Slartibartfast

Ahardbody posted ages ago that he'd had his lock cylinders apart and found them pretty easy to work with. Unfortunately his pictures are gone, and the beergarage writeup he linked to is gone as well. I got the frozen driver's lock on my '95 working by blowing a bunch of powdered graphite in there and working the key until it freed up. Worked great, never had another problem with that lock cylinder. Boy did it piss off the power locks, though. I don't know if the graphite got into something or if working the cylinder free exposed an issue elsewhere.

I don't know the R51, but I'd start by downloading the '11 service manual from Nicoclub and looking for a wiring diagram to see how that system is set up. Sounds like the motor is okay, but something in the controls is acting up. Maybe a loose connection, or a bad solder joint? Intermittent issues are always fun to track down. Good luck!

At least the leak stopped! Figures it came up with something new. If this started when you fixed the leak, I would double-check the stuff you had apart. PCV hoses back on? Any damage to the intake boot? Any vacuum lines messed up? Sounds like a vacuum leak to me. Mine stalls on warm idle now and then. Weak connector. Hasn't done it since I picked up a replacement connector, naturally. If you don't find a vacuum leak, inspect the MAF connector. Might as well check the sensor too, on the off chance something got in while you had stuff torn apart. You counted teeth when reinstalling the timing belt, right? I imagine you'd have worse symptoms if that was a tooth off.

I am impressed that you got it out in one piece! I had a go at one of mine a while back and had enough trouble with it that I painted the other one in place.

What do they look like? I searched that part number and found some metal clips I've never seen before. IIRC the rear hatch plastic is held by white plastic clips. If that's what you're after, I probably have some in my bag of random clips off the partsfinder.

No, I think you would have to break off a corner of the glovebox itself to get a screwdriver in there. Maybe you could get a pair of pliers around behind and back the screw out from the pointy end, but I doubt it.

Busted plug is weird. Hopefully the outside was busted, not the part inside the cylinder? Remove the distributor cap and have someone crank the engine while you watch the rotor. If the rotor doesn't spin when the engine does, your timing belt has let go. Hopefully it's not that. These engines are an interference design that bends exhaust valves when that happens. If the rotor is spinning, that suggests you've lost spark for another reason, probably electrical. Check fuses and fusible links. Run codes as well, see if you've got a code 21 (ignition signal missing in primary coil). I haven't driven a manual Pathy, so I'm not familiar with the interlock switch, and I'm not seeing an indicator light for the interlock in the service manual. Is this the backlight that comes on with the rest of the dash lights, or something else? If the issue turns out to be electrical, this could help narrow down where the fault is. I would start by checking fuses and fuse links, though.

Does it have spark?

Late reply, but I had a look at the parts car, and I don't think you could get to the top screw for the end cap without busting out part of the glove box.

Is it spinning over? Does it have spark? The interlock prevents you from spinning the starter without the clutch in, the switch lets you bypass it. If the engine is spinning, the interlock is not the problem.

I have heard of the drive-by-wire getting its panties bunched when there's a sudden change in air flow vs throttle angle, and requiring a relearn procedure (should also be in the '03 service manual) to convince it that the sky isn't falling, even if the throttle body itself isn't damaged. IIRC someone on here couldn't get the relearn to take and had to have a dealer talk it down. I haven't heard of that stopping the fuel pump, though. When are you checking for power? Usually fuel pumps run when the key is turned on, briefly, but then stop until the computer sees that the engine is turning. Can you hear the pump run for a few seconds if you turn the key to the run position without trying to start it? Unlikely that the PO's kill switch happened to fail at the same time you cleaned the throttle body. Could also be that it won't start because the throttle body is fully closed. AFAIK the drive-by-wire rigs don't have separate idle control, so if the throttle body is damaged, and it's stuck fully closed, that could be why it's not lighting off. Any codes?

I was ready to tear mine apart too until Adamzan said to check the seal. Passing it on.

That's a good idea! I've seen switches like that on Amazon/eBay with all kinds of stuff written on them, nice to know you can custom-order too.

When the crank seal on mine failed, the washer on the crank flung the oil away from the seal. Where the oil ended up made me think the oil pump was the problem. A new crank seal got rid of the leak. I know you just did yours--all the same I would open it up and check that the crank seal isn't the problem (scuffed crank, groove where the seal rides, spring popped out during installation, defective seal) before assuming the oil pump gasket chose this moment to give up. I don't know how worn your engine is at 345k, but unless it has absolutely hellacious blowby or a clogged PCV valve, crankcase pressure shouldn't be the issue here. If you do have to drop the oil pump, dropping the pan a few inches may let you get to the pump, but you'll need more than that to properly clean and re-seal the pan. At some point the PITA of working on an engine with a truck in the way outweighs the PITA of pulling the engine.