Engine Wont Crank

[Crashoveride]

Hey All,

 

Been awhile since i last posted.

 

My pathy has been sitting for a few months now and I wanted to start it up and take it for a run the other day and it would not start. Figured battery (wasn't the best to begin with) so I put a charge to it, still nothing and i figured it was time for a new one.

 

I installed the new battery the other day and then tried to start it again, nothing!

I am thinking ground maybe but not sure and wanted to bounce this off some of you guys to see what you were thinking.

 

What I notice is that all my lights work fine, all power options function perfectly, you would never know there is a problem until I go to start it. When I move the key from 'On' to the 'Starting' position I hear the clicking from under the hood, I assume its the relay and maybe the solenoid but cant confirm as its just me looking at it. What I do notice that is strange is that when I am trying to start it, my deck shuts off as well as if I am running something like the wipers at the same time they stop while the key is in the starting position.

 

This is what is driving me nuts. Next up will be to look at some grounds here and there but I wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts.

 

Thanks so much in advance.

 

Crash

[adamzan]

Sounds like the starter may have bit the dust. Before you buy anything though I would clean the battery terminals and make sure they are on tight. It's free and can't hurt.

[skulptr]

check your connection between the battery and the starter, and there are a few fuses under the hood and under the dash you might check into. something you might try, get a pipe, place it on the housing of the starter, while someone is turing the key to start, try rapping on the end of the pipe with a hammer. might just be, stuck.

 

also your wipers and deck shutting off when starting is 100% normal.

Edited August 25, 2010 by skulptr

[Northernpathy]

What I do notice that is strange is that when I am trying to start it, my deck shuts off as well as if I am running something like the wipers at the same time they stop while the key is in the starting position.

 

That is normal for most all vehicles. Keeps the amperage from startup from damaging anything. Does it on my pathy as well as my gmc pickup.

 

 

Like adam said, sounds like a dead starter. Take it off and bring it to the starter/alternator shop and get them to test it.

[Crashoveride]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for the replies. I had some time yesterday afternoon so I started to do some probing and such. I gave the battery terminals a good cleaning and made sure they were nice and tight. Then I crawled under the truck and gave the starter a few good whacks with the hammer ... no luck.

I disconnected both the terminals and cleaned them and put them back on ... still nothing.

 

So then I took the starter out all together, seeing as its quite easy to get to on the Pathfinders. I am going to take it to Crappy Tire tonight and have them test it to see if its any good. Sounds like that's the problem, I'm kind of hoping it is because I hate troubleshooting electrical.

I am thinking that it could be because she has been sitting for a few months now and hasn't moved and when I took the starter off yesterday I noticed some water seeped out of it, not sure if it got in there from sitting and condensation and whatnot but I guess we will see.

 

Looks like used starters are not too expensive anyway.

 

If this doesn't work I will be back looking for some more suggestions

 

Thanks Again All!

 

Crash

[Crashoveride]

Hey Again,

 

So I just wanted to update everyone on how I made out and hope to get some more suggestions from everyone as to where I should look next.

 

I took the starter to Crappy Tire last week and had them test it out, they said it was dead and gone. So I said to myself, "Great!, this means an easy fix". I went to the junk yard yesterday and grabbed a used starter for $75, not biggie thinking it was the fix. Got home last night and crawled under the truck and threw the new (used) one in there. Went to start it up ... nothing!, checked all my connections and everything is tight and looks to be the same as it was when I took it out but still I have the exact same symptoms I had prior.

 

For the hell of it I figured out how to test a starter myself and hooked it up to my battery pack and low and behold my old starter was fine as well and seemed to work quite well, so the idiots at Crappy lied to me thinking they were going to get a sale out of it or something.

 

I don't think I could manage to screw up the install of it, I simply had the power wire to connect and then the plug that I assume is the signal to tell it to engage. There is no ground wire that I am aware of and think that it must ground through the body or something, unless I missed something.

 

So now I am back to wondering where I should look next. I have another starter in place, a new battery and checked the fuses and relays that I can associate with the starting system. I am going to recheck the fuses and relays again to be sure but I am hearing clicking from the relays so I am somewhat thinking its not them.

My thoughts are to check the ignition switch thinking there could be something there because I don't think power is making it to the starter, the other thing I was worried about was maybe something with the security.

 

What does everyone think?

 

Thanks Again,

Crash

[Hawzzy]

Hey Again,

 

So I just wanted to update everyone on how I made out and hope to get some more suggestions from everyone as to where I should look next.

