Misterfixit

OK You all, I have the answer. Picture, if you will, the top of the Pathy fuel pump housing. There are four white caps there. Each cap covered a soldered terminal. When one of the wire solder joints under the white cap is broker, it causes a random intermittent short circuit or interruption of power to the pump. This is exactly what the problem was with my Pathy. After doing ALL of the various things we have discussed above, I used some jumper wires and bridged over from a small stripped section of the feed wires (before the plastic cap) to the appropriate place on the pump. Worked 100%. I removed the plastic cap, using a heat gun to melt it off since it appeared to be heat welded into place as part of the manufacture process. Sure enough, a broken solder connection. Now I will reserve my wrath for whoever designed the non-removable plastic cap and solder connection for a later day. I went ahead and put in another complete unit. Problem solved. While I was at it, I installed new Monroe shocks all around (the old ones could be compressed easily by hand) and a water pump (which had been slightly leaking through the air holes in the housing.I wasn't able to find a simple re-packing kit so exchanged the core. My buddy Carlos is applying 20% tint to the windows and above the A2 line on the windshield. Now off to find a complete set of new weather stripping prior to a new paint job. I've selected Rustoleum 7786402 - Smoke Gray, followed by a Clear Coat. So far so good. Regards, Dave

Aha! Good detective work. I already have a new battery installed, but will disassemble the existing terminals and clean out all the plugs and connections. I pulled the sides off of the steering column but there is good continuity and connection there. Regards, Dave

Hah! I was thinking it was more like haunted by J. Edgar Hoover's ghost ("no Left Turns") Dave

I didn't think of that. Ill pull the steering column covers tomorrow morning and also pull the ignition switch. Thank you!!! Dave

Okey Dokey .. I'm back. I replaced the fuel pump ... did a complete visual inspection of the now clean fuel tank using a mirror and light. Then installed a complete new fuel pump; all engine compartment fuel lines are wrapped in aluminum foil and the fuel lines moved away and secured nearest the right fender. You'll all remember that I have already blown out the fuel lines with air and then flushed the whole system with naphtha under pressure. The fuel pump is working fine. I tested it in a bucket of kerosene prior to installing it. Pumped 5 gallons of kerosene from one jerry can to another for about 30 minutes. Finally, and Next, I hooked everything up again and she started up after a few cranks. I ran it with the hood down in place for about 15 minutes. Then took her for a spin around the neighborhood and got as far as the first left turn. Crapped out again with identical symptoms. OK, tomorrow I am going to Pep Boys and buying a new relay for the fuel pump. I am wondering what else it could possibly be? The CD workshop manual that I have suggested that after everything I have done, it may be the ECU. I just can't see that the ECU could be the problem, at least, can't figure out why it would cause the engine to lose fuel supply after a left or right turn. Does anyone have any experiences with the actual fuel tank connections which are soldered to the top of the metal plate whto which the fuel pump is secured? There are four wires (fuel pump DC supply and the fuel level sensor) ???? BTW, I got to have the Pathy running in a couple of weeks to go down to the Huntsville Ham Radio weekend convention. Regards, Dave

Thanks for the info on the headers and the gas lines. So far so good on the fuel lines. The aluminum wrap looks OK but I think I will apply some aluminum wrapped fiber hose covers overall to make things look ready for inspection by the Colonel. I keep you all posted on my Project. FYI, my last project was a 1978 5-speed Euro Black Market Porsche 928 basket case which included the mummy of a dead possum under the passenger seat. When finished it would pass anything on I-65 except a highway patrolman. Cheers!

Interesting situation. I re-routed the fuel lines using larger caliber 18" hoses and wrapped them in aluminum foil. Then I replaced the fuel filter again and wrapped it in foil. I drove the Pathy around yesterday in 100 degree weather with the A/C on full, making as many left and right turns as I could find. Then bit the bullet and drove to work and back. Not a problem! I do believe that you are correct .. premature fuel vaporization due to heat in the engine compartment. I am continuing to work under the hood -- rerouting the oil filter this week end. I'm looking at new headers and dual exhausts, so I am glad you mentioned the problem in relation to the new headers you installed. I measured the underhood temperature right after stopping and it was 165 degrees ... that was with outside temp of 99 degrees and at a full stop and with the hood just opened. Regards, Dave

That Rustoleum Red looks great ... you shoot it with clear coat after the final coat of red?

What's you all's opinion on repainting a black Pathy another color? Only vehicles I've painted different colors were when we covered up all our vehicles with the AG-44 "Forest Green" and put them into green cammie and then the three different types of desert for humping the sand box over in Eye-Rack.

Yikes!! You weren't kidding about the prices. But I am going to bite the bullet and renew the various seals and plastic parts after I do the repaiting and body work. Thanks for the pointer to this web site! Dave

Thanks for the reply. I checked at the time I pulled the fuel pump partially out of the tank. The four white plastic caps were firmly seated and none of the wires showed any cracking or fraying. But that would be a stealth problem. I've ordered a new fuel pump from RockAuto, so I'll see ow that plays out. I am going to drop the fuel tank when I pull the fuel pump. Regards, Dave

OK, I've followed up on a couple of ideas. First, I swapped around the relays after testing them with my VOM. They check out OK. I ran the vehicle at high idle with the hood open and A/C/ full on for about 30 minutes. No problems. I closed the hood and continued the run. Within a few minutes, the engine stumbled and died. It re-started but then when I let it begin to idle it died again, So now, I am thinking there might be heat problem perhaps with the fuel lines or the filter (premature vaporization of fuel due to heat). So, my next step is to run new rubber engine compartment fuel lines, which I was going to do anyway, and make sure they have heat shields in place. I will go ahead and replace the fuel pump relay. If these steps don't work then it is back to the fuel tank and drop it, then pull the fuel pump out completely. I was going to put a picture in here but can't seem to figure out how to do it ... Cheers, Dave

My 1993 Pathfinder needs painting and some body work. I want to replace the weather stripping and the window rubber after I paint (I'll strip out all the glass prior to body work, prime and paint). I've check with the local Nissan Stealer with negative results. Gone on line and found nothing except generic stuff from JC Whitney. I went to the local Pick a'Part but the Pathfinders there are all in worse shape than mine :-) Any recommendations? This is a major restoration job which I will s'plain in another post called "My Restoration Project" Regards to the Group, Dave Mann CWO4 US Army (Ret) Wrench.

I seem to remember reading that J Edgar Hoover wouldn't let his driver make any left turns .. anyway .. I didn't suspect that the control module was bad mainly because the problem was intermittent and only on turns. But maybe an intermittent connection in it??