tdishman

Just in the past few weeks, I've noticed my car run rough, but only sometimes.

When I say "rough", I mean it feels like a piston is missing, or competing with another piston. Under normal, "smooth", operation, the engine revs up smoothly. But under "rough" conditions the engine sputters as it revs up.

Occasionally it will run rough right from the moment I start the car, but even if it starts out smooth, it will eventually turn rough after several minutes of driving.

I've already run high-quality injector cleaner through a tank of premium fuel (and to be honest the appearance of this problem coincides with using the injector cleaner). The car has new plugs & wires. I plan to replace the rotor & cap shortly.

Could these be symptoms of a timing chain that is going bad?

cheapbird

Could be. Ours ('92 Stanza) had an intermittant miss that would show up during steady interstate speeds.
It later turned into a miss that I couldn't get rid of no-matter what.
The chain guide is what goes. Ours shattered, the chain jumped, and that was that.

KA24Tech

I would check the cap and rotor for corrosion or burnt contacts. If it has been a year since your last tune up you might consider doing that with NGK plugs and Nissan parts. The fuel filter is definitely something to be done since you ran a good injector cleaner thru it tends to stir alot of gunk up in the tank.

Troy

__________________
SHIFT_Happiness
1992 S13 240SX SE Fastback KA24DE 5 spd - Type X Aero & Seibon Carbon Hood & Hatch -soon GT28RS
1993 U13 Altima SE KA24DET 5 spd w/ Nismo LSD - A high hp FWD can be fun (GT30R Turbo inside)
1990 Z32 300ZX VG30DETT 5 spd - 600HP & Very Civilized (working on twin GT28RS turbos)
Still trying to import a 1988 R31 Skyline GTS-R w/ RB20DET-R - only 800 produced (legal under show/display regs)

tdishman

Where would I find the fuel filter on this model?

KA24Tech

I think it is under the hood below the brake master cylinder.

Troy

__________________
SHIFT_Happiness
1992 S13 240SX SE Fastback KA24DE 5 spd - Type X Aero & Seibon Carbon Hood & Hatch -soon GT28RS
1993 U13 Altima SE KA24DET 5 spd w/ Nismo LSD - A high hp FWD can be fun (GT30R Turbo inside)
1990 Z32 300ZX VG30DETT 5 spd - 600HP & Very Civilized (working on twin GT28RS turbos)
Still trying to import a 1988 R31 Skyline GTS-R w/ RB20DET-R - only 800 produced (legal under show/display regs)