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Starter Problem?


Thumper
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Hey all, Well after a weekend in the workshop managed to tick off a number of items that I have wanted to get done for a while.

Oh and its a 91 Terrano (Pathfinder) VG30 5spd

 

1 - installed the new winch bar (still have to get the fairlead bolted on and winch slotted in)

2 - replaced the boot on the passengers inner CV

3 - removed the original electronic shocks and replaced with 2" longer travel Old Man Emu shocks

4 - measured up and drilled out the holes for the Safari snorkle + added the extended flexible hose to connect to the snorkle

5 - tidied up few other bits and bobs that have come loose or needed reattaching in the cab. Carpet, mouldings etc

 

After the winch-bar install I fired it up and drove it around the vineyard a couple of times. When cranking it over it was a little slow and cranked slowly about 3 times before firing. Hmmm battery needs a charge I thought so after driving around the vineyard I left it running for 10min.

 

Parked up- disconnected the original electronic shocks and did the front CV then replaced all 4 shocks.

 

Then tried to start it - and dead. Just a few clicks.

Took battery out and gave it a full charge overnight, installed this morning.

The battery charger says its fully charged but again just clicks. I can hear the fuel pump crank for 5-6 seconds, the dash lights light up. Handbrake, battery and another between them all light up but then stay on. Normally they go out after 10 seconds or so. Headlights go fine, windows go up and down ok. Tried to jump start it from my other truck. Again just clicks.

So then tried another battery but same thing.

 

Am wondering is there a fuse or something that I should have pulled after removing the electronic shocks and its now causing a problem?

 

Or Is it a starter motor problem or give the battery a longer charge, or should i be looking at something else??

 

Edited by Thumper
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Mine did something like that during a weekend at the cottage in July. I tracked it down to oil infiltration into the electrical circuits from the leaky oil pressure switch. I tried cleaning the oil off and it worked four more times. I bought a remanufactured starter and then the relay stuck itself open and fried the bendix on that one. Soooo the parts guy was nice and gave me another starter and a relay.

 

Sent from my SGH-T999V using Tapatalk

 

 

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I would definately look at the big wire running to the starter (constant hot) and make sure there is a good 12V there. Also, as mentioned above, the starter is very prone to getting mucked up from oil leakage above it. I removed mine, disassembled it, cleaned everything and put it back together and got several more good years out of it.

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OK- suspect its the starter. Popped a new battery into it and still just one click. So rechecked all the cables including the fusable link etc. Read in the Chiltons manual that it may be a sticky starter and to rock it gently in gear then try and it did give a weak cough. So got the wife to turn it over and got under it and gave it a tap. Absolutely nothing!
Since then hasn't even clicked once whereas this morning it was giving a loud click each turn of the key.
Will look around and source a starter and stick it in and see I guess.

Any chance it could be the solinoid?

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if there is a loud click, the solenoid is throwing. Could be f'd up contacts due to oil drippage so the starter motor never receives power when the solenoid tries to make the connection.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Nissan realized their stupidity in having the oil filter right above the starter, so with the D22/WD22, they relocated the oil filter to the driver-side front of the engine block.

 

To be sure your ignition switch and "starter" relay is operating properly, you can short the black/pink wire (that goes to the starter, 18AWG) to +12V and see if the starter cranks or not. You can intercept this black/pink wire either at the starter, or at the "starter" relay (driver side for auto trans or passenger side for manual trans).

 

Also, please note that the "starter" relays are notorious for going bad. I had one stuck in the "closed" position and would not stop cranking until I disconnected my battery (about 10 miles later). Fried the starter.

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Thanks guys. OK so now have a new dilema. After playing around for a few days a buddy who used to be an auto electrician came out and had a look for me. Everything is solid and he determoined pretty quickly that it's definatly the starter motor.

 

The thing I was wondering was this- I have now been told that mid 1991 the starters on the Nissan Terrano VG30's changed! Not by allot but enough for early 91 starters to not fit later 91 models, and vice versa..

I know you guys run Pathfinders and to my best knowledge Pathfinders and Terranos are the same essentially.

But are they?? Is there a difference in starters between the start of the 91 and the end?

Anyone know or have info before I buy a 92 starter and find it doesnt fit!

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If there was a change, it must be in your market. In the US, I'm fairly certain that there is no difference between starters, at least for engine types (VGI and VGE show different part numbers) and a quick online parts check shows the same part numbers for 1990 and 1995, for the US market. You should be fine, but call a few parts stores and get a concensus.

 

I seem to recall someone putting a VG33E starter on their VG30E and saying it was easier due to the unit being slightly smaller... :shrug:

 

B

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Ok so have rung around a couple of parts suppliers and apparently there is a difference in the 91 Terranos.

I have to go out and determine what month mine was made and go from there but both kinds are readily available

 

Thanks for all the advice guys :)

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Good luck. One thing I might suggest it to take your starter to the local parts-whore and compare it to what they have (hopefully they have both versions). Starters are fairly simple mechanisms so if the mounting lines up and it looks close, it'll probbaly be ok. Or, tear yours apart and clean the crap outta it and see if that fixes the problem. Oil, carbon dust, etc can get on the contacts, screw with the commutator,etc.

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I have gotten years more service out of a 'weak' starter buy using 2 cans of electrical cleaner to flush it out as best as I could, it looked like an oil refinery sump pump. It definitely cranked better afterwards, so if you have the time and interest, try cleaning it first once it is removed. You can just do a quick hotwire test to see if it cranks, but I believe k9sar will support keeping all extremities away when you do so as the starter might take a leap.

If that didn't work, then you have the old part to take in to match up with the new one and remove the core charge as well.

 

You do have core charges (trading in the old part) down there?

 

Ok so have rung around a couple of parts suppliers and apparently there is a difference in the 91 Terranos.

I have to go out and determine what month mine was made and go from there but both kinds are readily available

 

Thanks for all the advice guys :)

Damn! Try and ask what the difference is when you are there, if you don't mind.

 

You are welcome, too bad it wasn't all good... :lol:

 

B

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Once I get it out Ill take it in and see what we see at the local parts store.

Yes we do do "core charges" but call it "swap a part" here.

 

Have been reading up on how to get the starter out and am about as prepared as I can be!

But not looking foward to it tomorrow - especially as I also have to contend with the steering shaft on that side it being a RHD!

 

All good- learn with your hands my Dad always said :blush:

 

Oh yea - and so after 3 years of reading about "bump starting" all your trucks, and wondering how in the hell bumping against or rocking a truck starts it - finally worked out that you're all talking about what we call "crash" starting it"!! :doh::headwall:

 

Who said english is the same around the world :aok:

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I always called it roll starting...

 

I would have thought all the vg30e wd21 starters would be the same. The flywheel and where it mounts, I doubt are different.

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Yes we do do "core charges" but call it "swap a part" here.

 

Oh yea - and so after 3 years of reading about "bump starting" all your trucks, and wondering how in the hell bumping against or rocking a truck starts it - finally worked out that you're all talking about what we call "crash" starting it"!! :doh::headwall:

 

Who said english is the same around the world :aok:

It's called a core charge here because they charge you if you don't have one... :shrug:

 

The true, un-ambiguous term is 'compression start' but local slang and idioms only increase with distance... ;)

 

B

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