Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running

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Sat 11 Aug 2018 12:46
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Charlie Croker

Hi all, not been here for a while looking for help / advice please.

My daughters Nissan Micra K11 16v started to run really poorly at low revs and stalling at junctions etc.

I just about got it to my mates garage with the instruction to keep it cheap as possible as she has not got much money. (nor have I…) They thought it might be the CAT so they changed that out. Cars got about 60k miles on it.

They said they did not think it made much difference, decided to test and it was no better, but took it for an “Italian tune” as she drive quite slowly, after about 50 miles at 70/80 I came back and its running even worse at low revs not even idling and cutting out all the time.

I changed the oil, & filter, plugs, air filter about 1500 miles ago and it was running fine.There is no warning light on the dash.

Any ideas of what to try that’s simple and cheap

Many thanks for any advice

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 10:09
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - elekie&a/c doctor

Is your car fitted with a distributor or individual pencil coils? There are all sorts of problems that can cause bad idle and stalling. The cat is not one of them.

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 10:29
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - John F

Sounds like a mixture problem. Any leaks from split rubber pipes anywhere? Why on earth did they think it was the cat? Wasn't slickFit by any chance, was it? They tried to scam my son into replacing a cat some years ago.

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 22:15
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - focussed

I had a K11 Micra - I didn't have any problems with it but I was aware of this problem:-

From BBA reman website:-

Nearly all engine related problems for K11 Nissan Micra's are caused by the throttle body.

Common symptons of a failing throttle bodies include:
-poor drive-ability
-poor idling
-cutting out under power

www.bba-reman.com/gb/content.aspx?content=nissan_m...s

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 23:13
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Big John

A friend whose daughter had a similar problem - one of the common failure points can be coild packs however her issue turned out to be the timing chain (wasn't noisy!) which was causing variation in timing .

Investiate throttle body (as above) and coil packs first

Edited by Big John on 12/08/2018 at 23:17

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 23:20
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Charlie Croker

E-Doc, glad you're still posting! it has stick colils per plug/pot, when I changed the plugs 1.5k ago all was fine. I've seen as replacements these can cost new as much as £50 but can get 2nds for £25 for a set.. I was wondering abou that.

John, was not the "usual suspects" that thought the CAT could be the issue, local mate who runs a garage, I will inspect the pipes and fittings again, but they looked pretty good and I could not see anythng obvious.

Focussed, I read the same as you described yesterday and this would be the worst outcome as throttle body repair/replacement would make the little thing uneconomcal to repare.

Would a chance on some 2nd hand stick colis be woth a punt?

Cheers

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Sun 12 Aug 2018 23:26
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Big John

You need this to be properly diagnosed (local independant Japanese car specialist?).

Diagnosis by substitution can get expensive. As mentioned above the CAT is unlikely to cause this issue.

2nd hand coil packs not usually a good plan as you could introduce another fault!

PS - Can I presume you tourqued the plugs up and they havent come loose. I'm thinking that you only serviced 1500miles ago and it's getting worse - just in case - Yes, I've done this before! Also check that the coil packs were fitted back OK

Edited by Big John on 12/08/2018 at 23:32

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Mon 13 Aug 2018 00:10
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Charlie Croker

Cheers Big John, what you say is right of course, my fear with taking to a dealer is it will cost more to diagnose than my girl can afford, let lone the fix. The garage I took it to said that as no fault was showing on the dash that plugging in the diag would be really hit and miss / tail chasing. Pretty positive I torqued plugs by the book and made sure leads were connected firmly when I did it. I'm going to check all this again also.

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Mon 13 Aug 2018 07:15
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - madf

Could be a dirty MAF sensor..A clean with care job - and no fault sensors.

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Mon 13 Aug 2018 13:57
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Big John

Cheers Big John, what you say is right of course, my fear with taking to a dealer is it will cost more to diagnose than my girl can afford, let lone the fix. The garage I took it to said that as no fault was showing on the dash that plugging in the diag would be really hit and miss / tail chasing. Pretty positive I torqued plugs by the book and made sure leads were connected firmly when I did it. I'm going to check all this again also.

Plugging in a a diagnostic machine is a lot less hit a miss that changing expensive parts at random. Take it to an independant specialist (not a dealer!!)

[EDIT]Suddenly realised you said leads (not individual coils). Does this have a seperate coil pack and ignition leads?

Edited by Big John on 13/08/2018 at 14:25

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Wed 15 Aug 2018 20:27
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Charlie Croker

Yes they are individual stick coils per plug.

Its still at my mates garage and has now plugged it in to the diagnostic tester and it is not showing an error code. They are not a Jap car specialist but he has had a few Micras himself and he really is an honest good guy and we go back years, he also appreciates the shoestring budget. The MAF sensor was replaced about a year ago and he really does not think it is electrical.

We discussed the throttle body possibility that I saw posted on here by SLO? and others and he has come to the same conclusion, so he is on the look out for one.

Only other thing to throw into the mix and possibly nothing to do with it, is I am sure the battery is goosed and probably has been for some time knowing my daughter - not sure if the ignition would be sensitive to that?

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Wed 15 Aug 2018 20:36
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - elekie&a/c doctor

If the car has pencil coils,then it will not be fitted with the early model troublesome throttle body. I would start with some basic tests. Has cylinder compression been tested?

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Wed 15 Aug 2018 21:10
Nissan Micra - K11 16v very poor low rev running - Charlie Croker

Really? if thats a fact I will talk to Dave about it again.

If I had the tme I would be doing much more basic tests like plugs, coils, compression. I can spanner at basic level... Although its an old car its only done approx 60k, if anyhting I would think compression would be high the way she drives it with and ensuing carbon build up :-)

I do appreciate the feedback, thank you.

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