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  #1  
Old 10-28-2016, 05:05 PM
flobert flobert is offline
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1999 Altima Sedan
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 6
Default 99 stuttered, stalled, then died

earlier this week, wife was driving the car and it died out. luckily she was just arriving at walmart so she parked up.
I got there, gave it a try, it'd fire, rev great for a minute or two when cold, then died, stumbling, and then barely run at all when restarted, maybe lugging at 200rpm for 5-10 seconds, and the accelerator just hastened that.
Then it wouldn't fire at all.
There was a rich fuel smell around the engine, so I've eliminated fuel (also tried using starting fluid and nothing).

At first I thought it was the MAF, but I've pulled it, cleaned it (carb cleaner) and seems to be giving the right numbers as far as I can tell.

My diagnosis has led me to the distributor. I'd read they can have oil issues, so I pulled it out (yes, I marked timing and so on, and took photos)

In the area inside the head where it goes in, there was a bit of oil.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jidfuy3j2f...028_192655.jpg

There was also some oil all over the shaft of the distributor, but not as far as the faceplate as far as I could tell.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hd49v1tc5t...028_192801.jpg

that's the best I could do at night. as you can see, the face still has oil on it.



is this normal, and is it really the MAF sensor? I don't want to be buying parts I don't need (obviously) and I also don't want to have to bike back and forth to the parts store (this is a hilly part of GA, and its a good few miles each way)

Any help, suggestions, thoughts?

Last edited by flobert; 10-28-2016 at 05:06 PM. Reason: added additional pic
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  #2  
Old 10-29-2016, 12:51 AM
bennyb53's Avatar
bennyb53 bennyb53 is offline
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2019 Sentra
2002 Altima
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 2,105
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Is the MIL lit? If MAF issue, the MIL is illuminated and trigger a trouble code. If Camshaft issue the MIL is also illuminated with a trouble code. Try clean up the oil in the distributor and re-start. The camshaft is an integral part of the distributor. If it failed the distributor must be replaced as it is not reparable. Also inspect for worn or damaged Rotor and distributor Cap. Shop for auto parts Online like rockauto.com or Amazon, or even ebay.

Refer to Engine Control manual. Manuals are found in Knowledgebase section at the top menu tab.
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  #3  
Old 10-29-2016, 04:55 AM
flobert flobert is offline
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1999 Altima Sedan
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
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I don't have any way to read a code, else I'd have already posted it :-(

of the two options, wouldn't failure of either the MAF or the distributors sensor throw a code anyway? (it already had a small EGR code because a slight vacuum leak started on the tiny hose leaving hte bottom of the valve (today was when I was due to fix that)

I already have the manual, and the rotor doesn't look too worn
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  #4  
Old 10-29-2016, 01:24 PM
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bennyb53 bennyb53 is offline
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2002 Altima
 
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Okay you have an EGR issue. After fixing the vacuum leak, you might as well clean the egr system. You can watch videos on you tube for the procedures. When you get the car running take it to your nearest parts store and have your ECM scan for trouble codes.
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  #5  
Old 10-31-2016, 07:02 AM
flobert flobert is offline
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Ok, replaced the MAF (local salvage place had one in stock)
No change.
Here it is this morning.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cY0vrZWBwI[/YOUTUBE]

I can get a distributor later today (store had it at their other location 40 miles away) but is this more like an EGR issue?

and what's that buzzing? all I can localise is that it's in the lower part of the engine, and happens when i press the accelerator.
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  #6  
Old 10-31-2016, 06:11 PM
flobert flobert is offline
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ok, seems I jumped the gun a bit.

problem actually now seems to be in my fuel pump, specifically the wiring harness. the connector between the pump wiring to the yellow tank-top plate seems to have gone bad, and bits of the orange rubber gasket were jamming hte connectors giving only occasional contact. there's also some bits in the tank.it was running he pump for a second or two, enough to twigger my amp meter, and give enough fuel for a second or twos running, but there was no pressure, which is why it kept dying out.

I'd previously eliminated the pump because a year ago I thought the pump went bad, because it wouldn't start at all. turned out to be the relay, it was contacting enough to show voltage at the wires, but not enough to allow any current through. Then the car wouldn't start/fire at all, until the relay cooled.
I wasn't expecting an intermittent connection. I'll photos in a bit.
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  #7  
Old 11-01-2016, 03:19 PM
flobert flobert is offline
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here's the messed up connector
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yert99oi3r...F0102.png?dl=0

and here's the bits of rubber in the tank
https://www.dropbox.com/s/738uz8lwtm...F0103.JPG?dl=0

the connection would work when cold meaning the pump worked when it'd been sitting for a while. The resistance plus the lose rubber would then cause the pump to lose power, and the engine would die of fuel starvation. It gave symptoms exactly like a MAF failure, or camshaft position sensor gunking.

Cleaned the crap out the tank, made a new lead, working better than ever. Guess in the past, the resistance from the back connection was dropping the voltage seen by the pump and reducing flow.
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  #8  
Old 11-01-2016, 05:38 PM
Soapmyster Soapmyster is offline
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glad you got it figured out. What made you look there?
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  #9  
Old 11-01-2016, 05:47 PM
flobert flobert is offline
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I was hearing the pump, then I was focused on other stuff and didn't listen, then I noticed I couldn't hear it.

Worst thing? My wife said 'fuel pump' when it died on her last week. I've spent the week focusing on everything else.

Never going to hear the end of it....
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  #10  
Old 11-06-2016, 04:33 PM
Soapmyster Soapmyster is offline
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lol. Sad but true.
Will never figure out how that works
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