I just got an email from nissan saying my car is eligable for having the crank sensors replaced. It's an older recall notice recall for 03 models and it has symptoms such as engine running hotter than normal at times, not starting sometimes, service engine soon light coming on, etc

My service engine soon light has been on for a week. And this sounds like what my problem has been.

I'm hoping this will fix my car, however

Technosquare said my car was misfiring most likely due to my tilton flywheel and that I needed 1 step colder spark plugs.

I'm wondering if I should just put the new plugs in my car anyway or if there'd be any consequences if it turns out 1 step colder isn't needed.

So, how will 1 step colder plugs have an effect on an engine with bolt on NA mods? will you potentially lose power?

 

here's the recall info

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003.

 

Whats your misfire sounds like? Is it just at idle, or all the way up the RPM band?

Mine has what I think is a misfire (its like a little bit louder then the exhaust, its a boom sound that makes the RPM go up a bit, it happens every few seconds at idle). I started hearing it after intake, exhaust and headers...

I was told by a infinity tech to have the base timing advanced and it will take care of it.

Andrew

 

I put 1 step colder in because I'm spraying but the rest of the time I'm running N/A. You can tell a difference when you put them in. Car was much smoother.

 

I think the misfire only seems to happen pretty much at idle or if you're going like 5-10mph in first or 2nd gear sometimes.


I already bought the plugs, just wondering if there's any downside to putting 1 step colder if it turns out you don't actually NEED them afterall cause something else was causing the problem

I mean, if 1 step colder gives people a smoother, better ride, why doesn't nissan install 1 step colder at the factory?

 

Not sure, maybe something with emissions. But I think everyone that has put them in has liked them.

 

humm.. I might just give this a try, which brand / model number of plugs did you get?

Andrew

 

Denso Iridium IK20

 

those are the ones I bought too to be installed in a couple days

 

sentry, let me know how it turns out, I think im going to order them in jan as I'm going to be pretty much be out of town till then.

Where did you all order them from? Do you think local places would have them?

Thank you both
Andrew

 

someone refered me to www.autocarparts.com

 

Spark plugs are self-cleaning if the correct heat range is used for an application. If you run colder than required plugs, then they may not get to self-cleaning temps and you'll end up w/ carbon fouling on the plugs. The carbon fouling may potentially get hot enough that when you do "open it up" it may cause detonation. The carbon fouling may also cause rough idle.

Also, I can't imagine a "hot" spark plug causing misfiring. Detonation, yes, misfiring, no.

Taken from NGK's website:

Michael.

 

well we'll find out.

my plugs are still stock right now

after I put on all my mods, I was told to go 1 step colder with my plugs to compensate for my mods - which is what was causing misfiring.

Why is it that people doing FI or N20 need colder plugs? I do have a lot of NA mods, though not up to FI in terms of power, still I have a lot of NA mods in the 280rwhp range as well as the final drive and tilton flywheel

thanks for the replys everyone!

 

I wouldn't recomend using colder plugs unless you have extensive modifications, or forced induction. Basic bolt ons do not really (IMO) add up enough for you to really need colder plugs. If you are running NOS, or FI, then colder plugs will work wonders and are actually highly recomended. But if you have existing issues, don't try and solve them by changing the plugs unless especially when you have a recall notice or something along those lines.
good luck with the issues, lets hope they get figured out for ya!

 

Rar/Andrew, nice pic of your blue Z....ok, back to the thread at hand...

Jeff

 

so still no one really knows the reason WHY colder plugs work great with FI but not so well for NA?

FI just crams a lot more air into the engine.

My NA bolt on mods do pretty much the same sorta thing just not as extreme.

 

NA doesn't make the car run as hot. A colder burning plug will help control that a little bit. Only under extreme stress would you need to swap to a colder plug. NA doesn't work the motor to that extreme unless you are running very extreme mods. basic bolt ons and basic items such as cams etc... are not enough to mandate colder plugs.

 

alright well I'll let the dealer work on that recall item and if that doesn't fix it, I'll try putting those plugs in

 

Colder plugs help prevent detonation and FI and NOS increases the risk of detonation many times over. FI increases cylinder pressure, which increases cylinder temps, which increases risk of detonation.

Michael.

 

I was told the recall doesnt apply to the 350z....