No Acceleration for Split Second

[CptDougwash]

Hello all,

My battery recently died on my 2011 2.5 manual diesel after having not started it in around a month. I jump started it for a short trip, started fine, then once home, hooked it up to an optimate "trickle' charger, to give it a good healthy full charge.

The issue I'm having, is since then, everytime I speed up to around 25-40 mph, I lose all acceleration and momentum. Accelerator pedal is unresponsive for around 1-3 seconds. It feels like it'll stall, but the power always kicks back in. No engine warning lights appear at any point. It'll only happen once upon acceleration. Once I get up to speed, I can put the foot down with no issues, and it accelerates as it should.

It has no issues starting or idleing. It's also has all the torque it should through the gear ranges... It's only for that very short time, everytime upon acceleration that it cuts power to the engine.

It's not until I slow down for a junction or roundabout, then accelerate, that I get the same issue again. This happens everytime.

I will also add, that there's no black smoke when accelerating.

Has anyone experienced any similar issues?

Many thanks

 

[Old.Tony]

There's two primary possibilities that I'd look at. The first one is FREE to check and fix, the second will start free, move to $20 and then go up ...

1) Remove the battery terminals and give everything a good clean. It's sometimes the case that a poor electrical connection will cause dramas like this.

2) Loosen the fuel cap (so that it's just barely in the thread) and go for a drive. Same symptoms? Ok. Buy a bottle of GOOD injector cleaner. Two choices here, from my experience: Liqui Moly Fuel System Treatment - just dump a whole bottle in the tank and drive the car (about 100km or so), or Liqui Moly Diesel Purge. This second one is a little more fiddly because you have to run the car on the purge liquid (there are vids on YouTube on how to do it). If it's still doing it after all that, chances are your Suction Control Valve on the fuel pump is dirty or faulty. It's a couple of hundred $ to replace, if you pull it out and it has any scoring on it, go get another one. Maybe not from Nissan, because here in Australia Nissan have a wonderful way of converting a $200 part into a $400 part by putting it in a box labelled "Genuine Nissan".

Otherwise, if that doesn't fix it ... you might check the electrical connection on the accelerator pedal. Some Australian utes also had issues with the earth point of the ECU (on the vehicle's right hand guard) which caused some odd behaviours.

I'm assuming of course that pressing the accelerator does NOT make the engine climb in revs at all for 1-3 seconds. If there IS a change in revs, but there's no real power delivery (or to put it another way, the car feels like it's completely robbed of power for a few moments) then it might be the turbocharger, a possible vacuum leak or a failing Boost Control Solenoid (BCS).

If this is the case, examine all of the vacuum line connections. The ends of the hoses should not be able to turn on the tubes and there should be no visible cracking. If the hoses are perished, replace the lot - you'll need about 3 metres of it, internal diameter 3mm. If the hoses are ok, find the hose that travels over the top of the engine from the vacuum pump (leave that end alone) and track it to a small black device sitting on the intercooler pipework and disconnect it (the black device is the BCS). Disconnect the hose going to the top of the turbocharger and put the hose from the vac pump directly to the top of the turbo (this is the turbocharger's actuator, which controls the vanes inside). Take the car for a drive, but do NOT release the throttle rapidly, and don't gun the engine too hard, there's NO control of the turbocharger - it's running flat out all the time and chances are you could pop an intake hose off if you go too hard with it. But the question is, does the car now work properly? If so, the BCS is faulty. You can either replace it (allowing the ECU to control the turbo) or use a Tillix or Dawes valve (allowing demand to control the turbo).

There's a couple of ideas, anyway.

 

[CptDougwash]

Thank you very much for your reply, a lot of possible solutions that I'll give a try. I'll try the first two steps, along with the SCV.

I don't think there's any issue with the hoses, as there no increase in revs... There's just no power at all for a split to 3 seconds, which is a first for me, never experienced a similar issue.

No misfiring either, once the power does kick in. So I think you might be on the right track in regards to injectors needing to be cleans.

I'll try the above and report back.

