink if it was something like that, it would act up constantly instead of sporadically!?!). I feel like I am running out of options. All replies are welcomed. Thanks to all of you for your help and ideas!
well when my dads coil went, the car always shut off when the little basterd got hot, and have to wait for it too cool down to start back up , and when my idle speed control valve went , after i warmed up after 5 minutes i idled like junk and couldnt rev past 2 grand
An emmisions control problem? My e16 Pulsar did something very similar. My catalytic converter wasn't the problem though. I think the guy who fixed it said the bad part was called a pre-converter. My car would drive for about 10 minutes then run like hell, like it was being choked to death. I couldn't get it to restart until it cooled down. Then it would start right up and run great for about 10 minutes. And then the problem would start all over again.
yea.. check the egr valve if u have one see if its all full and carboned up, if it is that means uve been runnin rich and spittin out hydro carbons which messed up your cat and is now chokin ya maybe, its all possable
An emmisions control problem? My e16 Pulsar did something very similar. My catalytic converter wasn't the problem though. I think the guy who fixed it said the bad part was called a pre-converter. My car would drive for about 10 minutes then run like hell, like it was being choked to death. I couldn't get it to restart until it cooled down. Then it would start right up and run great for about 10 minutes. And then the problem would start all over again.
One other thing I have heard about is a "clog" of the fuel intake inside the fule tank. I was told (and if anyone knows if this is true..let me know) that the strainer can get clogged and have some of the same symptoms I currently have. I am going to check a repair manual to check on the EGR. Something else I have heard of is a MAP/MAF sensor. I recall reading something like it somewhere in this forum.
Thanks again, folks. I am sure to get it fixed and I will keep ya' posted. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Last edited by chugmonkey : Nov 25th, 2004 at 03:13 AM.
Reason: added erg valve comment.
Sure thing : you dont have any maf/map sensor on that 85 buddy... dont get headache check the fuel pump and sending unit. pretty sure youll find the problem.. if not, take a fuel pressure test. that thing can identify a few problems coming from the carb.
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Sentra Sport Coupe 87 Turbo
14.850@97.454mph
H&R Spring, 15psi, TMIC, 370cc, Nismo mount and pulley, Almasi tuned ecu...
Sure thing : you dont have any maf/map sensor on that 85 buddy... dont get headache check the fuel pump and sending unit. pretty sure youll find the problem.. if not, take a fuel pressure test. that thing can identify a few problems coming from the carb.
I am going to try the fuel gauge as soon as possible. Trying to get it to a repair shop is kinda tough, cuz it NEVER makes it all the way there! Sadly, most of them scratch private parts, shrug and tell me there is nothing they can do! Aggravating to say the least.
You people...fellow owners have given me a lot more to go on than I would have thought. You have been in the same boat and your ideas are helping. Thanks so much! If anything, by the time I replace all the parts, it will be a brand new motor!
In a corner crying like a small child,
Chugmonkey.
Have you tried running without your gas cap on? You know the fuel pump sucks the gas and create pressure in the gas tank. It is the reason why when you opened up your gas cap when fuelling, it will make the hissing sound. This was a problem with old VW beetle (it willl run fine until the fuel pump cant deliver anymore gas to the carb cuz of pressure build up) until they invented the spring loaded gas cap. In Ontario Canada, it is one of the first thing to check by the mech when it is being check for emmision. Try it, it will not cost you anything.
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I'm leaning towards carb problem. There's a small screen under the needle valve that tends to get clogged. Have to remove the top of the carb to get to it and it's oh so much fun getting it back together while it's on the car.
There's a sight glass on the passenger side of the carb, check that while the car is running to make sure the fuel level is in the middle of the glass. Also check it while it's running like poo to see if it's different.
If cleaning the screen, needle/seat, and float bowl doesn't improve things i'd start looking for another carb.
Your shop was wrong, it's not injected but it does have a couple solenoids. It's commonly referred to as the hopeless chokeless carb.
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check the fuel pump and sending unit. pretty sure youll find the problem.. if not, take a fuel pressure test. that thing can identify a few problems coming from the carb.
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