1993 Pathfinder- fuel injector question

[madkiwi]

Just was wondering if the 1993 Pathfinders have any issues with ethanol in the gas. I also have a 1993 300zx Twin Turbo, and the 300s from 1994 and earlier have an injector design where the coils are exposed to the fuel, and the ethanol will destroy the injector coils. So it is something I have been thinking about. A set of newer style injectors (plus adapter kit, new rails etc) is over $800. So I only buy ethanol-free Super (which you can still get in most parts of the country, including here in Montana).

 

But that is not an option for Regular. I have been running the Pathfinder since new with regular 87 or 88 AKI, which has had ethanol (at least in winter) for what, 10 years? But for the last 3 years it has been year-round, thanks to that limp-dick George Bush. He signed into law the 2007 Energy Independence Act, which requires so much ethanol to be blended into our gas that by the time it finally is fully implemented (in 2022) all gas will have to be 20% ethanol.

 

That will kill almost every existing car on the road.

 

I have never had any issues with injectors on the Pathfinder, but just wondering if it is something that I should worry about. If there is a history of the injectors being killed by ethanol.

 

Thanks.

[Slartibartfast]

I always use cheap gas, nothing added by me, and the injectors have never given me any trouble. Of course, if you let a tank of ethanol'd gas sit for a while, it'll do bad things to any vehicle. So long as it's cycling through (or stabilized) it should be fine. (Thought I'd add, I had my gas tank out a while back and noted no crud in it, no dirt, no rust, and no corn glue.)

 

I agree that ethanol gas is idiotic, but that doesn't mean it'll kill everything, it just means some company will make a killing on rubber seals that can withstand the stuff, or a practical/automatic rig to separate the stuff out. Also, this is assuming a Bush-era energy law survives another eight years!

 

Honestly I'm a lot more pissed off over the stupid nozzles required on gas cans. There is no way to use the stupid things without spilling the gas everywhere.

Edited September 28, 2014 by Slartibartfast

[madkiwi]

Well, it certainly kills 300zx injectors- and the fix is a little more expensive than just throwing in some nitrile 0 rings.

 

My question really is- considering both vehicles are from the same period do the injectors suffer from the same design flaw?

 

I call it a flaw, but Nissan's engineers could not have predicted in 1989-90 that the US would start adding corn ethanol to gasoline. Who would do anything as stupid as burning food to propel motor vehicles?

[Slartibartfast]

I have not heard of a Pathfinder injector failing due to use with ethanol gas.