Got her running and exausted the search funtion

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balsabones
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Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:20 am

Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by balsabones »

Hello all,
I posted in the intro section and told how I was given a 89 s13 hatch, SOHC with 137269 miles on her. The interior is in great shape and the only rip/tear or crack is on the dash and small tear on the steering wheel. The previous owner, (original), had the engine run hot and replaced the water pump, head, head gasket, stock injectors, rocker rails and rocker arms and all vacuum lines. After putting $2600.00 into repairs he drove the car 1 time and after about 30 miles it quit on him. He asked me if I wanted it and I picked it up from the side of the road. His main problem wasn't the water pump. I found the new rocker arms seized on the exhaust side and from searching this forum, found the culprit to be the oil pump. I installed a melling oil pump and replaced the fuel pump with a walbro, (it still had the original and I figured why not). I also replaced both rocker rails and all the rocker arms. The old rocker arms were so seized to the rail that I had to cut them off. I installed a new battery and got her this past weekend and hit the ignition a few times to prime the fuel pressure. I then went all the way and she fired right up and idled around 1400rpms for about 15 seconds and settled in around 900. I pressed the accelerator and she revved without hesitation. I took my foot off the gas and just let her idle and after about 2 minutes the idle dropped to around 400 and she stayed there sounding ragged for about 15 seconds and then back to sounding normal. she sounded normal for another minute and dropped back to a very ragged idle again. it did this about 4 times before I cut her off and decided to finally introduce myself and ask some question. I have gotten this far with her by using the search and reading just about every tech post. I have tried searching, idles good then ragged" but haven't found anything. Is what she is doing called "limp mode"? Is she dropping into that then back to idling fine?
Yall don't know how much you have helped me so far and I thank all of yall.
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Bubba
Knows Some Stuff About 240's!
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by Bubba »

Glad you snagged you a nice hatch and I wish I could lend some helpful info but I'm pretty clueless on anything with a SOHC KA.
Maybe my response will bump this up and someone else will give it a good read.
My car is dead stock.... ish

http://mobileimports.freeforums.org
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Nomad
Dreams of owning a 240!
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by Nomad »

I'd be checking the FICD (fast idle control device) unit mounted on the intake manifold. Get the SOHC FSM (service manual) here, http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/use-ni ... abase.html and go over the "Trouble Diagnoses"section.
Things get a little gummed up over the years, especially without much use.
1995 D21 Navara Dual Cab
Socketed U12 ECU
Tuned ROM/NVSRAM
balsabones
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by balsabones »

Thanks Bubba for the bump.
Nomad, The FSM was the first thing I printed when I acquired this car. I've been looking through it but im sure what to call what it is doing. I know the idle is fluctuating but its because of a bog or something that sounds like the AC compressor is coming on and off but 10 times worse.
I uploaded a video and you can hear what its doing. it starts at 2:18. I can still rev as high as I want when it is in the bogged state but I have to feather the throttle to do it.
There is no muffler on right now.
Thank you for looking and commenting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FCn-vLsclY
balsabones
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by balsabones »

Thank yall for the help so far. I couldn't have got her running without the help of this forum and the search function. I replaced the o2 sensor and the engine temperature sensor. I tried 2 new engine temp sensors and they both made the car crank up without hesitation and idle fine so it fixed the hard to crank problem but she still starts running bad, like in the video at operating temp. I did a self diagnostic on the ECU and it gave a code 13, (Engine temperature sensor circuit) after I replaced the sensor. I disconnected the negative battery terminal overnight to reset the ECU and it gave me the same code the next morning. I checked the new sensor per the FSM and it was good. the old was bad. I started tracing the wires on FSM page to see if I had a ground loose or not connected for the engine temp circuit and found a connector that was not plugged into anything. It is connector E210 on page EL-112 in the FSM. It is supposed to be for the exhaust gas temperature sensor. On the page after EL-118 is the wiring diagram that shows B - R/L to connector-210. the problem is that I cant find the sensor it connects to. On page EF & EC-5, it shows that it is for California models only and shows the sensor near the EGR control valve. The connector is near the starter and the wires to it from the harness are about 10" long. Is this connector on all 89 240s and only connected if California models? if is supposed to be connected, can someone tell me where I can find the sensor? I don't know if this is making me throw the code 13 but I need to find out. I am including pics. The starter is at the top of the first pic and in the second, you can see the fuel filter on the left. The connector wires come out of the harness the same place the starter wires do.
Edit, I think the Exhaust gas temp sensor would throw a code 35 but will it keep the code 13 from clearing?
Does the ECU need to be grounded by one of the bolts that I took out to turn it around? could this be why the code 13 wont clear?
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BigLoukaT
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by BigLoukaT »

