nicksatthelake Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 so I fixed old pathy up new valve cover gaskets transmission cooler brake calipers. today im driving to go get and inspection well my horn doesn't work so I don't even get to take an inspection so I drive home in her I get literaly a couple yards from my street and pathy starts making a loud noises and screech at first I thought mybe an exhaust leak just got worse well I pull into my drive way and try to turn it off but it kept going it sounded like the starter was keeping the belts and fan moving it just wouldn't turn of so I let it run and finally it turns off and theres a fire under the car starting I luckily put it out very quickly it looked like transmission fluid was the culprit the fire was to the right of the oil filter and oil pressure sensor now it wont turn on at all I just bought this car and put so much work into it and now this I feel fskced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 I took a video if anyones interested in seeing the video Ill post it on youtube and post a link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Check the wiring going to the starter. You'll probably have to replace it all. Fires on these are definitely not common. I think in the 12 years I've been on this forum you're the 2nd I've read about. If transmission fluid was leaking on the exhaust there must have been a loose hose somewhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8n9lmE2GSo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 Yikes. Yeah, your starter was stuck on. The loud noise when the engine was running was the pinion having an argument with the ring gear. If that happens again, don't just let it run. Disconnect the battery if you have to. That said, good work putting it out before it really got going. Post a picture of the damage if you need help determining what's done for and what's savable. You say the fire was to the right of the oil filter and pressure switch. You mean towards the front of the engine? Because you've got hoses for the power steering pump (which is full of trans fluid) running alongside the battery + wire for the starter and the main engine ground wire right here. The ground is actually clipped onto one of the hoses in mine. If that wiring fried from the continuous load of the starter, it may have damaged those hoses. Given what it's been through, I wouldn't be surprised if the starter itself is damaged as well (from the heat in the windings and the grinding the pinion did when the engine was running). What's odd is that the starter didn't come on until you were already driving. If it had stuck on, I'd say the starter was faulty, but coming on on its own suggests something else. Maybe the wire from the key switch to the solenoid somehow rubbed through against the battery + connection on the starter? Might be hard to tell after the fire, but try to find what caused the starter to come on before you button everything back up so you don't have a repeat performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 Yikes. Yeah, your starter was stuck on. The loud noise when the engine was running was the pinion having an argument with the ring gear. If that happens again, don't just let it run. Disconnect the battery if you have to. That said, good work putting it out before it really got going. Post a picture of the damage if you need help determining what's done for and what's savable. You say the fire was to the right of the oil filter and pressure switch. You mean towards the front of the engine? Because you've got hoses for the power steering pump (which is full of trans fluid) running alongside the battery + wire for the starter and the main engine ground wire right here. The ground is actually clipped onto one of the hoses in mine. If that wiring fried from the continuous load of the starter, it may have damaged those hoses. Given what it's been through, I wouldn't be surprised if the starter itself is damaged as well (from the heat in the windings and the grinding the pinion did when the engine was running). What's odd is that the starter didn't come on until you were already driving. If it had stuck on, I'd say the starter was faulty, but coming on on its own suggests something else. Maybe the wire from the key switch to the solenoid somehow rubbed through against the battery + connection on the starter? Might be hard to tell after the fire, but try to find what caused the starter to come on before you button everything back up so you don't have a repeat performance. I appreciate your response now that you say that and my neighbor also said that it sounded as if someone hot wired it or something at some point or maybe wires are exposed or fried so I think ill take the cover of the ignition and look at the wires in there mybe get an etecrical testing kit. so far im set on replacing the starter the positive terminal and also the ground terminal. it is very strange how it just started up randomly while I was currently driving home I hope I didn't do to much damage to anything besides the starter and wiring connected to it. whats strange is that the horn was working the day before the inspection and when I went to get the inspection the horn just wouldn't make any noise so I pressed a lot of buttons and switches on the dash and where the shifter and ebrake were I don't know if that might've had something to do with it we checked the fuses for the horn they looked ok. also a check engine light came on a few days before all this I thought maybe something