# 03 2.5 difficulty starting, fluctuating idle...



## sggs (Aug 24, 2011)

ANY HELP, ADVICE, SUGGESTIONS, IDEAS OR INSIGHT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
i have a 2003 nissan altima 2.5.
the altinator is new, valve cover/intake manifold/throttle body gasket(s) is/are new, spark plugs are new, and the fuel injectors are clean. battery is good.
the following problems are/were the same before and after we worked on the car.
sometimes the car won't start unless i step on the gas somewhat, and even then it may take several tries. it sounds like it's about to but just doesn't quite make it (maybe like it's choking or misfiring?). even when it starts right up it sounds kind of weak. it seems to give me the most trouble when it has been in the sun (it has been about 103 everyday) and when i have driven it a couple of times already that day, which seems rather backwards so it may just be a coinsidence.
while the car is idling, you can usually see the needle moving just a tiny bit up and down( like within 100rpm)(is that normal?). sometimes, and it's happening more often, it will jump from 1000/1100 rpm to 2000rpm for about 2-5 seconds then go straight back down.
the service engine soon light is on and indicates a vacuum leak that i can't find even when we were able to get way in there with the manifold out of the way.


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