sarath Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 So when I first bought my rig (-~9000 miles ago) It did not run good at all. It blew smoke and was ran poorly. I put in a new (old from a 98 frontier) throttle body and a mass air flow sensor. Then it ran good. Ran good for 7-8k miles. Was sitting for a month or so outside then it didn’t want to start and was runnin bad. Then kept dying every 30 seconds and losing power the next day. No acceleration or would fade in and out. Limped it to a shop. They cleaned the MAF, throttle body, put in new spark plugs. Ran okay for 40 miles rhen did the same @!*% again. Got it towed back and had to leave it in the shop for a month. He put in a new MAF and it was running good for another 1000 miles. Then I discovered that the previous owner had blocked off the air intake with a metal plate, removed the whole air intake box thing that goes next to the wheel well, and drilled holes in the air filter housing to let air in. So I replaced it all with a setup from a pathfinder at the pick n pull. Sounded less loud and the engine seemed to be a little smoother. Drove it for another 400 miles and now the same thing happened to my partner where it dies out and looses power. So I’m gonna replace the air flow sensor again, but I want to consult you guys. 1. Should I buy the dealership OEM MAF sensor or the regular ones from the auto parts store?2. You guys think I’m right in diagnosing it as the MAF failing again? its also throwing random misfire code and knock sensor 1 codes but im pretty sure they have been on for a while.)2. If it is the MAF Why do you think the engine started messing up again after only 1000 miles even after I replaced the air intake stuff? When previously it ran for 7-8k miles on a new MAF sensor. Thanks folks.-Logan Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 I haven't worked with the R50 fuel injection, but my WD21 acted up (low idle/stalling, but normal power off-idle) when the MAF connector was worn out. Wiggling the connector would bring it back for a while. Messing with the contacts in the connector cleared it up temporarily. After a while I got around to replacing the connector with one that fits snugly and doesn't shake around, and it hasn't acted up since. I don't know that this is your issue, but I would try screwing around with the connector to see if that clears it up for a while. If it does, could be it's the screwing around with the plug, not the new MAF, that's been bringing it around each time. If not, might be worth tracking down an OE MAF. Random misfires makes sense if it's struggling to run with an inaccurate idea of how much air it's getting. Knock sensor is likely unrelated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted May 22 Author Share Posted May 22 Ok that totally makes sense! I’ll try and mess with the connector. Thanks for the good idea, I’ll lyk how it turns out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted May 24 Author Share Posted May 24 I haven't worked with the R50 fuel injection, but my WD21 acted up (low idle/stalling, but normal power off-idle) when the MAF connector was worn out. Wiggling the connector would bring it back for a while. Messing with the contacts in the connector cleared it up temporarily. After a while I got around to replacing the connector with one that fits snugly and doesn't shake around, and it hasn't acted up since. I don't know that this is your issue, but I would try screwing around with the connector to see if that clears it up for a while. If it does, could be it's the screwing around with the plug, not the new MAF, that's been bringing it around each time. If not, might be worth tracking down an OE MAF. Random misfires makes sense if it's struggling to run with an inaccurate idea of how much air it's getting. Knock sensor is likely unrelated.Here’s an update. I ordered the connector and MAF so they should be getting here soon. However I just went to check on the car and here’s what I found.I took out the connector, wiggled around the wires blew into it like a Nintendo cartridge, tapped on it (everything but actually clean it) plugged it back in and fired up the the rig. It turns on but runs like crap: sputtering, smelling strong unburned fuel, making like a womp-womp-womp-womp-womp noise, then after like 30 seconds the noise stops it revs up a little bit and dies. So I unplugged the MAF turned it on and it sounded decent like how it usually does. When I reved it it backfired a little bit but I’m pretty sure that is just because it wasn’t warm yet. Then I plugged the MAF back in and it immediately died…So yeah, going to try to first replace the connector but I think the MAF has to get done too. I wiggled it around a ton while it was plugged in and it didn’t change even a little bit. Thanks again for the advice. I recorded videos too, if anyone is curious about the noise of the engine, hit me up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Yeah, that sounds like the MAF rather than the connector. Does the MAF look okay? Any fouling on the elements? I don't know what would've killed it (or dirtied it) that fast, though I remember seeing a picture where someone got a fly stuck in one (don't think it was an R50) due to an air filter box not sealing properly. Hopefully the new one holds up better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Yeah, that sounds like the MAF rather than the connector. Does the MAF look okay? Any fouling on the elements? I don't know what would've killed it (or dirtied it) that fast, though I remember seeing a picture where someone got a fly stuck in one (don't think it was an R50) due to an air filter box not sealing properly. Hopefully the new one holds up better.Yeah it looks fine. Its very new, I got it last fall. Just wondering if it got fouled up because of the stupid intake modifications the previous owner did. Part I’m confused about is why it gave out so much faster than the previous sensor that lasted 7-8k vs 1k miles. The thing that is the same is the overall time it was in use for (~6/7 months) but I feel like the actual driving hours is what matters. Something else I found, is that the car does have a rev limiter/limp mode for when the MAF is disconnected. Maxes out at like 2.5k rpms. And i could literally see carbon blowing out of the exhaust coating the asphalt beneath it, from what I’m guessing is the fuel running so rich it doesn’t burn all the way. I was reading up and the ECM will revert to running rich to protect the engine when the MAF is disconnected. I wish my parts would get here sooner so I can try to fix it!