i have a 97 altima with 189,000 miles a great car. this is the first problem im having with this car ever..besides alternator and a crappy trunk lid latch. yesterday it stalled out and i started it back up. it seems to stall at idle but with the gas pressed it stays running but with some sputtering. i came home and noticed it blows black smoke when it sputters . i did check the intake by spraying brake kleen there and it made no differnce in the sputtering idle. so i accessed the fuel pump...under the rear seat and when i unplug the pump the idle raises and it seems to smooth out. also when i take off the vacuum line at the top of the fuel regulator the idle seems to smooth out also. the problem is intermittant, most of the time will stall but other times wont. i did change the fuel filter a year or 2 ago, but now the car is running fine and i was thinking maybe crank sensor but they usually go bad when the car is hot. so i was thinking maybe debris in the tank or at the fuel pump screen. or possible bad gas, but i havent got gas in a few days so i dont think its gas issue. im above the Empty mark enough but i put 5 bucks in it and it still stalled. but as of today now the car seems good. i also moved the EGR valve closed and the car did stall so im assuming that the egr is ok. how do you check fuel pressre on this engine as i did not see a shrader valve to check fuel pressure? thanks for any replies!! i replaced the crank sensor today and the fuel filter. seems to run fine if im just taking it easy, but when i start to drive harder, and come to a stop it stalls out unless im on the gas. was thinking fuel pressure regulator but i see no fuel in the vacuum hose , ive also heard that the knock sensors go bad? the fuel sender under the seat? is that the pump and the fuel sender or is the pump seperate.

thanks for any replies.

James. Mercedes Benz Certified Master Tech.

its sounds that your ride is old, I'm I right?Maybe your need to upgrade your vehicle.

today i was at the nissan dealer and they adjusted the IAC valve..under the intake passenger side, and he said reset the base value. he turned a screwdriver for a couple mins and then the car ran fine for 2 hours then the problem reoccured. just now its not as bad but still will almost stall. he said its just carbon build up. im thinking about removing it and trying to clean it.

i decided to get rid of my 97 altima and i went out and bought a 2007.
so far i enjoy the car alot. ive done some research before i bought the car.
ive seen alot of posts...not from this site, about the cvt trans and some issues. i hope im exempt from the problems. anyone with some input would be appreciated. thanks!