Engine trouble :(

  • Thread starter Thread starter Slick Rick
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Heres the difference between my GA14DE and a GA16DE
GA14DE


GA16DE


I think the SR20DE has the same airbox layout as the GA16DE too.

The only other differences i can see between the 14 and 16 is the way the accelerator cable is connected. On mine it takes a long route and looks kind of stupid and out of place.
And if you look on the left of my engine theres a big black fuse box but on the 16 theres a small one and an extra one by the battery, do you know why this is? it looks like there is space on the 16 to put the bigger fuse box in...
 
Slick Rick
Heres the difference between my GA14DE and a GA16DE
GA14DE


GA16DE
Click to expand...

Ah thanks for the pics, I never seen the GA14DE airbox location before (just the box itself) as they didn't sell any N15 models like that here. I also notice the GA14DE does not have the inlet cam phasing VVT.
 
Slick Rick
how can you tell from the picture?
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3603mw5wk8.jpg



That lump on the cam/valve cover (in the red square) is where the phasing actuator is on the front of the inlet camshaft.
 
yea well the GA16DE does have 20hp extra. I thought that was quite a big gain from only 200cc but that seems to explain it.
 
Slick Rick
So today im going to try and clean the throttle body and have a look at the MAF sensor. Ive got the Haynes manual and looked at the index but i cant find anything. Is there another name for the MAF sensor?
And how would i go about cleaning it if its dirty?
Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

only thing a haynes manual is good for is burning its pretty much useless get a chiltons much better imo
 
Originally Posted by Duke
Hey, Kurtis, good to see you back, man!

A MAF sensor actually measures manifold air flow, rather than pressure (or vacuum). Most frequently this is done by a grid of fine corona wires strung across the intake stream inside the sensor. These are heated via electric current and the amount they cool from the intake stream is used to calculate the airflow coming into the engine.
Click to expand...

Cheers Duke!

Mass airflow, should have got that... mine's is a massive plastic flap in a box, and a fully sealed unit. £140 to replace.

Hot wire anemometers are a better technology, spray it with brake cleaner for a start, and you should be able to find information on what the resistance across the sensor output terminals is with the engine off. If it's within a certain range it should be functioning, but it could still be covered in muck.
 
Ah... Okay... I've never seen it in that configuration before either. Although we get the GA in both VTC and non-VTC forms.
 
B_B_B
only thing a haynes manual is good for is burning its pretty much useless get a chiltons much better imo
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Ive found the Haynes manual quite useful actually but then again Ive only made minor repairs/adjustments. It looks ok for the average person like me but serious mechanic's might find it not detailed enough and it doesn't cover all areas.

So to clean the sensor i could use brake fluid, carb clean, electric contact cleaner or one of the proper MAF cleaners.
How would i clean it if i used one of the first 3 cleaners? I was thinking a cotton bud dipped in the chemical, its white so i can also see how dirty it is too.

I asked my dad whether i should buy a MAF cleaner for the car and he said stop wasting money, there's nothing wrong with the bloody car, he hasn't even driven it recently:rolleyes: so im just gonna use what i can find in my garage.
 
Slick Rick
So to clean the sensor i could use brake fluid, carb clean, electric contact cleaner or one of the proper MAF cleaners.
How would i clean it if i used one of the first 3 cleaners? I was thinking a cotton bud dipped in the chemical, its white so i can also see how dirty it is too.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't recommend touching it with anything at all, even if you think you can do it lightly. Stick the nozzle of the can (pressure pack) right up to the tube the MAF wires are in and spray it good. Its even better if you get a can of cleaner that has the small tube attachment to the nozzle of the spray can and spray them thoroughly then let them dry before refitting.
 
so that would narrow it down to using the electrical cleaner because its in a pressurized can and the nozzle has a straw/tube attachment. Would WD40 work too btw??
 
Slick Rick
So to clean the sensor i could use brake fluid
Click to expand...
DO NOT USE BRAKE FLUID! Brake fluid will make a gooey mess, and it's actually a fairly strong solvent.

Use brake cleaner spray, if anything, but not brake fluid. Carb cleaner is your second best alternative to MAF cleaner. Some starting ether spray would probably work in a pinch, though I would let the car sit with the airbox open for quite a while to let the ether evaporate, because you don't actually need the ether to help the car start.
 
well i went to a garage today simply because its just outside my work and i told the guy what i thought the problem was. He said he could clean the sensor but he would have to take the whole unit and airbox off and then he would probably charge me labor :rolleyes: because initially he said he'd do it for free and he also said there was a risk of it getting damaged while being removed and he said he didnt want to take responsibility. So i said leave it because he didn't seem too confident he could do it. The guy also said i should take it to Nissan and let them check it out because it could be something else like another sensor. So now i don't know what to do, Nissan will probably charge a bomb just to look at it and the mechanic at the garage said that he's seen a few cars when after cleaning the MAF, the car actually runs worse!!:grumpy: :grumpy:

So if i decide to spay it with elecical contact cleaner, is it ok if some goes inside the system i.e. will the engine just burn it off because no way am i going to take the unit off, I'm just going to take the airbox off and spray it from the top...if i decide to risk it
 
Just air it out for fifteen minutes or so after spraying it, and you should be fine. Might run a little weird for a bit afterwards, and you might have to disconnect your battery to "reset" your ECU.
 
Slick Rick - how's the car now, did you clean the sensor?

Funny thing is just this week my sister had a problem with her "new" car (97 polo) in that the idle was poor. 15 minutes and a few sprays of carb cleaner later (it was the throttle body/air filter housing that was dirty) and the idle adjusted itself perfectly.

Hope your cars fixed 👍
 
nah mate didn't clean the sensor. I'm sure that what everyone is saying here will fix the problem but i'm just going to go with what my DT teacher said to me a couple of years back: ''Ricky......If it ain't broke, don't fix it!''
The cars still got irratic idling but it hasn't stalled in two weeks. Ill do something if the problem gets worse but apart from the idling, its been running really good.
 
Have you checked out any Nissan forums? Every car I've had I've joined a forum for it. You normally get someone who works for the manufacturer in there who may be able to help you out.
 
yea done that but you have to pay £15 to become a full member and access the engine section :ouch: Anyway, i got more than enough help here.
 
You can try AllNissans.com. It's pretty sparse right now, but a lot of NissanForums old-timers, as well as the staff of NissanPerformanceMag.com have moved from NissanForums to there.
 

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