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Shaking, engine light flashing, hesitating and lots of smoke from engine area

Tiny
TJELLIS1225
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 NISSAN SENTRA
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 130,000 MILES
The valve cover and valve cover gaskets were just replaced as were ignition coils. Oil recently changed. The car drives but has some major issues. Not sure the problem, but after driving it for about eight minutes, it will shutter (sometimes violently (at this point check engine light will flash) and hesitate, then quite a bit smoke will come out from the engine bay (looks like its coming from below the engine on passenger side. The MAF sensor may need re-grounding as Auto Zone threw a code for it. It could be a small oil leak, 02 sensor, or engine speed sensor? Worst case scenario would be head gasket or the catalytic converter. It is not loosing oil (nothing under car and it has been full for weeks), but it seems like some oil appears on back of engine compartment after driving. The engine gets hot quickly and heat comes in through the air vents when it starts the shaking. I cannot afford to buy another car and really would like to solve this problem that no one else seems to know how to fix. Any clue where to start or what this could be?
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Saturday, September 30th, 2017 AT 3:41 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,070 POSTS
Hello,

It sounds like the engine cross firing due to worn out spark plugs but to be sure lets read the codes and post what they are.

Here is a guide that will show you how to get started:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Also, if you could take a video of what it is doing it would sure help find out whats wrong.

You can upload it here.

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Sunday, October 1st, 2017 AT 11:47 AM
Tiny
TJELLIS1225
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thanks Ken

Auto Zone threw out the following codes:
P0304 Cylinder 4 misfire detected
P0420 Catalyst efficiency below normal (bank 1)
P0430 Catalyst efficiency below normal (bank 2)

Suggested it was the MAF, but I have also read that sometimes it needs regrounding

Mechanic got the following codes:
P0304 Cylinder 4 misfire detected
P0430 Ctalyst efficiency low (bk 2)
P1320 No primary ignition signal to ECM

He performed the following:

Replaced ignition coil for cylinder 4
Replaced ignition coil connectors for cylinders 2 & 4
Removed and replaced spark plus (did not use platinum due to cost)
replaced oil filter and did oil change

Said it was leaking engine oil.

Brought it to second mechanic who replaced the valve cover and valve cover gasket (for leak)

2 days later all the same problems started again except that the engine smoke ceased coming fro the front of the engine and it now coming from the back.

I read that the Altima had problems very similar due to a bad intake manifold gasket but haven't seen that common with the Sentra. Want to possibly have the engine speed sensor and 02 sensors checked as well as the cat and the head gasket. Also maybe need platinum spark plugs. I really need to solve this so I can drive this car to work and store, etc.

I would upload a video but the car has to be driven for about 10 minutes before this all starts and I can't afford to break down so I won't drive it. The smoke is white and looks to be coming from below the engine on the passenger side. I can't see anything leaking and have no spots on the ground under the car.
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Thursday, October 5th, 2017 AT 12:19 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,070 POSTS
Yep it looks like the spark plugs would be the first thing I would do then clear the codes.
Here are two guides to help you get the job done.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-tune-up-a-car-engine

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/check-engine-light-clear-codes

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, October 6th, 2017 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
TJELLIS1225
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Hi Ken,

The first mechanic I took it too did replace the spark plugs and cleared the codes but they came back on again about 4 days later and the problem seemed to get worse. Check engine light was flashing and smoke still coming out from engine bay.
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Sunday, October 8th, 2017 AT 3:54 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,070 POSTS
Did they install the plugs it came with from the factory? Now days you have to use the plug the car came with becasue of resistance issues and the way the computer works.

The other thing I was thinking was the MAF sensor may need to be replaced. When these sensors get contaminated which they all do in time they can through the mixture off without creating a code for the bad sensor.

Here is a guide that can help

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-mass-air-flow-sensor-maf

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken
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Monday, October 9th, 2017 AT 11:02 AM
Tiny
TJELLIS1225
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thank you for your help but I ended up junking the car for 100 bucks. I bought a 2001 Chevy Malibu with 93,000 miles. Much better.
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Sunday, November 19th, 2017 AT 8:21 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,070 POSTS
Sometimes cars come to the end of their usage, Nice choice on a replacement one of my favorites ;)
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Sunday, November 19th, 2017 AT 12:23 PM

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