Rough Idle- 2010 Nissan Altima V6

[JoeWGauss]

The car is under warranty.

Go back to the dealer and request to test drive a brand new unit like the exact car you own. Does THAT unit idle the same? If not you need to have the service manager drive with you in BOTH cars and see the difference. I'd think slight deposits on the injectors from the type of driving the OP does COULD be it. Usually type of driving cycle can be more prone to leaving deposits on the injector pintles.

First I would try using Techron complete Fuel system cleaner...50% PEA! Not the lesser stuff from them.

Try a different brand of gas for a while as well.

If that doesn't work something else is at play.

 

[The Critic]

Amsoil PI fixed it.

Runs like new again. Throttle response is exactly the same as it was when it came off the lot. Running some 91 in it helped as well.

The problem must have been carbon buildup from the 1-2 mile trips that the car is used for.

 

[CharBaby]

Yeah, those short trips will make any engine run bad over time. I have noticed that since our daughter is on her own, and we don't drive her all over the place, school functions, travel sports etc, no long family vacation(only weekend trips or similar). I mean, we were always in the car taking her and her friends everywhere. I'm not complaining, I prefered it this way. While she was growing up, I knew where she and her friends were(most of the time)

But now, it's just my wife and I and we have 3 cars between the two of us. Needless to say, we don't put a fraction of the miles on the cars now! We just do some running around closer to 6 K miles/year per car instead of 20 K miles. And I can see that the cars don't always seem to run as smoothly as our older cars that were running all the time. So on the weekends, we try to make sure that we only take one of the cars and run it everywhere and then the next day, the other one. Sat, one vehicle and Sun, the other.

We do more together now than seperately so, we use one car not two. Instead of, "well, I have to go here so, I'll take my car and you have to go there so, you take your car". We consolidate! And when we start one car, we take it all day instead of all these little trips in two cars, we try to do it in only one.

Sometimes, in order to get things done in a timely fasion, we need to travel seperately in our own vehicles but, we try to do more together

So, our driving has slowed down quite a bit.

Things are also less hectic these days since my parents are no longer with us and we did alot of running around while they were ill. We did alot for our aging parents as they did for us while growing up.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

I have a feeling these things are pickier on octane than Nissan leads people to believe. There's definitely a difference between running 87 and 93 in my car, and I think the summer heat makes it more noticeable.

 

[CBR.worm]

The Maximas recommend premium, and in them it makes a noticeable difference in smoothness (lack of surging) from idle to redline. I don't know what the 4cyl altima requires.

Heat and humidity definitely play a part.

 

[Towncivilian]

Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I don't know what the 4cyl altima requires.

QR25DE Altimas require regular 87 octane.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
The Maximas recommend premium, and in them it makes a noticeable difference in smoothness (lack of surging) from idle to redline. I don't know what the 4cyl altima requires.

Heat and humidity definitely play a part.


The newer VQ35 Altimas uses regular, but I'd be skeptical about that.

 

[1993_VG30E_GXE]

I second the guy who mentioned the injectors. (Check the ohms if possible if they are going out of spec) I doubt it's carbon buildup - not at 2010...At least the VG30 engines are not that finicky, they aren't that sensitive. Maybe after 20 yrs of use, like another 92 maxima I just tore down last week. Even that one had little carbon buildup on the domes, and tops of the pistons weren't that bad. Photos to come soon.

I forgot to mention I found a GREAT way to remove rust from bolts, I'll post photos. It's called Evapo-Rust, the stuff works amazing...no harsh smell, I think it's citrus based. I dunked all the bolts in a 55 Gal drum of it, and they are coming out looking BRAND NEW after 19 years, it's unbelievable. No more wire wheel brushing with the die grinder anymore, I'm sold on this stuff.