Nissan Repair: 83 Maxima dies out + electrical gremlins, oil pressure gauge, mass airflow sensor

Question
My 1983 Max has 126,000 on it. Sedan with 2.4 FI. Just started to die out after it warms up. Then I have to shut off key and restart. It starts fine and may go a few minutes or a while before it does it again. I start in morning, go 2 miles on surface streets to highway, then 10 miles on highway, exit and 2 miles surface again. It does fine until first exit to surface, then it usually dies once on way to parking. Seems to idle a bit slow but dies at idle or under power. New plugs, fuel filter, air filter. Ran a can of BG injector cleaner through it. A pal suggested a different ignition module on side of distributor but it worked ok for a few days and is now back to stalling. I just coast, turn off key, restart and am ok for then. Starts fine all the time, runs smooth, no obvious leaks, good power. My last 83 I ran till 250K and sold it as I like the 83s. Five speed manual of course. I pulled all relays and cleaned/sprayed out, same for many senders etc around FI system and module. Tach needle drops down right before die out, as if some power loss takes place. (??) Oil pressure gauge goes down to about 5 at idle, temp gauge seems low, tach rarely goes over 3000 rpm, even when revving hard on a hill. Does this car have a instrument panel resistor like my old Fords? thanks for some idea!

Answer
Joe,

Yes, there is an instrument panel resistor.  But, I think it is the connection to the cluster that needs cleaning.  Second, the mass airflow sensor is probably going out or the throttle position switch.  I would check the codes and get a Haynes Manual or a factory service manual to diagnose the components I mentioned.  You will need a volt ohm meter.

The ECU has a window on one side to view a red LED and a green LED - when checking fault codes, a red flash is worth 10, and a green flash is worth 1. So for example, the code to say that everything is functioning normally would be 5 red flashes and 5 green flashes - the code is 55.

The ECU has 5 modes of operation, for diagnostics codes, it has to be set to mode 3.

1. Make sure the screw next to the viewing window is turned clockwise.
2. Turn the ignition on
3. Both LEDs with flash once, then a pause, then a second time, then a pause, etc. etc. up to 5 times then will repeat the process. After is has flashed 3 times then turn the screw completely anti-clockwise. - this will select mode 3.
4. The LEDs will now flash codes. 55 means that everything is normal. The rest are written below.
5. When finished, turn the screw back to clockwise and the ECU will reset itself automatically.

Don't worry about the '5th cylinder misfire' and '6th cylinder misfire' or anything, the codes are the same for all Nissans.
11 Crank Angle Sensor/Camshaft Position Sensor.
12 Air Flow Meter/Mass Air Flow Sensor.
13 Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor.
14 Vehicle Speed Sensor.
21 Ignition Signal.
22 Fuel Pump.
23 Idle Switch.
24 Throttle Valve Switch.
25 Idle Speed Control Valve.
28 Cooling Fan Circuit.
31 ECM.
32 EGR Function.
33 Heated Oxygen Sensor.
34 Knock Sensor.
35 Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor.
36 EGR Control-Back Pressure Transducer.
37 Knock Sensor.
38 Right hand bank Closed Loop (B2).
41 Intake Air Temperature Sensor.
42 Fuel Temperature Sensor.
43 Throttle Position Sensor.
45 Injector Leak.
47 Crankshaft Position Sensor.
51 Injector Circuit.
53 Oxygen Sensor.
54 A/T Control.
55 No Malfunction.
63 No. 6 Cylinder Misfire.
64 No. 5 Cylinder Misfire.
65 No. 4 Cylinder Misfire.
66 No. 3 Cylinder Misfire.
67 No. 2 Cylinder Misfire.
68 No. 1 Cylinder Misfire.
71 Random Misfire.
72 TWC Function right hand bank.
73 TWC Function right hand bank.
76 Fuel Injection System Function right hand bank.
77 Rear Heated Oxygen Sensor Circuit.
82 Crankshaft Position Sensor.
84 A/T Diagnosis Communication Line.
85 VTC Solenoid Valve Circuit.
86 Fuel Injection System Function right hand bank.
87 Canister Control Solenoid Valve Circuit.
91 Front Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit right hand bank.
94 TCC Solenoid Valve.
95 Crankshaft Position Sensor.
98 Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor.
101 Front Heated Oxygen Sensor Heater Circuit right hand bank.
103 Park/Neutral Position Switch Circuit.
105 EGR and EGR Canister Control Solenoid Valve Circuit.
108 Canister Purge Control Valve Circuit