New Guy and Pathy won't start

[needhelp]

Hey guys,

 

I'm actually not a Pathfinder owner but I have a friend with a 92 Pathfinder 4x4 v6 manual shift. He is a good friend and his Pathfinder began to have problems starting (intermittantly wouldn't start). It would run fine when started and you can jump start it. I mentioned it might be a bad starter so he took it to a shop for diagnosis. They said it would be a starter and $400-600 depending on the shop. He didn't have the money so it sat in his driveway. I have worked on other makes doing starters and timing belts so I told him I would put in a starter for the price of parts. I put the starter in but it didn't help. I then did some searching and found the clutch interlock relay is a known bad component. SO.. I replaced that relay (dual plug relay by the battery to the right of the main relay bus). Still nothing. It won't start. So I created some jumpers to check voltage at different locations to the relay to get an idea of what is going on. Here is what I found.

 

Voltage at battery - GOOD (Over 12V and at 12V when in ON position)

Voltage at yellow/black wire on relay plug (one with green wire) - GOOD when key turned to ON

Voltage at yellow/black wire on relay plug (one with purple/black wire) - GOOD when key turned to ON

 

NOW - When I turn the key to ON, I see voltage at the relay, but then I depress the clutch I lose voltage at the relay. I verified this several times and even pressed the clutch switch only at the floorboard by hand and watched the voltage drop at the relay. I'm guessing there is an open somewhere in that circuit so when i press the clutch I lose voltage, but I don't know where. I don't have a wiring schematic or haynes manual.

 

I also checked shorting the relay on the green wire using my jumpers and I hear a relay over by the A/C compressor click. I also checked the relay iteslf shorting one side (green wire) and I hear it click. I don't know if that helps but I thought I would add the info.

 

SO I'm stuck with my friends pathfinder in the garage and I would love to fix it for him without him having to take it to the dealer or let it sit till he has enough money. If anyone can help please let me know. You can PM me or reply to this thread. I will check back tomorrow. I might have to go buy a Haynes manual but I wanted to ask before I made another trip to the parts store.

 

Thanks for reading and any info you might have.

 

Cheers.

[94extreme]

hmm... just off top of my head you may also check the interlock switch.. maybe that's effecting the starting somehow.

 

the button works kind of like the clutch. so when depressed you don't need to press the pedal but you better be in N or the truck will move.

[needhelp]

hmm... just off top of my head you may also check the interlock switch.. maybe that's effecting the starting somehow.

 

the button works kind of like the clutch. so when depressed you don't need to press the pedal but you better be in N or the truck will move.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I make sure it isn't in gear before turning the key. That could be bad but I might be happy the starter at least worked. I thought about taking the interlock switch out and shorting the link, but I figured that would be the same as depressing the button. Is that correct?

[94extreme]

well, the switch may be faulty so i'd play with it or around it.

[Chriskaw440]

$400 to $600 bucks for a starter (Im sure that even includes labor to install) ???? holy crap.

 

when mine went out I was only charged $90.00 to install.....and a rebuilt one was about $120 I think....I cant remember exactly.

 

Sounds to me like your quote came from a dealership?? Just wondering.

[zeppelindrummer]

Yeah! thats expensive! mine was 100 from autozone... and i replaced it myself.

 

crooks...

[pathy95]

can you still bump start it (to no if it will still run at least)