# Wife's 92 acting wierd



## tsi200sx (Nov 8, 2002)

Hey guys, I just did a brake job on my wife's 92 XE and took it for a test drive afterwards. It was the first time I've driven the car in several months, and as long as it goes when she turns the key, she just assumes everything is OK.
Anyways, I noticed that when you rev it up, as the rpm's drop back down to idle, it seems to fall below idle and stumble for a second before moving back up into a smooth idle. Also, if you are coasting and turn the wheel and hit the brakes (like when parking) the engine stumbles like it can't keep up with all the hydraulic stuff going on. I don't think the idle is set too low, as it idles nice and smooth normally. Does this car have an idle air controller? I replaced that on my 88 S12 awhile back to fix an erratic idle.
I was also thinking it could be a distributor problem, that is not adjusting the timing correctly as the rpm's fall. Maybe a new cap and rotor are in order? Does the GA16DE have the Crank Angle Sensor in the distributor?
I have to admit that, this being the wife's car, I pay much less attention to it than my S12. If anything is not quite right with that car, I attack it right away, but I don't drive the Sentra very often and she's not mechanically inclined enough to know when something's not quite right.


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## XtremE (Apr 30, 2002)

funny my car does the same
i though it was do to the header/catback


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## Gump (Jan 30, 2003)

Myne does the same shit, i have tuned everything i can up, changed it all, still stumbles, myne will actually stall every now and then, pisses me off, but i cant figure out what it is! does it wil the brakes and all like yours does to, So if you come to some conclusion, let me know.


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## BORNGEARHEAD (Apr 30, 2002)

Idle air control valve is sticking.


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## Gump (Jan 30, 2003)

Where is the idle control valve located? I have a cone filter, and when i took it off and cleaned it, there is a sensor at the tip of the adapter plate, i thought it was the MAF sensor, when i restricted the air flow over this sensor, it hesitated and bogged like the way the car reacts when i would let off the gas and step on the brakes, ...........? what do you think?


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## tsi200sx (Nov 8, 2002)

I could easily point out the idle air controller on my VG30E, but I'm not sure where it is on a GA16DE...but I have a rough idea of what to look for, I'll try and locate it on the Sentra tonight.


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## XtremE (Apr 30, 2002)

BORNGEARHEAD said:


> *Idle air control valve is sticking. *


where is it?
how much?
can it be cleaned?


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

thanks for pointing me here XtremE.

my car's doing the EXACT same thing as all yours. any updates so far?


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## BORNGEARHEAD (Apr 30, 2002)

Check the ground for your mass air flow. It's the middle wire on the connector. I think it's a white wire. They are notorious for bad ground. It grounds on the back of the intake manifold near the firewall by the throttle body.


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

borngearhead, before you said it was the idle air control valve... do you know what you're talking about or are you just guessing?


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## blueboost (Jul 25, 2002)

dont you hate when someone got the answer, tells you, but isn't around for the questions that are sure to follow. drives me crazy, waiting does.


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## Guest (May 4, 2003)

*I had the same problem*

I had the same problem. My car was still under warrenty so I took it in to Nissan. They said it was a problem with a setting in the computer. They hooked up the diag tool and reset everthing to factory and I have not had a problem sense.


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## BORNGEARHEAD (Apr 30, 2002)

Well, yes I am guessing. I'm not there to work on the car. There is a number of things that can be the problem. You just have to go down the list and eliminate possible causes.


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## Gump (Jan 30, 2003)

Sno, have you tried the trouble code mode on the ecu? I tried it and i got shit, nothing at all, and i dont know what else to do, there is something wrong in there and i cant narrow it down.

Let me know what you find


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

i haven't tried anything with the ecu. is it expensive to have nissan reset it?

what's trouble code mode?


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

TTT


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## sunnysentra (Jul 24, 2002)

Pul the plugs first to read the condition of the motor, they should be a nice slight grey insulator and no carbon fouling. The AAC valve can be cleaned. unplug the harness and the 2 nuts, pull the thing off. There is a long cylinder that resembles a bolt like thing. open end wrench it off, there is a spring inside, be careful, unscrew the thing slowly. this is the plunger and remove this and spray gumout in there to clean it good of carbon. Clean the entire part with cleaner and loosen the plunger out with cleaner, place back together and bot on intake and plug harness, I noticed my idle is smoother and not eratic now, the valve sticks with carbon and needs cleaned 1 time a year for good results
chris 92 classic


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

sunnysentra, did your car do the same thing as the rest of ours?


