Z does not accelerate

Business Kat

Update: Car went into limp mode. Was fine after a restart but check engine was still on. Stalled once. Limp mode 3 more times. Made it to a mechanic who cleared the code P1239 and the car is normal again. I have to drive ~100 miles tomorrow so we'll see what happens. HOPE I DON'T MISS MY APPOINTMENTS #overit #thxstillen #nevermodacar #saveupforamaserati #oragtr #justdontmod

Business Kat

Update: Code was the tps. Did some research and apparently the tps sensor stillen provides with their kits have a little bit of a reputation for going bad. Unplugged it, checked the cable, it had power flowing, plugged it back, cleared codes, didn't go back into limp mode. But now we're back at square one where on startup is has a panic attack and then acts normal. Sometimes while driving it'll go super lean as well but usually letting off the gas and letting the car reset for a second cures it.

Vicster

IMO - This is a known problem in the Z34 and it is documented and has been reported several times over. You shouldn't need to pay a dime for them to be replaced since it was some sort of manufacturing defect.

FYI - I have had zero issues since having my replaced about a year and half ago and I've put about 25k miles on it since then (I think). Which, if I recall correctly, is more miles than when I first started noticing issues when she was brand new.

Any how, good luck getting things figured out. I personally know how much of a PITA this whole ordeal can be and I really hope your extended warranty will cover the parts if Nissan won't cover it as a known defect.

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-Chris

'13 Z34 Touring Sport | ARK GRiP CBE | Stillen G3 CAI | AAM HFC | UpRev | 20mm Z1 Spacers | StopTech Drilled/Slotted Rotors | StopTech SS Lines

Chasedixon21

okay guys this is the 2nd time in the last week my car is in the shop for the same thing. Last time I was in there they told me they cleaned off the throttle body position sensors since they could not find a particular code stating the problem and since I had no video proof I took that and went on my way. This issue always starts out the same, ill get in the car start it everything seems normal I take off try to accelerate in 2nd nothing at all. ill finally get up to speed to go into 4th and then ill try to downshift to 3rd and when blipping the throttle I got no response AT ALL. repeatedly over a 10 minute period so I made 3 videos of it to document the problems and show Nissan exactly what's going on. They have provided me with a rental car for the day while they figure it out. This has been an on and off again issue for the past 5000 miles or so on my car, which is a 2014 base model 370z with about 36k miles, with Stillen HFC, Nismo S-Tune Y pipe, and AAM Short tails I have video I will post up once it gets uploaded to my google one drive. If anyone watching the video has had identical problems please comment or post.

Chasedixon21

here is the link to the video of this god awful problem please comment/reply if you have been through this situation. I'm not sure but I believe Capstone law is filing a class action suit for this issue as well as the CSC failure which I have already been through once on this car as well so any comments or reply's will be useful for them

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9P...ew?usp=sharing

Business Kat

Has your car gone into mode at all?

Business Kat

Lack of Power - Limp Mode - Shut Offs - SOLVED

Read through the whole thread for details but here's the gist of it.

Car: 2013 370z with stillen supercharger. Installed and tuned in CA. Moved to Texas. Problems started.

Problems: Car hesitated under 3k rpm and then would take off just fine. Random limp modes. Random codes involving throttle body, air flow, etc. Car would sputter at idle. Couldn't find correct idle at idle. Misfires. Stalls. You name it.

Solution: After taking it to a mechanic time and time again to fix whatever problems would happen we finally found the source. Throttle bodies if you catch it too late, otherwise it's the throttle position sensor. When you get Stillens kit they send you an extension cable. This cable is conveniently placed in an area exposed to heat. Here is said sensor:


In my case, so they told me, the sensor would over heat and cause all these problems. Sometimes it would totally shut the car down as a safety mechanism. Also, in my case, we had to replace the throttle body because the little thing the tps plugs into, that's attached to the throttle body, needed to be replaced as it was more or less fried. But they don't make that individual part so we had to replace the whole thing.

