I have a Nissan Pathfinder ( '89 ) ...that up to now has been very reliable. One day at lunch I went out to start it up and it wouldn't fire. I had been noticing some hestitation / missing in the months prior. But it was always very intermittant . I had it towed to a local shop where they fiddled around for a few hours, took the air cleaner off, cleaned out the foam filter at the air pre-heat hose into the air cleaner.....and were able to get it running. But they admitted that probably wasn't the main problem - but it was running so I was happy. I took it home and the following weekend replaced the plugs ( which were half worn and the perfect lite brown color ) and plug wires. It ran nice and smooth for a few days only to not start again that following weekend.After towing it home I then replaced the distr. cap and fuel filter and put in a new battery with plenty of cranking amps. It turns over fine, and I can see spark when I pull a plug and turn it over ( in the daylite )......Is there a solenoid or relay somewhere that could be causing this problem ? I did notic that the little coil is rusty where its mounted and wondered if it had to have a good solid contact with the metal at the mount in order to give me a good hot spark ? ( though , like I said you could see a spark in the daylite ).......I'm at a loss and sure would appreciate any ideas you might have. It has a carb. ( not fuel injection ) ....
it has a carb? If it has what it came with from nissan it's not a carb it would be throttle body injection, ( which may look like a carb), it's possible the timing is off slightly. on my 87 pickup V6 the truck started to run crappy and it turned out to be the keyway that holds the timing gear and harmonic balancer on, the timing gear had spun on the snout of the crankshaft causing the timing to be off. Other than that I can look in my 87 OEM service manual to see what they say, did you try to check for any codes in the computer??
to ahardbody : Thanks for responding, Your right , it is a throttle body injection system. Last nite after work I checked to see if the fuel pump was working. It appears to be , atleast I can hear it turn on, so I guess the fuel pump relay is OK. I did pour some gas ( alittle ) down the throttle body - it had no effect. But maybe it wouldn't in this system.....I am wondering if there is a solenoid of some sort between the fuel filter and the injection to the throttle body that may be malfunctioning. I also thought that possibly the timing belt had slipped alittle - but this happened over a week ago, same sympton ( wouldn't fire up ) and then a few days later in a shop they got it to go. So it the timing belt was off that didn't make sense. The mechanic in the shop ( not a nissan dealer ) did mention he thought he heard an audible click when it started working again.......is their a solenoid that opens and closes just before the fuel enters the throttle body ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ahardb0dy
it has a carb? If it has what it came with from nissan it's not a carb it would be throttle body injection, ( which may look like a carb), it's possible the timing is off slightly. on my 87 pickup V6 the truck started to run crappy and it turned out to be the keyway that holds the timing gear and harmonic balancer on, the timing gear had spun on the snout of the crankshaft causing the timing to be off. Other than that I can look in my 87 OEM service manual to see what they say, did you try to check for any codes in the computer??
it has a carb? If it has what it came with from nissan it's not a carb it would be throttle body injection, ( which may look like a carb), it's possible the timing is off slightly. on my 87 pickup V6 the truck started to run crappy and it turned out to be the keyway that holds the timing gear and harmonic balancer on, the timing gear had spun on the snout of the crankshaft causing the timing to be off. Other than that I can look in my 87 OEM service manual to see what they say, did you try to check for any codes in the computer??
I screwed up and replaced the battery before trying the codes......I did try spraying a few bursts of starting fluid down the throat to no avail.....shouldn't that still have atleast fired or something ? I know I'm getting good fuel pressure atleast to the fuel filter. I'm stumped.....by the symptoms both leading up to and all it sure seems to me to be an electrical problem. Especially the engine seeming like the spark to the plugs momentarily was shut off bit......I'm wondering if this could still be an ignition IC Chip gone bad ? Dosen't it have to synch. with the timing ? I had thought possib;y that the timing belt might've slipped, but that dosen't make sense to me since this happened a couple weeks ago now, only to miraculously heal itself for a few days after.
