HELP! Problems with AUTO

[TopCatGr58]

When it rains, sometimes it hails!

Hey Brant,

Sorry about the OLD thread, that issue was fixed a few months ago as I showed in the thread/photos. I understand I think what you meant with regards to the spark plugs...having only used single platinum vs. double platinum?

I picked up the new Knock Sensor and plug, but another problem cropped up. I had noticed that the car seemed to not just quickly crank to life, but seemed to crank a few more revs before it would catch. When I stopped at NAPA for the KS/connector, and went to go home, the starter barely turned enough to finally crank the engine....and right afterwards I got a whiff of that magic smoke escaping smell.....I got out, lifted the hood, etc., but nothing seen, so I went on home, but left it running. I then performed the test procedures I needed to do....checked the charging system....14.3 volts=good...and no ALT warning light! Turned engine off. Then LOAD TESTED the slightly more than 2 y/o battery....tested fine...didn't drop below 11 volts for the 300-500 CCA load test for 10 seconds!

SO....having ruled out a weak battery, that left me with just a burning up Starter motor! So...I went to the A.Z. and got a rebuilt replacement, and also dinner! Took me ~2 hours to drop the old one, and put the new one in, so I couldn't make it back to the A.Z. for the core charge and starter test before they closed tonight. BUT, the new starter works just fine NOW.

I'm thankful for all of the diagnostic training I've received here at Channel 11, applies to vehicles other than just our bikes!

T.C.

[motoman]

Hey folks,

Sorry to bother ya'll, but I'm in need of some diagnostic assistance with my SUV. It's a 2004 Nissan Xterra with a 3.3L V-6. It has ~140k miles on the engine. I performed the timing belt change at ~100k along with new platinum spark plugs. I also do my own oil/filter changes and other stuff, but not much has been needed. I routinely put in Generic Injector cleaner, and use good quality gas...but it IS E-10. The last fuel I put in it was from a NEW KROGER station that had just been built/open a few months ago, so their tanks should have been clean!!

I drove the vehicle home Friday and when I arrived at home, it was idling roughly. It was on 1/4 tank....I fill it up on the weekend and run it all week long commuting to and from work, and so I know I can get whole week's worth without having to fill up until the next weekend. We did have a very cold spell the previous Wednesday where the temps got down into the teens, and I did drive it to work and back that day, as well as Thursday and this past Friday. SO...I was thinking that it might have gotten some water condensation in the tank even though it has NEVER done it before??

I got some RISLONE combo fuel treatment cleaner/gas dryer/water dispersant and put it in with a FULL tank of fuel on Saturday at my usual fuel place, NOT the Kroger. Saturday the Check Engine light started coming on and varied from blinking to steady on and back to blinking again.

It has a low rpm miss...very noticeable, but I can get it up to full rpm, so it's not running low/out of fuel...so I think I've ruled out clogged fuel filter or weak fuel pump. It's EFI. I drove it to work today, still behaving the same. Took it to the local Advance Auto for a Check Engine light check.....it just said that the #2 cylinder had a misfire detect: Error code P0302 and then of course the second error P0328 a Knock Sensor on the Circuit High Input Bank1....because of the misfire it's throwing the knock sensor!

So...now I'm fishing for ideas, either other diagnostics I can do...It's RAINING tonight, so it'll be tomorrow when I can look at it.

It has a single coil and distributor system, so it can't be the coil,but could be the cap/rotor...or the wire/plug cap.....or the plug fouled itself? Wondering if it could also be a failing fuel injector??

Thanks in advance!
T.C.

Having incorrect plugs(plugs from dealer ONLY) WILL trash the individual coils! And they ain't cheap.......a few hundred bills each. Remember, ignition etc. ain't like our ole' XS11's, and could get costly if treated as such.

[TopCatGr58]

Thanks Ian,

I had found that video, but I don't have sound on my laptop, so I didn't know where he got the extra connector from??

BUT..Thanks Ron, checked NAPA, and they showed both a sensor AND the connector, and both priced less than or equal to the price of the sensor alone at the other chains, Advance, Oreilys, Autozone! And they showed them in stock, so I'll be dropping by there tomorrow on my way home from work to pick them up. Will report back progress.

T.C.

[ViperRon]

I had a special connector that went to an oil pressure switch. There was no help dealer wanted to sell harness most in junk yard were bad too. A NAPA store helped get a number and ordered one for me. Worth a shot.

