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JohnMasters

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Everything posted by JohnMasters

  1. To Sewebster... I have actually been researching both of those options today and I think, as long as I dont have to loosen the crank bolt, reconfiguring the pulley is what I will do. From what I have read it would appear that you only have to remove the 6 small bolts to get the pulley off. I did find what I thought was a very good write up regarding finding TDC and making your own timing marks using a piston stop tool and some timing tape... http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Determining_top_dead_center Although that actually looks like a fun procedure, I am thinking that reconfiguring the pulley should be much less work. CHEERS!
  2. OK, I got lucky. Although I had to install the distributor a few times before getting it correct, it now fires up on the first turn. The reason I had some trouble with the procedure is because the timing marks are obviously out of whack so when I had the marks set to what should be TDC, installing the distro with the rotor facing #1 was not working. I removed the #1 plug to see the piston no where near the top so using a long wooden dowel in the the plug hole I cranked the engine over(By hand) until the dowel was all the way up, which left the timing marks no where near the timing marker, installed the distro and Voila! Now my only issue left is getting the timing set correctly without the use of the timing marks. Thanks for your helpful responses and to SUM THIS THREAD UP... THIS ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY A ROTOR BUTTON WHICH, ALTHOUGH SEIZED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR SHAFT, WAS MISSING ITS INSTALL SCREW AND HAD SPUN JUST ENOUGH ON THE SHAFT TO CAUSE THIS CONDITION. Thanks again NPORA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  3. I bought this truck about a year ago from the first owner and based on the receipts in the glovebox the timing belt was replaced around 5000 miles ago so I guess It could have happened then. Is it possible to get the car started if the distributor is installed a tooth or two off thus throwing the timing marks way off or will it only start if the distributor is installed spot on? Heck, I just looked at my join date and apparently I have been driving the pathfinder for almost TWO years! Yahhhh!!!
  4. After some homework it would appear that what I was thinking was Compression-TDC was actually Exhaust-TDC and thats why It appeared to me that the distributor was installed backwards so, in my infinite wisdom, I pulled the distributor and actually reinstalled it backwards. Does the crank pulley spin around twice for every once the rotor spins? So, at exhaust TDC the rotor points 180 degrees away from Point #1 and at compression TDC the rotor points at #1 point. Although I believe my current distributor is functional, when spinning the shaft it sounds and feels like SAND has been used to lubricate the shaft so I am thinking that I should go ahead and keep and install the new one. If, in fact, the tick marks on the crank pulley are OFF in some way, is there another way to MAKE SURE your timing is set correctly other than FEEL.
  5. UPDATE... I picked up a new distributor on the way home from work and found what is certainly causing my problem. Although the rotor button was frozen to the distributor shaft and next to impossible to get off, the screw was NOT present and the rotor had twisted just a bit and was a bit cockeyed. After finally getting the rotor off and installing the new one the truck was running noticeably better with NO intake backfiring although the timing was noticeably off as I had messed with the timing yesterday. The problem is that when checking the timing the tick marks are only visible from underneath the truck which had me thinking that the distributor must be installed incorrectly or backwards(is that possible) and that I needed to reinstall it so that I could set the timing correctly, using the marks. It appeared to me that when I had the first tick mark to left aligned with the timing arrow on the engine, TDC, that the rotor was pointing exactly opposite of point #1 So, I pulled the distibutor and used the instructions for installing the distributor that I found from MY1PATH here on the forum, using the first tick mark on the left as TDC but the truck will now not start which had me thinking about the possibility that the pulley with the hash marks was installed incorrectly in the past. So, is it possible to install the distributor backwards and/or install the pulley with the hash marks backwards. If the pulley is backwards will I just be guessing at my timing once I get it started or when the distributor is installed correctly will the tick marks find there way to where they are supposed to be?
  6. Good morning, I had NO luck at the junk yard as all 5 Pathfinders were already missing there engines so it looks like I'll have to break down and pay retail. I replaced the plugs as they were looking very worn. I Replaced the fuel filter. I adjusted the timing, turning the distro all the way from one direction to the other, the symptoms persist no matter where the timing is set. QUESTION... Are the timing marks on the balancer just painted on or are they notched? At no time did I think I was seeing the marks while I was using the timing light or while the engine was turned off. John M.
