Primera - Persistent Engine Fault

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Thu 22 Jan 2004 14:01
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - Stewtom
Can anyone please help me with this intractable problem?:

On morning start-up, my 1997 Primera (SLX 2.0i Automatic)stalls sharply when Drive or Reverse is engaged at the initial idling revs of 1400, and will not engage until the revs have decayed to under about 900, which takes about 5 minutes.

Once engaged the revs tend to 'hunt' a little at first, and the engine judders under braking for the first mile or so. Curiously, on later start-ups in the same day the car engages normally even when the initial revs are at 1400.

I have had the thing investigated by dealers, main distributors and Nissan HQ, and also on their advice repalced the ICV without success. It may be that the ECU is next, but diagnosis by component replacement is expensive and is anyway approaching the residual value of the car, which I cannot in honesty sell on while the fault remains.

Has any kind person some experience of this?
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Thu 22 Jan 2004 16:26
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - ianhad
Try bba-reman.com They have a common faults page and also "loan" ecu's. Brilliant.
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Mon 26 Jan 2004 12:31
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - Stewtom
Thank you Ianhad, I will do it through bb-man. Best wishes
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Mon 26 Jan 2004 13:30
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - Aprilia
Couple of suggestions:

1. Your Nissan's engine management system ('ECCS') is fundamentally very similar to a Bosch LH-Jectonic system and it may be worth going to a Bosch Engine management specialist; he may have more experience with 'odd ball' faults than a Nissan dealer.

2. From what you've said I doubt it is the ECU. If the vehicle operates normally later in the day then it is likely that the problem is either mechanical or sensor-related, and possibly temperature related.

One thing a technician could do is monitor the drive signal to the ISCV to check it is operating correctly. The fact that engine 'stumbles' when slowing down and 'stalls sharply' makes me wonder if there is a transmission problem as opposed to an engine problem.
It would be interesting to know if the transmission is imposing an excessive load on the engine when its cold - this could point to a torque convertor fault or a fault with the lock-up clutch. Does the transmission operate entirely normally from cold?
Monitoring the ISCV signal when 'D' is engaged on a cold engine might be helpful. If you have access to a 'scope you could try this yourself.
Also check the obvious things - throttle body should be spotlessly clean etc.
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Mon 26 Jan 2004 21:37
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - Aprilia
I had a couple more thoughts on this:

Gearshift selector switch - tells ECU which gear is engaged. When R, D, 1,2 are engaged I believe it sends a signal to engine ECU to immediately open up ISCV a bit to pre-empt stalling. You could check that this signal is reaching the ECU.
There is also an 'idle position switch' on the throttle quadrant - again worth checking.

Also, transmission has a temperature sensor to allow ECU to vary line pressure as fluid temp changes (and hence viscosity) - I would think it unlikely that this is the problem - but its easy to check and perhaps worth eliminating.

Anyway, take a look at the transmission selector position switch first.
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Thu 29 Jan 2004 08:24
Primera - Persistent Engine Fault - Stewtom
Thany you Aprilia! Even though I am not technically minded, the thought of a sensor avoiding excessive torque is a persuasive one. I will have both those things checked out too (as well as the throttle body and ECU) Yours, Stewtom
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