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Any tips on changing starter in my 2001 Pathfinder?


Houdini28
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First time starter problem on any Pathfinder. Went through the manual check list and the last option is to replace the starter. So in the same section of the manual, there is an index heading that would lead me to believe that's the page with some instructions. On that page, all I could find was an exploded view of the starter showing the many parts. So just what is involved in changing out a starter on this thing? All I can tell so far is that it is in a tight spot and could have been the first part installed on the vehicle at the factory, and then everything else was installed to make it nearly impossible to simply unbolt the starter. Perhaps if the motor mount could be removed on the right side, that would free up some space for the job. That could have been the second part installed at assembly because it appears that is almost impossible to get at.

 

So, can anyone point me in the correct direction? Other than the dealer.

 

Thanks

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Definitely search youtube for an instructional video.

I haven't changed the starter on my Pathfinder, but have on a 4x4 Frontier.

1 starter bolt is easy to reach, the 2nd starter bolt required a swivel and a LONG (2+ feet) extension and with that setup it was easy.

Then, once the bolts are removed and connector disconnected, getting the starter out is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

It will seem like it cannot come out without removing something, but with the right combination of turns and twists, it will come out. It may take you 5-10 minutes to find the combination of moves, but just know it comes out without removing anything else.

 

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Definitely search youtube for an instructional video.

I haven't changed the starter on my Pathfinder, but have on a 4x4 Frontier.

1 starter bolt is easy to reach, the 2nd starter bolt required a swivel and a LONG (2+ feet) extension and with that setup it was easy.

Then, once the bolts are removed and connector disconnected, getting the starter out is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

It will seem like it cannot come out without removing something, but with the right combination of turns and twists, it will come out. It may take you 5-10 minutes to find the combination of moves, but just know it comes out without removing anything else.

 

 

Thanks for the information. I was able to remove both starter bolts without an overly long extension. The problem I have now is that I can't seem to find room or access to remove the battery connection from the solenoid. Tried with the starter still bolted in place then tried removing the bolts hopefully allowing me to rotate the starter far enough to gain access to the bolt/nut. But Nissan has a really tight fitting boot over that connection and I can't find a way to get at the nut. Is that where a super long extension comes into place? If that is the answer, I can find a way to get that boot out of the way. As an aside, I believe Nissan could have done us all a favor and switched the two connections at the starter solenoid to place the battery cable in a much easier to reach location.

 

After rerunning all the procedures to check the circuit. I put everything back in place and attempted one more try at starting the vehicle. I don't have any idea at this time why but, the starter spins and the pinion does not engage the flywheel ring. That's when I became frustrated AGAIN and checked the site to look for an answer. Next step is to rotate the engine a few degrees and find out if the starter will engage. If so perhaps there is a missing tooth or more on the ring. But that still doesn't explain why the starter would not run in my other attempts. I could clearly hear the solenoid engaging, so suspected the starter even more. I suppose I should ask if you had your vehicle on a lift when you did the change, because I just have mine jacked up and blocked so it won't come crashing down. There is not a lot of room to maneuver around under there.

 

Thanks

 

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I just crawled underneath it. Don't even remember lifting it, but not sure.

I seem to remember a very short handled box wrench and turning the nut about 10 degrees at a time. I think I had to patiently lay under there and tell myself that in 10 minutes, I would be done. (speaking of the battery cable).

 

I think I removed the starter bolts before undoing the battery cable, just like you, upon disassembly. But on reassembly, I mounted the starter first. Might not have been the best way to go.

The cable has to be removed before you can twist and turn the starter as needed to thread it out.

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After rerunning all the procedures to check the circuit. I put everything back in place and attempted one more try at starting the vehicle. I don't have any idea at this time why but, the starter spins and the pinion does not engage the flywheel ring.

 

 

Normally the starter spinning but the bendix not extending to engage the flywheel means the solenoid switch is not working properly. Either the lever that extends the bendix is bound up (corroded or rusted) or it is not receiving enough power to extend it.

 

If the bendix is being kicked out to engage the flywheel but grinds or doesn't mesh with the flywheel at all is a sign of the starter being out of alignment. Either shims that need to be there are not in place or the nose of the starter is bent or cracked (I have had this happen many times on an old chevrolet). If this is the case make sure you repair the problem before trying to start or run the vehicle too much or you can damage the flywheel.

 

As for the battery wire if you can trace the wire back some you will likely find it has tiedown points that prevent it from moving around a lot. If you disconnect or cut the tiedown points and then disconnect the positive battery cable you may be able to pull the wire out some distance with the starter to get a wrench on it.

