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Pathfinder 95 4x4 cranks but won't start


Alexdlz
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Hello, it's my first time posting here on NPora, though i've been reading the forums for a while.

I own a 4x4 95 automatic Pathy. two weeks ago, it was running well, till someday she wont start, so i changed spark plugs and wires, set the gap for the plugs and she was fine for a few days. Then she wouldnt start again. I checked for spark, fuel, and compression, everything was fine. Somebody sugested to check my timing belt, so i did, and put a new belt and set timing correctly, and she started up again, till the starter died, (and my battery, after jumping it many times) so i replaced those two and she would start up again, and i went to test it on the road (and damnn for a 20 years old engine she runs smooth and with very much power) then when i got home she wouldnt start again, all what she is doing is cranks and almost start and in the end it sound like sputtering like only one second, i already check out and cleaned the maf, no changes.

Today after two tries she turned up, and was running very well and strong again, but it failed complety to restart, i would really aprecciate your help, i'm running out of ideas, please someone give me advise

Thank you!

 

ohh and sorry for bad english im fromm matamoros in mexico, not really good at it.

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Have you checked the connections at the MAF? Giggle the wires as well.

already tried, not sucess. Also i checked the ecu for codes, got a 55, so i am in a dead end. Any other ideas?

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Have you shot some staring fluid in to see what it does? Maybe your fuel filter is clogged, or could have an injector clogging. Make sure to check all the fuses & relays as well.

 

+1. Change your fuel filter first.

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Replacing the fuel filter is a good idea, and it's easy, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't solve the issue--I wouldn't expect a clogged filter to be intermittent, and I wouldn't expect the engine to run well when it did start. This sounds more like an electrical fault to me.

When it's cranking but not starting, can you hear the fuel pump running?

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Have you shot some staring fluid in to see what it does? Maybe your fuel filter is clogged, or could have an injector clogging. Make sure to check all the fuses & relays as well.

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Replacing the fuel filter is a good idea, and it's easy, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't solve the issue--I wouldn't expect a clogged filter to be intermittent, and I wouldn't expect the engine to run well when it did start. This sounds more like an electrical fault to me.

 

When it's cranking but not starting, can you hear the fuel pump running?

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Yeah that's what i thought, i'm at school right now so i will check that in the afternoon, altough i did check the fuel filter days back, and blow it from one end and from the other side the air got out nicely and strong. So i think it's not clogged, and if it was, wouldnt she run like crap when i got it to turn on? Idk, but i think its a electrical issue, but i dont know where to start:( And yes, when i put the key in "on" position i hear the tipical hissing sound that the fuel pump makes for a few seconds,so i think the fuel pump is good,because when i got her to turn on she was running and idle fine (very well) I checked fuses and no one its blown, but something strange happened the last time that i got it running, the turn signals and stop lights went out, i mean, they dont even show on the dashboard, and the fuses are good and the bulbs too, any ideas of where to start looking?

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I assume you checked for spark while it was cranking and not starting. I've had a coil go bad before and it was intermittent. Also, is it only on a restart or does the engine die once it's running? I've had intermittent failing fuel pumps as well. Have someone crank it while you have your head under the hood and listen for an arc click. High resistance in the cable from the coil to the distributer could be causing it to arc to ground depending on whether conditions and such and could also cause intermittent failure. Just some thoughts of things easy to check that I have seen before. Good luck and keep looking. don't forget to post once you have found a solution. There may be others in the same boat in the future that could benefit from the work you are currently doing. Pretty much how we all got here. :)

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Alright, so clearly not the filter.

 

The symptoms aren't ringing any bells for me, but you might want to have a look at the fusible links hanging off your positive battery clamp if you haven't already.

i did what you told, looks okay to me, but seemed to change nothing

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

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I assume you checked for spark while it was cranking and not starting. I've had a coil go bad before and it was intermittent. Also, is it only on a restart or does the engine die once it's running? I've had intermittent failing fuel pumps as well. Have someone crank it while you have your head under the hood and listen for an arc click. High resistance in the cable from the coil to the distributer could be causing it to arc to ground depending on whether conditions and such and could also cause intermittent failure. Just some thoughts of things easy to check that I have seen before. Good luck and keep looking. don't forget to post once you have found a solution. There may be others in the same boat in the future that could benefit from the work you are currently doing. Pretty much how we all got here. :)

I have a spare coil, i'll test if it changes anything, and when the truck starts, she never fail, runs very well, no idle problems or accelerating or anything, everything works as supossed to when she starts. And if course when i get to a fix i'll post it here, maybe it will save the stress and headache that i have had for almost 3 weeks

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

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I'm giving up, will take her to a shop, maybe them will be able to find what it is, i'll update if she gets fixed

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

Edited by Alexdlz
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Have you checked the fusable links that connect to the positive battery cable? I had one with a poor connection that wouldn't turn on some of the accessories that wouldn't allow it to start.

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Curious for an update. Did you ever check your battery? Maybe it has a bad cell or two. Enough juice to crank it but not enough to start?

Heey, thanks for the advice,i took the battery of dad's truck and installed it on the pathy and she started on the first try! Even the turn signs started to work again (kind of strange) i restarted the truck like 5 times, then decided to take the truck for a drivee, she ran very well. I felt so much happiness! Thing is, when i got home again, she wouldnt start again I dont know if it matters, but i removed the thermostat when i did the timing belt because it looked so bad and soon or later the thing would fail, so the temp gauge wouldnt raise up even after a 5 minutes warming before driving and then i drove it like 15 more minutes, maybe this is causing issues?

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

Edited by Alexdlz
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Definitely sounding like an intermittent electrical problem.

 

No thermostat would keep it from warming up/make it run rich all the time but I can't imagine how it would prevent the engine from starting.

when i get home today i would try to start the truck again, what could be if she starts again?

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

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EFI relay over on the right fender. Mine went out and I'd loose all power then not start. A few minutes sitting and it would fire right back up.

is that the main relay? how to know if its bad?

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

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