# 96 200sx dying at idle



## Jade01 (May 3, 2004)

Hi Guys,

Lately my 200sx has been dying at idle. Not when I first start it, but after I drive for about 5 or 10 minutes and especially after I get off the freeway it will die at stop lights. Right before and after this happens there is a strong gas smell, then the idle drops to about 600 and it dies. Usually after that it has to sit for about 5 minutes before it will start again. Sometimes before it dies the tach will start jumping up and down from about 700 to about 3000. It has a brand new o2 censor and the fuel pump is about a year old. It has MSD injection, High flow intake and exhaust and a racing header. Does anyone know what might be causing this?


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

how r the spark plugs?


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## payk (May 5, 2004)

*check the tps*

there is a sensor by the throttle body above the tps
held down by two screws (phillips) ,it has a connector on it
pull it out and spray it with wd40 and bolw dry
that should fix that idle prob


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## DanTheMan (Jan 12, 2003)

*TPS? How about the idle adjustment?*



payk said:


> there is a sensor by the throttle body above the tps
> held down by two screws (phillips) ,it has a connector on it
> pull it out and spray it with wd40 and bolw dry
> that should fix that idle prob


OK, personally I've done a load of timing adjustment and idle adjust on my 97
1.6 200sx se. (should be done now that I got good directions)
As far as I know the TPS has nothing to do with idle speed at least on the 97,
it's all about the idle adjustment screw (which apparently you don't want to adjust unless the car is in timing mode) A hanes manuall is the best $5 mod you can buy! Just get one for the 96'. The fuel smell could be alot of stuff or just a left-over smell from the car dying due to the lack of sufficient o2 to burn all the gas there is naturally some left that gets spit into the header.

I do not like MSD ignitions, I know more power hotter spark etc....
I just think it's safer and much more reliable to use the stock ignition sys.
I would tear this off 1st thing any car I buy if it had it as a "mod".
You want 5hp do timing not ignition, timing is free and should fix the idle as long as you can adjust/find the screw. Ignitions just beat up the battery cause shorts, blown fuses etc... and may just inexplicably burn out when you least expect it (or most need it). There is a reason NISSAN engineering designed the ignition system as it is period.

I really don't know what else would cause it to die, maybe idle set too low.
Are they stock cams?
Could just be carbonized like a mother. Spray TB cleaner, clean all intake components, start with filter if it hasn't been cleaned in a long, long time.


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## Iluvsr20s (Mar 7, 2004)

Definitley go with a hanes repair manual, they are awesome. How long do let your car warm up before you drive it, when you first start it it idles higher so you could just drive off on that and not notice that when it hits its normal idle speed it will die, if that is the case then it is probably idle adjustment, if it isnt then something is probably wrong with your ignition, maybe something not hooked up right when it was installed. Did you move the O2 sensor when you put your headers on?? 
There is only one hanes repair manual for the 200sx 95-98 and it covers both GA16DE and the SR20DE


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

I'd say a good ol tune-up. Change the plugs/wires, new fuel filter, check the injectors, clean out the intake/filter, check out the IACV, clean the throttle body with carb cleaner, and so on.


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## Jade01 (May 3, 2004)

The plugs are good and I let it warm up about 5 to 10 minutes (until the idle drops) before I drive it usually. It always runs fine while it warming up, this only happens after I drive. 

Thanks alot for the advice you guys :thumbup:


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## DanTheMan (Jan 12, 2003)

*Idle*



Jade01 said:


> The plugs are good and I let it warm up about 5 to 10 minutes (until the idle drops) before I drive it usually. It always runs fine while it warming up, this only happens after I drive.
> 
> Thanks alot for the advice you guys :thumbup:


Sounds like the only reason it doesn't die right away is because it idles higher at the warm-up when first started, as you drive, and it warms up, the rev's drop off to idle rev instead of warm-up rev 700rpm at idle (depends if it's stick or auto as to correct setting at idle) and it runs 1000-1150rpm while "warming the engine" to operating temp (this reduces pollution from cold engines)
When the idle goes to normal (as you drive) it drops too far and you engine goes choke...gag...cough...spit(gas)....cough...hack....dead.
It is screaming more air!
Maybe just cleaning the filter is enough but see my post above. 
PROPS yo somebody already mentioned this above.


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## nizzan4u2nv (Apr 14, 2004)

Do a tune up if you havent already. Plugs, plug wires, cap, rotor, o2 sensor, adjust timing to spec or advanced depending on what octane you run, then adjust idle speed. Check tps and maf voltage to see if they are within spec.


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## 200sxchris (Oct 21, 2014)

New IACV vavle


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