[IanDMacDonald]

Here yah go TC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_JMJ1KRJwI

[TopCatGr58]

More fun Troubles for my Xterra.

Resurrecting this thread. Well, I don't have to work on the Sister-n-law's Quest anymore. She got herself a new Kia Soul, and "GAVE" the Quest to a charity. It had started acting up again so I knew it was another injector going. Regrettably, she recently passed away from complications from a combination of long term Insulin Dependence Diabetes, Kidney failure/dialysis, and then Ischemic Bowel syndrome....she had a fall at the dialysis center, broke her hip/femur, had surgery, but when she came out from anesthesia, she was having almost continuous seizures. They did other tests/scans and finally found the perforated bowel, 2nd surgery found extensive gangrene, they removed the dead section of bowel, but the gangrene had already made it into the portal vein of the liver...she was essentially already SEPTIC! She lingered for 4 days which allowed time for her 3 adult children to come to her side, say their goodbyes, and then handled the death/funeral home details so my wife didn't have to, having just gone thru that with her younger brother this spring. She's the eldest of 3 children herself, thought she'd be the first to go!

Anyways....I think I mentioned that after my Xterra missfire repairs, the check engine light was still on because of the Knock Sensor error. The engine is running just fine, same mpg as always, so the knock sensor isn't affecting the performance, and I would otherwise ignore it. BUT my state has vehicle inspections and won't pass it with a check engine light showing.

I have searched and read up about them, a simple sensor that eventually dies because of it's plastic housing and that they are often mounted proximal to the engine block....get cooked with heat, crack, etc.! Well here's where I get to be angry at the engineers again....it being mounted on the engine block UNDER the intake manifold and plenum assembly. I'm NOT going to tear all of that off. I also found a few youtube videos about RELOCATING the sensor to make repeat access/replacement easier. I have found the one wire that goes to it, can view it with a mech. mirror from behind the engine between it and the firewall! The connector is supposed to be the type with the squared/ "U" Shaped wire clip. I think I can reach it with a flat blade screwdriver and get it OFF. BUT, if I can't, I'll just CUT the wire, and then reattach a new connector so that I can connect it to a NEW Sensor and then just bolt it up on top of the engine/intake manifold.

My question is does anybody know the name of the connector, and whether I can get one at the local auto store, or have to order it online somewhere. It's only a 2 wire/2 prong connector, and one of the connectors isn't being used, apparently the sensor routes to ground THRU the sensor??

T.C.

[jimbyjimb]

Oh schnapps, looked up the parts. TC, next time you pull the plenum, because you will have to again mark my words, replace ALL injectors and try to find a company with a warranty that guarantees they are ethanol safe. That job is not worth doing 1 injector at a time. Or find a station with ethanol free gas.

Nicoclub.com is your Nissan/Infiniti everything forum. Lots of info compiled on this over there.

Damn side feeds. I would have kept that Q too. Nice car. Injectors dropped like flies.

[jimbyjimb]

Nissans? Side-feed injectors? It's the ethanol. Because the body of a side feed injector rests in fuel 24/7 and that fuel has excess moisture due to the ethanol the bodies swell and open up the coil. I had a Q45 I sold not wanting to spend 800$/yr on injectors for. The new ones by now, aftermarket, should have fixed this issue. I believe Python are the brand.

Z cars had the same problem. It's a good injector design but ethanol kills them. That's if your Nissans are the old side feed style. I'm not sure what engines/years had side feed vs top feed.

[3Phase]

Thank you for the follow-up!

I have a friend that has roughly the same problem with a Toyota V6 throwing p0301 through p0306 misfire codes left and right. I let him know what you've done, now I get to laugh and watch him playing "find the real fault!" and chasing 'puter codes while I put Columbo back together.

.

[TopCatGr58]

The other good thing is that this has helped me to be able to diagnose the same type of error codes that I am having with my sister-in-law's 2002 Nissan Quest with a V-6. I'll be able to check the injectors, and hopefully they'll OHM out properly, and then it'll just be a matter of replacing the wires and possibly the dist. cap/rotor as well, we've already replaced the plugs recently.

T.C.

Sorry I didn't provide the followup on this issue...the S-I-L's Quest. IT DID have a bad injector....of course the one under the Intake Plenum assembly! Replaced "it"....she didn't have the funds to replace ALL of them, the other 2 in that side of the engine ohmed out correctly! After replacing the injector, AND the plug wire/dist. cap/rotor set(did that first but didn't resolve the issue/miss) it was again hitting on all 6.