  7. OK, thanks. I do have a timing light and I am about to check that. Also, after doing some research I found several people(on other forums) that seemed to be having the same problem caused by a faulty fuel pump causing a too lean condition thus causing the backfire from the intake. I checked under the hatch that is in the cargo area and although the wires dont look corroded, there sure is a ton of rust in there. Does a faulty fuel pump or sending unit sound like something that may cause this condition. Should I be able to hear the fuel pump working when I first turn the key? I dont feel as though I hear anything at all. I will head to the junk yard in the morning and pick up a distributor or two so I should know if thats the problem by Saturday night. Thanks again for your help!
  8. OK, I just pulled passenger side valve cover and ran the car for a while and it DOES NOT appear that there is a problem with the lifters or rockers. There is NO sludge at all and everything is a nice gold color which I think is normal. Everything seems to be nice and tight with no real free play to speak of. Watching the rockers is like watching a sewing machine work. It looks totally normal. Too Alkorahil... Did your distributor issues always accompany the smoke from the airbox? I still have yet to see any smoke. Also, I'm not sure if it means anything but the rotor is totally stuck to the distributor. I have removed the screw and tried to remove the rotor when the engine was both hot and cold and IT WONT BUDGE. JUST A REMINDER... When warm, idles fine. then starts to stumble and underhood backfire just above 900rpm. Also, hard starting when cold. This problem was not gradual. It was working fine Friday night and then NOT on Saturday morning. Thanks again for the help so far. This is always much easier with good help!
  9. THATS CORRECT... The only good thing about the Pathfinder having a problem is that I've been driving the 2nd gen Vert for the last several days. This is my 2nd Vert as my last one was unfortunately stolen from my driveway a few years ago and I had NO comprehensive insurance. After a few weeks, I was missing it so much, I found another one in Virginia, bought a one way ticket, flew out to take a look and then drove it all the way back to Atlanta. I have always wanted to try a 1st gen and will hopefully be able to do so one day!
  10. OK, I'll see if I can get that valve cover taken off this evening. Can anyone tell me what i will be looking for or will it be obvious if there is a problem?
  11. UPDATE, I installed a new fuel filter and started the truck. Same problem continues and it turns out that the smoke that I was seeing yesterday was unrelated as it is a result of a few loose valve cover bolts and oil was dripping down onto the exhaust. Although I was able to recreate the under-hood backfiring there was absolutely NO smoke coming from the air box at all. The back-firing has a metallic sound like something rapping against the inside of the valve cover. I was wondering if it means anything that when I hold my hand over the exhaust, although I feel exhaust, there is NO moisture spitting out with the exhaust. The last time I had a problem and felt moisture coming from the exhaust I was told that it was normal and meant that "something"(I dont remember what)was working correctly. I am still looking for a good distributor!
  12. OK, I just pulled the codes and got a 55 so nothing there. I thought I saw a bit of smoke under the hood while blipping the throttle but it seemed to be coming more from the back of the engine and it was a very small amount. I'll check again. It sure is a strange sounding backfire from under the hood. Is there an easy way to test the distributor? Any possibility that anything is being damaged while I am running the vehicle.
  13. NO SMOKE from the exhaust is what I meant. I DO feel the exhaust as I hold my hand over the exhaust pipe. I will check the Temp sensor, pull the codes and deal with the O2 sensor when I get home. Thanks!
