Idle issues!!
New Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 70
Likes: 8
From: Virginia
busy week haven't gotten on in awhile, You know the only thing I could think is if it somehow sent a surge through the system. But you did buy the car with the issue, you put a lot of trust in the seller to tell you the truth on whether it was a new or old problem.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Millersburg,Oregon
I would like the info for the ECM repair guy you spoke of. He is able to make sure All outputs are functioning? I’ve seen several places that just do a reflash and send it out. Last night I changed the upper and lower intake gaskets, injector o-rings and throttle body gaskets....No change, tiny vacuum leak is gone but idle still surges and it still will not do a Idle air relearn with the NDIII software. I do have a faulty oil pressure sensor that’s reading pegged but I couldn’t see that being an issue. I have the new one and will change it this eve. Really getting frustrated with this car! I went with the previous owner to buy this car new and have done all the maintenance on it since it fell out of warranty so I know the history of the car. I actually drove it 3 weeks before the battery went dead and this all started..
New Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 70
Likes: 8
From: Virginia
Yea my mechanic uses him, apparently he can actually pull ecms' apart and replece pieces on them to get them functioning. I completely understand your frustratiuon, when I had the idle issue it drove me insane for about a month. I'll get the number and post it up when I get home from work today.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Millersburg,Oregon
Those were all key on engine off. When I change the a/f correction value to 75-80% the engine stops surging and idles, rough but no surge. Looks like O2 sensors and a Maf are in my future?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Millersburg,Oregon
I just replaced the O2 sensors last night, MAF made no change but O2 data is now reading correct. Although it starts the Idle air relearn it will not complete it even after 20 min. This morn I attempted to drive the car to work as I have been and only made it a mile before the pedal went dead. After a short rest I restarted it and took off only to go 100’ and dead pedal, at that point I idled it home parked it and drive my truck to work. Also after changing my oil pressure sender now instead of the gauge pegged I get zero pressure and an oil light except this morn I noticed the light went off for a brief moment then the gouge read low pressure and went dead again with the light on. This happened 2 minutes before the dead pedal.
New Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 70
Likes: 8
From: Virginia
Hmm I do know with that code it's supposed to go into limp mode. But a dead pedal? Maybe a dumb question but any chance you have an oil leak too? To be honest you are beyond my experience with the Z. We probably need a few of the older members to jump in here. I hope you get it figured out, and keep us posted.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Millersburg,Oregon
no oil leak, it definitely has oil pressure but their must be a connection issue unless the new sender I got is faulty. It’s definitely in limp mode, had to limp all the way home lol!!
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
From: Alvin Texas
check out oil pump, it can cause idle issues. Could of shorted out a wire to your ecu from a bad ground, motor wire hardnesse's. First i replaced fuel injector hardness, and motor wire harndness and I sent my ecu to to get repaired and then I installed it my self and then it was idling perfect
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
From: Millersburg,Oregon
Where did you send your Ecu? I just got it back from a shop that had it 5 weeks and couldn’t figure it out... They didn’t charge me a dime but I have them a couple hundred just for the effort. Besides, it made me feel a little better about not figuring it out either...
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
OP, did you ever get your car to work? My car has the same issue.
Brought my car to my girlfriends stepdad who was a mechanic for about a decade at Firestone. He did the oil gallery gasket for me. He also unplugged the throttle bodies to make the new gasket installed easier. In the time, my car unlearned the idle and wont relearn it. Nissan wanted to replace the throttle bodies, they did, but found out my car will do the idle relearn, but wont save it.
Just cleaned my throttle bodies and MAF sensors yesterday, but didnt try the procedure because I didnt feel like getting mad when it wouldnt work.
Anyway, just curious if you ever got yours to fix or what solved your issue.
Brought my car to my girlfriends stepdad who was a mechanic for about a decade at Firestone. He did the oil gallery gasket for me. He also unplugged the throttle bodies to make the new gasket installed easier. In the time, my car unlearned the idle and wont relearn it. Nissan wanted to replace the throttle bodies, they did, but found out my car will do the idle relearn, but wont save it.
Just cleaned my throttle bodies and MAF sensors yesterday, but didnt try the procedure because I didnt feel like getting mad when it wouldnt work.
Anyway, just curious if you ever got yours to fix or what solved your issue.
OP, did you ever get your car to work? My car has the same issue.
Brought my car to my girlfriends stepdad who was a mechanic for about a decade at Firestone. He did the oil gallery gasket for me. He also unplugged the throttle bodies to make the new gasket installed easier. In the time, my car unlearned the idle and wont relearn it. Nissan wanted to replace the throttle bodies, they did, but found out my car will do the idle relearn, but wont save it.
Just cleaned my throttle bodies and MAF sensors yesterday, but didnt try the procedure because I didnt feel like getting mad when it wouldnt work.
Anyway, just curious if you ever got yours to fix or what solved your issue.
Brought my car to my girlfriends stepdad who was a mechanic for about a decade at Firestone. He did the oil gallery gasket for me. He also unplugged the throttle bodies to make the new gasket installed easier. In the time, my car unlearned the idle and wont relearn it. Nissan wanted to replace the throttle bodies, they did, but found out my car will do the idle relearn, but wont save it.
Just cleaned my throttle bodies and MAF sensors yesterday, but didnt try the procedure because I didnt feel like getting mad when it wouldnt work.
Anyway, just curious if you ever got yours to fix or what solved your issue.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis
Told them to go ahead and replace, low and behold, it wasn't the throttle bodies. They came back it was a fried ECU, which is $1300 new. I bought a ECU from a junk car from Florida, havent put it in yet.
However, my car has a loud whistle when I rev it, so I believe there is a vacuum leak somewhere, just cant seem to find it. Maybe that is causing the issue.
Yes, Nissan even spent 4 days trying to do it. Said it was because of my aftermarket throttle bodies, but they were oem.
Told them to go ahead and replace, low and behold, it wasn't the throttle bodies. They came back it was a fried ECU, which is $1300 new. I bought a ECU from a junk car from Florida, havent put it in yet.
However, my car has a loud whistle when I rev it, so I believe there is a vacuum leak somewhere, just cant seem to find it. Maybe that is causing the issue.
Told them to go ahead and replace, low and behold, it wasn't the throttle bodies. They came back it was a fried ECU, which is $1300 new. I bought a ECU from a junk car from Florida, havent put it in yet.
However, my car has a loud whistle when I rev it, so I believe there is a vacuum leak somewhere, just cant seem to find it. Maybe that is causing the issue.
If you do replace the ECU know you will have to disable NATS or reprogram it correct?