Exhaust gas temp sensor would only be used on california models, so I wouldn't sweat it.

Have you followed the Diagnostic Procedure 4 for code number 13 to trace the wires? Check continuity from the harness to the ecu connector. The ground circuit for the engine temp sensor is not a common ground; it goes straight to the ecu.
1990 S13
Boosted single slammer
MS DIYPNP
npx from 240sxforums wrote:i figure from my very limited knowledge about the 240 and under the hood about cars in general i would follow the sr20det trend.
balsabones
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by balsabones »

Thank you BigLoukaT,
I found the instructions in the FSM last night to trace them back to the ECU and will do that this evening. I couldn't find anywhere in the FSM, about whether the ECU should be grounded while performing the test and there is no separate wire grounding it directly to the kick panel.
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Nomad
Dreams of owning a 240!
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by Nomad »

The other thing to check is your engine earths. The ones from engine to body.
Loosen them off, give them a wriggle/rotate and tighten them up again.
1995 D21 Navara Dual Cab
Socketed U12 ECU
Tuned ROM/NVSRAM
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BigLoukaT
Dont Question My Nissan Knowledge
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Joined: Sun Jul 23, 2006 11:03 am
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by BigLoukaT »

balsabones wrote:Thank you BigLoukaT,
I found the instructions in the FSM last night to trace them back to the ECU and will do that this evening. I couldn't find anywhere in the FSM, about whether the ECU should be grounded while performing the test and there is no separate wire grounding it directly to the kick panel.
What I meant about the sensor ground, is that it is a wire that goes directly from the sensor to the ecu connector, and is not grounded to the engine or chassis (dedicated return for the sensor reading)

As far as ecu being grounded... the ecu does not need to be attached to sheet metal and receives all necessary grounds through the harness. When you check continuity on the wiring, you may either disconnect the harness connector from the ecu, or use a needle/pin to back probe the harness while it is still connected.

You want to make sure that both wires from the sensor are going back to the ecu connector and are not shorted to ground or anything else
1990 S13
Boosted single slammer
MS DIYPNP
npx from 240sxforums wrote:i figure from my very limited knowledge about the 240 and under the hood about cars in general i would follow the sr20det trend.
balsabones
NooB
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 7:20 am

Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by balsabones »

Thanks Big LoukaT, I pulled the harness from the ECU. I then checked the continuity between sensor terminal B and used a "U" connector to plug into 21 & 29 of the ECU. I had continuity there and also between A and 18 but, the resistance between A and 18 was half what it was on B so I snipped the temperature connector off and soldered a new one on. I had to go back about 4 inches on the sensor wires to get shiny copper. I used the same connector that replaces the injector connectors for $12.99. I plugged everything back up and reset the ECU with mode V and the negative terminal of battery to make sure, ran self diagnostic in mode III and got code 55, no problem detected. It doesn't stall at the middle point of the temp gauge anymore and all that's wrong now is a little shaking of the engine. Retimed and didn't have to mess with the idle. it was at or a little below 800 with TPS unplugged and 15 degrees, dropped to a perfect 750 and stays there when TPS is pugged back in and stays at 15 degrees. I know I need to clean the throttle body with cleaner, just got to get wife to hold the rpms for me. any ideas as to why I have a little shaking. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor and vacuum hoses. checked gap on plugs. I can let it idle all day and the temp wont go above the middle mark.
Turnstyles
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Re: Got her running and exausted the search funtion

Post by Turnstyles »

yeah man in 3-4 years these cars will be 30 years old, them sensors, wiring etc are worn out. im refreshing everything I can eventually.
KA24E SOHC swaggin on haters
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