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It is possible on jack stands. My knee jerk reaction is that you jarred something loose in the starter and it is now spinning.

 

This job took me 3 hours(no, i'm not kidding), and I'm no slouch with a wrench. Far from a professional mechanic, but competent at a minimum. This is by far one of the most frustrating items I've ever replaced on a car, second to a vacuum actuator on an old Mercedes, but it is possible to get it out. If i recall, you need to remove that boot and slide it up the wire first before you can get a wrench on it. From there, it is a 1/4 turn at a time.

 

I had a shop quote me an hour to do this, I should have taken them up on it! Search my user name, I asked this question a year or two back as well.

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I just crawled underneath it. Don't even remember lifting it, but not sure.

I seem to remember a very short handled box wrench and turning the nut about 10 degrees at a time. I think I had to patiently lay under there and tell myself that in 10 minutes, I would be done. (speaking of the battery cable).

 

I think I removed the starter bolts before undoing the battery cable, just like you, upon disassembly. But on reassembly, I mounted the starter first. Might not have been the best way to go.

The cable has to be removed before you can twist and turn the starter as needed to thread it out.

 

Thanks for the added info. I doubt if this vehicle will require another starter before it becomes retired by me, but I am thinking of finding a way of extending that battery cable by way of a junction box and adding a short connection from that to the starter that will allow the starter cable to be removed with a lot less headache.

 

If there is no internal connection to the cable that feeds the starter, I could also reverse the connections on the solenoid which would get the battery cable in position for removal before the starter is removed. If the existing cable has enough free length to make the connection on the opposite stud, then possibly a short extension on the starter motor feed wire would allow this reversal. I have spent enough time on this thing now to probably have been able to remove the engine to replace the starter.

 

Also as to the fact that the starter was spinning after I reinstalled it, I believe that the only problem could have been a failed starter ground. But before removing it, I checked continuity from the starter case to ground and it checked OK. Unless I had the resistance set wrong on the meter. In that case I could have misread the meter and there was inadequate ground and when the starter voltage was applied, the ground connection failed completely. That's a long shot, because the solenoid was energizing when the starter failed to spin. Anyway, to be on the safe side, I have a new starter on the way and will change it.

 

I believe the starter spinning and not engaging after I bolted it back in was due to a misalignment problem. After going back and loosening the two bolts and insuring the starter was fully seated and then torquing them down, the starter is working but now I don't trust it. I might add a ground wire to the starter bolt. So with all the answers on this site, I am ready to spend another day or so changing that starter if necessary.

 

 

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It is possible on jack stands. My knee jerk reaction is that you jarred something loose in the starter and it is now spinning.

 

This job took me 3 hours(no, i'm not kidding), and I'm no slouch with a wrench. Far from a professional mechanic, but competent at a minimum. This is by far one of the most frustrating items I've ever replaced on a car, second to a vacuum actuator on an old Mercedes, but it is possible to get it out. If i recall, you need to remove that boot and slide it up the wire first before you can get a wrench on it. From there, it is a 1/4 turn at a time.

 

I had a shop quote me an hour to do this, I should have taken them up on it! Search my user name, I asked this question a year or two back as well.

 

I was all set to take this thing to a shop and let them have the fun of replacing it, but perhaps now I have enough info to insure me that it can be done without a load of special tools and lifts, if only it can take me as little as three hours to do this job, since I put it back together and the starter is working. Anyway, I can now drive the thing up onto my ramps and get a bit more clearance under the vehicle.

 

Thanks

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If there is no internal connection to the cable that feeds the starter, I could also reverse the connections on the solenoid which would get the battery cable in position for removal before the starter is removed. If the existing cable has enough free length to make the connection on the opposite stud, then possibly a short extension on the starter motor feed wire would allow this reversal. I have spent enough time on this thing now to probably have been able to remove the engine to replace the starter.

 

 

 

By reverse the connections do you mean swap the electrical connections on the solenoid?

Or is it a mounting screw you are talking about?

 

I haven't had the starter off mine yet to fully understand what your meaning is.

 

Also if you are just wanting more battery wire to drop the starter with you could change the stock wire out with a longer marine type wire and battery terminal (the wire has eyelets on both ends).

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As someone said above, more than likely there is just corrosion/carbon buildup preventing the Bendix from moving. I took a starter and selenoid apart and cleaned it on a 92 Toyota 22re pickup that was doing the same thing. Starter lasted another 1.5 years then I sold the truck.

