rough idle after spark plug change

QK · 2004-05-07T18:52:55+00:00

Hi, everyone.I need your expert advice!I have a 97 gle with 68k. When I was replacing spark plug on cyl. 5 Ilifted EVAP purge valve and bent the tubes for easy access. Well,after replacing all plugs, engine idles funny. I used NGK plugs fromlocal Nissan dealer. Bending tubes can mess up EVAP stuff?Engine idles OK after cold start. Once I get out of driveway and stopat first stop sign, I get this very annoying occasional 'kick' whichfeels like a loud drum kick. It feels like the beginning of stalling. Moving my automatic gear to N seems to reduce it, though. If I keepthe gear at D at stop, the kick sometimes repeats every 1-2 secs. Iscan the code and got 0304 (knock sensor). There's no metallic soundso I assumed it's not a really knock, but, this 'kick' triggers thesensor. I am a newbie so I could be wrong.Well, I also noticed faint sound coming from somewhere close to theEVAP canister. It's not a hissing sound. I haven't heard the soundbefore, but, it's possible I'm just noticing it now. So, my questionis that the tubes/valves/canister generate sound level which can beheard w/o any aid?If so, how it should sound?

May 07, 2004 21 Replies

Rate this thread:

JC 22 years ago

I don't know what year you have (I'm late to the thread). If you have a later Max with the separate coils for each plug, go back and pull each connector off of each coil and check that none of the contacts on the coil are bent. I know enough how to connect things and still managed to do it once on one of the coils my '93 SE. If one is bent, gently straighten it out. Also, look at each of the contacts for any kind of corrosion. Clean the contacts if you think you see anything on either the coil contacts or the connector contacts.

Both of these are a stretch, but the bent contact is easy to miss if you don't look because you aren't expecting it.

What else did the Poop Boys do besides plugs?

Vote

QK 22 years ago

Iginition coil for cyl. 5 was bad. When I changed the plug 5, I initially didn't move the EVAP stuff which blocked the access to the plug. In doing so, I think I bent the coil pack. Anyway, I swapped the coil 5 with 1 and 3 and so on to make sure the coil 5 was bad. I was getting occasional missfire codes (608, etc) and the code showed up for the cyclinder where the original 5th coil was placed. So, I got a new coil about a week ago and installed it, the problem was gone. Meanwhile, I had code for knock sensor and front oxygen sensors. I cleaned the ground for the knock sensor and the code was gone. But, o2 sensors errors stayed. I wonder the misfiring caused the O2 sensors fouled up. Anyway, I replaced O2 sensors also and now the siginals from the O2 sensors are within 0.1-0.9v as in the spec.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required