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Replaced timing belt, now running rough


xylicon
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Just finished up a timing belt job on my 94 Pathfinder, everything seemed like it went smooth, replaced the usual while in there such as the water pump, crank seal, thermostat, and tensioner (I used only Nissan OEM parts). I did everthing per the factory service manual.

 

I started it up this morning, it fired up right away and shortly after the check engine light came on. I checked the codes and got 23 and 45.

 

Upon further investigation I found out that cylinder #2 is not firing, I confirmed this my lifting the plug wire for #2 and no idle change was noticed. I swapped plug wires and spark plugs and the problem still remains. I did a compression check as well just to rule out unlikely event of a timing belt slip and I got 165PSI, thats the same reading I got back when i purchased the vehicle.

 

I am at a loss for what to do, I really don't want to have to remove the intake plenum to reach that injector. Are these injectors troublesome? They are the original injectors with 201K miles on them.

 

I should mention that the vehicle did sit for about 1 month during this process

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The injectors could idea refresh but have you considered that you have a bad dizzy cap or try arching the plug wire to a ground to test spark.

 

Woops, forgot to mention that I did do that, I could short the #2 plug wire to the intake plenum and see a nice purple spark.

Edited by xylicon
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Removed the plenum and tests I performed on the injector indicate that it is not working properly. I ohmed the #2 injector and it is open, the rest of the injectors read 10-12 ohms. I applied 12V to the #2 injector and it did not actuate, the rest of the injectors would actuate.

Do the injectors just pop straight out of the fuel rail? I am having a hard time removing it.

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There is a little metal cap with 2 screws on either side that I'm sure you have taken off. Other than that, yes, the injectors are just a tight fit with 2 o-rings. You might want to consider a little penetrant around the diameter, you might have crud and crust holding it in place. I had luck rotating them back and forth as I pulled to get them out, other than one that the plastic top begain rotating independently of the metal botton in the fuel rail cup, so don't force it too much.

Make sure to release the fuel pressure before you remove the injector.

You might get a lot of gas down in that cylinder that you will want to clear before you try starting it.

Injectors are color coded with a dab of paint, make sure to get a replacement of the same color.

Use new o-rings when installing the injector, and you want to lubricate them first (gas is fine) and be careful, a member split an O-ring installing an injector and had to do it all over again.

 

B

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yea what precise said

i replaced those Phillips junk with hex , if another injector goes make your life easier

i have replaced three injectors , i pull my entire fuel rail off, purged and cleaned the whole thing

 

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Wow, those screens look like crap! But then again, at 200k, they have driven around the world 8 times...

I'd change your fuel filter before re-installing as well, unless you have done so recently.

 

B

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After I finish the job I will post all of the pictures I took of removal and installation.

 

Can anyone reccommend a brand of injectors? I don't want to spend $145 on DENSO ones. NAPA sells Echlin Fuel Systems fuel injectors for 67.99 each. I may get those instead.

 

From the information I gathered around here I believe I can get a set of either blue or black dot injectors, either a full set of each, no mix-matching. Is that correct?

Edited by xylicon
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Yes that correct from what I've read on here as well. I suspect that a mixing of blue dot and black dot injectors might affect fuel mileage significantly since they likely have different spray patterns and are going to be varying the feedback loop from the O2 sesor with every pluse. That may just end up with one or two cylinders being run overly hot because of the compensation from the ECU.... I think.

 

sent from under Ernest the Pathfinder

 

 

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After I finish the job I will post all of the pictures I took of removal and installation.

 

Can anyone reccommend a brand of injectors? I don't want to spend $145 on DENSO ones. NAPA sells Echlin Fuel Systems fuel injectors for 67.99 each. I may get those instead.

 

From the information I gathered around here I believe I can get a set of either blue or black dot injectors, either a full set of each, no mix-matching. Is that correct?

Sorry, I can't recall the brand I bought when I only replaced the #1 cylinder on the R50. I'm pretty sure it was a 'cheapo' for around $70 tthough and I bought it on line.

 

Yes, mixing is not a good idea, and I have heard this from mechanics and parts guys. Apparently there are some combos that work acceptably, but why go there?

If I was you, I would buy two new injectors of the same color you have and 6 (or 7) O-ring kits. I would have the 5 old injectors cleaned and tested and would install the two new and the one newer/used on the drivers side under the plenum. Out of the 5 tested, 3 should be good enough to reinstall on the passenger side where it is easy to get to, with maybe 1 or 2 spares. Should any of the old ones fail, you know how to check and swap them so it is an easy repair. This should save you some $ and keep you from having to tear things apart again...

 

B

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finally got everything sorted out. I installed a set of brand new Echlin blue dot injectors, replaced some small coolant hoses, new fuel filter, and gaskets. The Nissan OEM gasket for the intake plenum is metal, I didn't like that so I opted for a felpro paper gasket instead (the gasket I originally removed was paper), Nissan apparently doesn't make a throttle body gasket either so that is also a Felpro.

 

After it was all said and done she started right up and idled nice and smooth!

 

New Injectors:

2XxlZz2.jpg?1

 

New coolant lines:

0M9szBc.jpg?2

 

New Injectors Installed: I added bling to the caps

iMy1834.jpg?1

 

More shiny caps:

cHnmOyz.jpg?2

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I'm glad you got it sorted out, and yes, if you have to do it, why not do a good job by addressing things while you are there.

 

Do you mind sharing what it cost you, just so others might have an idea or use your source to save some $?

 

B

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And what hoses did you use in the back there. If you have part numbers or know what to ask for that'd be great. I need to tear into that to do my valve cover gasket.

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Here is the invoice for the Nissan parts I used for the fuel injector job which consists of all the fuel injector o-rings, and seals, fuel filter, coolant hoses, and gaskets-(which I ended up not using), I sourced all of my Nissan OEM parts from www.nissanpartszone.com

 

The coolant hoses listed near the bottom of the invoice are the ones you saw in the pics above, one of those is only on the intake plenum itself which I do not have a picture of. The parts fiche on nissanpartszone is very helpful when it comes to figuring out what you need.

 

2A73MDl.png

 

The injectors I picked up at my local auto parts store (NAPA), they are brand new, made by Echlin and are manufactured in Japan. (I only needed 5 because one injector had been already replaced a couple months prior)

 

SklY8bo.jpg?1

Here is the invoice for all the parts I used while replacing the timing belt, (all parts are OEM Nissan from www.nissanpartszone.com)

 

It consists of the tensioner, timing belt, all radiator hoses, thermostat, front mail seal, and water pump.

 

JvuTH9t.png

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