If you can get your pathy at home, then unplug the battery and leave it unplugged all night...then plug it back in in the morning and that should reset your computer...which my be causing you trouble...
If you can get your pathy at home, then unplug the battery and leave it unplugged all night...then plug it back in in the morning and that should reset your computer...which my be causing you trouble...
Hey thanks - I'll try it...hell I'll try anything at this point. I'm trying hard to avoid taking it to a $70 p/hr & + mechanic if I can help it.
re: my earlier posts....still isn't running - Update....I've narrowed it down to an ignition problem as far as I can determine.....I seem to be getting fuel all the way, I removed the distributor, took it partially apart, and after replacing it almost got it to go, it was firing but not starting....I bought a new NAPA replacement, stuck it in, no spark at all, put the old one back in and I had spark - so I decided the IC Ignition reader inside the new distributor must've been crap.......Now I've got the old one back in ...I have spark, am closer , but its not running. Something is preventing the thing from firing correctly....I'm still alittle suspicious that possibly the timing belt slipped alittle....but since these symptoms appeared earlier in this saga only to heal itself temporarily for few days, that causes me to think its something else. I have had the battery out for a few days and charged it up and put it back. So I should have reset the computer during that process too. Am pretty much still in a fog as to what to check next. I bought a Haynes manual - but it leaves alittle to be desires and way too often tells you to take it to a certified dealer mechanic which seems a last resort to me as this heap is only worth a grand or so at this point. But it was running so fine just prior - and I'd love to beable to get another year outa it if possible..........
I've picked up a new Timing Belt - since that is something I could do myself. The fact that I have spark now, and that Its firing but not starting still leads me to think it may be a timing problem. When I replaced the older Distributor I did try turning it the full range in little intervals and re-try - it was so close to starting - would sputter - I was thinking it may have slipped just enough, or the tensioner loosened up, where I was just too far out of time for the valves / cam to be in synch with the spark........besides it has about 80k + miles on it since the last timing belt replacement so its due and the belt only cost under $30......I'm not hearing any bad noises. I don't know if this is a non-interference motor or not, but I don't think so.......I know the belt isn't broken cause the rotor is turning ok.
I've now repplaced the timimg belt - it had 86k on it so was in need anyway, I noticed it had slipped a tooth atleast and was pretty stretched out. I am now down to suspecting the coil or what is called the transistor unit that communicates with the coil & the ECU or I have a faulty ECU......need to find a place I can get that diagnosed without bending over and grabbing my ankles.
Latest in Pathfinder mini-series........Afetr replacing the Timing Belt, and putting in another dostributor - the rig almost started - but still won't completely run. It was firing, but never took off and ran. I think I may have a weak spark. Because when clipping a timing light on one of the spark plau wires ( or even the wire from the coil to teh distributor cap ) I can't grt the lite to blink. I checked the lite out on a couple others rigs that were at the house and it worked fine. The coil and the transistor module beside it thats plugged into one end of the coil was looking pretty sorry, obviously had years of moisture in and around it and was covered in rust which for the most part had been flaking off the Air valve canister above and behind it ( the round unit that circulated hot exhause to heat up cold air )....I had an ohm meter and checked the resistance of the secondary and primary side of the coil and it was withing the limits ( alittle under 1 ohm on the primary and around 8.5 ohms on the secondary side )....my haynes manual didn't explain how to check the transistor unit but I did have continuity thru it on the wires to the coil.....Since I can't get it to run I don't have any error codes at the ECU ( & since I've had the battery out ) .....I'm wondering if my transistor module going bad would cause a weak spark ? or could I still have a bad coil ?
From my latest posts - it sprobably seems I just resurected this rig from the woods. The reality is I've been driving it since buying it in '91. Its been a great, dependable vehicle. This could be something as stupid as a broken wire. I'm just trying to narrow down the variables.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Linear Mode