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted May 25 Author Share Posted May 25 Yeah, that sounds like the MAF rather than the connector. Does the MAF look okay? Any fouling on the elements? I don't know what would've killed it (or dirtied it) that fast, though I remember seeing a picture where someone got a fly stuck in one (don't think it was an R50) due to an air filter box not sealing properly. Hopefully the new one holds up better.Well to be fair I haven’t actually inspected the sensor I need to do that tomorrow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted May 30 Author Share Posted May 30 I replaced my chinese MAF with a Hitachi hoping that will make it last longer, and it fired right up and sounded good! Now something else is messed up though I think the alternator has gone bad…Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamperDan Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 On 5/30/2024 at 1:51 PM, sarath said: I replaced my chinese MAF with a Hitachi hoping that will make it last longer, and it fired right up and sounded good! Now something else is messed up though I think the alternator has gone bad… Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk man talk about going through the wringer, I just replaced the Alternator on my 2001 R50 Pathfinder 4X4 5-Speed a few weeks ago and it was not fun. It's also been my experience with my R50 you fix one thing and then something else pops up that needs fixing. After 3 years of owner ship I finally got my check engine light to go off and stay off. My advice is to keep fighting start with the cheap and easy stuff first and work your way up and good luck! Chris. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 Keeping older rigs alive can be a bit like playing whack-a-mole. Hopefully the MAF mole stays down for a while! When my stock 70A alt started making threatening noises, I swapped it for a 90A Maxima alt. Plugged right in. IIRC it was actually cheaper that the 70A. I don't know that the truck needed another twenty amps of headroom, but it's got it now. I don't remember if there's a similar parts-bin upgrade for the R50, but it might be worth looking into if you've gotta get in there anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarath Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 man talk about going through the wringer, I just replaced the Alternator on my 2001 R50 Pathfinder 4X4 5-Speed a few weeks ago and it was not fun. It's also been my experience with my R50 you fix one thing and then something else pops up that needs fixing. After 3 years of owner ship I finally got my check engine light to go off and stay off. My advice is to keep fighting start with the cheap and easy stuff first and work your way up and good luck! Chris.I got lucky!! I cleaned and re tightened the battery terminals and cables and it fixed the issue. The negative wasn’t able to tighten enough so I used a trick I saw on scotty kilner’s youtube channel:take some bare wire over the top of the terminal (with enough running down either side) then hammer the cable on to that, to sandwich the wire for a tight fit. I remembered to check that because of my embarrassment when the shop told me it wouldn’t start because the battery wasn’t tight enough… It actually restored a lot of lost electrical current for the power windows and when I flip the fans on it doesn’t drops the RPMs like less than 50 instead of 200 lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted June 3 Share Posted June 3 Yeah, that could explain a few things. The wire is a good get-you-home fix, but I recommend picking up a replacement ground cable, or at least a new terminal end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamperDan Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 On 6/2/2024 at 8:33 AM, sarath said: I got lucky!! I cleaned and re tightened the battery terminals and cables and it fixed the issue. The negative wasn’t able to tighten enough so I used a trick I saw on scotty kilner’s youtube channel:take some bare wire over the top of the terminal (with enough running down either side) then hammer the cable on to that, to sandwich the wire for a tight fit. I remembered to check that because of my embarrassment when the shop told me it wouldn’t start because the battery wasn’t tight enough… It actually restored a lot of lost electrical current for the power windows and when I flip the fans on it doesn’t drops the RPMs like less than 50 instead of 200 lol. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That's awesome, I think I seen that video in the past too, when in doubt look again! Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamperDan Posted June 4 Share Posted June 4 (edited) 14 hours ago, Slartibartfast said: Yeah, that could explain a few things. The wire is a good get-you-home fix, but I recommend picking up a replacement ground cable, or at least a new terminal end. I echo Slartibartfast's recommendations for replacing your negative battery cable as you don't want to inadvertently cause stress on your battery or alternator. It's not that bad of a job to replace it yourself either I also had to replace mine a few weeks ago due to it being too lose and it was causing a no crank no start issue for me from time to time. You can find one relatively cheap on Amazon that's where I got my replacement negative battery cable from. Here's a link https://amzn.to/3ReK2Tg Chris. Edited June 4 by CamperDan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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