1987 Maxima Check Timing

Better question, why are you checking it? The ignition timing on a modern car NEVER changes unless someone has changed it. People hope when their car is running badly that it just "needs the timing adjusted", when this is NEVER the problem. If at one point it was running fine and now it isn't, unless someone physically changed the timing, it hasn't moved.

Hi Steve T,

Thanks for the info. The car is mis-firing only while idling. When I change plugs, and wires, etc, I used to always check the timing. Force of habit caused me to want to reckeck timing again. Good to know timing is that stable with my 1987 Maxima.

Regards, Dave_s

Could be lean. What brand of plugs are you using, these are VERY sensitive to the plugs used, NGK only! Also if it's an automatic, it is normal for it to misfire when it's idling out of gear if it's smooth in gear.

Also try unplugging the O2 sensor and see if it smooths out. If so another problem I've seen is as the engine ages, it starts using a bit of oil, the EFI/O2 sensor sees this as "rich" and leans out the engine screwing up the fuel mixture. Replacing the sensor sometimes helps but many times it doesn't. In some cases the only fix if the drivability is bad enough is either unplug this sensor (run open loop) or rebuild the engine.

That's what I figured.

Yes, is an automatic transmission. Mis-firing occurs when sitting at a red stop light idling, in gear, waiting for light to turn green. Never checked for mis-fire when idling, out of gear. This mis-fire never occurred before, only started recently. DAve_s

My 1987 MAx Shop Manual does not show an EFI/o2 sensor. Manual says 'Exhaust Gas Sensor' monitors O2 in exhaust and says is located in exhaust manifold.

Is this what you are calling the EFI sensor?

Will try to find this sensor.

Thanks, Dave_s

Hi Steve T. and group,

I am still hunting for cause of mis-fire at idle when in gear and stopped. While drivng power seems normal, smooth, free of mis-fire.

Nissan plug wire harness costs $148 so if my harness is still OK, I'd rather not replace it. Harness is 5 years old but only drove 15,000 miles.

How can I test the plug wiring harness? Can my good FLUKE DVM ohmeter be used? What are the readings I should expect for good/bad harness wires? The wires are not brittle and seem in very good condition. The rubber feels excellent without cracks and is not stiff or hardened.

I looked at engine plug wires while running engine in the dark. I saw no sparks at all from any wire or plug.

At a tuneup station, can the diagnostic tester operator determine if the plug harness has bad wires?

Thanks for help, Dave_s

Plug wires break down under load, not at idle so this isn't likely the problem. BTW what brand of plugs did you install?

Yes, it's the oxygen sensor I'm talking about.