# Timing on the 1997 alitma



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

I just bought a 1997 altima and it was running fine for about 1 month. Then it started missing while driving down the road. Now it is stalling at idle. I changed the plug wires and then the plugs. The plug tips were black and chalky. I thing that the timing is off a little. After I changed the plugs it runs fine. But I think that it will start running bad again in about a month of driving with the new plugs. I would like to know if this could be doing this because of the timing and what the timing should be set at. The car has 130000 miles on it.


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

deuce said:


> I just bought a 1997 altima and it was running fine for about 1 month. Then it started missing while driving down the road. Now it is stalling at idle. I changed the plug wires and then the plugs. The plug tips were black and chalky. I thing that the timing is off a little. After I changed the plugs it runs fine. But I think that it will start running bad again in about a month of driving with the new plugs. I would like to know if this could be doing this because of the timing and what the timing should be set at. The car has 130000 miles on it.


i doubt its the timing alone. how many miles were on those old plugs? chalky isnt bad unless theres flaking or chunks of stuff on the plugs. a slightly chalky look is almost normal. the black seems to be indicating a slight richness to the mix. when was the o2 sensor last changed out? suggested interval on the o2 sensor is 65k miles i believe. anyways, to answer your question. timing should be set to 18-20 degrees btdc. to simplify that - its the last mark on the pulley towards the front of the car when the timing light is flashed at it. dont forget to disconnect the throttle position sensor before you adjust the timing. 
additionally, have someone extract the codes from the ecu. there might possibly be a stored code that could prove to be useful.


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

*The codes that showed up from autozone*

[[/QUOTE]the codes that came up from autozone were po325, po304,and po172. The car started messing up again after about 5 miles after changing the plugs and wired. Im very P.O. at this time. But I guess that you know how that is. Thanks for the info and any more that you can give me. I dont want to get riped at the shop.


----------



## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

It sounds like the cap and rotor as well as the fuel filter are in need of replacement.

Triy


----------



## Agoudine (Feb 19, 2005)

In case you need code identification:
po325 - Knock sensor 
po304 - Multiple cylinder misfire
po172 - Fuel injection system function rich side


----------



## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

The P0325 code means the knock sensor is working correctly and was triggered because of the running condition of the engine so we throw that one out.
The P0304 and P0172 are possibly related to fuel supply/pressure or ignition components. That is the reason I suggested the cap and rotor and fuel filter.
Also did you use NGK plugs or something else?
P0304 is actually a no. 4 cylinder misfire, a P0300 is multiple but it was good of you to list them Agoudine. 

Troy


----------



## Agoudine (Feb 19, 2005)

Thanks,Troy. But now i'm confused. I've looked this code in Haynes Manual and it has PO304 scan tool code identified as Multiple cylinder misfire,there is no po300 or any other cylinder codes. Why is that? Looks strange because on the earlier models OBDs there is code for every cylinder. It also says that OBD 2 trouble codes are on 1998 models and later,but the car is '97. So, how can it have OBD2 codes?


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

Agoudine said:


> Thanks,Troy. But now i'm confused. I've looked this code in Haynes Manual and it has PO304 scan tool code identified as Multiple cylinder misfire,there is no po300 or any other cylinder codes. Why is that? Looks strange because on the earlier models OBDs there is code for every cylinder. It also says that OBD 2 trouble codes are on 1998 models and later,but the car is '97. So, how can it have OBD2 codes?


im not sure about the misfires, troy will probably have a better idea but for the obd2 - all altimas from 95-01 are obd2...


----------



## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

The codes are;
P0300 - multiple cylinder misfire
P0301 - no. 1 cylinder misfire
P0302 - no. 2 cylinder misfire
P0303 - no. 3 cylinder misfire
P0304 - no. 4 cylinder misfire

I think the Haynes manual just has a partial listing of codes and occassionally they are incorrect, i.e. my older Altima manual has P0304 as the knock sensor.

Troy


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

www.batauto.com has a complete list of obd 1 and 2 codes.


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

KA24Tech said:


> The P0325 code means the knock sensor is working correctly and was triggered because of the running condition of the engine so we throw that one out.
> The P0304 and P0172 are possibly related to fuel supply/pressure or ignition components. That is the reason I suggested the cap and rotor and fuel filter.
> Also did you use NGK plugs or something else?
> P0304 is actually a no. 4 cylinder misfire, a P0300 is multiple but it was good of you to list them Agoudine.
> ...


