chud

I've had my 95 pickup (4 cylinder, 5 spd, no options) for about 2 weeks and have been doing some basic maintenance on it. I've changed the oil, tranny fluid, diff fluid, pcv valve, fuel filter, air filter, and breather. I was hoping doing those things would make it run a little better, but it hasn't helped. The truck has a rough idle and dies often when I come to a stop or even slow down. It seems like it's stalling more and more often. It also vibrates pretty bad at idle.

Anybody have any advice on things I can do to fix this?

The previous owner said he just recently changed the spark plugs, by the way.


Thanks for any help,
Richard

 

Sannis

I'll try to help you out if I can, you changed the fuel filter, and air filter, have you checked the engine idle speed?

The timing could be off as well. The EGR valve could be bad as well. I've heard that if there's a vacuum leak or if the valve is bad, it will cause erratic idle. But eliminate timing, and idle adjustment first. Worst case, it could be the TPS (throttle posisition sensor). That cost me $300 at the repair shop a few years ago to have replaced. For what it's worth, I hope this helps out...

chud

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to test the idle speed and timing then. Do you know how to check idle speed if I don't have a tach?


Thanks,
Richard

aaronford

It is very possible that he f***ed up the plugs. Check to see if he installed the right plugs and connected the wires properly before you go adjusting anything. Good Luck, but trust no ones work but your own.

__________________
Aaron Ford
95 2WD Nissan PU E
2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue GX
"The hard part about playing chicken is knowing when to flinch" Scott Glenn in The Hunt for Red October

chud

aaronford: thanks. i'll check that first. hope that's it.

 

chud

Two and a half years since I first posted this and I still have the problem. It's gotten more severe over the last month and I'm now determined to figure it out. The truck stalls at red lights and coasting off freeway ramps. Idle is very rough. But it runs fine going down the highway. I've done all the maintenance stuff I know of. I've read a few posts here where a similar problem ended up being a loose ground. Where are some of the body grounds that I can check?

Thanks for any help with this.

dvdswanson

do you have a CEL on?

__________________
Dave
96 4WD XE Reg. Cab ka24e
Calmini 3" SL, Steering, Lock-rite rear, LSD front

chud

No Check Engine Light on.

dvdswanson

are you getting any clatter from the valves? have you checked for a vacuum leak? check the plug wires to see if they are breaking down also.

__________________
Dave
96 4WD XE Reg. Cab ka24e
Calmini 3" SL, Steering, Lock-rite rear, LSD front

chud

I don't hear any valve clatter. Don't think there's a vacuum leak; I've checked for that several times. I put new plug wires on it.

It's strange. Yesterday it was running extremely rough under highway RPM"S and stalling at every stop. Today it didn't stall once and ran smoothly. It'll run ok for weeks then start acting up again.

Any other ideas?

 

SXM Nissan

I have the same 1995 Nissan 2.4L and exactly the same problem. Here is how I fix it, however the fix only lasts about a week.

First let me describe the part of the engine that I work on:
On the passenger side of the carburetor (or what used to be called a carburetor before fuel injection) and slightly below it look for a black vacuum tube that comes out from under carburetor.

The tube is connected to a round plastic disc with a diameter of about 1.5" and about 0.5" thick. I believe that the "disc" is a one way valve? A tube on the other side of the one way valve is connected to a black plastic cylinder that sits on the fire wall. I have no idea at all what this tube and one way valve are or what they do.

And now here is what I do to temporarily repair the Stalling and rough idle problem:

After taking CAREFULL NOTE of the direction that the one way valve is installed, I remove it and then blow and suck through it. I then reinstall the valve and the engine will run perfectly for about a week, sometimes two. Now as you remove the valve you will hear a vacuum reservoir sucking air in. Maybe allowing this to happen is something to do with the cure?

So why have I not simply replaced the one way valve you ask? Well I live on the island of St Maarten and nothing is that easy here. If you have easy access to parts and you do replace the one way valve (it is a simple plastic device and I am guessing that it will be inexpensive) I would love to hear how it works out for you.

If any of the more technical members of the forum can give an opinion on what is going on here, or what the piece is that I am tampering with that would also be great.

chud

I think that piece you're talking about is just called a vacuum check valve. It keeps the vacuum flowing in one direction. I took mine off and blew and sucked air through it this weekend like you said.

One thing on mine is when I lift up on the air filter assembly, the engine starts stumbling and stalls just like it does at idle sometimes. I don't think it should do that. Does yours do that to? Could somebody whose truck is running good tell me if theirs stalls when you lift up a little on the air filter plastic assembly? I don't even take the wingnuts off the top - just give it a little upward pressure and it starts running terribly and eventually stalls.

SXM Nissan

Chud, did the truck change in performance after you had removed and reinstalled the vacuum check valve?

chud

So far the truck hasn't stalled on me this week. It's running much better. I can't say for sure that playing with that check valve made the difference since I tinkered with a bunch of other things too. I'm still investigating the problem. Let me know if you find anything else out.

SXM Nissan

have a replacement check valve on order and will let you know if this cures the problem permanently. (Orders for parts on the island take a week to a month to come in.)