# 2001 Sentra GXE fuel or electric issues



## n1umjjohn (Oct 28, 2016)

Hi, over the summer I got a 2001 sentra that had been sitting a while. While it was sitting, someone put something in the fuel, I don't know what but looked at samples of contamidated gas and it doesn't match water, sugar or anything like that. Anyway, service engine soon light was on, it idled like garbage, scanning it said O2 sensors were bad, MAF sensor was bad, I replaced all that with minimal improvement. At times it can't get out of it's own way, other times it's perfect. Anyway, a mechanic I trust, there are few, discovered the fuel problem and suggested I replace the tank, fuel pump again, basically the whole unit with filter and all in it. 
I recently bought a 2000 sentra GXE, intending it for parts but given that it's only problem is it kicks down a gear when you hit a bump, and my 2001 has the above mentioned problem and so far nothing's helping it, I'm wondering if I should take that bill of sale for parts or repair and see if I can put the 2000 on the road. First though, Does anyone have any ideas on the 2001.
What I replaced, MAF sensor, O2 sensors which were cross threated so no fun, fuel tank with the pump and everything in it, I blew out the fuel lines while doing it ang all seemed fine. The injectors are new. not that it's related, but the battery's new. At speed sometimes it bucks, not always t hat seems a little better with the tank change, it idles like pure garbage sometimes, other times it's fine. It's better when cold, if I fire it up in the morning first thing I can probably run it all day and other than a little slow throddle response it's fine. Shut it off, it doesn't matter if it's 1 hour or 5, come back it runs rough and sometimes won't get up to speed for a minute or 2. Shut it off and start it back up it's worse, generally. Sometimes it's just bad all through. There have been times it ran perfect though too all day, I mean we're a 1 car active family. Does anyone have any suggestions? anything I can check, try or do? 
Would it be easier to just get the other car going at this rate, I know it was beat on but I see no signs of it being any worse than the 2001 and I think it's actually much better other than some body damage Thanks, I want something as close to perfect as I can get it by winter and I knot the 2001 also is trying to throw the power steering belt, possible harmonic balancer problem and that's not cheap. Thanks, any suggestions or help appreciated..


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## ommynous (Aug 23, 2016)

I can't say I have any idea what the '01 is doing. But with you already knowing what is bad, and what isn't, if you've been driving it longer, you may want to keep it. Makes sense to me. You could sell them both, and buy an older daily driver, but you won't know anything about that car.

On the '01, have the replaced any of the coil packs? Tried using any fuel cleaner additives? I'm having the literal same issue with my '02 Sentra GXE, but nowhere near to the same degree. Just rough idling. Running rich. Cold starts are always better than starting the car after it's been ran. I'm also gonna ask if you suspect any ground wires? Just one loose wire or rusty wire can throw all kinds of false negatives. A possibility if it sat for a while. What do the spark plugs look like?

If I gave anymore advice, If you bought the '00 for purely parts - you should keep your original plan. It could have all kinds of ticking timebombs.

I hope you find what you're looking for


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## n1umjjohn (Oct 28, 2016)

Thanks, I agree, as far in to the 01 as I am now I might as well keep going with it. The 00 appears to be the better car other than the shifting issue with a lot of new parts, I have gone through it but I have so much in to the 01 now I'd rather finish that one then decide about the other one. Honestly, it was supposedly taken to the dealer a year before I got the 01, because the previous owner was going to put it back on the road before something came up. The coil packs look new, I haven't checked the spark plugs but actually it's on my list of things to do today. I figured if the coils looked new the plugs would be too but the more I'm in to this car, whoever's worked on it in the past had no clue what they were doing and had a bad case of, if it gets tight 1 or 2 threads in, use an impact and force it. Aother was if the o2 sensor plug fits, plug it, no matter if it's the right place or not so I've had endless headaches with this thing, amazingly, I still really like the car as I have other nissans in the past. If I get it going right I think I'll be very happy with it for quite a while.


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## n1umjjohn (Oct 28, 2016)

spark plugs look OK and today with it wet out it seemed worse than it's been. Could it be the dreaded ECU problem? I'm not paying that kind of money for a new one if it is but maybe I can find one in a junk yard. I'd doubt if I could be lucky enough for both cars to have the same ECU though they're identical cars in features, everything actually except a couple very minor things.


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## ommynous (Aug 23, 2016)

It can't hurt to try using the '00 ECU, can it? Also, if you use the '00 ECU, and the '01 gains the shift problem, you know the '00 was ECU related. So 2 birds, ya know? Although, I doubt that is related. 

I'm not sure what ECU problem you mean, but I'll look into it. I've never experienced personally anything with ECUs, but wouldn't it be a yes or no thing? Like, it either works or it doesnt. With no inbetween. I could be wrong


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