irrelevant so I just didn't care maybe that problem may have led to this im not sure but in the next few days I will be doing some investigating and some replacing and I will take some pictures for you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 Yikes. Yeah, your starter was stuck on. The loud noise when the engine was running was the pinion having an argument with the ring gear. If that happens again, don't just let it run. Disconnect the battery if you have to. That said, good work putting it out before it really got going. Post a picture of the damage if you need help determining what's done for and what's savable. You say the fire was to the right of the oil filter and pressure switch. You mean towards the front of the engine? Because you've got hoses for the power steering pump (which is full of trans fluid) running alongside the battery + wire for the starter and the main engine ground wire right here. The ground is actually clipped onto one of the hoses in mine. If that wiring fried from the continuous load of the starter, it may have damaged those hoses. Given what it's been through, I wouldn't be surprised if the starter itself is damaged as well (from the heat in the windings and the grinding the pinion did when the engine was running). What's odd is that the starter didn't come on until you were already driving. If it had stuck on, I'd say the starter was faulty, but coming on on its own suggests something else. Maybe the wire from the key switch to the solenoid somehow rubbed through against the battery + connection on the starter? Might be hard to tell after the fire, but try to find what caused the starter to come on before you button everything back up so you don't have a repeat performance. also the wiring that went into the starter is what caught on fire the plastic cover for it basically lit up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 and it wasn't transmission fluid that was a misconception from the fire reflecting of the the melted plastic that was dripping down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 That's good that the fire didn't open any fluid lines. Tranny fluid burns pretty well when properly motivated. Screwing around with buttons and switches shouldn't change the horn operation or make the starter come on unless something else is screwy. I'd start by inspecting the wiring at the starter as well as any evidence of a car alarm. Be careful taking the clamshell off the column, the screw posts are fragile. Good luck with diagnosis! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicksatthelake Posted April 20, 2018 Author Share Posted April 20, 2018 so I ended up fixing the positive terminal wire situation. I replaced the starter and I believe the starter solenoid was the culprit and mybe some exposed wire but I reinsulated everything and got ol pathy running and legal have been driving her about a week now and guess what the rear differential is whining and now im looking at fixing the pinion bearing and I don't have the tools or skills for that task I mean ive changed a few timing belts and head gaskets but never played with the suspension or rear or front ends much but I know you need some kind of special tool to take the bearing out and there could possibly already be damage to the spider gear im gonna be driving it lightly but I know this is inevitable doom and Im pretty sure that's exactly what it is because I hear it only when I accelerate and you can hear from the rear inside the car.it kinda looks like theyre could've been a leak there but nothing ever showed up on the ground. on another note its taking 4000 rpms to 65mph to 70mph that cant be normal I know they are underpowered but this thing definitely feels weak. idk guys I defainately got my self f(*cked here I might just drive it till it goes while working my current job and saving money the shops here are pricey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunchie Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 Dumb Q but I'm going to ask it; Have you changed the diff lube ....ever. Has ANYONE?? Cant hurt to try. Suggestions:try some Lucas oil treatment. They say you can run it straight out the bottle. Also check CL. You might find a old retired gearhead looking to make some cash. Ring and pinion work requires a specific skill set OR you can do like me & just replace the entire rear end-lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted April 20, 2018 Share Posted April 20, 2018 You don't need to mess with suspension or gear lash to fix the rear end. The whole rear chunk (diff, ring, pinion, bearings) comes out as one unit from the front of the axle. (You do have to do some teardown at the ends to pull the axles out of the diff.) Find a matching unit at the wreckers (same ratio), stab it in, new fluid, good to go. Hawairish has a few good rear-axle threads that might help you understand what you're working with. Don't know what to tell you on the trans, but it doesn't sound healthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted April 21, 2018 Share Posted April 21, 2018 Little info to help if you decide to seek out a new diff assembly. http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/41246-axle-code-confusion-and-questions-about-a-rear-differential/?p=769440 http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/40619-rear-axle-id/?p=760712 http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/20182-wd21-owners-what-drive-trainmodel-trim-do-you-have/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now