TrailChaser

If I were in your area I'd definitely help you out knowing how big of a PITA that job is. I did it mostly by myself in my cramped garage in the middle of the winter. I only almost killed myself several times by dropping the tranny off the jack and almost onto myself. It's a beast outside the truck, and it's nothing less than a monster when it's unbolted under the truck.

I think disc brakes were only standard equipment on the LE version. However they can be found on some SE's due to it being an option for the original owner. Maybe even the XE, but I've never seen one with disc in the rear. The metal bits and shaving are pretty common in all rear diffs. There's lots of metal on metal action in there. You should see the plug from a diff with a mechanical locker.

I've had one of the 8000lb HF winches on my pathy for years, and it always does great. I've used it lots of times. Winched Xterras up some pretty nasty climbs(that I made in the pathy) So far I've never had to use it to save myself. I have maxed it out a few times where it just plain would not pull any harder. Then I broke out the snatch block and it pulled like a champ. I've had it too hot to hold your hand on the case for more than a second or two also. As some on here know I'm not nice to my toys and this winch exceeded my expectations a couple of years ago. I bought mine second hand for $150 from a guy who never even used it once. He was replacing it with a Warn...

Have you tried putting a 5-speed in between the engine and transfer case? That solved all my autotragic tranny problems. But seriously, Try to get in touch with Barry(NissanNut) he lives close-by you and he's the only person I know of that has really dug into one of our auto-tranny's just for information reasons. He is usually found on nissantrailriders.com

Here's some advice from another thread: Here's the link to the whole thread: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=26822&hl=ignition&st=0

Okay Okay, I'll buy a timing light tomorrow. lol After reading a lot of post today on here from people having different starting issues. Now my suspects are: Fusible link(cuongs suggestion from earlier) CPS(something about it not allowing the injectors pulse) Inhibitor Switch(I can't remember what I did with it when I did the auto-to-5 speed swap a few yrs ago.) Low Voltage(I know this is a problem in several areas on our early model pathies) Thanks for everyones help so far, I'm still hunting down the gremlin.

So, did that fix the problem and how do you like your new engine. I'm having a problem getting my pathy to start, and mostly restart after it's warmed up. I was thinking of digging into this next to see if it works.

The main reason is because I don't have a timing light, or access to one w/out buying it for $40. I guess I can start making some calls to see if anyone has one I can borrow.

Now that I bought a brand new battery it will start everytime when the engine is cold, but after it heats up it won't crank up from the starter.(turning over plenty fast enough) If the timing was off it wouldn't start up at all, and if it did, it would run like crap. It's actually running really good with lots of pep. It just won't start if it's warmed up unless I push start it. Time to loosen some exhaust flange bolts and relieve some back pressure.

Thanks Cuong, That makes sense about the pressure switch. I know it's been broken off for a while and I have never suspected it of giving me any problems. Let's ponder this. What would allow the engine to start up while cold, but keep it starting once it warms up? Could it be some sensor is getting warmed up by the engine and not doing it's job properly? The coolant temp sensor wouldn't cause this would it? The other main confusing point I'd like to touch on again: The truck will push start great even after being warmed up... I have tested this enough that all I need to do it slightly bump it while rolling in 2nd gear and it fires right up with no problems. I don't think it's due to higher RPM's either..?

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/BOR0/S26768.oap?year=1995&make=Nissan&model=Pathfinder&vi=1211993&keyword=power+steering+pressure+switch That's the switch on Oreillys website. I love that they have multiple views of each part. Mine is physically broken. I think the battery slid into it when the strap broke on an offroad trip a couple years ago.

All the fuses are good, I'm thinking it's the ignition. If I hold the key in the "start" position(fully turned like I'm cranking it) it seems to start easier/better. I have a hidden starter button which allows me to simply turn on the truck then press that button to start. I've had it set up like this since I started having intermittent problems with the key starting the truck. I just jumped strait into the trigger wire and it's been doing good like that for about 3+yrs. It's just weird that it will push start so easily, but won't start off the starter..I know the starter is spinning it fast enough. Can anyone explain the purpose of the Power Steering Fluid Pressure Switch?

