# Ka24e hard starting and terrible fuel economy



## D21jrc9009 (Sep 29, 2008)

I have a 1992 nissan hardbody 5 speed, 2wd. For the past week, the truck takes a long time to start, but it eventually will after cranking about 40 seconds. the truck wills sputter on start up and sometimes will run at about 300 rpms and then die. if i hold the gas half way to the floor it will sometimes stay running. so the truck usually has to be restarted 2 or three times before it will clear up and idle correctly.

This only happens if the truck has sat overnight or for the hours during I am in school. Once the engine is warm, it will usually start fine, but it does take a little longer than it used to. {no longer just hitting the key}.

I've also noticed some power loss at WOT and my gas mileage has gone to hell. Around town, the truck will sometimes seem like it is harder to get rolling. The check engine light is not on, nor has it come on. Should i take out the seat and read the codes for the ECU? 

I've done some research and it sounds like it could be a bad ECT (coolant temperature sensor) or the MAF sensor. What do you guys think?


----------



## dvdswanson (Nov 6, 2005)

could be several things, 

when was the last tuneup? fuel filter, cap/rotor, wires, plugs, etc. how are the vacuum lines, any leaks, any leaks at the t-body base, hows the 02 sensor. I would check for codes just in case. also check the connections.
you could also check the IAT, IAC, thermal wax kit in the air cleaner,


----------



## snoopdogie187 (Feb 12, 2007)

I know for 92 pathfinders there is no check engine light at all, unless you have the CA version.
I would think the same applies for the HB.

(I might be wrong and there may be a few mor versions that have it, but I havent noticed any).

So, do read the codes, it is very easy to do.


----------



## motionb (May 4, 2009)

*Possibilities*

I chased almost the exact problem for months (i am in no way a mechanic and couldnt afford one either) but after replacing, plugs, wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, checking for vacum leaks over and over, I found out mine had jumped time, rotate your motor using your crank bolt to TDC, then pull your distributor cap off and see if the rotor is pointing at the number one plug wire, mine was halfway between two plug wires, once i got the front cover off, I could see by where the Cam sprocket timing marks were, that it had indeed jumped time, it would crank and run, but had lost power and had crappy gas mileage, if I pushed the pedal to the floor the motor would bog down, and I was not getting any codes at all. I would check that first, it will save you alot of head scratching if it did indeed jump time. I have a 94 4WD with a KA24E motor. In the process of putting mine back together now, taking my sweet time and bugging the crap out of my mechanically knowledgable friends to make sure I'm not screwing anything up, but so far so good, hope to have front cover back on today and start putting everything else back on should go fairly quickly, kind of nervous about getting the distributor and oil pump lined up correctly, hopefully my last hurdle. Sometimes the manual is not as clear as I'd like it to be, with BIG colorful pictures!! haha


----------



## D21jrc9009 (Sep 29, 2008)

well it definately doesn't bog down when i floor it. it will take off, just not as FAST as it used to. i hope to god it didnt jump time. i just DID the timing chain job about 5 months ago. i really don't want that to happen. well, also, new discovery. the temp guage says its running hot. not overheating, but running way hotter than usual. normal driving, 5th gear, 2400 rpms. the guage will move on up there. it has a new thermostat and waterpump, from when i did the timing chain. and when i feel under the hood, the truck really doesn't feel all that warm. ive felt the engine hotter than when i pulled over last night. so, idk. if it did jump time, i can't fix it. ill just have to drive it like that cause i donn't have the time. it took a while the last time, and now is not the time to do it.

if it had jumped time, wouldn't this thing be doing it all the time? last night, after sitting for 6 hours, fired right up, in cold rainy ass weather.

i did check my ecu. i got a weird code, after following the instructions, i came up with a 5. just a 5. after waiting 5 seconds and turning the screw on the ecu back counter clockwise, the only number i got was 5 flashes. with pauses in between them. so 05 or 50? i redid it several times. just to make sure that i was doing it correctly. and all i was able to get was 5 flashes from the check engine light.

oh and btw, i did change the fuel filter, the spark plugs, the wires, and recently had repaired 2 vacuum leaks. so that should be good.the ignition timing is advanced 3 degrees but i know that won't cause it. i ran cleaner through the fuel system,, to no avail. well thats weird, cause if it had jumped time, idk. cause sometimes it has powers and sometimes it doesnt. i really don't think it did jump. but i won't rule it out.

the oil pump isn't as hard as it sounds. it may take mroe than once, however. no biggy.


----------



## D21jrc9009 (Sep 29, 2008)

weird story guys. im very confused. ever since i did the diagnostic check on the ecu, the truck has started fine and has regained power. it fires right up again. i don't know WTF is going on. its making me think that maybe the issue is the computer itself. im kinda concerned about that.... but ever since i did the diagnostic setting, the truck has run fine. and the horsepower has returned.


----------



## pedxing (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for posting this. I had a tune up done last fall, and the timing belt was done two months ago, but I'm getting the same problems minus the power. It still feels good and I was about to check the computer, so this should be interesting.

Thanks again!


----------



## D21jrc9009 (Sep 29, 2008)

the only thing i can think of about the 5 flashing lights repeatign itself is no malfunction, according to the sticky on the forum. so maybe it is the computer. but the temp guage saying the truck is running hot is confusing, so maybe it's the ect. i had a shop look at it today, just to diagnose, and they said everything is fine, which is what i thought. but for now, it's not drinking gas, and it has power, so i'm going to go ahead with the custom exhaust install. : ]


----------

