# 94 Altima spudders at 2300 rpm



## Sunshine (May 7, 2006)

Ever since my 94 Altima GXE was driven into a puddle and stalled, the car drives OK but spudders at 2300 rpm and the black exhaust has a strong smell of gas. We can still drive on the interstate as long as we keep the rpm below 2300. The dealer said that it was the computer but we changed that with a used one and the problem still persists. A new computer would cost $1300. Also the gas mileage is poor.

The car has about 103K miles.

Appreciate any of your help.


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

That must have been some deep puddle. Is the engine light on or has the car's computer been scanned for any error code? When was the last time the car has been tuned up? Water damage can cause a host of problems.


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

your O2 sensor is most likely shorted out. That would cause the bad gas mileage, the sputtering, the black gas, though I'm not 100% on its restricting at 2300rpm but that would be the first place I'd go with it. Its a $20 from an auto parts store and about 2 hours max to change (due to the stupid exhaust heat shield). Its a piece of cake. Give it a whirl, you stand nothing to lose. But I'm gunna put my money down on it.


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## Sunshine (May 7, 2006)

The puddle was knee deep. The engine light is on but I don't know how to get the error code and where to get the definitions.
We already did a tune up and a oil change. The oil that came out was like milky.


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## erik2282 (May 17, 2005)

Pick up a Haynes or Chiltons repair manual, the instructions for retrieving trouble codes are in there. Take off valve cover to inspect components..... I'd pour a little tranny fluid in the engine and run for a little while then chage the oil and filter again. The tranny fluid will clean engine internals out a bit. Might want check condition of tranny fluid, coolant, gasoline in tank, gas filter, air filter .....


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

Go to a local Advance Auto Parts or Autozone... they will retreive your error codes for free... and pick up a Haynes manual while you're there. I'm n ot so sure about putting tranny fluid into your engine when they are a plethora of engine cleaners that were made to go in the engine oil.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news for you though. I had a feeling and double checked it that milky engine oil means that you have coolant in your oil. Which is unfortunate. Chances are that I was quite wrong about the O2 sensor. I'd have to point towards a vacuum leak in quite possible the intake gasket. When/if you get the codes pulled post'm up for us. And do a search on them because you'll probably find plenty of information about it posted up already as quite a few people have had this issue. I hope that its not correct but its lookin bad.

Darktide


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## Sunshine (May 7, 2006)

Darktide said:


> Go to a local Advance Auto Parts or Autozone... they will retreive your error codes for free... and pick up a Haynes manual while you're there. I'm n ot so sure about putting tranny fluid into your engine when they are a plethora of engine cleaners that were made to go in the engine oil.
> 
> 
> Just got the trouble code 12 from the ECM. From the manual that is the MAF sensor. NAPA listed it at $200 to $300. Any idea how much that cost other places and how hard it is to replace? Suggestion to where to get it?
> ...


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

I have a great disgust for NAPA. All they do is put their label on the same parts that everyone else uses and call it theirs. Their stores are always cluttered and their help isn't always the best. 
Advance Auto Parts sells the unit for $192 with a $47 (they will charge you $239 and give you $47 back when you return the old unit in good condition ie:no cracked mounting holes). It carries a 1 year warranty. Its made by AC Cardone which isn't a bad company. Check out the dealership though and see what you might find. You really never know. You may just get lucky or something.

Good luck.

Darktide


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