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## Irons (Jul 10, 2002)

Mine is doing the same thing. It doesn't seem to do it as much when the engine is cold and it's cool outside. I generally feel it's an electrical issue. After I changed my plugs and wires and cleaned the battery connection the stalling went a away and the drop got significally less. Durning the winter it was worse when I had the defogger on. I know my alternator isn't running top, but still. Thanks for the tip on the MAF ground I'll check that.


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

i cleaned the PVC valve and changed the plug wires on my car and it still does the same thing...


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## sno (Oct 4, 2002)

does anyone have any updates?


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## buyer00 (May 23, 2004)

*Fixed*

This is a year after the last post but my '92 Sentra was doing the same thing. So.... I cleaned the AAC valve as suggested by BORNGEARHEAD and sunnysentra and the darn car stopped stalling.

The AAC valve was not as sunnysentra described, I took it off but I couldn't take it apart so I squirted it with carb cleaner and Goof-Off. Swished it around for awhile and re-installed it. Took about 15 minutes.

Now when I take my foot off the accelerator the car DOES NOT stumble and stall.

Thanks to all


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## bryce (Nov 30, 2003)

Hey, so did you need to get any new gaskets or anything like that when you re-install the AAC. Because mine does the same thing, and that sounds like an easy fix. I've actually been trying to fix it too. I already cleaned the throttle body, thinking that might be it. Thanks!


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## Mack (Mar 18, 2003)

So where is the AAC valve on the GA16DE? My car behaves in a similar manner, and I'm trying to clean all sorts of parts like this. Thanks for the info.


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## BikerFry (Jul 31, 2003)

If it's what you're looking for, the Idle Air Control Valve is on the left side of the intake plenum when you're standing at the front bumper looking at the engine. Alternate description: opposite the throttle body. I believe you have to unplug a connector and remove 3 bolts to take it off, then spray it gently with some carb cleaner or something.


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## Cuban_B_93_XE (Apr 24, 2003)

Can someone take a picture of where the AACS is located? Any type of carb cleaner will work right?


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## mccartyfan (Sep 23, 2003)

Wellllllllll, waddya know? It worked for me, too! I was kinda excited to read this thread cuz my 91 Sentra was doing the same thing and I bought a can of STP TB cleaner. Pulled the valve, soaked it a bit, and after sputtering a bit the engine ran more smoothly than ever! Thanks to all who replied to this post cuz it really made a difference!

BTW, I also shot my throttle body while I was at it. That thing was GUNKY 

Later!


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## Cuban_B_93_XE (Apr 24, 2003)

Im going to try and clean this tommorow with some Carb Cleaner. Anything i can spray down that could be clogging up? Also, i had all the fluids changed at 119,000. The car is now at 137,000. Should i get all the fluids changed as well as plugs, wires, etc...?


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## Cuban_B_93_XE (Apr 24, 2003)

Is this what i should be taking out and cleaning?


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## Cuban_B_93_XE (Apr 24, 2003)

is that the picture of the valve i need to take out?


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## 95 SentraB13 (Jun 14, 2002)

Yes! I'm about to go clean mine as well in a minute. I had it off yesterday but didn't fully disassemble and clean it.


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## mccartyfan (Sep 23, 2003)

Yep, that's the valve. Take off the 3 bolts and slide it off (towards the passenger side). You can kinda roll it over so the opening is up. Keep a rag beneath the whole thing. Spray the inside of the port. I sprayed enough until it was full and let it set for a minute or so. Then dump it out into the rag and spray it again to clean out the residue. The thing should be good and shiny by the time you're done with it. Once you get it all bolted back on, start it up. Mine took a bit of cranking, idled erratically, and stalled when I hit the throttle for the first minute or so but it smoothed out and now it runs great without the idle drop problem.


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