PLEASE HELP! Overheated work done won’t start.

[Cfraz004]

2003 Pathfinder SE 4x4 3.5L AT w/ 227,000 mi. I bought this put about 150-200 miles on it the first two days I had it and otw home that second day owning it, it overheated, and poured coolant everywhere. This happened about a 1/4 from my driveway. Let engine cool and got a pull from a buddy to my driveway. I located hole, replaced radiator, checked thermostat in boiling water and it opened (have a new one otw), put everything back in except the plastic molding around fan, have no leaks, burped the system, and checked air filter. Filter clean, replaced, checked oil and was fine, started it. Was rough to start, but after a couple revs it idled out and did so perfectly for about 10 min. About that time I was finished cleaning some stuff up and was going to do a short drive through the neighborhood. Dang if it didn’t sputter a few times, rpms drop, and stalled. Was able to turn over and get started again but stalled again after running rough for maybe a couple minutes. Since it may start and run for less than a minute then sputters and stalls. Almost seems like it builds up pressure and locks up, stops getting fuel, but I don’t know.

 

it sounds like the fuel pump is priming when I power the car on. Not overheating, oil checks out, not showing check engine light. Checked for intake leaks and everything looks great. 
 

New plugs and coils were replaced very recently.

 

MAF? O2 sensor? 

 

Im in a bind and have not been mobile in two weeks therefore not working. Please help and provide me any ideas you have. 

[CALPATHY]

Water intrusion from the overheating to distributor or other electrical?

[Slartibartfast]

Might be worth sticking a fuel pressure gauge on it. See if the fuel pressure drops when the engine sputters out. I would also be curious to see if it'll fire on ether or carb cleaner when it won't fire on gas. If it runs on spray, but not otherwise, then you know you have a fuel issue. (You know for a fact that there's gas in it, right?)

 

I'm not sure what connection the overheat would have to a fuel issue, though, or what the overheat would've damaged that would stall it out without some other obvious evidence of failure (losing coolant, white cloud out the tailpipe, schmoo under the oil cap, hellacious blow-by).

 

Might also be worth pulling a spark plug after trying to run it. See if it's black or wet like it's getting too much fuel.

[Cfraz004]

Yes I checked fuel level because I wasn’t going to trust the gauge. 

[Cfraz004]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:41 AM, Slartibartfast said:

Might be worth sticking a fuel pressure gauge on it. See if the fuel pressure drops when the engine sputters out. I would also be curious to see if it'll fire on ether or carb cleaner when it won't fire on gas. If it runs on spray, but not otherwise, then you know you have a fuel issue. (You know for a fact that there's gas in it, right?)

 

I'm not sure what connection the overheat would have to a fuel issue, though, or what the overheat would've damaged that would stall it out without some other obvious evidence of failure (losing coolant, white cloud out the tailpipe, schmoo under the oil cap, hellacious blow-by).

 

Might also be worth pulling a spark plug after trying to run it. See if it's black or wet like it's getting too much fuel.

Oil looks good, not showing any signs of oil and coolant mixing so I’m thinking the head gasket is not blown. No white smoke. I agree with you about no connection between overheating and not starting and/or when it does start it running rough as all get out and only for 10 seconds or so. However, when it does start it’s difficult, idles high for a couple seconds, then idles down and sounds great. After 10-15 seconds it just sputters and stalls out.

[Cfraz004]

On 8/30/2024 at 8:42 PM, CALPATHY said:

Water intrusion from the overheating to distributor or other electrical?

Coils on plugs. Guess I’m pulling those and checking plugs and coils after doing what was also mentioned by using carb cleaner to determine if it’s def a fuel issue.

[CALPATHY]

Check the distributor cap as well, it can collect water.  Spraying Boeshield T-9 saved my butt couple of time when the distributor cap and wires got wet, displaced the water.