Well that lasted about 6 months....was informed today by SWMBO that the S-I-L's Quest was again acting funny, missing and such!

This was after I had moved my mom in with me from Fla, and among the things she had was an OBD reader consumer level via CarMD.com. I had used it a year ago in Ala. to diagnose a bad O2 sensor on her Chrysler 300. Well, I used it on the Quest.....but it said that there were MULTIPLE misfires detected both at low and higher rpms levels! It said there were lots of possible reasons for the problem!

Well, since I had already replaced the plugs/wires/dist. cap/rotor I figured that it probably wasn't any of that! I pulled the plugs along the front bank that were easy to access...they all looked fine, no fouling! Because I had learned to OHM check the injectors....and that they had ~80+K miles and 13 years of age on them, and I could check the front bank the easiest, I went ahead and pulled the power caps and OHMed them. 2 were ~20 ohms, 1 was about 100 Ohms...and so I figured/guessed that it was probably fried. Pulled it, went to the local AutoZone, they had one in stock for only $89.00 , got it and installed it, hooked everything back up, and LUCKILY the engine ran correctly again hitting on all 6.

Just like before, when it was previously fixed, it has to run about 30 or so miles without registering any MORE error codes, and then the Check Engine light went out all by itself! SO...I'm expecting it to do it again. So it was a relatively easy fix this time....due to better familiarity with the possible problem, knowing the proper diagnostic technique, and then being able to apply the fix/solution. I just hope the other injectors last for a while before they also fail! WHEN I have to go and pull that intake plenum, I WILL be replacing the other 2 injectors when one of them goes bad!

T.C.

[trbig]

I did have it read at the auto store, and put the error codes in my FIRST POST

Sorry. Don't know how I missed that. All I have in defense is that sometimes I do drink in the evenings... lol. Glad you seem to have sorted it out.

[ViperRon]

TC I do understand about how hard it is to get to plugs and wires. I have a 2.5 Chrysler that I have to remove the intake to do wires or plugs on 3 cylinders. But if that is what had to be done to check for a miss I would. Those diagnostic testers are great at pointing to a problem but it still comes down to interpreting what it tells you. I had assumed you had checked wires and plugs first after a misfire error code. I will suggest that if your Oxygen sensors are over 50K miles you think about checking/replacing them because the burn on those plugs is quite severe for 40K unless the ignition is running super hot (High voltage)or the fuel is super lean. Would not want the next troubleshooting to be a religious piston from lean mixture.

[MindWebs]

multiple types but very nice!!

http://www.amazon.com/Version-Blueto...+327+bluetooth

http://www.amazon.com/iSaddle-Blueto...+327+bluetooth

yes they do require a "smart phone" or tablet with wifi and bluetooth.

there are free programs available, to check codes and reset faults.

have used them for 3-4 years now. great little tools. and cheap!!!

[IanDMacDonald]

T.C. I've found that those peeps @ AZ or wherever have no idea of the capabilities of a CAN/OBDII scanner. I have my younger bro's GM Techtron scanner to play with, plus my own collection. Part of the collection is an ELM 327 bluetooth scanner. I pair it to my phone and can do anything I want with an app like Torque. Plus, if you have a Ford product, there is a program called "Forscan" that can control the whole car from unlocking your doors, to turning off individual injectors. I also have a Mitchell On Demand and All Data account at my disposal. Pretty handy stuff.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Mike,

Well, if the plugs/wires weren't so hard to get to I wouldn't mind trying swapping stuff around. But the friggin' engineers have designed these things with so much crap in the way....the intake EFI plenum and such, putting the #6 plug around the back of the engine next to the firewall where you have to be a contortionist to be able to access it , the plugs so deep down into the engine due to the double overhead cams, that it's almost not worth it to try to do that type of diagnostic approach. I miss my old Pontiac 350 V-8 with just the PVC valve ;p... but we do have cleaner air now!

The other good thing is that this has helped me to be able to diagnose the same type of error codes that I am having with my sister-in-law's 2002 Nissan Quest with a V-6. I'll be able to check the injectors, and hopefully they'll OHM out properly, and then it'll just be a matter of replacing the wires and possibly the dist. cap/rotor as well, we've already replaced the plugs recently.

T.C.