Hello. I'm new to this forum, but I have been an active member at 350-tech.com for a while now since I own a 350Z.
Anyway....
I have a 95 pathfinder. It has 67K miles on it. It's kind of a beater, but it's for winter driving. I drive it during the week when I want to let my Z have a rest from long miles to work. Well....here is my problem:
I drove my pathfinder to work. All is well. I go to take it home, and as soon as I start it up, and start to drive, it starts to putter and act like it wants to stall and die. My fuel gauge isn't perfect, but I was low on gas (not enough to have the light come on yet, but I figured, what the heck). So....I take it to the Mobil and fill it up (I always use mobil on my cars). I start it up after filling it up and drive it home. No problems. I go to use it yesterday, and I start it, and it starts to putter right off the bat again and dies.
Today, I'm testing it out to see what the problem is, because I looked all over the engine for loose wires, stripped wires, leaks, etc, but saw nothing. It putters and stalls when i first start the car, but after giving it gas, and waiting a couple of minutes, it runs just fine. After driving it around for like 15 minutes with no problems, I take it home, in my driveway, and park it. Turn it off. Wait a minute or so, and start it back up. Putters and dies. I don't get it. Why is it puttering and dying when it first starts up? I'm a newbie with looking at fuel pumps and all that, so can someone help!!!!???
Sorry. bad golf pun. Checking your fuel pump pressure takes a $40 fuel pressure gauge. If your fuel pressure turns out OK, you're out $40 and nothing got fixed. A bad fuel pump will normally show it's weekness all of the time (sluggish engine) or when you get on the gas hard.
Sorry. bad golf pun. Checking your fuel pump pressure takes a $40 fuel pressure gauge. If your fuel pressure turns out OK, you're out $40 and nothing got fixed. A bad fuel pump will normally show it's weekness all of the time (sluggish engine) or when you get on the gas hard.
Good point. How would you feel about the fuel pump if it puttered when you give it gas while it is in park? Or....if you give it gas when you first shift into drive and want to go forward. It putters ONLY during those two circumstances. I took 3 of the 6 spark plugs out and inspected them....no damage. After putting them back in, the car seems to run a heck of a lot better, however, I still want to review any of the problems that could be the cause of the original issue here. Suggestions?
Could be the fuel pressure regulator, the coil power transistor, or quite a few other things. All you can really do is go over it ALL and make sure everything's tight and right. Usually idle or sputtering problems are pretty easy fixes. Make sure all your vaccuum lines are tight and not leaking or cracked on the ends.
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'88 Pathfinder: 6" of lift, 33x13.50 Swamper LTB's, Rancho 9000's, L&P Stage 3 steering system, K&N, Pacesetter headers and 2.5" exhaust, Lock-Right locker, 110A alty and electric fan swap, dual batteries, 700W+ worth of PIAAs, etc.
If it is a fuel problem, it sounds more like the regulator. If it is mainly puttering when you first get on the gas then it could be that you are running rich. If so, adding more gas makes it putter until the computer can compensate by leaning it out or until your engine speed increases to a point where enough air is getting in to compensate for all of that gas. A diagnostic machine that measures your exhaust gasses will let you know if you are running rich.
Several items can cause your engine to run a little rich. Vaccuum leaks, EGR valve sticking, weak spark (check wires, plugs, cap, rotor, & ignition coil), O2 sensor, etc. It is a good idea to check as many things as you are able to and if the problem doesn't go away, seek help for the rest.
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