2000 Maxima Valve Noise

I have a 2000 Maxima GXE that has a few problems. The main problem is valve noise. I'm putting a quart of Marvel Myster Oil in my gas every fill up and that seems to help, except when my gas level gets low, it starts making the noise pretty badly again. I first noticed it about

20k miles ago, whenever I would climb a pretty steep hill. Now, it's a lot worse - I don't have to be climbing a hill at all. I don't hear the noise under hard acceleration though - when I start to accelerate is when it's at its worst. My "service engine soon" light was coming on and off, now it stays on. I don't know if that's realated. Also, when I first start the car, I sometimes here a knocking noise - I suspect it could be the filter I'm using (I've been going to a quick lube and don't know what they put on it). Lastly, after the car as been sitting for a long time, like overnight, whenever I first take off down my drive, it misses - I have to put it in neutral and rev it a little - it seems to help. Any ideas?

Thanks!

Reply to
Bravo8500
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Reply to
ronm

Take it to AutoZone and have them pull the code(s) to see what's up. Our Maxima's don't particularily like fuel additives. They throw off the intricate balance of fuel mixture. This can cause O2 sensors to go bad, and even worse - the catalytic converter.

I suspect that your original problem could have been an anti-knock sensor that retards your timing when need be, or even bad gas...that caused the pinging.

Just pull the codes and post them...and we'll go from there. Good luck.

Reply to
unix-freak

Bravo8500 wrote: : I have a 2000 Maxima GXE that has a few problems. The main problem is : valve noise. I'm putting a quart of Marvel Myster Oil in my gas every : fill up and that seems to help, except when my gas level gets low, it : starts making the noise pretty badly again. I first noticed it about : 20k miles ago, whenever I would climb a pretty steep hill. Now, it's a : lot worse - I don't have to be climbing a hill at all. I don't hear : the noise under hard acceleration though - when I start to accelerate : is when it's at its worst. My "service engine soon" light was coming : on and off, now it stays on. I don't know if that's realated. Also, : when I first start the car, I sometimes here a knocking noise - I : suspect it could be the filter I'm using (I've been going to a quick : lube and don't know what they put on it). Lastly, after the car as : been sitting for a long time, like overnight, whenever I first take : off down my drive, it misses - I have to put it in neutral and rev it : a little - it seems to help. Any ideas?

Sounds like pinging. You are running premium gas (91+ Octane) in it I presume?

Sounds like either a coil problem (there was a Technical Service Bulletin - TSB - about that for the 2000 Maxima) or an O2 sensor. As someone else said: take it somewhere so you can get the computer code to find out why the Check Engine light came on.

Andrew

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----> Portland, Oregon, USA

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Reply to
Andrew

Autozone pulled the codes for me today at lunch (pretty cool of them) ..

171 "The PCM has determined that during testing, the fuel system for bank 1 was too lean. (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank)

174 "The PCM has determined that during testing, the fuel system for bank

2 was too lean. (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank)

More info ... I didn't start using any fuel additive until this valve noise. I've owned the car since new and have always used 93 oct, and have had the oil changed (by quick lubes) every 3-5k miles. It has just turned 80k. I also had the 60k maint done by the dealership - the biggest thing they did was change the plugs. The pinging was happening then but only on hill climbs - they test drove it but weren't that worried about it - they said make sure I use high octane and maybe even an octane booster. Since then like I said, the pinging has gotten a lot worse. Last night for example, I was down to 1/8 tank and it was pinging bad - I filled it up with SHELL 93, went home and added a quart of Myster Oil to the gas. This morning on the way to work, it was a lot better. On the way back from lunch though, I heard it creep up again - almost as if it gets worse when the engine is hotter (still not near as bad as last night low on gas).

Reply to
Bravo8500

Bravo8500 wrote: : Autozone pulled the codes for me today at lunch (pretty cool of them) : ..

: 171 : "The PCM has determined that during testing, the fuel system for bank : 1 was too lean. (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while : bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank)

: 174 : "The PCM has determined that during testing, the fuel system for bank : 2 was too lean. (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while : bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank)

: More info ... I didn't start using any fuel additive until this valve : noise. I've owned the car since new and have always used 93 oct, and : have had the oil changed (by quick lubes) every 3-5k miles. It has : just turned 80k. I also had the 60k maint done by the dealership - the : biggest thing they did was change the plugs. The pinging was happening : then but only on hill climbs - they test drove it but weren't that : worried about it - they said make sure I use high octane and maybe : even an octane booster. Since then like I said, the pinging has gotten : a lot worse. Last night for example, I was down to 1/8 tank and it was : pinging bad - I filled it up with SHELL 93, went home and added a : quart of Myster Oil to the gas. This morning on the way to work, it : was a lot better. On the way back from lunch though, I heard it creep : up again - almost as if it gets worse when the engine is hotter

Could it be worse when the *air* is hotter? Not sure where you live - but here in Portland it's been pretty hot. Isn't hotter air leaner?

Would a bad O2 sensor cause a poor air/fuel mixture?

I still wonder about the coil TSB for the 2000 Maxima - as I recall, one of the symptoms was excessive pinging.

Andrew

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----> Portland, Oregon, USA

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Reply to
Andrew

My 2k SE was pinging as well. I had recently switched gas & was buying from a local Chevron dealer on a regular basis.

I noticed the pinging stopped on long trips, but resumed when I was in my home area.

I figured out that my local gas was bad; ti was. My local dealer was found to have been selling lo-grade gas in his hi-grade tank.

Since changing gase dealers, I haven't experienced ANY pinging. And I NEVER use additives.

Reply to
Jimmy G

If you use a fuel additive made by Ams/oil called PI you will keep injectors clean and not have any kind of problems. Check it out

I noticed the pinging stopped on long trips, but resumed when I was in my home area.

I figured out that my local gas was bad; ti was. My local dealer was found to have been selling lo-grade gas in his hi-grade tank.

Since changing gase dealers, I haven't experienced ANY pinging. And I NEVER use additives.

Reply to
Boots Crofoot

My service book is for a 2002, but it might help.

The description of code P0171 is "P0171 (Bank 1), P0174 (Bank 2).

Trouble diagnosis name: Fuel injection system too lean.

DTC Detecting condition: Fuel injection system does not operate properly. The amount of mixture ration compensation is too large (The mixture ration is too lean).

Possible Cause:

- intake air leaks

- Heated oxygen sensor 1

- injectors

- Exhaust gas leaks

- incorrect fuel pressure

- lack of fuel

- mass air flow sensor

It looks like you have addressed some of the possible causes. Still a few to go.

Reply to
E. Meyer

Correction - my spell checker automatically made "ratio" into ration (both places) in the DTC detecting condition statement. Sorry about that.

Reply to
E. Meyer

Well, car's fixed! I replaced the Mass Airflow Sensor and all's well. No idle problem, zero spark knock, no check engine light. 110 bucks plus tax. I've read since that you may even be able to clean these. Hope this will help someone, I've been haunted by this pinging for 20k miles, and it was getting worse, fast.

Reply to
Bravo8500

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