It actually only happens when the engine is cold. I found that by hooking up my wifes car with two sets of jumper cables will start it fine when it's cold.?? The way I found out was by hooking up both sets at the same time to increase the charging since both are standard(crap) jumper cables that actually get hot while charging. She has a 120amp alt to it really puts out the juice. Anyway, I hooked both sets up to charge the battery fast and found that I could now crank the truck everytime.(while cold) So I called my wife out to give me a hand. If she unhooked both of the neg. clamps and I tried to start it no dice... Add one clamp and it was slightly better but not quite.. Add both clamps and bam.. Starts right up.(This wasn't a fluke. We did the little test a few times to confirm) Went and bought a new battery and now it will crank when it's cold, but after warming it up it still won't crank. Drove up a hill and killed it after warming it up. It wouldn't crank off the starter,(brand new battery and turning over fast) but with a slow roll start in second gear bam; starts right up..???? I did this several times and it's starting from a roll start at what seems to be lower RPM's than the starter is cranking out. I'm stumped... Now to go loosen some exhaust bolts before the cat. Could it be that the cat is clogged and the clog is worst after warming up the system? How would the extra juice from jumper cables have anything to do with this? Also, the idle surge is not happening anymore. I don't know if that had anything to do with this problem, but now it's idling fine even after running well past just warm-up time. I'll keep you all posted and definitely update as I go alone. Keep the suggestions coming. Thanks, David

Thanks B, Cuong and jprater88, but I went to storage and found an ignition module that I took off my old parts pathy in the box full o' pathy stuff this morning.(I should make a list of everything in there.lol) That wasn't it. I also went ahead and bought a new rotor to replace the one I recently installed when I did the tune up a month or so ago. Neither had any effect on the problem. It's still doing the same thing. Maybe I'll replace the coil next. I'm feel like I'm just randomly replacing stuff at this point hoping that something will be the fix. I'm about to drill a big hole in the exhaust right before the cat... Then either way I'll be forced to install the now high flow cat I bought a few months ago.(exhaust work is a nightmare for me)

Mine isn't either. I moved to Arkansas. It actually happened when I moved here. I had no problems loading it on the trailer to pull behind the U-haul. Maybe now the truck thinks it's a trailer queen and therefor not required to run right anymore. lol I think there may be a spare ignition modules in my parts box. I almost have enuff spare parts in that box to build a new pathy, or a space ship. Cuong, did you ever get that throttle cable situation figured out? I still have the one I gave you. Now that I'm living out in the sticks I can install one of those fancy GPS things for a speedo. I think/hope there is alot less crime around here compared to SW Houston.

After doing some research(googled "engine starting backwards") I found a few more cases were it has happened. I'm going to bite the bullet and go with the ignition module for $100 as that seems to be the best bet so far. I wish I knew someone around here that has a pathy I could just borrow the module from for a quick test. After you install one from an auto parts place there's no returning it.

Hey Cuong, It's been a while since I seen/heard from you. I hope you're doing well. The starter seems to be fine. It's held up to lots of abuse in the last few days of turning the engine over trying to find the gremlin. I uploaded another video of it starting. The backward video was shot just before the video of it cranking up. I killed it and recranked it a few times then when for a drive to warm it up. After warming up it wouldn't start back up. In the video of it actually starting you can tell that it's struggling instead of just firing right up like it normally does. (same as the one I already posted in my last post)

I just took a few videos, and I'm uploading one of them to youtube right now. it'll still be processing for the next few minutes. In that video it's trying to start up backwards after being started forward, but it's not running backward like it was yesterday.(Yesterday it fully started backwards) I got it started and drove it around for about 15mins or so. It's not having the idle issue anymore and runs good while it's running. When I kill it it dies like it's suppose to, but then it doesn't start again unless I pull start it.(starter is turning the engine fine and IMO plenty fast enough) I'm thinking of doing the unthinkable.... Taking to a mechanic and paying out the nose for a diagnosis. Only $60 for an hour!!!

Thanks for the reply, and I like your website. I've suspected timing, but when it cranks it runs really good until it reaches operating temps. I discovered the power steering pump pressure sensor was broken off, and I know it has something to do with the idle. I think when it's running backwards it's reburning the fuel that was in the exhaust system. Do you think the ECU could just be on the fritz and about to go out? How bad is it for an engine to run backwards for about 4-5seconds?

How is it that my engine is starting and running backwards???? I just confirmed that is did indeed start and run backwards.(while I yelled kill it..kill it!!!) It was doing the stutter start and then it stopped and WENT BACKWARDS all three belts "exhaust" cloud from the snorkel everything went the opposite direction than it was going when the starter was spinning it. How is this possible? Can a clogged cat make an engine run backwards due to extreme back pressure forcing the pistons the wrong way? PS: This is not a joke. I'm 100% dead serious about everything here and desperately need some solid advice. Should I just cut the cat off and see how she runs?

