2000 Nissan Maxima Pre-ignition

BULLETBOB1119

MEMBER
2000 NISSAN MAXIMA
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
77,000 MILES

Under normal acceleration my maxima engine pings and knocks and almost sounds like a diesel. The enging actually went out at 77,000 miles. I had another engine put in (suppose to have only 30,000 miles on it) and it is doing the same thing. I have had the computer re-programed and that has not helped. I currently have the car at a Nissan dealership and they are stumped. They say they have never heard of a engine going out at 77,000 miles the the replacement engine doing the same thing.

Help!

8 Replies

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
3,112 POSTS

Hello -

To better assist you is your model a GLE, GXE, SE. Also your engine size in liter and the 8th digit of your VIN.

Next, please go to Auto Zone (AZ) or O'Reilly's (OR) and for FREE they can pull the codes to the car. Most important: Once they check your codes, if they find something and you don't get it fixed and need to get back with us, please make sure you tell us exactly what the code was, number and all. Example, if the code was E0568 O2 Sensor bad. Then make sure you give us all of that. While there for FREE also they can bring their tester out and check your battery and alternator.

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Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 AT 7:48 PM

BULLETBOB1119

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My Maxima is a GLE and the 8th digit on the vin # is an "A". I can't take it to Auto Zone as the Nissan place has it trying to figure out what is wrong. There was a recall on an O2 sensor (the one past the converter) and I had it replaced. There is no trouble light on.

Bob

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Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 AT 10:48 PM

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
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Hello - Bob

Sorry for the delay in getting back with you.......I encountered some technical difficulties.......

Well, several things can cause a ping/knock even if you changed engines. Many times when you change the engine most of the parts get removed from the old and placed on the new. So if one of those parts were bad, all you did was move the bad part from the one engine and put on the other.

Things that affect the timing and or cause a knock are the Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, Engine Coolant Sensor, Crankshaft position sensor, Knock sensor.

Since it is at the dealer, they should have the equipment to hook up and check these sensors to see if they are within range or not.

Example, the crankshaft sensor should have a resistance of about 470-570 ohms. The engine coolant sensor should have a resistance of about 2100-2900 at about 68 degrees.

So again, they should be able to check the sensors to see if within operating specs.

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Friday, March 27th, 2009 AT 8:19 PM

BULLETBOB1119

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TO: Impala SS
I had my Maxima at the dealership all week and they could not find a single thing wrong with it. I still have the pinging under normal acceleration. I don't know if they checked the sensors you mentioned. All they charged me for was a computer analysis of my car.

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Friday, March 27th, 2009 AT 10:35 PM

BULLETBOB1119

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6 POSTS

TO: Impala SS

Oh I forgot to mention, they said the next step wouod be to replace all the ignition coils.

Bob

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Friday, March 27th, 2009 AT 10:41 PM

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
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Hello Bob

They should be able to run a test and the machine tell them the specs etc. Then I would ask to see those specs. They could play this game all day.

I have attached what the manual says. There is a test they can run on the coils to see if they are within specs it appears. However, as you see, they have not released that information to the public.

IGNITION COIL
IGNITION COIL RESISTANCE (SENTRA) - OHMS @ 77 °F (25 °C)
Application Primary Secondary
1.8L (1) (1)

2.0L .8 16,000

(1) Information is not available from manufacturer.

IGNITION COIL RESISTANCE (EXCEPT SENTRA) - OHMS @ 68 °F (20 °C)

Application Primary Secondary
I30 & Maxima (1) (1)

Except I30 & Maxima 1.0 10,000

(1) Information is not available from manufacturer.

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Saturday, March 28th, 2009 AT 8:22 AM

BULLETBOB1119

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I asked the dealership to check all the sensors you mentioned (the resistance), they said they all check out. They said the next thing in the flow chart is to replace the coils. They said they check out, but may still need to be replaced. Cost of about $1,000.00 to do that. They said if that doesn't work the next thing would be to check the wiring?

They said they have also checked for low fuel pressure and have also checked the mass air flow. Should I consider replacing the computer?

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Friday, April 3rd, 2009 AT 6:30 PM

IMPALASS

MECHANIC
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Hello -

Thanks for the update. I have been searching through some TSBs on your car and came across this one. It does talk about the coils for ping. See below. . .

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
Reference Number(s): NTB01-059, Date of Issue: September 6, 2001
NISSAN: 2000-01 Maxima
CLASSIFICATION: EC01-023
SECTION: Engine Control System
APPLIED VEHICLE: 2000-01 Maxima (A33)
APPLIED VINS: Vehicles built before: JN1CA31A31T112164 (w/side air bags); JN1CA31A31T316031 (w/side air bags); JN1CA31D91T627134 (w/o side air bags); JN1CA31D91T830089 (w/o side air bags)
APPLIED DATE: Vehicles built before: March 16, 2001
APPLIED ENGINE #: Engines built before: VQ30-463753
Related Ref Number(s): NTB01-059
ARTICLE BEGINNING
DESCRIPTION
2000-01 MAXIMA; MIL ON WITH DTC P1320 AND/OR SPARK KNOCK (DETONATION) DUE TO IGNITION COILS
BULLETIN CONTENT