 

I took the starter to Crappy Tire last week and had them test it out, they said it was dead and gone. So I said to myself, "Great!, this means an easy fix". I went to the junk yard yesterday and grabbed a used starter for $75, not biggie thinking it was the fix. Got home last night and crawled under the truck and threw the new (used) one in there. Went to start it up ... nothing!, checked all my connections and everything is tight and looks to be the same as it was when I took it out but still I have the exact same symptoms I had prior.

 

For the hell of it I figured out how to test a starter myself and hooked it up to my battery pack and low and behold my old starter was fine as well and seemed to work quite well, so the idiots at Crappy lied to me thinking they were going to get a sale out of it or something.

 

I don't think I could manage to screw up the install of it, I simply had the power wire to connect and then the plug that I assume is the signal to tell it to engage. There is no ground wire that I am aware of and think that it must ground through the body or something, unless I missed something.

 

So now I am back to wondering where I should look next. I have another starter in place, a new battery and checked the fuses and relays that I can associate with the starting system. I am going to recheck the fuses and relays again to be sure but I am hearing clicking from the relays so I am somewhat thinking its not them.

My thoughts are to check the ignition switch thinking there could be something there because I don't think power is making it to the starter, the other thing I was worried about was maybe something with the security.

 

What does everyone think?

 

Thanks Again,

Crash

I agree...i HATE chasing electrical...not an expert here or anything...just a brainstormer but what about neutral safety switch?? Is it manual or auto???

Tye

[Crashoveride]

Hey Tye, thanks for the reply.

 

I did think of that myself. It is an Auto and I have gone and rocked the shifter back and fourth a bunch of times just to see and I think its OK but cant be sure of it. The only thing that makes me think that it isn't that is the fact that the deck and wipers go out on me when I start.

 

Makes me think its something electrical somewhere, just not sure where.

[Hawzzy]

Hey Tye, thanks for the reply.

 

I did think of that myself. It is an Auto and I have gone and rocked the shifter back and fourth a bunch of times just to see and I think its OK but cant be sure of it. The only thing that makes me think that it isn't that is the fact that the deck and wipers go out on me when I start.

 

Makes me think its something electrical somewhere, just not sure where.

GOOD LUCK LOL...electrical snafus SUCK!!

Tye

 

What part of Can you at????

[rgallant]

I will need to confirm, but I have a manual transmission, as I recall if I try to start with the clutch out the deck turns off but no turn over. So it could still be the transmission park switch.

 

If everything else works you can verify the starter electrical path by taking the starter out hooking the wiring back up then try the key. Obviously this is a two man job and you want the starter well supported to avoid damaging the wiring from a fall. If she spins then your electrical "should' be good, if not you are back to checking electrical components. Clicking is generally poor battery, failed starter, failed relay, failed solenoid or serious engine issues. You have taken care of 2 out of three, as you have mentioned no issues with the motor it should be electrical.

[12161216]

I had the same thing happen to mine 97. It turned out it was a 5 amp fuse that said (mem)or somthing like that. For the life of me all the symptons did not make me think it was a fues but it was. Go figure. Just check all of them.

 

James

[Crashoveride]

Thanks guys, I will have a go with the electrical tonight and see what I can find. I will also take a full look over the fuses, hoping its something simple like that. I will let you guys know what I find tonight or tomorrow. Guess I will get the wife out there with me tonight, she can turn the key

 

ty01pathfinder: I am in New Brunswick.

 

Thanks again all,

Crash

[rgallant]

If it helps from the service manual for the fuses

 

1 10.0 Amp fuse #8 located in the fuse block - this one apparently also controls the backup lights so you be able to check that fuse by popping the transmission into reverse and checking the backup lights. You should pop the fuse any way just to make sure it is 100%.

 

2 40A fusible link letter e located in the fuse and fusible link box - should be right behind the battery. My 97 has them all labeled on top.

[Crashoveride]

Thanks rgallant for the info ...

 

I have checked all the fuses and any of the relays in the fuse panels and everything seems fine from what I can see, I didn't notice any issues anywhere at all.

 

So then I moved on to the ignition switch, pulled the plastic cover off it all and started probing wires. The problem I had here was that I was not sure what each wire was for and what they all went to but from what I could tell when I was testing is that there are 6 wires, all of them gave me a signal at some point with the exception of 1 of them. I didn't have a chance to note what wires worked and when as it started to rain fairly hard and was getting dark.

I am thinking that of those 6 wires one of them is a ground wire, if so then I think we can say that the ignition switch is working, correct?

 

If that's the case then its seeming like its either the power wire going to the starter or the signal wire going to it I think.

 

Whats everyone else thoughts on that? Anything else I should check?

