# RPM's going crazy, probably electrical



## solimines (Jan 13, 2006)

I have a 1996 nissan altima and here's the problem: Now i know i am about to sound dumb, but i think the problem started with me hooking up a jump box to my car backwards. Which when i finally got my car jumped it worked for a while. Then a couple days later it died. I realized it was a fusable link to the battery. So i replaced it and it started up and ran great again. DIdn't have any problems for like maybe a monthish.
I then just died out suddenly, almost like i ran out of gas. I had to have it towed to my mechanic and he replaced the valve cover gasket, and spark plug seals and spark plugs cause they were full of oil. Then when he went to start it up it started dieing out and gave them three codes (one of which was the knock sensor) They told me this is usually the ECU and i would have to probably get a new one. So i took the ECU out and had it sent to a company that diagnoses and then rebuilds ECU's and they concluded it was broken and rebuilt it for me. So i had the rebuilt ECU sent to the mechanic and had them install it. And then two of the codes went away and the knock sensor stayed. The RPM's are now very eratic, and this is not a normal thing to happen to a car when teh knock sensor is bad. i replaced my spark-plug wires as well. 
Now this mechanic i don't think was pulling a fast one on me either cause they only charged me 65 dollars to go in and take out the ECU and hold my car for 2 weeks and put it all back together for me.
Reading some other forums i was thinking maybe the distributer. What do you think? I was also thinking of maybe replacing the fuel filter. That is all the information i have up to this point, and i would like to keep from going poor because of this car. Thank you


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## ssaemployee777 (Jan 8, 2006)

Check for oil in the distributor. It is a very common problem.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

Is the idle speed "hunting" up and down?
I would first disconnect the MAF (Mass Air Flow) meter next to the air box. If it smoothes out then the MAF is on its way out. If no change ensure that the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) is adjusted correctly. With the TPS disconnected it should read ~2k ohms across terminals 2 and 3 with the throttle closed completely.
---x--
[1 2 3]
With the TPS harness connector reattached start the car and let it run until it is about warmed up then with a voltmeter positive lead inserted in pin 2 and the negative lead inserted in pin 3, the meter should read between 0.3 and 0.7V with 0.5V being optimum. After adjusting or checking the TPS with it running disconnect it pause a few seconds and then reconnect it.

Remove the distributor cap and rotor. Then remove the black cover under the rotor and the sealed cover plate to inspect the Crank Position Sensor. If oil is in there then spray it out with electrical contact cleaner, blow it out with compressed air, reassemble it and start it up. If it continues running or runs more smoothly then you have found the problem or the majority of the problem anyway. You have 2 options; replace the distributor with a rebuilt or replace the oil seal inside the housing and clean it up thoroughly. oil seal part no is 22131-1E401 (Thanks ssaemployee777)

Troy


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