michen00

I want to get new ignition coils for my 01 Pathfinder with the VQ35DE engine. Apparently coil failure with this engine a known common problem, and mine is starting to act up.

I plan to buy the #2-#6 coils and replace them myself (the #1 coil was replaced at the dealer shop about 2 years ago). My question is, are the new ignition coils being sold a different, more reliable design than the old ones? Or should we resign ourselves to replacing them every few years? Does Nissan have a new part number for the new coils? Is there a way to know if the coils I buy are the new ones?

I noticed at some on-line parts retailers, there are 2 choices for 2001 ignition coils: those for Pathfinders manufactured prior to 8/2000, and those after. My date code is 5/2000 so it seems obvious which part to get. But I want to make sure the post-8/2000 coils aren't the new-design coils I should get if I don't want to replace all the coils again in a few years.

Thanks,
Mike

permagrin

I've had the same problem with my 01 Pathfinder, have had 2 coils replaced in the last year and now another one is acting up. I can't answer your question but have one for you. How difficult is it to replace the coils yourself? I's this something the average guy who is not afraid of tools can do in his own garage? Getting tired of forking out hundreds of $ evertyime this happens.

michen00

I posted my answer to my original question at 01 Ignition Coils, parts question - Nissan Pathfinder Off-Road Association

michen00

It's simple, but somewhat of a nuisance.

Conceptually, replacing the coils is not much harder than changing a light bulb. You just unbolt the old coil, pull it out with a little twisting motion, apply a little high-dielectric grease to the new coil's plug, push it on, and bolt it in. You don't have to open up any part of the engine.

The nuisance part comes from getting access to the 6 coils. If you look for them, you can spot each of them, but there's so much other stuff in the way. I had to take off the intake hose between the air cleaner and throttle body, along with all the extra little hoses and the resonator box that goes with it. It's a tight squeeze. I also had to unbolt the throttle body because the #4 coil is directly beneath it. On the other side of the engine, I had to unbolt some wiring harness mounting brackets.

The electrical connectors for the MAF sensor and throttle body were a little tricky. You have to push down the spring-loaded sliding tab to unlock them. Sounds simple, but they are stiff springs and even when it looks like you've got the tab slid as far as it will go, the connector still doesn't come apart. I haven't figured out the exact trick, but when it finally does unlock, it comes apart very easily, so do not use force!

Other than the connectors, no part of the procedure required any special skill or trick, though many times I had to assume weird positions and jockey around my wrench or screwdriver to get around things. You need the usual socket set (with extension), screwdrivers, and pliers for the hose clamps. An offset ratcheting screwdriver was really handy. A hex bit for your socket driver makes getting the throttle body off much easier than an L-shaped hex key. You'll need a hex bit anyways, to use with the torque wrench needed to properly reinstall the throttle body.

If you have the time, take it slow and deliberate, and mark down where all the hoses and connectors go as you take them off, this job is no problem. After doing it myself, I'm very glad I didn't pay hundreds for someone else to do it. I did it over the course of 1.5 days, but I took my time and did some other work while I was in there. You could argue that my time was worth more than the hundreds I would have paid, but I enjoyed the task and I got to know the car that much better.