 

- Crash

[rgallant]

I am not sure on the Pathfinder, but some starters have their own ground if not check all the ground wires. Take them off clean and re-seat. Now this is out there and a daylight job, but your truck sat for a few months so check your wiring harness for mouse /rat damage. Sounds funny but I had an Xterra that had an injector wire chewed through. Most times the damage is up top, they get in around the intake manifold.

[Kyle94]

i think i MAY be having some sort of the same problem? sometimes when i go to start it the clock on my dash dims out and everything acts like it dead... play with the light switch and turn the key on and off again and its starts... its hella wierd... dont think its the same issue youre having. didnt mean to

[Crashoveride]

Hey rgallant - Did do some looking around and I haven't noticed any wires that were damaged, but then again its hard to see them all. The small signal wire going to the starter is something I think an animal could chew through so when I get a chance I am going to check to see if I am getting power to the starter and the signal wire as well now that I think the ignition is all good.

 

I don't think our starters have their own ground wire, or not that I have been able to see anywhere. Someone else might be able to confirm this for sure but I haven't noticed anything like that under there. Just the power wire and the signal to the solenoid to activate it.

 

SexJelly - It sounds to me like your issue would be your ignition switch if you simply have to jiggle the keys to get it to start, just a guess based on what I have been reading about these sorts of issues on our trucks.

 

Keep the idea's coming everyone, every little bit helps me here. I am almost to the point where I might have to have it towed to a garage or something because I cant find the problem.

 

Cheers,

Crash

[180sx]

Fo rmy pathy, it too is having starting issues. Sometime I have to turn the key on and off a few times for it to start to slowly start cranking. Goes turn.......turn.....turn...turn.start. So wierd. But I think my engine is going bad, cause it souonds like its 'stuck' so it take sthe starter a little longer to 'force' it to turn. Our starters do not have a ground (most starters don't). Its grounded the transmsion (which is grounded to the chassis). By now, I would say take your battery to get tested. Last thing to do and it should be free to do it (at some places).

 

Jose

[Crashoveride]

Hey Jose,

 

Thanks for confirming that the starter is grounded through the engine (tranny) itself. That's what I figured but was never 100% sure but it makes sense.

Sounds like your starter is on its way out as well, I wouldn't think the engine myself but hard to say.

 

I have checked my battery a bunch of times and put a brand new one in there and its still not doing much to help the situation, If it is the battery then the good thing is its still under warranty

[Crashoveride]

Hey Again All,

 

So here is an update, i finally had a few min last weekend to mess with it.

I replaced the starter as I mentioned above, no luck, checked and cleaned up all grounds and terminals, still no luck.

All the fuses look great ...

 

Then I had a buddy of mine come over last weekend and work with me on it to do some testing. We came to the conclusion that one of the relays, even though clicking fine was the issue. It was the Neutral Safety switch relay. We ended up using some wire and jumping the terminals and BANG! It started right up like a champ!

 

So at this point we think its the relay, maybe something is bad in it. I didn't have another so I needed to order one from Nissan. Funny story is when I was cleaning up around the house I found another one that I know is good I had from some other project, lol. Anyhow I went out there 10 min ago with both the new and newly found relays and put them both in and nothing! Wont start.

 

Just as I am typing this I am thinking logically that would it make sense that there is an issue with the safety neutral switch not giving the relay power to a point and therefor not allowing it to start? So I should be looking at the safety neutral switch and wire from there?

 

Just want to make sure I am thinking logically, I am a bit hung over from a hockey game last night, lol

 

 

Thanks again all!

 

Crash

[adamzan]

If the relay clicked but jumping it with wire worked I would think your neutral safety switch is bad.

[Crashoveride]

Ok so I ripped off the whole shifter housing and took a look at the neutral safety switch and from what I can tell it looks like everything is working and things are all touching correctly. The little rocker switch seems to work fine. All the mechanisms are working fine.

 

How can i tell if this switch is bad, we tried putting it into neutral and starting but no luck there either.

Any suggestions anyone?

 

Thanks

Crash

[Crashoveride]

Ok so here is where we are today.

 

This morning i got up and went out and put a jumper in place for points 6-7 of the relay and then put the relay back in place to the other options of the relay would work still, or so I hope. That being the ASCD and the Inhibitor relay.

Now I can start it and it seems to be ok. I know this is not the ideal situation but I don't think that it should hurt anything, or so I hope it doesn't.

 

Does anyone have any idea's what might be the problem though to look at further, I don't like mickey mousing it to make it work and would rather make it work correctly but this gets me going.

 

Thanks again all.

 

Crash