Many thanks

 

[OldManBeard]

If it's still doing it after all that, chances are your Suction Control Valve on the fuel pump is dirty or faulty. It's a couple of hundred $ to replace

I have no ideas regarding your problem but do suggest you shop around before buying parts. I replaced my SCV recently with this one. It's quite absurd how much the price for the exact same part can vary, depending on who you buy it from.

 

[GunMentalGrey]

Mine had a flat spot on acceleration when it had a fuel primer bulb leak, but this was combined with having to prime the fuel every morning or it would wind over for ages before firing. It would run oerfectly fine w
Once up and going it was fine, but take off from standstill and it felt like it was going to stop until getting back over about 2500rpm.
Something else to add to the list!

 

[CptDougwash]

Mine had a flat spot on acceleration when it had a fuel primer bulb leak, but this was combined with having to prime the fuel every morning or it would wind over for ages before firing. It would run oerfectly fine w
Once up and going it was fine, but take off from standstill and it felt like it was going to stop until getting back over about 2500rpm.
Something else to add to the list!

Thanks for this. Was it all rectified once the priming bulb was replaced?

Over the last three days it's gotten harder to start. Now it got to the point I just can't start it. Plenty of juice in the battery, as I can feel the cranking power, it just won't catch.

Something like a seal, rubber/vinyl leak would make sense if the rupture has gotten worse over the last couple days.

Thanks

 

[GunMentalGrey]

Yes, replacing the bulb fixed it. I actually managed to tape up the offending bulb which worked OK until the part came in. I cold get mine to start by priming the bulb. I found, one morning, my hand got covered in diesel when priming so knew this was a good start point for repairs.

Mine is a 2007 which is a bit older. I have had to replace some of the other vacuum hoses under the bonnet since. Seems the plastics/rubber are starting to perish.

 

[CptDougwash]

Just an update. Thank you for all the advice. Tried pumping the priming bulb and I was glad to see a bunch of diesel pouring out either end of the connection. Managed to get a cheapo one on order for tomorrow before the genuine part arrives. Fingers crossed it's the only issue.

Stupid question, as I forgot to look at the bulb before I removed it. Should the arrow on the bulb be facing the hose going to the filter, or away from it.

Thanks again

 

[Erick]

Lots to be said for installing a low pressure inline pump at firewall or near fuel tank as I have found so many primer bulb filters leak air. Just run a normal CAV or similar filter. Inline pump does not have to run once fuel system is air free. Easy and cheap.

 

[GunMentalGrey]

Seems I have jinxed myself. Yesterday arvo stalled just after starting. Primed it up and away it went, no issues.

This morning same again, but this time flat spot on acceleration until the turbo kicks in.

Looks like I’ll be searching for a perished line again.

 

[Erick]

Arrow on fuel filter indicates direction of fuel flow. Arrow pointing out goes to pump

 

[Erick]

I’m wondering at what revs ur accelerating from. I have a 3.0 l motor and under 2000 revs u get very little power and no real turbo. It really only gets going above 2500. I’m no expert on how these things generally respond but my vehicle has pretty lazy response to throttle change. Matching engine revs going down thru the gears is a real challenge with the delay in response. I just assumed it is normal for fly by wire throttles.

 

[Old.Tony]

I always found the turbo lag more noticeable on the D40 than on the D22, despite both models I've driven having the YD25 engine. The difference is in the turbocharger, with the D40's vane-controlled unit providing more boost but needing to spool up to deliver, where the lower-boosting D22 just got on with the day.

 

[CptDougwash]

The new bulb from Nissan arrived, the damn return valve didn't work (I could blow air through both sides), bought two from Amazon that looked identical for £6 each (12 AUD) and it worked a charm. I quite like the sound of installing a small inline pump like Erick mentioned. At least that way, it's a solid connection and whenever I do need to prime the filter for whatever reason occasionally, it'll just be a push of a button. I can see the location of the bulb just making it prone to tearing.

@Erick I tend to cruise around 2000 and the turbo's there for me when I need it. However, when I occasionally floor it from a standstill, I'm about the same as you, 2500 until it spools and kicks in.