[Sammi]

Hi all! I own a 2006 Nissan Xterra Off-Road RWD V6 4.0L with under 185,000 miles on it and had a really odd occurrence today... I was just off the highway waiting to make a right turn and my RPMs were sitting at their standard spot stationary between 500 and 750. It was idling normally and then had a burst of really aggressive shaking idle and then it stopped and went back to normal and then did that 2 or 3 more times. My RPM needle didn't move at all during the idle pattern change. I made my turn and came up to the next light and it did the same thing. When that light turned green I gave it a little bit of gas and put in to passing gear (probably like I shouldn't have) and at the next light it didn't do it or any light after that. I even let it idle for 5 minutes in front of my house to see if it would do it again which it didn't. I called my mechanic and he said it could be a plethora of things such as spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel injectors, dirty throttle body, distributor, or more. My father then said it sounded mostly like just dirty fuel injectors since when I got on it, it stopped. I am due for spark plugs to be changed and my valve covers to be replaced since they are leaking. I just want other opinions to see if anyone else had this problem and what it was or if anyone had any ideas?

 

[MeToo]

When was the last time you gave it the beans for more than a few seconds, or took it on a long trip (30 minutes at highway speeds minimum)? That could help rid any carbon build-up that could be at the root of it, and there's no diagnostic for the fun time getting out and seeing the world.

 

[XT2015]

Hi all! I own a 2006 Nissan Xterra Off-Road RWD V6 4.0L with under 185,000 miles on it and had a really odd occurrence today... I was just off the highway waiting to make a right turn and my RPMs were sitting at their standard spot stationary between 500 and 750. It was idling normally and then had a burst of really aggressive shaking idle and then it stopped and went back to normal and then did that 2 or 3 more times. My RPM needle didn't move at all during the idle pattern change. I made my turn and came up to the next light and it did the same thing. When that light turned green I gave it a little bit of gas and put in to passing gear (probably like I shouldn't have) and at the next light it didn't do it or any light after that. I even let it idle for 5 minutes in front of my house to see if it would do it again which it didn't. I called my mechanic and he said it could be a plethora of things such as spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel injectors, dirty throttle body, distributor, or more. My father then said it sounded mostly like just dirty fuel injectors since when I got on it, it stopped. I am due for spark plugs to be changed and my valve covers to be replaced since they are leaking. I just want other opinions to see if anyone else had this problem and what it was or if anyone had any ideas?

So when was the last time your mechanic ever looked at your Gen 2 Xterra? What's this about a distributor and plug wires?

 

[Sammi]

When was the last time you gave it the beans for more than a few seconds, or took it on a long trip (30 minutes at highway speeds minimum)? That could help rid any carbon build-up that could be at the root of it, and there's no diagnostic for the fun time getting out and seeing the world.

I drive it roughly 20 minutes each morning monday-friday averaging 70-80MPH. and then it sits for hours and gets taken home averaging 40-50MPH usually for 30-ish minutes. With California traffic it’s hard to drive for 30 minutes at highway speeds or above. It’s pretty standard for me to put her in passing gear at least once a week.

 

[Sammi]

So when was the last time your mechanic ever looked at your Gen 2 Xterra? What's this about a distributor and plug wires?

he was just spitballing ideas about generally what this could be on any car. he looked at her about 3 months ago just for a checkup.

 

[XT2015]

Hi all! I own a 2006 Nissan Xterra Off-Road RWD V6 4.0L with under 185,000 miles on it and had a really odd occurrence today... I was just off the highway waiting to make a right turn and my RPMs were sitting at their standard spot stationary between 500 and 750. It was idling normally and then had a burst of really aggressive shaking idle and then it stopped and went back to normal and then did that 2 or 3 more times. My RPM needle didn't move at all during the idle pattern change. I made my turn and came up to the next light and it did the same thing. When that light turned green I gave it a little bit of gas and put in to passing gear (probably like I shouldn't have) and at the next light it didn't do it or any light after that. I even let it idle for 5 minutes in front of my house to see if it would do it again which it didn't. I called my mechanic and he said it could be a plethora of things such as spark plugs, spark plug wires, fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel injectors, dirty throttle body, distributor, or more. My father then said it sounded mostly like just dirty fuel injectors since when I got on it, it stopped. I am due for spark plugs to be changed and my valve covers to be replaced since they are leaking. I just want other opinions to see if anyone else had this problem and what it was or if anyone had any ideas?

What's really interesting is that your engine speed [idle rpm] didn't change while you experience the aggressive shaking. You may have been at idle but appears it had nothing to do with the actual idle of the motor itself. This requires deeper thought.

