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EGI/ECCS Relay


5523Pathfinder
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Ok everybody, thought I would drop some knowledge on a issue I have been fighting on my pathfinder. It first started with a long crank and not starting for a few seconds, then turned key off, then on, then fired up. Then it was ok for a few days, then it got cold. I noticed on cold mornings this same thing would happen. A few days later I was driving down the street and I lost all power for about 3 seconds, then everything was fine. WTF, right!

Anyways, I finally get it to do it at work and I check for codes, none set. So then its on to fuel and spark. I can hear the fuel pump buzzing. I check pressure and with the key on, it goes up to aobut 35 PSI, then drops to zero. Umm, thats not right, pressure should hold. So I remove my fuel pump and sending unit and I find small particles blocking the pickup. Tried to clean it, but to no evale, it didnt help. I replaced the pump and sending unit (The pump was getting noisey and my gas gauge was all over the place). Got it all running again and was fine for a few days. But then, it happened again. Here I go again.

Now I find really weak spark. I swap the coil and transistor and its still hard to start or wont start at times. I knew my cap, rotor, plug wires, and spark plugs were all good. I remove the cap and rotor, then remove the cover for the crank sensor. What do I find? I find my distributor eating itself! Yes, the shaft bearing was coming loose and spreading aluminum shavings all over! Great, get a new distributor, install and great for a few days, then the hard starts happen again.

At this point, as a professional technician, I want to shoot myself. I have absolutly no idea what could be causing this problem, but wiring came to mind. I checked and double checked every inch of my engine harness all the way to the ecu. I even thought to take the ECU out and put it in the freezer to duplicate a cold day. Nope, nothing.

So, all of this has been happening over the course of almost a month. My biggest problem is that the problem is so intermittent. About a week ago, I was on my way to work, driving on I-5 and everthing enginewise, just shut off. I am coasting over to the shoulder dodging other cars and just as I get there, everthing comes back on. Ok, this is just wierd. I get to work and I try and think of any possible reason for all of this. I remembered about 6 months after I got Big Homie, he wouldnt start one night after work. I pulled it in and for the fuel pump not coming on. I found the fuel pump relay was cracked and broken on its backside. I replaced the relay and everything was good. Even replaced the cover for those relays being that it was missing.

I go back to those relays and think "Everthing shutting off, then coming back on. Yeah, it could be a relay". So I notice the EGI relay right next to my shiney fuel pump relay. I pull it out and find a hairline crack in it on the side. I test it, and it works. Now, I dont like it when I find things like this, so I get a new relay. Wouldnt you know it, I havent had a problem since. I tore the relay apart and find a small amount of rust inside. I take the relay, shove it in the freezer, pull it out about a hour later, and sure as @!*%e, it dont work.

I went back through the nissan manual, and I couldnt find anywhere about how that relay would effect things like that. I will say this, my truck has never run smoother and been more reliable. I imagine many will read this, and chances of it happening to someone else? Who knows! But I thought I would share. Or maybe you should go get a new relay and throw it in your rig. :D

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  • 12 years later...

Dude this may be the answer to the problem I have been chasing forever. I thought it was the fuel pump relay but that never fixed it. When I had the no start crank for ever issue it's cold out I pull my fuel pump fuse and it starts and dies then i fut the fuse back in and have to give it gas but it starts barely. I'm checking my egi relay tomorrow.

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