My j30 is driving sluggish

[j30lady]

Hi
MY 1993 J30 is driving a sluggish. It has 153K miles. I just got it. The previous owner serviced the car at the dealer 90% of the time. I have been on several sites about j30's. Here is what the car does. From start it strains as if it's not getting power, I am going to get a tune up this week. The transmission is very good as to it was replaced at 82K. Is this simply a tune-up issue or Is this a fuel injection issue ? Please help. Everyone here has reaaly good incite about j30's. This excellent. I am pleased to be here. Your thoughts?

[j30lady]

Originally Posted by j30lady

Hi
MY 1993 J30 is driving a sluggish. It has 153K miles. I just got it. The previous owner serviced the car at the dealer 90% of the time. I have been on several sites about j30's. Here is what the car does. From start it strains as if it's not getting power, I am going to get a tune up this week. The transmission is very good as to it was replaced at 82K. Is this simply a tune-up issue or Is this a fuel injection issue ? Please help. Everyone here has reaaly good incite about j30's. This excellent. I am pleased to be here. Your thoughts?

If this was a fuel injection problem would the check engine light be displayed?

Someone please respond I am desperate. Lady in distress, I want to have an idea what the problem is before I go spending.

The check engine is not is not on. I hear this a good thing.

Please advise

[Nahkapohjola]

Originally Posted by j30lady

If this was a fuel injection problem would the check engine light be displayed?

Someone please respond I am desperate. Lady in distress, I want to have an idea what the problem is before I go spending.

The check engine is not is not on. I hear this a good thing.

Please advise

J30 - but nissan maxima J30 perspective:

- You should have service records, if not, ask prev owner
- if ignition system not serviced in four yrs, replace distr cap (if any), wirings, plugs. Use ngk wires, sparkplugs. do this anyway.
(Some engines have coilpacks instead. Expensive. It is possible sometimes to clean them and re-insulate with self vulcanizing rubber tape.)

Next week: Did it help?

If not, go first to dealer that others trust:
- Ask for diagnostics only, then quotation. Do not leave the car there immediately, only if desperate... You get some kinda description: ask with that info other quotations.

Throw dice and select best (not always cheapest)

Fuel injection is only one of multiple possibilities, quite expensive. So do not directly swallow that. MAF airflow sensor is also veery expensive, if thats the problem, search the net... but typically the engine almost dies if its broken. Maybe its oxygen sensor: If they tell O2 sensor is the reason, juts let them change it. (few other sensors still...)

Anyway, get at least two opinions with price.

If by miracle u want to touch the car by uself, read this: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/14

Have a nice day!

[Nahkapohjola]

Originally Posted by j30lady

Please advise

And btw: ask for any used spares for yourself, show interest in them (throw off later), tell them I want to inspect them as I come back from abroad... And thats true: I live in scandinavia

There's a real (minor) danger that you end up paying new injectors, but others will get em. So take a look how they look...

[ashleywat]

can you describe what you mean when you say strain? Does the car move, shift fine, hesitate, miss, does it idle smooth. Give me some more symptoms and I will give you some possibilities

[j30lady]

Hi All,
Here is an update, I took my car to the dealer. It was the transmission. It is slipping from 1 to 2nd gear. The mechanis at the dealer says he thinks it could be a worn band. Well he gave his buddy's phone number whom which owns a tranny shop. I am taking it to Him next week. Overall they say the other stuff looked fine.

Can you guys believe that!!! the tranny only had 70K miles.

[Nahkapohjola]

Originally Posted by j30lady

Hi All,
Can you guys believe that!!! the tranny only had 70K miles.

No, I cant. Sometimes its so, maybe it has been overloaded, oil level low? Take the tranny oil stick out and tell me what is the color? Red or blk? If red, can beleive even less...

Its true that worn tranny bands will affect like that, but still the bands are actuated by solenoids. These are electrically powered - if they are energy-starved, they will not work properly.

There is a real possibility, that these solenoids lack the proper voltage to these coils. The voltage can be -MUST in this case- measured before further. Its easy. Those who cannot do it, well tell them to have a nice day...
I had quite significant (not on par your level!) slippage which was all because of oxidized connectors. Check the web page I mentioned.

Normally: surgeons are eager to cut u pieces to fix u better, even if all is ok, tranny people want to swap u a tranny, even if all is...

Pretty good chance u end in a trannyshop. Shop for trannyshops, dont go to first one, ask references.



----------------------------------------------------
One thing to check out if not worn band -make sure!