  14. Hello Pathfinder friends, My 1992 Automatic Pathfinder has been running good all year until last weekend when the trouble began. I have searched the forum but haven't seen anything with these exact symptoms and was hoping someone may recognize them... -When cold, it is hard to start and will stall if the pedal is not feathered until it warms up(5 or so minutes) -Once warmed up, it idles just fine but totally stumbles/Bucks between 1000rpms and 3000rpms whether parked or being driven -It can be driven but needs to be almost floored to get from 1000 to over 3000rpms. -When in park, if I blip the throttle just a bit I hear some loud popping from the passenger side of the engine bay as if the truck is backfiring but the backfire is not making it to the exhaust and escaping through a small exhaust leak at the exhaust manifold. I was wondering if it was possible for a catalytic converter to get clogged and cause this. SO FAR: -There is NO smoke coming from the exhaust during any of this -The little transmission light switch on the dash is NOT blinking -I checked the MAF wires and cleaned the little MAF electrodes -The EGR valve does not seem to be sticking -There is NO check engine light -The distributor cap and wires looks good and are less than 10 months old -Ive searched for a vacuum leak but have not found one -The Timing belt was changed less than 10,000 miles ago I have not yet checked the computer for any codes but will do so this evening. I'll leave it at that for now and thank everyone in advance for any helpful ideas. :-)
  15. Thanks for the quick response. I'll get all of that looked at tonight. I did clean the little wires on the MAF sensor and went ahead and did a round of seafoam last night and it did seem to be running better this morning with no roaming or low idle. Just before I did the seafoam I noticed a good bit of moisture spitting out of the tailpipe along with quit a bit of small dryish carbon like globules.
  16. Greetings NPORA... I have been having a problem recently that may fit into this thread. For the last few weeks I have been smelling gas. Especially when I lift my hood. Yesterday the Pathfinder started running poorly... Very low idle and trying to stall so I have to feather the peddle at a red light, roaming idle and running rough. So far I have seen NO check engine light. Does this behavior sound like a stuck or clogged injector? Would I smell gas if it were stuck or clogged? Would it get worse over time? Is seafoam in the gas tank the best place to start and is seafoam the best choice? I cant help thinking that the gassy smell and poor running condition are related but I did pull the MAF sensor for a cleaning and it looks good. Thanks in advance!
  17. I still dont know much about the Pathfinder engine but that sounds like a possible TPS(throttle positon sensor)issue. That is, If the Pathfinder has a TPS.
  18. This is what I would call a SUCCESSFUL thread... It turns out, after taking everyones advice into consideration, that NUNYAs was my solution. The bracket with the captive nut had gotten bent to the right so I took a long screwdriver and a hammer and tapped it a few times to the left and VOILA! Time for a test drive. Thanks again NPORA!
  19. Thanks for the replies, I did not get the chance to try the bolt from the other side of the vehicle but I did try the bolt from the backside of the captive nut but because of the length of the bolt and angle of the bracket I couldnt get it in. I did also think that the bracket may have bent so I tapped the non captive bolt side in a bit. Now, if you guys are able to thread the bolt in from the backside with no problem then maybe I actually bent the captive nut side to the right a bit during install so that may need a tap to the left. I'll get on it this evening!
  20. B, since I was having trouble getting it on, I did remove the shock and it will simply turn but the thread wont catch even without the shock eye. The bolt itself looks OK to me but I will pull the bolt from the other side tonight in order to compare and see if it will work on the offending side. Of course, if that works, I dont guess I will still be sure whether its the bolt or bracket nut.
  21. Good morning NPORA, I have been enjoying my Pathfinder for a month or two now and went ahead and installed four new ProComp es3000s. The problem... The lower bolt on the passenger side will not thread back in. It just turns but the first thread wont catch. I thought that maybe the first thread of the bolt or nut might need cleaning up with a tap and dye, which I did, but it still wont thread in. So, I am currently driving with three new shocks and one NO shock. Have any of you guys/girls had this problem and what was the easy fix? If all else fails I can have a new bracket welded on but I'd like to avoid that if possible.
  22. I think I may go ahead and give the pre cut stuff a try on my RX7 as the price for that kit is about half that of the Pathfinder and will give me some practice.
  23. Hey guys, I would like to have my windows tinted and was looking at the pre cut kits from www.tintkits.com. Has anyone done this and what did you think?
  24. OK, lets bring this thing back from the dead again. Do any of you guys have any pictures of sub woofer boxes that you have built and installed in the hatch area in replacment of the original wheel well speaker pods and or spare tire. I am trying to figure out what size sub(s) I can go with without them getting in the way. I would like to build a ported box, tuned to 28hz for a single 12" DIYMAr12 that I have but I think the box may get to big. I guess a 12" may be overkill in this vehicle as it must have a significant amount of cabin gain but I am not totally sure. A single 8" or 10" on each side may work as well.
  25. I wonder if the different trim packages had different size speakers?
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