 

I have never heard of/seen shims used on an automotive starter.

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I have never heard of/seen shims used on an automotive starter.

 

Many domestic cars (especially chevy's) use shims as the starter mounts directly to the block and you have to get just the correct distance and angle for the starter to engage properly. Many of them also use a support bracket for the other end of the starter to keep it from breaking the bolts. The big, high compression, engines such as the chevy 454 takes so much torque to start it that it will tend to break the starter mounting bolts without the support bracket on the end.

 

I am assuming these pathfinders don't need or use shims since the starter mounts to the transmission bell housing which puts it exactly where it needs to be every time (as long as the nose of the starter is not damaged in some way).

 

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That explains it, I don't do Chevys. I worked at a Ford dealer, and the various Japanese vehicles I have owned. Oddly enough, I have only had to pull starters on a Toyota and fords.

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I just crawled underneath it. Don't even remember lifting it, but not sure.

I seem to remember a very short handled box wrench and turning the nut about 10 degrees at a time. I think I had to patiently lay under there and tell myself that in 10 minutes, I would be done. (speaking of the battery cable).

 

I think I removed the starter bolts before undoing the battery cable, just like you, upon disassembly. But on reassembly, I mounted the starter first. Might not have been the best way to go.

The cable has to be removed before you can twist and turn the starter as needed to thread it out.

 

I received good information from the forum and finally after my last attempt I was able to remove the starter and replace it. One thing that helped was the fact that while working on the starter job, I tackled an oil leak from the right front timing chain cover. Previous water pump change resulted in failed sealer around that cover. Since I was that deep into it, I removed the alternator/power steering pump tensioner assembly. I don't know if the clearance was already there when the assembly was in place, but after removal, I was able to get a long extension setup through there to get at that aggravating battery cable at the solenoid. (Used a socket on a 9 1/2" wobble extension with a 6 1/2" standard extension and a ratchet.)

 

I did drive the front wheels onto my ramps which allowed a bit more working room under the vehicle before the final attempt.

 

So thanks to all.

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Normally the starter spinning but the bendix not extending to engage the flywheel means the solenoid switch is not working properly. Either the lever that extends the bendix is bound up (corroded or rusted) or it is not receiving enough power to extend it.

 

If the bendix is being kicked out to engage the flywheel but grinds or doesn't mesh with the flywheel at all is a sign of the starter being out of alignment. Either shims that need to be there are not in place or the nose of the starter is bent or cracked (I have had this happen many times on an old chevrolet). If this is the case make sure you repair the problem before trying to start or run the vehicle too much or you can damage the flywheel.

 

As for the battery wire if you can trace the wire back some you will likely find it has tiedown points that prevent it from moving around a lot. If you disconnect or cut the tiedown points and then disconnect the positive battery cable you may be able to pull the wire out some distance with the starter to get a wrench on it.

 

The reason the starter did not engage was that the starter was not seated well and threw the alignment off, perhaps enough to cause the Bendix to bind. But I wonder if the starter ground was insufficient all along. No problem now, finally put the new starter in and all is well.

 

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By reverse the connections do you mean swap the electrical connections on the solenoid?

Or is it a mounting screw you are talking about?

 

I haven't had the starter off mine yet to fully understand what your meaning is.

 

Also if you are just wanting more battery wire to drop the starter with you could change the stock wire out with a longer marine type wire and battery terminal (the wire has eyelets on both ends).

 

I was thinking of reversing the connections on the solenoid, but since I was able to remove the cable with a long extension conglomeration after removing the alternator/power steering tensioner assembly, I just went back with the original setup. Had a tough time getting the nut started on that battery cable on assembly. I doubt if there is any other connection in the solenoid circuit since the voltage to activate the solenoid is fed from the ignition switch. All other solenoids that I have encountered only had the battery voltage on one bolt and the power wire to the starter on the other bolt. The plunger that connects the two when activated needs no other wiring. If I hadn't wasted so much time changing this thing, I would have certainly moved the battery cable to the outer terminal on the solenoid.

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Glad to see you got it... I have had some in the past I have only been able to get the same way... Really long ass extension, with a u-joint, going through the motor mount bracket, Etc...

On those I will usually find where the stock battery wire is attached to the frame / engine and remove those for the next time I have to deal with the starter... Then it will usually have enough play to drop some and get that bolt..

 

Since I haven't done the starter on mine (yet) I will deal with it when it's time...

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