# '96 200sx - Won't go above 2,000 RPMs



## epicurus (Oct 15, 2010)

Have a 1996 200SX - SE. 160,000 miles. It has always had some hesitation issues, but usually not too bad. It's been good enough to get me around. I have started commuting by bike, so my car had been sitting in the driveway for about 8 days. I started it up the other day and drove it to work. It was almost out of gas, but I had enough to drive the 18 miles to work. On my lunch break I drove the car to a nearby park, probably five minutes away. I shut off the car in very shady spot and ate some lunch. About 40 minutes I went to start up the car and it would turn over but shut down within a second or two. I thought I was completely out of gas, so I went and got some and put it in. Still no luck. Left the car, went back to work. 

Retrieved the car the next day and tried to drive it home. Got out of the parking lot and anytime I hit about 1,800 RPMs the car would jerk violently. Slowly eased the car back into the parking lot and left it. Called a mechanic friend and he said to try the fuel filter, might be clogged. Changed the fuel filter and tried driving the car again. Same thing. Couldn't get above 1,800 RPMs in any gear without the car jerking violently. And this was from the get go. Car didn't have to warm up or anything. Which adds another element. It has been over 95 for the last few weeks. Not sure if the air temperature has anything to do with all of this, but the car was working somewhat ok. 

So, my mechanic friend said to try the fuel pump next. Any thoughts from you experts out there? I have lurked this forum for years because there are so many helpful people here. Thought I'd add a new post since I couldn't find anyone with the exact same symptoms. Most other people said similar problems happened after 10-20 minutes of driving. Maybe that's because the car had to warm up, but with the hot temperatures here maybe my engine didn't need to warm up as much? Any help would be very much appreciated.


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## EvilPotato (Sep 6, 2005)

if it revs normal up until you get to 1800 rpm i would check the MAF sensor or its connector and maybe the crank sensor. i have accidentally started the car with the MAF disconnected and it threw an error code instantaneously, revved normally til i hit 2300-2500 rpm. i also have accidentally TRIED, for hours, to start the car with the crank sensor disconnected, it didnt. and also threw an error code. is your MIL/check engine light on? there's a great DIY here on how to pull error codes. also, check your timing, i've read horror stories on this board about loose chains skipping a tooth  but at that point, i would imagine the car would run like crap at any rpm.


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## epicurus (Oct 15, 2010)

EvilPotato said:


> is your MIL/check engine light on?


The check engine light didn't come until last night AFTER I replaced the fuel filter. I read the sticky on how to check those codes. I'll have to try that tonight and see what it's saying. Thanks for the help. Another friend of mine thought it might be the MAF. That was before it developed these problems though, when I told him it would kind of accelerate sluggishly from a stop and then just kind of pick up and go when it wanted to. That didn't happen all that often, but often enough for me to notice.


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## EvilPotato (Sep 6, 2005)

changed your plugs, wires, caps and rotors yet? the screw that holds the rotor in place are notorious for falling off. i have replaced mine with a hex head screw and used loctite. (i actually have replaced most of the small phillips screw with hex screws on my car, all of them get seized and no other way to get them out but a vice grip)


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## epicurus (Oct 15, 2010)

EvilPotato said:


> changed your plugs, wires, caps and rotors yet?


I have not changed any of those yet. I did go out and fire it up (started fine) but when I revved it up it would hit about 2,000 rpms and then it'd do this little motorcycle-style rev routine. Kind of a rev... rev... rev... rev... if I was holding the gas pedal down steady. It would rev up a couple hundred rpm and then fall back to 2,000 and then rev up again. 

I disconnected the MAF sensor plug, just to see if it would change anything. It did. The idle changed noticeably, so can I assume that the MAF is working ok? I was going to check the ECU for codes tonight. Any thoughts before or after I do that would be great.  Thanks everybody. I appreciate the help.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Remember when you check for codes you are likely going to find a code for the MAF that you previously disconnected. By description, sounds like you are in "fail-safe" mode, which limits the engine to 2500 RPM and will give it that "surge" as you hit the 2500RPM limit. Should be a stored code if that's the case.


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## epicurus (Oct 15, 2010)

smj, what might cause that "fail-safe" mode? I think I read about that earlier in some of the posts I was searching about this issue. Would clearing any codes in the ECU take it out of that mode?


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## always_shifting (Mar 1, 2012)

like your mechanic, i'm leaning to suspect the fuel pump, since your MAF _appears_ to be working. though perhaps, its glitching up at the air speed corresponding with the 2000+ RPMs. though that really wouldn't explain the odd rev surges. fail-safe sounds highly probable, though i don't have really any knowledge on that. once you get those codes, things should be a bit more clear as to where the problem lies...


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## epicurus (Oct 15, 2010)

Well, after speaking with two mechanic friends I changed out the fuel pump. No change at all.  So, I went with my second idea and changed the distributor. I knew the car was getting fuel and air, so it had to be spark. Pulling each spark plug cable, one by one, off of the distributor and cranking the engine each time I wasn't seeing any spark at all. I checked the cap and rotor and they seemed fine. Talked to another Nissan enthusiast in my neighbor and he thought it might be the ignition coil. Unfortunately, the coil is part of the distributor assembly and cannot be replaced individually.

So, I bit the bullet and bought the whole distributor. Swapped it out, turned the key, and it fired right up. Car's running better than it EVER has in my possession. Actually feels like it has some guts now. Really felt underpowered before. Apparently this is why.

Just thought I'd report back in case anyone else faces similar symptoms. Cars are so weird and this may or may not be your problem. But maybe this will help someone else save some time and frustration if they see this in the future.


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## byronol (May 6, 2014)

This post has been so very helpful!!! I have the exact same problem with my 96 Nissan 200sx!! 1.6 liter engine does the same thing! I will be buying a distributor tomorrow! Thanks for this post!'


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## camtr0 (Aug 2, 2014)

*97 Nissan 200sx won't go over 2000 rpms*

What would cause my nissan 200sx to not go more than 2000 rpms after it warms up? I already replaced the distributor, fuel filter, fuel pump and cleaned the MAF sensor. after I did clean the MAF I forgot to plug it in and it would not run over 2000 rpms even when cold. But now that I plugged the MAF back in it runs good until it warms up and then won't go over 2000 rpms 
Thanks


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## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

try pulling any codes that may be stored... when mine went into fail safe I had a bad injector


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## garfgondolarf (Dec 25, 2016)

*thank you*

I have a 1996 Nissan 200sx with about the same mileage as yours with the exact same problem. It has been driving me crazy. Did fuel filter, injectors, plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, checked all the sensors through process outlined in FSM, and the problem persisted. Talk about frustrating. I was suspecting the distributor for a while, but didn't (still don't lol) want to spend the money. Anyways, your post gave me some peace of mind. Much appreciated.


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## metro_se-r (May 5, 2003)

Not revving above 2k RPM? Clogged catalytic converter.


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