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Engine is running rough and sputtering

Tiny
SENDOG04
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 NISSAN XTERRA
  • 76,000 MILES
My car was low on fuel and started acting like it was going to run out of gas so I got gas. When I tried to restart the car it just spuddered and didn't respond when I tried to rev the engine. After about a minute it started idling properly so I drove to the store. This just happened today, so I haven't tried anything yet.
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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 8:19 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Change fuel filter and get the fuel pressure tested, running low to often can over heat internal pumps and cause failure.
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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 8:27 AM
Tiny
SENDOG04
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Are you referring to the fuel pump? If so how accessible is it, I would like to do this myself!
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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 8:30 AM
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Check pressure first, no value in changing the pump if the fuel pressure is ok, you may just have a blocked filter, do the simple things first.
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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 8:34 AM
Tiny
SENDOG04
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Thank you.
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Monday, November 28th, 2011 AT 8:36 AM
Tiny
BARBIE88
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 NISSAN XTERRA
  • 3.3L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 113,474 MILES
I had the car looked at by a mechanic who said I needed a new distributor cap so I got the wires and the cap repkaced the car starts up fine but if I stop at a light it will cut off I think the wir wss are not in place correctly I need help it ran fine before this repair
Help
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 10:14 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,772 POSTS
Hi:
If the wires were not properly installed, you will have a constant misfire or it wouldn't run. I attached a pic below that shows the proper firing order and where the wires go.

Next, since the vehicle was worked on, I suspect something was bumped or left disconnected creating an engine vacuum leak, which would cause the idle issue. Here is a link that explains how to find a vacuum leak. Do this if the wires are correct.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-an-engine-vacuum-gauge

Make sure the air intake from the air box is properly attached and nothing is unplugged. Also, here is a link that explains common causes of a stall at idle.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/stall-at-idle

Let me know what you find or if you have other questions.

Take care,
Joe
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 10:14 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CLASCOLA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 NISSAN XTERRA
Engine Performance problem
2000 Nissan Xterra 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

My xterra runs terrible (cant make it up hills) after warm up. At first I thought it was a clogged fuel filter because it was behaving like it was starved for fuel. I replaced the feul filter then the cap, plugs, and plug-wires. Still runs really rough after warm upl
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 10:14 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SJRUDY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2000 NISSAN XTERRA
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 126,000 MILES
Why is my car running so poorly now. Just happened yesterday. No prior problem. Runs good cold and then starts running rough as it gets warm and then shakes and hardly has power when warm? No codes showing when scanned.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 10:14 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JBSTEVENS8
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I had a similar problem. Truck would misfire and rough idle after engine was warm. Same knock sensor code.

I had a distributor bearing that failed in the distributor rotor. When engine was cool, the rotor was moving in all the thick grease so no problem. Once engine warmed up, the grease thinned out and truck was surging, cutting off, rough idle, extreme heat in exhaust.

Mechanic said the rotor looked like a rats nest of metal shavings from the failed bearings and washer.

Replaced distributor cap, distributor rotor, spark plugs, and wired. ($1100 total) Now I need to replace the valve cover gaskets since the intense heat melted the gasket and is causing a minor oil leak.

Heat was caused from the misfiring, which opened the injectors, causing them to dump huge loads of fuel into the cylinder. All that gas caused the temperature to skyrocket. Fortunately, I did not ruin the Cat converters with the heat.
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Monday, January 6th, 2020 AT 10:14 AM (Merged)

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