| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/14/2008 7:59:42 PM | I was trying to e-mail "easyguy71" with this question, but couldn't, so I'll put it out there to anyone who might be able to help me.
I've been driving my 1983 Nissan Sentra about 95% of the time now, instead of my Buick Regal. The Sentra STILL drives like a dream, and gets terrific mileage(little comfort, I'll grant you!).
Now... for the past 3-4 months, I've been gassing up at a station where the gas is 10% ethanol. In cold weather, my Nissan will always try to stall, until it's had a chance to warm up. However, it no longer MATTERS what the ambient temperature(Or ENGINE temperature, for that matter) is; whenever I put the car in neutral, the Nissan tries to stall, and DOES stall unless I give it some gas.
Is it the ETHANOL that is causing this? I replaced both the air AND fuel filter this afternoon, but it didn't help a bit.
Any thoughts on this would be GREATLY appreciated! | |
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| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/14/2008 8:08:40 PM | your not the only driver experiencing the problem, however yours is carb and is not getting a high enough spark to detonate the fuel.
ethynol is better suited for fuel injected engines due to the pressure and thats what helps get it burnt, in my 98 explorer ive noticed a severe drop in recent fillups and its ethynol related. | |
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| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/14/2008 8:52:40 PM | Im not a mechanic, however I know a lil bout ethanol since we grow it. Id have to say its totally the ethynol. First off its only 10% and ethynol burns just like gasoline, but it higher octane but with less energy bonds. BUT i would not be suprised if the ethynol is gumming up your carb. It has been known to do this, even on injectors. Infact that is one of the reasons why u cant just run any car on E85. It requires a special and expensive fuel filter for ethynol of that content to prevent gumming.
It may have gummed up some jets, causing it to struggle. try running fuel system cleaner thru it a few tanks n see what happens. | |
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| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/14/2008 9:16:23 PM | Yeah.... I was planning on buying some Seafoam in the morning(Seafoam is AMAZING stuff!!). Sometime this weekend, I'm also going to get plugs, wires, and a distributor cap, and finish the tune-up.
Also, there's an O-ring that fits in the center of the air filter housing which surrounds the mouth of the carburetor(If that makes any sense!), and about 1/3 of the O-ring has popped out. Perhaps this could be causing a vacuum issue? | |
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| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/15/2008 1:47:41 PM | If the O-ring is between the carb and air cleaner, no its not causing a vacuum problem, but replace it anyway. I think I read that the btu content (amount of energy) is less than gas in ethanol. So at idle it has a harder time staying lit. If it runs OK at higher RPM, replace what you listed as its a good idea to, and if it still won't idle, there's a screw to adjust it usually located on the drivers side of the carb.
Look where the throttle cable or linkage attatch to a lever on the carb, the screw moves the lever and holds its position when your foots not on the gas. Turn it in half turns until it will stay running. But if you get straight gas again, it will probably idle faster. Doesn't hurt anything, but is annoying. You'll have to strike a balance if you get fuel from different sources, rather than adjusting it for different tank fulls.
And if you know someone with a later model car that is having problems like your's I'd switch stations. Fuel injection computers are made to compensate for differences in fuel quality within a certain range. Could be the station is getting bad gas. And its got kernels that don't pop in it. | |
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| Ethanol and stalling Nissan
Posted: 5/28/2008 11:51:26 PM | It could be bad gas. Or water in the gas. I have experienced this with bad gas. Try filling up at a different station. As for the 10% ethanol, not sure of the effects. I've burned 3 tanks of the 10% ethanol ratio & haven't noticed any bad side effects. But I also have a fuel injected vehicle.
Good luck,
Sean | |
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