 

[Sammi]

What's really interesting is that your engine speed [idle rpm] didn't change while you experience the aggressive shaking. You may have been at idle but appears it had nothing to do with the actual idle of the motor itself. This requires deeper thought.

I at least didn't notice any major change in the RPM but as I watched, it held steady at the second light. Over a year ago I had this occasional issue where my car would turn over but not start from what we think was a lack of fuel to start combustion.

 

[XT2015]

I at least didn't notice any major change in the RPM but as I watched, it held steady at the second light. Over a year ago I had this occasional issue where my car would turn over but not start from what we think was a lack of fuel to start combustion.

I believe what it is you're saying. I'm just trying to make sense of it mechanically.

 

[Sammi]

I believe what it is you're saying. I'm just trying to make sense of it mechanically.

I totally get that because I'm also mechanically trying to make sense of it

 

[XT2015]

I believe what it is you're saying. I'm just trying to make sense of it mechanically.

I guess I would be looking at things that are being mechanically driven by the engine. Things like the alternator; water pump; fan and even belt idler pulleys. Something that could be failing and causing a shutter but not enough resistance to affect the motor idle speed itself.

 

[Sammi]

I guess I would be looking at things that are being mechanically driven by the engine. Things like the alternator; water pump; fan and even belt idler pulleys. Something that could be failing and causing a shutter but not enough resistance to affect the motor idle speed itself.

We did a check on the alternator a few months ago so I could be due for another routine checkup since the xterra is aging. I know I need to replace the serpentine belt as it is starting to look a little worn down and have a few cracks here and there on the ribbed side. I am hoping for a not so pricey and complicated fix.

 

[XT2015]

We did a check on the alternator a few months ago so I could be due for another routine checkup since the xterra is aging. I know I need to replace the serpentine belt as it is starting to look a little worn down and have a few cracks here and there on the ribbed side. I am hoping for a not so pricey and complicated fix.

Maybe use a good flashlight and have a careful look at the engine idling and spotlight the belt turning and see if you can see it stutter as it passes over any of the things like the alternator pulley etc. Sounds like you are seeing some significant wear on the belt. You don't want that to fail on you out on the road since that is running quite a number of things for you.

 

[XT2015]

We did a check on the alternator a few months ago so I could be due for another routine checkup since the xterra is aging. I know I need to replace the serpentine belt as it is starting to look a little worn down and have a few cracks here and there on the ribbed side. I am hoping for a not so pricey and complicated fix.

Continental OE Technology Series 4070873 7-Rib, 87.3" Multi-V Belt
Bought this 6 months back on Amazon for $22 for my Gen 2 2015 Xterra. Good product if you need a pointer.

 

[Sammi]

Continental OE Technology Series 4070873 7-Rib, 87.3" Multi-V Belt
Bought this 6 months back on Amazon for $22 for my Gen 2 2015 Xterra. Good product if you need a pointer.

thank you! I was actually about to order a OEM from NAPA auto so I'll look at that one and look at some reviews

 

[Sammi]

I was hoping it would be better today. I moved it quickly this morning because of street sweeping and i went to get in my car to go to appointments and it was giving me the shaking again…. my RPMS weren’t holding and it felt like it was violently shaking. I gave it some gas and it flashed the check engine light 6 times.

 

[XT2015]

I was hoping it would be better today. I moved it quickly this morning because of street sweeping and i went to get in my car to go to appointments and it was giving me the shaking again…. my RPMS weren’t holding and it felt like it was violently shaking. I gave it some gas and it flashed the check engine light 6 times.

At this point it would be good to know what the engine code is that probably got set in the ECM. Can you get the code read?

 

[Sammi]

At this point it would be good to know what the engine code is that probably got set in the ECM. Can you get the code read?

it’ll get read on sunday when my OBD2 reader gets here. I don’t feel safe driving it to get it read which is sad. only time i’ve never felt safe in this car. my mom had this happen on her 2006 nissan pathfinder and she had to replace the throttle body.

 

[XT2015]

it’ll get read on sunday when my OBD2 reader gets here. I don’t feel safe driving it to get it read which is sad. only time i’ve never felt safe in this car. my mom had this happen on her 2006 nissan pathfinder and she had to replace the throttle body.

When you gave it some gas this morning did the shaking stop or backoff some? Your symptoms aren't making me think of throttle body.

 

[Sammi]

When you gave it some gas this morning did the shaking stop or backoff some? Your symptoms aren't making me think of throttle body.

It didn’t shake at all this morning. But as I was waiting for it to warm up in the driveway it felt like I was in a 6.0 earthquake.

 

[Sammi]

It didn’t shake at all this morning. But as I was waiting for it to warm up in the driveway it felt like I was in a 6.0 earthquake.

P0301 is my fault code. cylinder one misfire. to the mechanic it goes tomorrow!