I replaced the rotor and the cap. It didnt seem to help the problem a whole lot. But it did help some. I replaced the plugs with autolite platinum ap3924.That was what aotuzone said went into it. The plugs that I pulled out were the same plug type. Im nont for sure if it is the filter causing the problem. I can smell gas when the car starts messing up.


----------



## billysaltima (Mar 10, 2005)

*timing*

my bro and firend owns a shop they retarded my timing and i have 9mm spark plug wires and ngk g power spark plug before all they my car wouldnt get enought spark i change everthning including a new distourbter. my cars does fine now

i runs 14.5 on 103 octan gas


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

you have a slip for that time? on all motor, youre not running 14's. im sorry to be so blunt but ive been playing this game a little too long. i know a dude with a fully built n/a ka and he just touches the 13's. without nitrous or turbo, youre not in the 14's at all. more like 15.2-16.1 especially with your additions.


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

I was just wondering if they were still putting a points and conden. in the 1997 mod? I was suprised to find that there was a rotor and cap on a nissan or any other vehical at that time. I realy feel that it is a firing problem but I cant figure out from where. I have done everything that I can thinkof and the only other thing I can come up with would be a cond. if it is equiped. Please let me know. Ill try anything before I take the car 250 miles to a dealer.


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

deuce said:


> I was just wondering if they were still putting a points and conden. in the 1997 mod? I was suprised to find that there was a rotor and cap on a nissan or any other vehical at that time. I realy feel that it is a firing problem but I cant figure out from where. I have done everything that I can thinkof and the only other thing I can come up with would be a cond. if it is equiped. Please let me know. Ill try anything before I take the car 250 miles to a dealer.


nope, no points or condensers in an altima. nissan hasnt used those things for quite some time. when was the last time you changed out the o2 sensor? have you checked for vacuum leaks?


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

AsleepAltima said:


> nope, no points or condensers in an altima. nissan hasnt used those things for quite some time. when was the last time you changed out the o2 sensor? have you checked for vacuum leaks?


I guess that the o2 is the one that came on the car new. I guess that Im going to change it out and put a new fuell filter on it. Other than that Im at a total loss with this car. The thing that gets me is that it doesnt always mess up. You may drive it for 400 miles and nothing. Then it just starts messing up. I have looked for loose wires thinking that it might be a loose connection. I have also looked for vacuum leaks and found nothing wrong there.


----------



## billysaltima (Mar 10, 2005)

i know you wont believe me but it easy plus most on my weight in my car gone! seat door panel and evetything plus i have a dragon torque converter that cost freaking 500 bucks! but it is possible most of the cars in my town are still faster then mine


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

billysaltima said:


> i know you wont believe me but it easy plus most on my weight in my car gone! seat door panel and evetything plus i have a dragon torque converter that cost freaking 500 bucks! but it is possible most of the cars in my town are still faster then mine


post a timeslip and ill believe ya.


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

[Do you think that the automatic choke could be hanging up ? That is what it is acting like. When it starts messing up there is black smoke coming out of the pipe that smells like gas. I cant find where the auto choke cables are so I cant disconnect them or the wires. any help will be apprec.


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

deuce said:


> [Do you think that the automatic choke could be hanging up ? That is what it is acting like. When it starts messing up there is black smoke coming out of the pipe that smells like gas. I cant find where the auto choke cables are so I cant disconnect them or the wires. any help will be apprec.


theres no choke so to speak on an altima. the system is fuel injected and computer controlled so the computer takes readings from the sensors and decides what fuel mixture to run. oxygen sensor could be bad and making the system run rich.


----------



## deuce (Mar 22, 2005)

I guess that Im going to put a new o2 sensor on this weekend. Ill give it a try. But do you think that it could be the throttle positioning sensor? just thought that I would ask.


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

deuce said:


> I guess that Im going to put a new o2 sensor on this weekend. Ill give it a try. But do you think that it could be the throttle positioning sensor? just thought that I would ask.


it could be the tps. have you tried adjusting it? when you adjust it and it wont hold or it maxes out in either direction, its bad. try this link
Throttle Position Sensor Adjustment


----------

