93' Altima - erratic RPM - and stalling problem - driving to Maine... help!

Here is some more data.

• I have not yet been able to reproduce the problem when the engine is cold . I've only had it out two times so far though.

• On the open highway, flat surface, if If I keep my foot on the gas peddle and don't move it, I don't get the rpm drop. However, if I come up to a grade and start to slow down, I get the rpm drop.

Help me out here guys. From my research right here on usenet, I'm thinking the following could be the culprits:

• The well known problem with the mass air flow and ground wire

• The coolant temperature sensor

• throttle position sensor

• vehicle speed switch

• the distributor that was replaced is bad (not likely according to tech, but who knows). It is an aftermarket part for sure, but he assures me that he strongly suspects the distributor is ok (based on the symptoms).

Just to follow up on this for the poor dopes who are like me reading these posts 3 years from now. The problem turned out to be the crappy aftermarket distributor that the garage put in. The camshaft position sensor was bad, and threw a code on CONSULT, even though the boneheads at the original repair shop couldn't get a code. I paid the garage to put in a nissan OEM part, he put in a cheap aftermarket part instead. This caused enormous pain and torture with 3 repeated trips until I finally gave up on him making good on the reapair. Once it was replaced (by Nissan), it was resolved. The original charge is now in dispute and I am persuing legal action for the incompetence and not providing a refund.

The garage I took mine to for the same problem originally replaced mine with an aftermarket part (with my full consent and approval). It also turned out to be bad. It worked for the first while and the shop left it idiling for a while to make sure that all was well. The problem reoccured within 30 minutes, causing them to look for other problems. Eventially everything checked out and they got a nissan distrubutor and it ran, and still does, run great.

Hi Buck. My guy charged me $414 and told me it was genuine Nissan part. I am pissed and spent days writing my legal stuff up for dispute. As it turns out, the OEM refurbished parts are done by Hitachi, it says right on a sticker on the distributor I paid $463 to Nissan. So you could, in theory just buy the Hitachi aftermarket brand name and save say another $150 from the dealer who will sell you the same thing, but that of course assumes that's the end of the story. As with anything electrical, it's better to let someone that specializes in it do the repair. For me I would pay the extra $150 and let the dealer do it.