mhay Posted September 26, 2010 Share Posted September 26, 2010 Hey guys. the truck has been starting sluggishly and the other day it took 3 attempts for the starter to do anything. Now, when the keys is turned I get nothing. No click from the starter or anything. battery is good and the dash lights are bright. I searched and saw the relay mod for the starter solenoid. Think I would be a candidate for that? Thanks in advance. Matt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhay Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 ok so I did the relay mod. Now I can hear the solenoid clicking when I turn the key but no cranking action. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriskaw440 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 ok so I did the relay mod. Now I can hear the solenoid clicking when I turn the key but no cranking action. Any ideas? I recently had this same issue...in my 1990 SE, left me stranded at a rest stop on I-95! Turned key, everything lit up, but not even a click at the starter. Finally started ONE LAST TIME and I made it home. we traced the problem to the black-with-yellow stripe wire that runs from the ignition switch to the back of the starter. There was voltage at the ignition switch, the harness along the steering column.....but NOT at the starter. So we ran a by pass wire from the harness at the steering column to the starter and bingo. Starts like a charm now. This trick however, also bypasses the clutch interlock so now I can start it in gear, if the moment of cluelessness ever strikes me. Saved me from buying a new starter or ignition switch or whatever. (we jumped the starter at the starter and it engaged so that proved the starter was still good) Take a volt meter to those points to see if they are getting voltage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Check your battery, battery contacts, ground at the chassis and motor, hot lead to the starter, etc; first for clean contact and then for voltage loss down the line. Odds are that is the problem. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhay Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Ok guys. pretty much narrowed it down to the starter. I attempted to get the starter out. got the bolts off the back no problem. now the darn thing will not come out of its home. The A/T lines are in the way and the heat shield keeps it from budging. Anyone want a good deal on a good pathfinder with a bad starter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhornet Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 it will come out the front i have done many u just need to work it and massage it also take note to where the positive wire position is it will only go back in with that wire in the right place goodluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelix Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Hey guys im not sure if i have the exact same problem as this guy, but my pathy doesnt want to start either. when u turn the ignition i hear a click everytime then nothing. if i turn the ignition upwards of 10 times, the engine will finally turn over and start no problem. and after it starts up that first time, i can shut it off and turn it back on first try for the rest of the day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamTex Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 You guys just gotta beat your chest like a mad man and yank that starter for test/inspection. No excuses. You drive a Nissan Pathfinder! Mhay, I live outside of the DFW area. PM me with a price and I'll drop by to have a look see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 13, 2010 Share Posted October 13, 2010 Hey guys im not sure if i have the exact same problem as this guy, but my pathy doesnt want to start either. when u turn the ignition i hear a click everytime then nothing. if i turn the ignition upwards of 10 times, the engine will finally turn over and start no problem. and after it starts up that first time, i can shut it off and turn it back on first try for the rest of the day... Your starter is going out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 before tossing the starter, I would suggest opening it, cleaning all the crap out of it that has dripped in from your oil filter and sender unit, clean the carbon dust from the commutator and reassemble it. High probability that this is the failure you are experiencing. If it does not bench test at that point, time to get a new one. Also... I modified mine to fit better if I ever need t take it out. The problem is the shield/bracket that holds the solenoid to the starter housing. It is a bitch to get out. I removed my brace and simply used zip-ties to hold the solenoid in place. No problems ever since and it is easy to slide the starter past the tranny lines and out the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyLarry Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 My starter was doing the click click click click....then start thing, so I pulled the starter and changed the solenoid and it has worked great ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhay Posted October 18, 2010 Author Share Posted October 18, 2010 Ok guys. After a busy couple weeks I am going to attempt to get back in there and get this starter out. Any ideas on what can be removed, i.e. oil filter, steering parts, that can be removed to get this thing out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 worst case, get in there with a small wrench and/or screwdriver and disassemble the starter, taking it out in pieces. I did that the first time I removed mine since I couldn't find the magic way to get past the tranny lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted October 18, 2010 Share Posted October 18, 2010 Don't feel bad, many people have struggled with the starters, here is the proof. http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=1754&st=0&p=13670&hl=%20starter%20removal&fromsearch=1entry13670 This is in the Garage/How To section... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhay Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Good news to report! The stars aligned and the starter slid out in about 15 minutes! Now, anybody got a rundown on how to clean this bad boy out before dropping a benjamin on a new starter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 open it and clean it out. make sur eyou brush the carbon dust out of the commutator slots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhay Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 GOOD NEWS!!! I cleaned the starter and got it reinstalled which is just about as bad as taking it out. It cranked up on the first try! Thank you guys for your help. I doubt I would have completed this repair without the help of the awesome people on this forum. Now, having said that, I hope you guys will help me out in a couple weeks when something else breaks. Thanks again, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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