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1995 Pathfinder XE electrical problems


Fred3
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I need yr help. Pthy was cutting out at idle  then died, all together 3 days ago. Had to jump it 4 times to get it home. Got new battery, replaced dist cap, fuel filter. getting no spark to spark plu. Auto zone says Coil if ine. Now what ??

 

 

 

 

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I need help to get my 1995 Pathfinder XE, auto trans going again. Was cutting out and then stopped all together. Replaced battery, dist cap, fuel filter, Coil checked out good at AutoZone but not sure if it was checked correctly. No spark and will not start ( obviously ) Had speaker hooked up in back of rig, that were stolen and at that time found the positive wire from them hanging down. That is when my problems started with engine cutting out, Could that angling positive wire have shorted out my system ??
 Thanks. I need all the help I can get, Fred

 

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What tests have you done to determine there is no spark to the plugs? Also, which plugs are not getting spark, or are none of them getting spark?

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The speaker and radio are on their own circuit as can been seen in the fuse box under the dash and have nothing to do with the engine circuits unless they were wired directly to the battery. IF they were wired to the battery you may have popped a fuse somewhere else. I also would like to note that if you don't have a fuse to the dash, the truck won't start... at all...

 

The real question is : does it crank? If yes, then your problem is most likely coil; if not then: weak ground straps, ignition module (prone to failure) or a oil soaked starter (replace). Aaaannnnd that's all I've got...

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9 hours ago, SpecialWarr said:

The speaker and radio are on their own circuit as can been seen in the fuse box under the dash and have nothing to do with the engine circuits unless they were wired directly to the battery. IF they were wired to the battery you may have popped a fuse somewhere else. I also would like to note that if you don't have a fuse to the dash, the truck won't start... at all...

 

The real question is : does it crank? If yes, then your problem is most likely coil; if not then: weak ground straps, ignition module (prone to failure) or a oil soaked starter (replace). Aaaannnnd that's all I've got...

Special Warr,  Thanks SO much for your Input. The Pathy will not fire at all now, after I had to jump it 4 times just to get it home. I bought it used and it was NOT maintained, AT ALL. Also the Owners manual was not in it so I am having a hard time finding a diagram that shows me where the Ignition module is . I have the VG30E engine.

 

 

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If I'm reading this right: the truck shut off four times on your way home, but started again when you jumped it off another vehicle. Now it cranks, but will not start, and has no spark. Right?

The jumpstarting suggests a charging system failure. If the alt died, a few lights on the dash should've come on. I'm at a loss for how that would've killed your spark. Definitely follow that amp power wire to where it's hooked up (hopefully it's hooked up at the battery) and unhook it so you don't have a live wire bouncing around. I don't know why someone would've connected an amp power lead to the factory wiring, but if they did, it could've blown fuses or even fusible links. Check the fuses in the box by your left knee and see if the fuse links on the battery + terminal are intact.

 

There's a position sensor built into the distributor (pretty sure that's what SpecialWarr was talking about) that does tend to go out. If you crank the engine for a few seconds and then check the codes (instructions here), and the ECU didn't get the signal it expected, it should throw a code.

Another thing to check: remove the distributor cap, have someone crank it, and see if the rotor's spinning. If the rotor's not spinning when the crank spins, the timing belt has failed--bad news because these things are interference. Good to rule out, especially given its lack of maintenance (who knows if the belt was done when it should've been).

The factory service manuals used to be available through the Nico Club forum, but aren't anymore. There's a link in this thread to a source that worked the last time I tried it. I'd start with the EF&EC section.


 

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On 8/12/2018 at 6:44 PM, elbpf said:

What tests have you done to determine there is no spark to the plugs? Also, which plugs are not getting spark, or are none of them getting spark?

I will ask my dad who is working on it. Took Coil to have it checked again but Worker said it would not give accurate reading without a Load on it ! 

He tested 1 spark plug and it was not getting spark. There is no power/spark from Coil to the distributor. We went back to Autozone and Bill tested the Ignition Control module that seats on the intake manifold behind, the coil and it tested good.

So we ordered a New coil and praying that is it !!

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On 8/13/2018 at 5:29 PM, Slartibartfast said:

If I'm reading this right: the truck shut off four times on your way home, but started again when you jumped it off another vehicle. Now it cranks, but will not start, and has no spark. Right?

The jumpstarting suggests a charging system failure. If the alt died, a few lights on the dash should've come on. I'm at a loss for how that would've killed your spark. Definitely follow that amp power wire to where it's hooked up (hopefully it's hooked up at the battery) and unhook it so you don't have a live wire bouncing around. I don't know why someone would've connected an amp power lead to the factory wiring, but if they did, it could've blown fuses or even fusible links. Check the fuses in the box by your left knee and see if the fuse links on the battery + terminal are intact.

 

There's a position sensor built into the distributor (pretty sure that's what SpecialWarr was talking about) that does tend to go out. If you crank the engine for a few seconds and then check the codes (instructions here), and the ECU didn't get the signal it expected, it should throw a code.

Another thing to check: remove the distributor cap, have someone crank it, and see if the rotor's spinning. If the rotor's not spinning when the crank spins, the timing belt has failed--bad news because these things are interference. Good to rule out, especially given its lack of maintenance (who knows if the belt was done when it should've been).

