Nissan Micra car problems - please help

[RUBY307]

My Nissan Micra started having problems a few months ago. It's been into the garage a few times, and has been fully serviced, and the problem still persists. Basically it 'kangaroos' sometimes, and loses power for a few seconds, possibly as if not enough fuel is getting through. I have had the petrol pump replaced and the battery and belt for the alternator. My brother suggested putting in some 'Redex' as he thought it might be 'sticky valves' with it being unleaded fuel. This seemed to help a little, and I put some Redex in each tankful now. The kangarooing and loss of power happen on a completely random basis, not in any specific circumstances. It can be fine for days, then have a few days of playing up. It does it more on long journeys (over one hour). The problem sometimes seems to be associated with changing demand on the accelerator, eg it can play up after driving along smoothly for a while and then being stuck in a traffic queue, or after going round a sharp bend or over a humpy bridge it then can play up when setting off onto a smoother stretch of road. But as I said, this is all very random, it doesn't play up every time in those situations. Also sometimes the car stalls just after starting up in the morning (it starts fine) or can stall sometimes if waiting in traffic for a few minutes. (The year is 1994, M-registration in the UK, approx 120,000 miles, 998cc engine). Please help as my garage seem at a loss and I can't afford endless trips to the garage on the off-chance they can find what's wrong. Thank you!

[old_andrew2007]

bump

[daKlone]

I'm not familiar with the Micra, but I assume it has electronic fuel injection? If so, I would also be looking at the following items:

1) Throttle Position Sensor (TPS),
2) Mass Airflow Meter (MAF),
3) Ingnition system (coil, plugs, leads etc),
4) Injectors;
5) Earthing.

The TPS and MAF are used by the engine control computer to decide how much fuel to inject into the engine and when to ignite it, so faults with these can effect running.

If there is an ignition fault, then the fuel in the cylinders may not be igniting at the right time (or at all), which also affects the running of the car. Faulty or blocked injectors can present a similar symptom.

If there is a poor earth connection somewhere, it can affect the electrical system in all sorts of wierd and wonderful ways, including intermittent poor running.

Unfortunately cars are sometimes complicated beasts, and it can be tricky (and expensive) to hunt these faults down.

Perhaps have a Google for a Nissan owners forum and post there?

I hope you get it sorted out

[MK_One]

I had a similar problem with another car and that appeared totally random, in the end it was the leads to the plugs that were causing it. I took it to a dealer and they could not find a fault, neither could the RAC (okay fair enough, they only have to get me home). In the end someone came out with a van and tuned it, the computer they had onboard the van highlighted the leads as an issue, changed them and the problems went away.