nmullin Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 i have a 1993 nissan pathfinder with a no start issue. have replaced the starter and no wont start at all, where as before with the old starter it always started when cool but if engine was hot and stop for gas or somethin it usually would not start for 30 mins or so. I got sick of it and got a new starter and now it wont start at all. The relay in the fuse box by driver left leg clicks and so does the starter but after repeated attempts the starter will stop trying and the relay will just click. I have replaced both terminals and checked power at the starter {big black n yellow wire}was at 12vs but did not check the purple n black one ( smaller one) cause not sure how to with plug. I also checked for so called inhibitor relay but apparently I dont have one as i have double n triple checked and verified with vin at nissan dealership.... really stuck one what to do and any help would be appreciated. i love my pathy and she only has 100k miles on her mint no rust from cali.... my last one went for 270k.. really dont wanna give up so if you do help id be happy to give a donation to anything that gets it started Thank you Nick from New Hampshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Are the main power cable connections clean and making good contact starter and battery? Sounds like the starter solenoid is engaging but no power from the battery to spin the starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Is the starter spinning but the engine won't run? or is the starter just clicking? I would also suggest checking the battery terminals, cleaning and tightening as may be necessary. Can also swap out the starter relay for another one if you have one and try that. When my starter first started acting up I did the starter relay mod and that lasted almost a year before I had to replace the starter (which lasted 4 months) before I bought a brand new one and so far it is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lint Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Take the battery to a shop & have them load test it to see if it's up-to-snuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmullin Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Battery has tested fine and already tried the relay and both terminals have been replaced , not sure how to do the starter relay mod but i think thats what i need 2 do. is there any1 i can hire to do this or is any1 on here in the nh area? Would make it worth your while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 (edited) starter relay mod is pretty easy, you just need a standard 4 terminal relay from the auto parts store, ( 5 terminal can be used except you don't use one of the terminals), relay hooks up like this, the relay will have a number next to each terminal, this is where each number goes: #30 - 12 volts in - run a wire from positive battery to terminal #30 should use a fuse inline with this wire #87 - output of relay to what ever you want to turn on, in this case the starter solenoid, remove the wire from the starter solenoid, and in it's place run a wire from terminal #87 to the starter solenoid #86 - control current in ( turns the relay on) - extend the wire you removed from the solenoid and connect to this terminal (#86) #85 - ground, run a wire from this terminal to a ground, (I usually just loop a short wire from the terminal up to the mounting screw for the relay) That's the starter relay mod, basically when you turn the key to crank, power turns the relay on allowing power to flow from the relay to the solenoid, using this mod gives the power a shorter distance to travel to the solenoid. As I said I did this on my 94 and it lasted about a year before the starter finally crapped out, you have already replaced your starter, I have had no luck with reman starters and is why I just bought a brand new on from Rockauto.com and so far it is working perfect. It is possible the replacement starter you got is bad. almost forgot if you happen to get a 5 terminal relay the only difference will be it will have a terminal "87A", just don't use this one, the relay's with the 87A are known as change over relays, what they do is when the relay is off 87A has power/ 87 does not, when the relay is turned on 87A has no power but 87 does Edited August 1, 2012 by ahardb0dy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmullin Posted August 1, 2012 Author Share Posted August 1, 2012 Really appreciate the help. but have a few questions. What wire do i use? The black n pink one that i already have goin to the plug on starter or do i need to buy some wire also? And can i brg atarter somewhere to get it checked out? And if its bad can i get a refund and buy a new bosch? And are you in nh area by any chance? Lol sounds like u jnow what ur talkin about. And there is also a relay in the interior fusr box that clicks when i turn key to on position. what is that 1 for? And also note mine has no inhibitor relay whereas yours does didnt know if that makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95champagnepath Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Had the same issue when my started began going out. Swapped in three different starters, two of which were bad from the get-go. Try another and see if that works (assuming they are the remans from autozone or something). If there is charge going to the starter, and the battery tested good, then I wouldn't troubleshoot that much more. After all was said and done, my issue with the third starter not turning over, was that somehow the starter was unplugged from the battery . I do recall a post on another nissan forum about the security system interfering with the vehicle starting. Apparently when the interior temp exceeds 110F, the relays expand causing issues with the ignition process. The relays are located underneath the steering wheel. Apparently you swap the relays and problem solved. Was not my issue, but just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Sorry not near NH, down here near Orlando Florida. You can pull the starter you just out in and should be able to take it to most auto parts stores to have it tested for free. I have no luck with reman starters going back to my 87 hardbody and lately my 94 pathfinder. I tried to get a new Bosch starter but they seem to all be on back order or I heard Bosch may not be selling new starters any more, don't know how true that is though. Anyway I ended up buying a brand new starter from Rockauto.com, made by Pure Energy for about $93 with out shipping and so far it is working fine. The relay mod is really a band aide fix for another problem, I did it because I wasn't looking to replace my starter at the time it started acting up, and even with the new starter I left the relay installed. If I was you I would pull the starter and have it tested before doing anything else. You can also as a test take a piece of wire with a female spade connector and plug it into the plug on the starter solenoid, take the other end and touch it to the positive on the battery, do this with the key turned to the "ON" position. This test eliminates all the factory wiring going to the starter other than the thick positive and if it starts fine than you know their is a problem in the wire that goes to the solenoid. if it doesn't start most likely the starter is bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmullin Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 Okay so im gona pull the remanufactured starter n if it tests bad then buy a new one off rock auto n if it tests good then it has to be that black n pibk small wire with the plug?? And that goes into main harness if it is that wire should i take apart harness n check it out?? Seems a bit intimidating to me. Wish there was some 1in my area willing to help out for like 100$ or so. really gotta figure this Out. getting relocated soon for my job..