The factory service manuals used to be available through the Nico Club forum, but aren't anymore. There's a link in this thread to a source that worked the last time I tried it. I'd start

On 8/12/2018 at 6:44 PM, elbpf said:

What tests have you done to determine there is no spark to the plugs? Also, which plugs are not getting spark, or are none of them getting spark?

with the EF&EC section.

Took Coil to have it checked again but Worker said it would not give accurate reading without a Load on it ! 

He tested 1 spark plug and it was not getting spark. There is no power/spark from Coil to the distributor. We went back to Autozone and Bill tested the Ignition Control module that seats on the intake manifold behind, the coil and it tested good.

So we ordered a New coil and praying that is it !!

 

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Took Coil to have it checked again but Worker said it would not give accurate reading without a Load on it ! 

He tested 1 spark plug and it was not getting spark. There is no power/spark from Coil to the distributor. We went back to Autozone and Bill tested the Ignition Control module that seats on the intake manifold behind, the coil and it tested good.

So we ordered a New coil and praying that is it !!

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On 8/13/2018 at 5:40 AM, SpecialWarr said:

The speaker and radio are on their own circuit as can been seen in the fuse box under the dash and have nothing to do with the engine circuits unless they were wired directly to the battery. IF they were wired to the battery you may have popped a fuse somewhere else. I also would like to note that if you don't have a fuse to the dash, the truck won't start... at all...

 

The real question is : does it crank? If yes, then your problem is most likely coil; if not then: weak ground straps, ignition module (prone to failure) or a oil soaked starter (replace). Aaaannnnd that's all I've got...

The engine does crank but will not fire so we ordered a new coil. 

Took Coil to have it checked again but Worker said it would not give accurate reading without a Load on it ! 

He tested 1 spark plug and it was not getting spark. There is no power/spark from Coil to the distributor. We went back to Autozone and Bill tested the Ignition Control module that seats on the intake manifold behind, the coil and it tested good.

So we ordered a New coil and praying that is it !!

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Here's picture of the part we had tested at Autozone and they said it was good. Is this the ignition control module. Worker at AZ called it something else.

I want to be sure I am following the advice given to me correctly, by testing the right parts to get it started again !   Or is this the Power Transistor ? 

Are they 2 different parts or 2 different names for the same Part ? 

Thanks for your helpIMG_0447.jpg.c5535b8ca4aa57aebc4cf698ebbf1189.jpg & input , Fred3IMG_0446.jpg.0cc8ab5c60e5a865dc9486fbb14c1dac.jpg

Edited by Fred3
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The service manual calls that a power transistor. I can see why someone might call it an ignition module if they're used to other systems, but it's way simpler than that name implies. The ECU controls the ignition timing. The transistor just amplifies the ECU's signal so that the ECU doesn't have to power the coil directly. It's basically a relay, except it doesn't have moving parts to wear out.


Unplug the coil and test its connector with a meter while cranking to see if power's getting to the coil. I'd crank it for a few seconds just in case it takes the computer a second to work out what position the engine is in before firing the plugs. (IIRC it waits for the sensor in the distributor to see cylinder 1 hit TDC before it starts firing the injectors--I don't know if it does the same for spark.) If you have no power across the pins in the coil, I'd check from the blue wire to ground (like the intake manifold) to rule out an issue on the ground side. If there's no power, and the transistor's good, the ECU may not be getting signal. If you crank the engine for a few seconds and then run the codes, it should throw a position sensor code if that's the case.

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On 8/12/2018 at 6:44 PM, elbpf said:

What tests have you done to determine there is no spark to the plugs? Also, which plugs are not getting spark, or are none of them getting spark?

WE checked the old fashioned way. Took off wire put  a screw into and touched it to ground. then tried spark plug. No spark from distributor from either.

Took cap, off distributor and cranked engine, rotor spins so should not be timing belt.

Replaced coil and no Go, checked fuses again, All good.

Any clues on what to do next ??

 

Thanks Fred#

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Slartibartfast,   Thanks for suggestions on testing power to the coil with the ohm meter. I just read on where the ECU or ECM is located and how to use it to get a code on what is wrong with Pathy. Will try the coil power test and then attempt to get a code off unit. Waited 3 days for new coil to come in, installed it today and that did not fix problem !  UGGG !! 

I am a Novice at working on computerize driven cars so I appreciate that you give me instructions in plain English and Not mechanic-ize !!

Thanks, Fred3 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Slartibartfast,   Thanks for suggestions on testing power to the coil with the ohm meter. I just read on where the ECU or ECM is located and how to use it to get a code on what is wrong with Pathy. Will try the coil power test and then attempt to get a code off unit. Waited 3 days for new coil to come in, installed it today and that did not fix problem !  UGGG !! 

I am a Novice at working on computerize driven cars so I appreciate that you give me instructions in plain English and Not mechanic-ize !!
Thanks, Fred3 
 

Get the problem corrected? I had a similar issue with my ‘95 and it wound up being one of the two fuse links that connect to the positive post of the battery. One connects to the alternator the other I’m sure provides power to the fuse block and ecu. While driving it would die or run rough, then miraculously start up and run just fine. One of the two fuse links in the circuit had broken, but, we’re still touching just enough to provide power to the vehicles cranking/starting systems, but, that’s all. Found the break, fixed it, albeit temporarily, it’s worked fine ever since. That’s been a couple of months. I plan on replacing both fusible links in that circuit and changing it over to a simpler maxi-fuse setup, eventually.


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