Thanks for the reply Dowser, I'm 99% sure it's not the starter/battery. I have an optima and it'll turn over forever. When it stutter starts sometimes it will stop with a puff of vapor that is like a cloud of gas(I jumped out and sniffed it(but not in a huffing manner)lol) coming out of the intake.(the snorkel) Makes me think it's trying to run backwards or something. lol How would it act if the cat is clogged?(I think it's the original. ) I've been dealing with the idle fluctuating problem for a while now and always assumed it was a MAF sensor problem. Now I'm thinking it is most likely the AIC valve after doing some research on here. I've heard of a genie in a bottle, but I wonder if they have mechanic who actually knows his stuff and won't rip you off in a bottle.(I'd buy a case)

Hey everyone. I'm having some weird problem with the pathy. When I try to crank it up it won't always start, and never starts right up like it used to. What it does is a really slow chugging start where the engine is turning but not even fast enough to register on the RPM gauge. When/if it actually does spin up to idle speed it sounds great like nothing is wrong at all. Then after a few minutes of warming up the idle starts acting funny. The RPMs will dip really low like it's going to die then jump back up to normal idle speed, but it will eventually dip low enough to just die... When that happens you can forget getting it started again until it has plenty of time to cool off.(not that it's running hot or anything) Things I've done so far: Changed the plugs, plug wires, dissy cap/rotor, fuel filter(old one was pretty darn clogged), each time I check the codes on the ECU it returns a 55.(no malfunctions) I have some ideas of what it might be, but I don't want to contaminate the knowledge pool. I'd rather hear some fresh ideas. This thing is about to become my families sole means of transportation(if you don't count bicycles. lol) so I'm at the point where I'm running low on patience and high on stress about the situation. Questions for those in the know: What would it be doing if the EGR valve got clogged/went out? What about the PCV valve, or the IAC valve? Bottom line... PLEASE help with this. If you think you might know what the problem is throw it out. I need thing to work and right now I'm worried.

In Japan they have a few working models, and youtube has a bad habit of removing the videos that get too popular. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1OWDcWoXHs...feature=related University of Cassino, Italy, June 26-29, 1995, a group of scientists from the University of Birmingham, UK, presented a study about hydrogen as a fraction of the fuel. In the abstract of that study it stated: “Hydrogen, when used as a fractional additive at extreme lean engine operation, yields benefits in improved combustion stability and reduced nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon emissions.” In the early eighties George Vosper P. Eng., ex-professor of Dynamics and Canadian inventor, designed and patented a device to transform internal combustion engines to run on hydrogen. He later affirms: “A small amount of hydrogen added to the air intake of a gasoline engine would enhance the flame velocity and thus permit the engine to operate with leaner air to gasoline mixture than otherwise possible. The result, far less pollution with more power and better mileage.” In 1995, Wagner, Jamal and Wyszynski, at the Birmingham, of University Engineering, Mechanical and Manufacturing>, demonstrated the advantages of “Fractional addition of hydrogen to internal combustion engines by exhaust gas fuel reforming.” The process yielded benefits in improved combustion stability and reduced nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbon emissions. California Environmental Engineering (CEE) has tested this technology and found reduction on all exhaust emissions. They subsequently stated: “CEE feels that the result of this test verifies that this technology is a viable source for reducing emissions and fuel consumption on large diesel engines.” The American Hydrogen Association Test Lab tested this technology and proved that: “Emissions test results indicate that a decrease of toxic emissions was realized.” Again, zero emissions were observed on CO. Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Vehicle subjected to dynamometer loading in controlled conditions showed drastic reduction of emissions and improved horsepower. Corrections Canada tested several systems and concluded, “The hydrogen system is a valuable tool in helping Corrections Canada meet the overall Green Plan by: reducing vehicle emissions down to an acceptable level and meeting the stringent emissions standard set out by California and British Columbia; reducing the amount of fuel consumed by increased mileage.” Additionally, their analysis pointed out that this solution is the most cost effective. For their research they granted the C.S.C. Environmental Award.

Check out this video I edited and put up on youtube... name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>" wmode="transparent" style="width:400px; height:326px;" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" flashvars=""> I know it doesn't prove or disprove anything, I just thought you guys would find it interesting.

That's true, but it happens like that all the time with all kinds of inventions... Investors get cold feet and want $$$ back that has obviously been spend on R&D... Doesn't really say much about the inventor or the invention. It just says that he had typical investors who were impatient. Thousands of people are falsely convicted every year because the court system is FAR from perfect. The courts are in no way qualified to decide on scientific cases to determine whether or not they are "real". Don't forget the investor are rich people who have lots of political influence when it comes to stuff like this. Not to mention high dollar lawyers who and "make things happen in court."