Engine Running Rough?

Hello MISSALTIMA2018,

Is the engine light on or do you have any codes?

Does it happen more when it is cold or any loss of power?

Check this guide. It has a lot of useful information I think will help:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-engine-misfires-a-step-by-step-guide

Thank you,
Brendon

Hello MISSALTIMA2018,

Okay, so P0300 is a random misfire and P0302 is a misfire on cylinder 2. Sometimes both are set when a misfire is occurring.

Nissan doesn't recommend plugs until 100,000 miles. But since you are at almost 89k it's not that unlikely to need them a little earlier. The car is somewhat new with low mileage so since it is the easiest to check I would pull a spark plug and look at it.

I am adding this procedure for you removing and replacing the plugs. I would start with cylinder 2. It is the second one in from the front of the engine, where the belt is.

Just take out one and if you could send a picture of it to me that would be awesome. I want to see if there are any obvious signs of an issue or if there might be something else going on.

Another thing I would check is the condition of your air filter. This may not cause a misfire directly but certainly won't help it run if its clogged. This is very easy to check as well.

The air filter on your vehicle is on the drivers side in a black box. It has 4 or 5 clips on it. Just pop them open and pull the filter out and check it.

I am going to type the instruction out because the instructions I have in my reference manual aren't very descriptive. I also have the same car so even better!

1) There is a cover on top of the engine you will need to remove to access the plugs. It is held on by 3 10mm bolts and then you have to pull straight up and pop it off a rubber bushing.

2) Once that is removed, you will see 4 coils. This is called coil-on-plug, so there will be no wires. The Ignition coil attaches directly to plug.

3) The coil is held down with a 10mm bolt. First remove the connector to the coil and then remove the bolt holding it down.

4) You should be able to remove the coil now. Go nice and easy so you don't damage the boot.

5) The plug is a 14mm spark plug socket. I will add a picture for you. You should be able to grab one at the local auto parts store.

You will need an extension to get down to the plug also.

If you can remove one and send a picture of the end of it for me that would help a lot.

Let me know if I can clear anything up.

Thank you,
Brendon

Hello MISSALTIMA2018,

That's okay, not a big deal at all. I'm not going anywhere lol.

Just let me know what you find so we can go from there.

Thank you,
Brendon

Good morning, MISSALTIMA2018,

Yes, to me that looks like something called Gap Bridging. It is from deposits in the combustion chamber. Sometimes the issue is a lot of stop and go driving or poor fuel. This will cause a misfire as well as poor performance and increased gas consumption.

Other than that, the plug looks pretty good.

Since you are close to 100k miles on the vehicle and Nissan recommends you change the plugs every 100k, I would just put 4 new pugs in it now.

Nissan won't stock this exact plug most of the time because they are expensive and nobody buys them, this plug was installed in the factory. Instead, they will usually stock Nissan Value Advantage which is Nissan's Value line. They are Nissan parts made by a 3rd party that Nissan oversees.

Here is the part number for your engine: B2401-JA01J-NW

They are the same plug and will work fine in your vehicle.

**Note-This is a platinum plug and does not need to be gapped. They come pre-gapped from the factory. However, it is always a good idea to just check the gap because they can be damaged in shipping. You can check the with a tool called a Feeler Gauge. I will add a picture of one for you.

The gap should be: 0.043 in.

I found a set for you that's pretty nice and has a lot of sizes if you guys don't have a set. Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/ARES-11042-2-Piece-Tapered-Feeler-Offset/dp/B09F744ZCK/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_2/143-2214324-7874650?pd_rd_w=rABYJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_p=116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_r=8RAXXCMJACX0GNHM6RKF&pd_rd_wg=r3nQB&pd_rd_r=1950227a-7408-42a7-9125-60e96d121ce0&pd_rd_i=B09F744ZCK&psc=1

Also, these need to be torqued to 14 ft. lbs. according to Nissan.

If you don't have a torque wrench, I found one from Harbour Freight that is very affordable. It is very easy to overtighten these and damage the threads in the head, so I recommend using a torque wrench. This way you won't have to worry whether they are too tight or not tight enough.

Here is the link for the torque wrench:
https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-drive-5-80-ft-lb-click-torque-wrench-63880.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=425671840&campaignid=425671840&utm_content=1165483352460138&adsetid=1165483352460138&product=63880&store=639&msclkid=38e0f689d9d61c2aac2f92f2bb911a57

Once the plugs are installed put some Di-electric grease inside the end of the coil boot before pushing it down into place. I will add a picture of the one I use. It can be found right at the auto parts store. This will aid in installation and prevent damage to the boot. It will also protect it from corroding and something called carbon tracking.

From here on I would try using some better gas, not necessarily a higher grade but maybe go to Shell and skip the small gas stations. Also, if you do a lot of stop and go driving maybe try to find an alternate route if you can.

Let me know how it goes or if you need any other information.

Thank you,
Brendon

Good morning, MISSALTIMA2018,

Awesome! Love to hear it!

You are very welcome I am glad I could help! Let us know if you need anything else.

Have a great week!
Brendon