gaterose Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) So yesterday my buddy was driving to work (after we attempted a suspension install, details on that here - http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/35758-tts-03-r50-mild-build/?p=670154) when his engine started sputtering. He said the CEL came on right as he pulled up at work. Well he works at a pretty big stealership (not Nissan) so he got them to look at it. They diagnosed, after 2 days, the problem to be the 1.25" wheel spacers we installed on Sunday. He said it drives fine now that they pulled the spacers (which they charged him, a coworker mind you, $100 for). What gives? They also told him that he needed an additional $1,000 in parts (we already have coils, struts, shocks, & the alignment kit) for the the lift to go on, so I'm a little leery about their solution. Someone please tell me I'm not crazy for thinking wheel spacers shouldn't be causing his problem and it's likely going to resurface soon. /rant Edited June 11, 2013 by gaterose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 what was the CEL code? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 What the? Does he not get along with the mechanics or something? That can't be right. I'm with bushnut .. what code he is getting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Yeah, engine codes would help. Wheel spacers can't possibly be the culprit. Was the SES light blinking? Being an '03, it probably is not ignition coil pack trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 What? Im with everyone else. First what is/was the code. Second, saying the wheel spacers caused it is just... /sigh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewulf73 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) That can't be right...What other symptoms did the vehicle show? What CEL code? What else did you guys do to the car? Did you get under the hood for any reason other than undoing the top nuts on the strut mounts? Maybe you guys accidentally pulled a couple of vacuum lines or something of the sort? EDIT: my horrible spelling! Can't type the word guys properly today...what the hell are ugys? Edited June 12, 2013 by Bluewulf73 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Dafuq? Sounds like he took it in, they poked at it a bit, the issue (clogged injector or something) cleared up on its own, and they wanted to say they'd done something. I dunno why they'd try and blame it on spacers of all things... maybe they figured it was the last changed thing, and have no idea how cars work. Or they're jerking him around because he works at a dealership and should know better. I hear muffler bearings are on sale this week... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaterose Posted June 12, 2013 Author Share Posted June 12, 2013 I never got a CEL code. That was the first thing I told him to do was to get em to pull the code. If they did they never told him, therefore he never told me (obviously they didn't get a "P7734 - too much wheel spacers" code). Apparently the light is off now though. He's not really a car guy so he doesn't know the right questions to ask. Same reason he couldn't tell me what the additional $1K in parts they supposedly needed were. The only thing we did under the hood was move some electronics that were mounted over the driver's side strut, and then we didn't unplug anything just shifted it around so we could get to the nut. I had planned to check those plugs and the vacuum lines but he says it's running fine so he didn't bring it over. Craziest thing is they told him they knocked off $300 worth of labor. That would've made it $400 in labor to run the OBD II and pull the spacers... Yes, they may as well have sold him some muffler bearings and blinker fluid - I don't think the mechanics there like the sales team... Thanks everyone for confirming my suspicions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 One option for a cheaper code reader is a app called Torque and a bluetooth reader from Amazon. The app is $5 and the readers are about $20-25. Later today I could give a link. But they are easy to find. Just check the customer comments on Torque app compatibility. Works great for me. Sent from smert fone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoesandsocks Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 alright well this is just depressing i would seriously tell your fiend to go into that place and knock someone out cause he just got ripped off by his coworkers they probably cleared the code and the computer magically fixed itself not that it it happens often but its obd2 it can happen they probably needed something to blame it on so they said hey wheel spacers are easy to take off lets just say that considering nothing electrical to even cause a code is even attached to the wheel hub except the abs sensor and wire i see no way that it could cause the problem unless one of the sensors was putting it in a safe mode or something but not likely to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewulf73 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 Glad to hear the problem is all cleared and hasn't come back. If it does come back though, make sure you check all vacuum lines and electrical you moved or may have moved...once I took the car in for servicing and they never re-attached the negative terminal so every time I accelerated the terminal would pull away from the battery and everything would die. Didn't take a genius to figure that one out. Too bad about the $$. They're probably laughing their ass off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastersryan Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 wow.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 (edited) $100 for a preemptive fix is pretty reasonable. Running wheel spacers can blow up the flux capacitor on the CV axles and create a sine wave affecting the harmonic jiggawatter sensor in the ECM Edited June 17, 2013 by stioc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaterose Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Yeah we were really concerned about the sine wave, luckily it didn't happen. Finished the lift today and put the spacers back on, so far no engine trouble lol. I updated the build thread with shots, but I'll post one here anyway since this thread needs a picture or two to make it interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoesandsocks Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 nice go to the junk yard and make it a 4x4 so we can be twins lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaterose Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Well the problem is back. He says it feels like it doesn't wanna shift around 45 mph an won't rev higher than 3k at high speed He's going to bring it by tomorrow and let me drive it. Any suggestions where to start looking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stioc Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Looks great! I LOVE those 2003+ wheels, I wish I could find a set. I didn't realize it was 2wd. As for the issue, could be the MAF but start with the code otherwise it'll be a lot of guessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaterose Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) Update- He said he bought some fuel system treatment, engine treatment, premium gas, and decided to check the oil... apparently it was low. He put a quart in and no troubles so far, very confusing overall though. Unless the dealership added a qt to remedy the problem... but I would expect to have a big oil spot in the driveway if that were the case. Btw there was never a code light otherwise yeah I woulda checked that first. I guess you guys don't have an oil warning light? At least he knows to keep an eye on it now. edit- thanks for the comment on the wheels too, one of them got gouged pretty badly by his brother's friend who went crazy with the tire mounting machine... but it looks like there's a full size spare under there so he's gonna drop it and hopefully get one of his new tires put on that wheel and an old tire or the stock spare back on the scratched wheel. Edited June 20, 2013 by gaterose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Has one of you checked the tranny fluid level and condition? Also with the larger tires, would be wise to install a tranny cooler in there. Pretty easy to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Engine oil additives are worthless. I would avoid using any at all. Which fuel system cleaner did he purchase? Not all are as equally effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaterose Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Has one of you checked the tranny fluid level and condition? Also with the larger tires, would be wise to install a tranny cooler in there. Pretty easy to do. No I haven't, I just sent him a message to check it when he can. I'm familiar with the tranny cooler install as I put one on my 4R, before pulling a Harley to CO for a friend, but I'm not sure I can convince him since he won't be doing much towing. Engine oil additives are worthless. I would avoid using any at all. Which fuel system cleaner did he purchase? Not all are as equally effective. I don't really use additives, except lucas stabilizer in the engine oil for my old truck occasionally, so I'm not gonna argue that point. I have no clue what he bought. He says that it is still running great right now, hopefully things will stay that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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