Here is the new insulated cable:

As you can see it's much heftier than than before.

Here is the little connector thingy that got fried. Or maybe they upsold me:


And here is another angle of where the cable plugs into the thingy on the throttle body:


And here is a shot of the whole thing because why not:


For my duration with this problem all problems were random and inconclusive. A restart fixed it half the time. One time I waited 2 days and it turn on. Finally had it towed to nissan where the car started right up perfectly fine. Someone with a non supercharged Z please post if this helps because I know you guys have the same problem too and If the remedy is the same then we've found the cure. All in all I'm glad it was solved and I can sell the car knowing the next guy won't have to deal with this nonsense.

Thank you all for your support through this and I hope all you guys with this problem out there get it solved as well.

Ghh0st

What is the part number for the cable, and where can I find the insulated one? Thanks!!

juld0zer

I always thought it was throttle related because i had a bug in my throttle map that would only randomly cause the severe lag where the revs increase extremely slowly. My guess is that the TPS or the throttle body itself would age or gunk up slightly. ECU figures commanded vs actual position isnt right so it goes into limp. After all, these cars emerged around the time of the Toyota floor mat scandal.

The thing that puts me off your overheated TPS theory although you have proof that i don't question is that from factory the throttle bodies are connected to the engine's coolant circuit to warm and stabilise their temperature. Largely to prevent icing but perhaps also to keep them from overheating. In their default location they are subject to coolant temps around 90*c and above, and also convective heat from the headers/cats beneath.

The Stillen kit places the throttle bodies on the hot side of the intercooler. I cant remember if the coolant plumbing is retained? So maybe the coolant really is there to keep them cool?

Personally, i think yours might be an isolated case where something failed and melted the wiring.

It's easy to upgrade this cable - wrap it in exhaust wrap and then some foil tape on top. Alternatively you can buy heat insulation sleeves for ignition leads which will do the job too.

markesc

Just had something similar happen for the first time today:

2014 7AT 41k miles, FI exhaust + K&N drop ins. Cold start, everything seemed fine until about 5 minutes later the car would not go above 4k rpms. Basically no power, a PRIUS would be faster!!! No CEL either.

Now at home with a loaner awaiting the bad news...

So I gather they will try the following:

1) Blame the k/n filters, clean the MAF sensors, coin-toss if it goes away
2) Problem will return, then they will clean the throttle bodies and/or replace.

I have the extended gold warranty or whatever the hell it's called.

Never once had a single problem with the car up until today

P's_Z

Thats best case if the mechanics at the dealer know what theyre doing. Don't let them see your k&n's, that is if they dont blame it on the exhaust as one dealer said to me. They always find an excuse to not honor warranty.

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Zeta

EZT

Figured I would chime into this as something similar happened to me tonight.

Jumped onto interstate and attempt to merge over into fast lane, apply some gas and my Z just stutters. Felt like I hit a rev-limiter or went into limp mode for no apparent reason. Oil temps are 195, no SES light present. My initial thought was I had a vacuum leak. The only thing I've done recently was dropped in a new set of Black Hex R2C filters. I get home on an open stretch of road and go WOT with no problem.

Car has 106k miles. Spark plugs recently replaced.

Optimiser

Same thing happened to me with the Stillen SC TB extension cable. My shop was able to diagnose and repair the faulty pin/connection and so far it's been ok since.

Datsun Z

I've got the same throttle hesitation issue after stopping at the lights for a few minutes and taking off in 1st gear. I will also try to clean the throttle bodies and hopefully fix the issue. Thank you all for posting your issues and the fixes you had. This is why I love this forum. Everyone is happy to share their experiences and happy to help.

P's_Z

thats what were here for!

For me, besides this last problem, its either been dirty TBs or crappy 91oct gas. Also check/clean maf sensors, carefully, they get dirty after a while, especially if you have K&N oiled air filter like me

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Zeta