S13 CA18DET dropping revs then cutting out when warm

[MacNello]

Hi All

First things first - I recently joined this forum and I must say their tons of great reads for the SX and its helped me out tons - hope to adds builds and articles of my own!

I purchased an immaculate S13 from an Old dude in PTA which came with a Full Service History (serviced every 6000km by Nissan) doubt he even knew what throwing is side ways was lol . After two weeks of owning it I was driving home from work one day when I stopped at a robot and the rev counter started dropping to a point where it was almost stalling - stunned I couldn't figure out why ?

So the troubleshooting began, I read about vacuum leaks, cleaning out the AAC and IVAC controls, I landed up replacing the plugs, checked for leaks, pulled off the Air flow meter for clean. Once that was done I unplugged the AAC and set the base timing to 750 then plugged it back together again. After the 10min warm up she still kept dropping and bogging out on me - I sat their with pure SX depression

Running low on fuel I decided to visit my local station, A dude I know their often helps fill her - I ask him to fill her up 95 octane, his like, "HOOOOW last week I put 93 boss" I was like what ? Bang bobs your uncle started my baby up, dropped a little octaine booster and shes running like a machine ! After the fill my rev counter was sitting a little high had to drop it a little.

Suppose this goes to show that when you have a little problem - go to the very basic before you start pulling and cleaning things that weren't needed (oh well at least I know my plugs,ACC and MAF are running 100% now)


Nello

[Enzio]

A stock S13 should have ZERO problems running on 93.

93/95 has nothing to do with idle.

Is it really standard, or Durban standard?

[MacNello]

I to thought that the octaine couldn't have much difference... Thing is it ran a 3/4 tank of 93 it was running okay I guess until the engine warmed up and I sat in traffic with that left over scrappy 1/4 tank it started bogging out. After the 95 and octaine booster she's feels alot more responsive and I haven't had any more boggin(touch wood). Im guessing the octaine boost cleaned up some crap in the injectors...or something. I'll leave this one at 200sx PMS

[Daniel]

perhaps there's something going on with you fuel pickup that causes your symptoms when the fuel level gets low.
Pull out the pump and check.

[Draco]

The Ecu and all the sensors our jap friends installed cought on to the fact that the fuel is different, don't ask me to explain it, many will say that is crap...but...there is so much we think we know....

My guess is for some reason the ECU retarted the timing...again...don't ask me how or why...I am just another guy around the corner...

[Daniel]

Yeah, the knock sensor is supposed to pick up knock (which would amongst other things be caused by low octane fuel) then retard the timing. But IMHO the standard Nissan knock sensor is useless. It wouldn't effect idling at all.

[Draco]

See...

[Enzio]

If you get knock on a STOCK S13 with 93 something else is wrong.

And yes, again, idling wouldn't be affected.

[Draco]

It's South Africa...there is a fuel strike....a dispute....in the past here in SA...choppers crasher for no aparent reason...

fuel octane came up...not what it was supposed to be....question....was it really 93 octane....

[Daniel]

See...

Lol hey your the one not even running a standard ecu and thinks the standard one "magically" learns.
You think I'm an idiot, I think your an idiot so we're even

Besides he said himself it worked fine until about 1/4 tank <-not proof of magic learning ECU's btw

Just in case remind me to bring a piece offering, I dont want to be on the receiving end of a beat-down from you

[Draco]

See...

Lol hey your the one not even running a standard ecu and thinks the standard one "magically" learns.
You think I'm an idiot, I think your an idiot so we're even

Besides he said himself it worked fine until about 1/4 tank <-not proof of magic learning ECU's btw

Just in case remind me to bring a piece offering, I dont want to be on the receiving end of a beat-down from you

It's on biaaatch

Who said anything about a learning ECU...no ECU learns...it does get info from all sensors though and adjust...but you knew that genius...

If you read his first post, one can assume he was running 95octane fuel before, one can also assume that he has the tendancy to add octane boosters...as the victim stated...

Now...the victim seems to have forgotten that he use to use 95 octane fuel...one can then also assume that the victim forgot to add the actane booster....

Then one must also remember...that certain cercumstances would cause this "idling misconduct" ...driving quite normal the ECU may have gotten scared...but did not panic....then....when the temperiture together with air mass was not optimal anymore, the victim drove the vehicle in question hard(like you would a 100$ hooker), due to the higher intake temp and mass air flow not being what it was before, the ECU now panicked, because the knock sensor, which may or may not still be working threw all his old toys out of the box....causing the ECU to take drastic measures....adjusting fuel and timing to prevent the knock sensor(which may or may not still be working ) from reaching a flat line.

From there, the ECU was on standby 24Hours, untill the conditions they were operating in, became of such a nature to not be on standby...

One can only assume...

PS. IDIOT
And that is why wise people don't stick with the standard ECU

Statement: we think we know....but we actually idiots.

[Dumani]

I had the same problem with my sx. It ran fine wen it was cool, soon as the engine started to heat up it started having the idling problems. I let the car sit in the garage for a few days. Afterwards it was fine. Hasn't acted up since. I was also told about using 95 instead of 93 but i paid it no mind.