My 01 Frontier with the 3.3L V6 just turned 52,000 miles and was starting to notice lack of power and a slight miss at idle. So I tuned it up with new Nissan cap, rotor, NGK Laser platinum plugs, and NKG wires. The truck seemed to run a little better but is still lacking the power it used to have.
I'm starting to think that my Cats are no good, because I get bad sulfur smells when I get on the truck, and the truck just struggles bad going up hills and slight inclines, even when I down shift. I had this truck in the dealers-ship about 4 months ago to have them check out the Cats and the bad pinging I was getting. Their response was the cats are fine, and oil from my drop in K&N filter was messing up the Mass air Flow Sensor, and as far as the pinging goes they said to use higher than 87 octane for gas. this truck does not like 87 which I cant understand, and I'm still getting bad odor from exhaust.
Has anybody have any experience with their cats going bad, or there air flow sensor going bad? I want new cats but how can I get them if the dealer does not want to replace them. This does not seem right for a truck with only 52k on it. Do these truck have a history of any of these problems? I need something to fight with the dealer about. Any Info would be greatly appreciated!THANKS!
It's hard to say if your K&N filter really contaminated your MAF. If it were so bad as to make the truck run really bad, I'd assume the computer would notice it and turn on the check engine light. If you just dropped the filter in without oiling it (it was pre-oiled from the factory), I'd say that's probably not the problem. If you have re-oiled it and got too much on, or if you added oil right out of the box, I'd say that's certainly a possibility.
Another member here has had a converter replaced before. Take it back to the dealer and ask how they determined the cats weren't plugged. Typically, you remove the oxygen sensor and install a pressure gauge in the exhaust pipe, and that will measure the back pressure. You'd be able to tell REAL easy if the cat was plugged with a back pressure gauge. Ask to see the results of that test, which should conclude whether or not the cats are really plugged. The fuel calibration just may be way off (maybe because of oil on the MAF sensor) that the truck is running really rich. The cats will smell like rotten eggs if they're being fed a rich mixture. An excessively rich mixture can also foul the converters, so it's something you want to check quickly.
The dealer advising you that 87 octane isn't enough is hog wash. The truck was designed to run on 87 (unless it's an S/C model) and you should be able to run 87. Period. If they're giving you the run around, I'd call Nissan corporate.
Hey thanks jadcock! Yea I really feel like I'm getting the run around, so I'm just going to call Nissan corporate and see if I can get some where with this. Cause I'm sure as hell not going to buy two new cats myself at $355 each. One more thing I do want to try is the timing, I know the timing belt can stretch and cause the timing to be off sometimes. Do you happen to know what I have to diconnect to check the timing or to adjust it? Thanks!
One more thing I do want to try is the timing, I know the timing belt can stretch and cause the timing to be off sometimes. Do you happen to know what I have to diconnect to check the timing or to adjust it?
I'm not familiar enough with the newer V6 engines to tell you what to disconnect to check the timing. It's possible it could be off. Did they still use a distributor at that stage of the game? Either way, the timing belt does NOT affect spark timing. The timing belt stretching could affect the valve timing, but the spark timing is done either by a crank sensor (in a D.I.S.) or with the traditional distributor...in this case, driven off the crankshaft I think. In the old days of cams in the block with distributors driven off the end of the camshaft, a stretched timing chain could affect both valve and spark timing, but with all the engines in the Nissan trucks I understand, it's either distributorless ignition (D.I.S.) or a crank-driven distributor.
Jmeyers33, whatever it is it should be under the 5year/60k warranty. And if its emission related, i've been told that all cars have something like a 8year/80k warranty. If its the cats they have to replace them.
I'd also like to ask. I have a 95 model with the V6. Do these trucks have a cat problem? I've had mine since it had 40k miles on it and it's always had an offensive smell from the exhaust. As for power, well, it's always lacked that too, but I may just be used to a car with more power.
I'd also like to ask. I have a 95 model with the V6. Do these trucks have a cat problem? I've had mine since it had 40k miles on it and it's always had an offensive smell from the exhaust. As for power, well, it's always lacked that too, but I may just be used to a car with more power.
The presense of a foul odor by itself doesn't indicate a bad cat. If you have normal power and haven't recently failed an emissions check, the cat is probably fine. A foul smell can indicate either a bad cat, or a rich mixture, or both. How is your fuel economy?
I assume you got rid of the K&N filter? I'd switch back to the stock airbox and OEM air filter. K&N Filters have marginal gains if any, and losses if they're drawing hot air in from under the hood. Any extra air flow will tend to allow more dirt in the engine anyway, so it's a bad deal all the way around.
If you decide to keep the K&N filter, switch back to stock for your next dealership visit. It's standard operating procedure to blame an aftermarket part for any problems. In this case I actually believe that the filter oil may be your problem - but you still don't want to give them an excuse to deny your claim.
Is your MAF in the air hose leading to the throttle body? If so try unplugging and removing it from the engine and misting (not drenching) the sensor and screen with brake parts cleaner. Let it dry and reinstall. Check your throttle body for carbon and residue. A tootbrush, some rags, and some brake parts cleaner can do wonders for the throttle body too.
Heath
__________________ 1997 Nissan XE Truck - 133,000 Miles
1990 Infiniti Q45 - 91,000 Miles
2005 Infiniti G35 Sedan - 34,000 Miles
Last edited by 1997XETruck : Dec 6th, 2004 at 01:30 PM.
I do not have a K&N Air Intake on the truck I just have the replacement drop in filter that I put in back in May! I called the dealer today again and they want me to bring it in again on Friday, so I see what happens come Friday, but I have a funny feeling I'm just going to go postal on the service manager!HeHe! Thanks For the Info though!
I do not have a K&N Air Intake on the truck I just have the replacement drop in filter that I put in back in May!
I'd get an OEM filter and put in there before your visit... and clean the MAF. Like I said, "blame the aftermarket part" is an easy fix as far as they're concerned.
Heath
__________________ 1997 Nissan XE Truck - 133,000 Miles
1990 Infiniti Q45 - 91,000 Miles
2005 Infiniti G35 Sedan - 34,000 Miles
I'd get an OEM filter and put in there before your visit... and clean the MAF. Like I said, "blame the aftermarket part" is an easy fix as far as they're concerned.
Heath
I agree with him....just go to b15sentra.net and u hear from a lot of people where the nissan dealership is giving them the run around.
Alrighty then , thats what I will do before my visit on friday! Hopefully I can get some where this time! Thanks alot for all of your opinions and advice, I keep ya posted on what happens friday! Thanks again!
Just got back from the dealer this morning, The tech said there was no codes and everything checked out good and he said the cats were doing there job! The only thing that was wrong was that my timingwas advanced 3 degrees so he fixed that. He also said that a strong sulfer smell from the exhaust just means that the cats are working! So I'm just going to leave it at that I guess! LATER!
Frontier Loss of Power and bad Catalitic Conv.!
Linear Mode