On many cars with problematic solenoid valves (those in question) there are service packs where one does not need to swap tranny. Based on good (not worn) band.

See if for your car exist such service pack: www.txchange.com

[j30lady]

Originally Posted by Nahkapohjola

No, I cant. Sometimes its so, maybe it has been overloaded, oil level low? Take the tranny oil stick out and tell me what is the color? Red or blk? If red, can beleive even less...

Its true that worn tranny bands will affect like that, but still the bands are actuated by solenoids. These are electrically powered - if they are energy-starved, they will not work properly.

There is a real possibility, that these solenoids lack the proper voltage to these coils. The voltage can be -MUST in this case- measured before further. Its easy. Those who cannot do it, well tell them to have a nice day...
I had quite significant (not on par your level!) slippage which was all because of oxidized connectors. Check the web page I mentioned.

Normally: surgeons are eager to cut u pieces to fix u better, even if all is ok, tranny people want to swap u a tranny, even if all is...

Pretty good chance u end in a trannyshop. Shop for trannyshops, dont go to first one, ask references.



----------------------------------------------------
One thing to check out if not worn band -make sure!

On many cars with problematic solenoid valves (those in question) there are service packs where one does not need to swap tranny. Based on good (not worn) band.

See if for your car exist such service pack: www.txchange.com

The tranny oil is red. If this is the solenoids how much does that cost to repair? I called the tranny shop that the mechanic recommended he says I need to bring it by for him to do a free diagnostic. The mechanic says he pretty honest. Is there anything I can do to determine if this is the solenoids. I've seen trannys go in other cars. Never have I ever seen a transmission go and have red fluid. That usually means nothing is broken inside of the tranny. Your diagnosis sounds correct. When it drives it feels like it is not getting any power somewhere. Does not feel like other slipping trannys I felt, all which had broken parts in the tranny.

[Nahkapohjola]

Originally Posted by j30lady

The tranny oil is red.
Is there anything I can do to determine if this is the solenoids.
Never have I ever seen a transmission go and have red fluid.

I think theres the possibility of low voltage at the solenoids. Nissan (like others) have shaved the wirings to absolute minimum, cost cutting. When age added, things oxidize causing resistance increase all over systems (not mileage dependent). The autotranny solenoid power comes via computer, has long wirings.

If tranny innards happens to be ok, what could be the possibilities:

1.
Now I am absolutely no autotranny specialist, but electronis yes. Have had my 60k maxima for two years, and had the veeery slooow change, which was corrected on wirings/connector cleaning. [now why would 60k granpas maxima tranny slip???? Absolutely not burned...] I tried to illustrate that on my web page, not every connector pin (thousands?) but the principals. The minimum one can do without real knowledge, is move each connector a bit to scrape oxidation. I would seek the tranny computer box and open its connector, put back [battery first off]. Maximas box location for it is here: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/15
The correction would be:
1a.cleaning all wirings, connectors, especially general supply &tranny related
1b. checking general voltage and if they are still low, replacing alternator (and ? battery).
1c. checking voltage at tranny solenoid wirings and if they are low, working until its on par ------>with known working vehicle. Dunno how used a tranny mech is doing this, I am afraid that not... Nissan maintenece manual has procedures up to e level to verify voltages, but even they do not identify old cars oxidation problems.

2.
The solenoids seals are mechanically grown old [how come?]. There is this tranny service/upgrade pack: e-mail or call and ask them. The pack itself is some 50$ and can be assembled while tranny is not taken out.

3. Solenoids themselves bad [solenoid coil short can happen anytime], measuring their resistance should be no problem to the tranny specialist. Replacing just fraction of tranny swap.

Summarum:
I think there's generally smtg really warped of all 10 yr old nissan autotranny swapping GLOBAL contest, seems to be too faast cure all.
I dont know how you make sure the mentioned things are first checked, but as you've still got hold of the purse and patient and patience, you can stand on top without being the expert. That needs some extraordinary characteristics, I raise my hat for that.

[Speedy_1234]

What if the tranny is making like a buzzing sound it come from in the tranny you hear it as you put the key in on then the buzzing comes out what is that and can it be fix.

[infinman]

Don't go poking around trans solenoids.You can do more damage than good.The line pressure ,tcc, and overdrive solenoids receive duty cycle voltages through a dropping resistor.Without proper test equipment {scanner} resistance test is all you can do.You won't find corroded connectors.Very uncommon on infiniti's.Band is activated by line pressure,not solenoids.