Anyone in the Twin Cities willing to help?

30footSHO · Dec 2nd, 2004, 12:30 PM

My 1990 Pathy XE is still sitting at my sister's place in Brooklyn Park, MN. It doesn't want to start; it has a short somewhere in the electrical system. The battery is new, the alternator is a replaced Nissan unit, and the radio is an aftermarket Sony. When it runs, it runs great! I just need someone who has a working knowledge of these trucks to help troubleshoot the problem.

If I can't fix this truck I will be forced to drive a mammoth V15 GMC Jimmy over 200 miles back to SD! Help! I will pay in beer or money, or both. PM me or reply to this message and we will go from there.

Dave

30footSHO · Dec 2nd, 2004, 04:54 PM

Seriously, if you charge less than the dealership but can do the same work, I will pay you!

30footSHO · Dec 14th, 2004, 03:56 PM

I've changed my mind. I won't pay any of you a dime. Thanks for the help :P

**88pathoffroad** · Dec 14th, 2004, 08:40 PM

Well, now that that's off your chest....

I guess nobody lives near you that knows enough about how to work on cars to help you. Slim chance, eh? :P

Tried tapping on the starter relay? WIggling the battery cables a bit to see if they're loose? Cleaned the battery terminals? Have you done ANYTHING to it but look at it and wish it would work without touching it? I mean, really. These are all really simple things you could be doing yourself. It takes only minutes to find info on the net about what causes no-start problems in general.

ennacac · Dec 15th, 2004, 02:23 AM

Where the hell is Booklyn Park? I may be driving into the Cities this week one day from WI and could take a quick look at it if it isn't too far out of my way.

30footSHO · Dec 15th, 2004, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88pathoffroad

Well, now that that's off your chest....

I guess nobody lives near you that knows enough about how to work on cars to help you. Slim chance, eh? :P

Tried tapping on the starter relay? WIggling the battery cables a bit to see if they're loose? Cleaned the battery terminals? Have you done ANYTHING to it but look at it and wish it would work without touching it? I mean, really. These are all really simple things you could be doing yourself. It takes only minutes to find info on the net about what causes no-start problems in general.

Don't be a jackass.

I put a new battery in. I put a rebuilt alternator in. I played with the grounds, replaced a relay, and have wiggled the starter, alternator, battery and related terminals/grounds. It's a short somewhere, and I don't have a repair manual suitable for troubleshooting this vehicle. Odds are, I will tow it to a friends garage and just do it myself. I can't get this car back to South Dakota to work on it every day. This is not a no-start problem. When I can get it to start, it will start and run fine. Then it completely quits and all I have are lights, chime, and door locks.

And for the record, Brooklyn Park is NW of the cities. Just past Brooklyn Blvd on Interstate 94/694.

95truckin · Dec 15th, 2004, 12:57 PM

my 1988 pickup (Z24) had a similar problem. I had to bypass the solenoid on the starter. Even on the new ones. There was a short somewhere in the system. I could sometimes torn the key (like 100 times) and it would turn over sometimes. I always parked on a hill so I could bump start it. If there was no hill, I would use the wire I had, turn the truck in the on position and touch the wire from the hot wire on the starter to the positive terminal of the battery. This would get it to turn over each time.

P.S. I had to bypass the clutch switch so I could do it by myself. Otherwise you will have to have someone pushing in the clutch while you do the bypass.

Good Luck

Jason

30footSHO · Dec 15th, 2004, 02:27 PM

I'd say this has some merit, except that the truck will cut all power to the engine and everything else. When it quit on me, I was shifting into 5th on the highway. Then the tach dropped, came back up, then dropped again. I threw it into 4th to try and wake it up but everything was dead in the water. No spark at all from the way it sounded. Opened the hood and some hint of electrical smell was in the air, but not much. Thanks for the input, though. Much more constructive than being a jerk.

**88pathoffroad** · Dec 15th, 2004, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 30footSHO

I've changed my mind. I won't pay any of you a dime. Thanks for the help :P

Kinda seems like there are more jerks around here than we thought, eh? Nice of you to have posted everything you tried before coming back and basically telling everyone off. At least I got the topic kick-started and some more people came by to comment. Jackass.

30footSHO · Dec 15th, 2004, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88pathoffroad

Kinda seems like there are more jerks around here than we thought, eh? Nice of you to have posted everything you tried before coming back and basically telling everyone off. At least I got the topic kick-started and some more people came by to comment. Jackass.

Thanks for the comments. Remember this thread?

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthre...ght=electrical

I don't appreciate your tone nor do I appreciate how quickly you began spitting acid. Nobody wanted to take this thread seriously, so I decided that I would not take it seriously either. In no way was I attempting to start an internet-based "battle of wits." Back off and cool your jets. If you aren't here to help, then don't post on this thread.

ennacac · Dec 15th, 2004, 06:32 PM

Did you do the ECU check and if so, what code did it come up with? As I mentioned before, I could drop by and take a look at it when I go to the Cities this Friday, but it would be nice if you did the check to have some idea where you are at.

I am not 100% sure about the trip, but I think Friday is the day that I need to meet some clients. Let me know what you find out.

30footSHO · Dec 15th, 2004, 08:22 PM

I can't do anything to the truck right now as it is across the border from me. I won't be in the Cities until late Friday, and that means around 10 PM.

I did not try to run codes at first because the truck was working. When it stopped working, we had to tow it back and it was snowing like hell. If I can get to it Saturday, I will, but I may be going to Hinckley to get a '91 GMC Jimmy. After I get the Jimmy I will probably just tow the Pathy to a friend's dad's garage and see if there isn't enough room in there to work on it. My main concern is warmth!

Let me know what day you're planning on being there. If we can meet up, then great. If not, then thanks for trying. PM me with any more questions.

**88pathoffroad** · Dec 16th, 2004, 10:40 PM

I love you too, 30footSHO. Merry Christmas!

ennacac · Dec 16th, 2004, 11:02 PM

Did you get my PM?

30footSHO · Dec 17th, 2004, 01:10 PM

Yep. Sorry, but it looks like we won't be able to work this out. I appreciate the attempt on your part. I will just tow it to my friend's and figure it out with his help. Thanks anyway!

88path - What did you get me for X-mas? Is it a wiring harness?