Full tune up done, and still skipping! PLEASE HELP?
ok 99 Nissan Maxima, auto, 3.0 v-6. 143k, has been skipping for along time now at first only noticeable at stop signs/lights in gear, so i would put in neutral and it would stop. Year or so ago..I replaced spark plugs with OE Platinum NGKS skipping seemed to go away for a few months. Then came back
Brought it back to shop and they said my rear valve cover gasket was leaking and that could possibly be causing the the plugs to foul or something? Well at the time i didn't have the money to fix so just let it go for months.
This past July i took it in for state inspection and apparently that valve cover gasket leak was dripping oil onto my exhaust manifold in which could create a fire so in order to get sticker needed it replaced! So had them do the job and change some other gaskets while they were in there too. Got the car back the next day still skipping. They suggested i change the plugs again at that time too but I just didn't have the extra money.
Well needless to say i drove it for 1 day after the gasket/state inspection got done and it was smoking under hood so I called the garage up that did the work and they said most likely it was oil still burning off from the gasket replacement..So i just went with it and continued driving. Day 2 BAM!!! I was getting waved over by a car in front of me driving telling me to pull over and my car was on fire!!!!!! I pulled over fire department came et etc..fire was under car..turned out to be i blew my transmission (no other damage from fire)! BUT Never had any trans problem up until like 5 minutes before i was being told my car was on fire and the problem I noticed before hand was when taking off from stop sign car was very very hesitant…like didn't want to move. but did, then 2 miles down the road fire happened. would've started before i don't know. Had towed back to same shop that had been working on it and they said my trans fluid must have been low and something inside got dry and let loose and blew a hole through transmission..so replaced trans with one from salvage yard last month 105k. So odd because like i said i had no trans issues ever just this SKIP at idle in gear at stops. So just to be extra safe I went ahead replaced spark plugs and all coils (6) coil on plug..$$FORTUNE..Also replaced fuel filter..
OK now what the heck it is still SKIPPING!!!! This skip is ONLY when at operating temperature. When cold runs great and no skip! full power! Also have noticed when taking off from stop car is a little hesitant until it hits that second gear..and honestly the longer the drive the worse the skipping and hesitation gets when taking off from stops..I don't get it???? Even been running 92 octane gas..
I have sunk so much money into this car I can't afford to be paying more shops to not figure this out. I am looking here and hoping for some ideas on what this could be im at my wits end. PLEASE HELP!!! SORRY SO LONG but figured a lot of detail would be best!
Check Engine Light is NOT on..
This car does not have spark plug wires! Its COIL on PLUG only!
Auto Salvage Ga
Filed under auto salvage ga by .
Leave a Comment
Comments on Full tune up done, and still skipping! PLEASE HELP?
7:37 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
you don't think maybe your fuel pump may be overheating? or possibly your catalytic converter? I had a similar problem when I'd come to a stop. I changed my fuel pump and the problem lessened, but after changing the catalytic converter, it went away completely.
8:02 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
Kinda sounds alot like a burnt valve.
7:44 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
Is your check engine light on?
9:41 am
Auto Salvage Ga
Have you had the spark plug wires changed also. They could be the reason why the engine is missing? Sounds to me like the garage you keep going to is taking you to the cleaners.
8:39 pm
Auto Salvage Ga
Nikki, what you have is whats called DIRECT IGNITION. Coil over plug. Skipping, is it the tranny, or the engine ? Sounds right to me that you have a vacuum leak. One of the vacuum hoses are expanded around an orifice or pipe where it attaches to. Now if the ****** skips, that might be a valve body gone bad, or you might need a new clutch disc. With all due respect miss Nikki, w/out diagnosing it, there is no clear way to tell online, whats wrong with your car dear, there are so many variables that it could be, thousands.
10:27 am
Auto Salvage Ga
Sounds like you are loosing compression on one cylinder, sure it's fine when it is cold, so is oil pressure higher, both drop as it warms up. If compression is down on one cylinder then it would skip, have a compression check done, also check your ignition coils, one could be misfiring or not at all, there are many variables.