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 does the starter spin and the truck won't start? Or does the starter just click? Need to know this before going further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkorahil Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 What he said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmullin Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 Im going to get it checked at autozone now but i put in the old one and it started right up so debatin puttin it in the nissan dealership but not sure what theyd do if anything. ill let you know how the starter tests out. but it clicks for sure just not sure if it was engaging. want to repaint suspension lift n 33s but gotta figure this small @!*% out first. also have a large clunk that happens in right front tire area believe its cv but not sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 so with the other starter it just clicks? I say the starter is bad, whether it tests ok or not, it's fine to test good on the machine but when it's in the truck and doesn't work is when it sucks. I just went thru this with mine, the guy in the autoparts store told me if it tests ok on the machine there was nothing they could do, OH REALLY?? one call to their corporate office took care of that, not only did they refund my money they refunded the core charge too!! When do you hear the clunk? A clunking noise when turning going up an incline could be the steering stops rubbing on the lower control arm, fix for that is to put grease on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 (edited) They tried that crap with me on my Datsun starter when it tested fine. I told them if they were really going to send me out of the store with a podunk ass starter that WILL leave me stranded they will never see me again and I will do my best to give their store the worst name possible. Changed their attitude pretty quick. Still haven't been back in there. Only reason why I even did was because it was a lifetime starter... been replaced about once every two years since 1991. Edited August 11, 2012 by Kingman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enkrypt3d Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 so a bad starter just clicks as if the battery is dead? the dealership is trying to convince me my starter just suddenly died out of the blue....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 the starter just clicking could be the starter itself, a bad battery (just happened to me with my sentra), bad connections on the battery or starter, bad starter relay, clutch interlock if it is a manual trans. If your starter is clicking when you try to start it, check the battery connections first to make sure they are clean and tight, if they are check the voltage at the battery with a multimeter, you can also connect your battery to another vehicle like you were going to jump start it, if the truck starts when connected to another vehicle the battery could be bad or low. If it starts when connected to another vehicle than it's probably not the starter. You can also try tapping the starter lightly while someone holds the key to the "start" position, if it starts while doing this than it may be the starter or starter solenoid. The starter in my 94 was doing that originally than I did the starter relay mod and it was OK for another year until I finally had to replace the starter, my recommendation for a starter is spend the extra money it costs and get a NEW one the first time, local rebuilds suck !! I bought mine from rockauto made by pure energy, no problems so far, I don't see new ones on the rock auto site by them any more. Bosch also sells brand new starters if you can find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enkrypt3d Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 The truck is at the shop getting a new starter ...... the original problem was that someone removed all the fusible links behind the battery and one of the wires came loose that goes to the starter........ so I was there yesterday to look at the truck and it would start 3 out of 5 tries...... that tells me its still an electrical issue right? If its a bad starter, then its never going to work right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 (edited) My starter, before I replaced it, one day it started fine when I left to go to the junkyard, when I was leaving the junkyard it wouldn't start, had to have someone turn and hold the key to start while I tapped it with the jack rod, on the way home I stopped at 4 different places shutting it off at each one and it started fine, the fifth stop it wouldn't start again, had to tap on the starter again. The starter in my sentra was doing the same thing way back just clicking, I took it out, took it apart and wiped the inside down and it's been fine ever since. So even if your starter is on it's way out it may or may not work sometimes, best to replace it before your out in the boonies one day and it finally decides to quit for good. I also redid the positive from the battery to the starter, new 4 gauge car audio power wire, and added a ground from the starter bolt to the frame, again 4 gauge wire. Edited June 10, 2013 by ahardb0dy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enkrypt3d Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Can you post a pic of what that wiring looks like from the + to the starter? are there any fusible links there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 The large wire from the positive battery terminal goes directly to the starter solenoid, than there is a smaller wire from the starter relay that goes t the starter solenoid that transfers power when the key is turned to the "Start" position. There are fusible links on the positive terminal as well. I only have pics of when I eliminated the factory positive terminal: this was the stock cable, there was more copper out of the ring terminal than was in it: I took all the small wires off the old broken positive terminal, stripped the ends and put them all into a large butt connector, than ran 6 gauge from the other end of the butt connector to my new battery terminal: This is with the new terminal installed, showing the new 4 gauge that goes to the starter, the 6 gauge that is in the previous pic, and a 10 gauge wire that feeds the relay for the starter relay mod, nice and clean and new: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 (edited) I'm going to be replacing the terminals with the military style ones, I had a negative terminal that matched the positive one, but it recently broke almost stranding me at work, I replaced it with a cheap one from the auto parts store but I have always wanted a set of the military style terminals, they are nice as they have a bolt and nut that secures them to the battery post and another nut and bolt that can be removed without loosening the terminal to the post for adding additional wires to the terminal/ These are the ones I will be getting very soon: installed they would look like this: Edited June 10, 2013 by ahardb0dy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enkrypt3d Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 How did you replace this OEM wiring harness then? I'm trying to understand what this all means...... from what I read: The brown 3 wire is to the main power harness, ECU, etc The green and black is to the starter, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 see third pic down, just found this: http://www.cardomain.com/ride/270890/1995-nissan-pathfinder/page-8/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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