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Help! Pathy won't start after TB cleaning!


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Help! My Pathfinder won't start! We just unhooked the intake to get to the throttle body. We sprayed TB cleaner into the intake manifold which cleared out the carbon build up. The car was off when we did this. Now the car wont start. It doesnt even crank. What do we do? I'm an idiot!

 

Please help!

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It seems like the truck is flooded with fuel. We stomp on the gas and try to start but it still doesn't crank. Same thing when we open the throttle body cable.

 

If the truck is flooded with fuel, do we just let it sit for a while?

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If it was flooded it still would crank. If it cranks but doesn't catch then it may be flooded, you can disconnect the fuel pump relay and crank it for a good few seconds (it may even fire up until it dies of lack of fuel)... then connect the fuel pump relay again.

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If it was flooded it still would crank. If it cranks but doesn't catch then it may be flooded, you can disconnect the fuel pump relay and crank it for a good few seconds (it may even fire up until it dies of lack of fuel)... then connect the fuel pump relay again.

Well the symptoms are similar to a dead battery. I actaully may have killed it...

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Yeah that's what we are gonna do in the morning.

 

Luckily it's parked facing downhill!

 

Correct me if I'm wrong:

Key in the ignition in the "ON" positon

Clutch is pressed

Shifter in Second

People pushing from behind, once at ~5 MPH, let out clutch

So it starts just like that? :help:

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I'm with you on that one Filthy! My old Jeep ZJ had oil pressure and voltmeter! It's hard living with out those!

 

But imagine the Echos, Focuses, etc. with no tach! All they have is a speedo and gas gauge! :confused:

 

Thanks man! :beer:

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Absolutely stupid if you ask me. No car should be made without voltmeter, oil pressure and temp guage !!

 

B

But why have gauges when you can have idiot lights? :P Your average inDUHvidual doesn't want to worry about pretty numbers and needles. I mean, good god man, they might actually have to THINK. -thnkboutit-

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But why have gauges when you can have idiot lights? :P Your average inDUHvidual doesn't want to worry about pretty numbers and needles. I mean, good god man, they might actually have to THINK. -thnkboutit-

Haha, but if they had the functioning oil pressure gauge they would come on the forum and ask why when they press the gas the pressure goes up. They think there is something wrong with their gauges! Jeep switched their gauge to switch that read abot 40 PSI under pretty much all conditions due to the massive volume of people bringing their Jeeps in under warranty and asking for a "new" sending unit.

 

But then again, people who buy cars without a tach probably don't care about changing the oil either.

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Okay, I searched for where the fuel pump relay is and couldn't find anything. I also looked at teh PDF in teh R50 section but didn't see where it was.

 

So, uh, where is the fuel pump relay?

 

Sorry for being a total n00b! NPORA rocks! :laugh:

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AFAIK, When you clean the TB intake, you do it with the engine running and blip the throttle to keep it going. Spraying the cleaner in the intake is like pouring raw fuel down the motor's throat. Without the spark, the TB cleaner flooded the bejesus out of it not to mention all the carbon you said you dislodged had no means of escape and is now sitting in your intake manifold.

I am by no means an expert, but here's what I'd do:

First, get the cranking/dead battery issue resolved, then hook everything up like it was (too much air and your engine won't start either) and crank away at it without pushing the throttle down. That trick works on carbs, not FI's. After a while, if you get a sputter, keep at it. If not, you may have fouled the plugs and need to pull them out and clean them.

I've cleaned TB's and flooded engines before, but not at the same time. Anyway that's what I'd do. I'm sure someone here has a more difinitive solution for you, though.

Good luck.

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the fuel pump relay is in the fuse box right behind the battery. Its ablue box relay thingy and just pop that out and then start it. you need like a flat head and stuff like that. I take mine out every night cause my pathfinder has been stolen so many times. its funny cause then they get about 2 feet then it just dies.

 

-Alex

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Okay, so we left it sitting overnight.

 

We tried to kick-start the car in First, Second, and Third. The engine doesn't appear to be turning at all. When the clutch is let out, the rear wheels just lock. The battery is good and headlamps are bright. We tried ot jump start with cables from a running car and the starter motor does not turn.

 

If it were flooded, wouldn't the engine try to turn? The battery is a 10k mile old Optima Red Top, so it should be strong. Thanks.

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thejlevie

 

Okay, so we left it sitting overnight.

 

We tried to kick-start the car in First, Second, and Third. The engine doesn't appear to be turning at all. When the clutch is let out, the rear wheels just lock. The battery is good and headlamps are bright. We tried ot jump start with cables from a running car and the starter motor does not turn.

 

If it were flooded, wouldn't the engine try to turn? The battery is a 10k mile old Optima Red Top, so it should be strong. Thanks.

 

It almost sounds like the engine is hydro locked, or something similar. You need to pull all of the plugs and see if it is a hydro lock (fluid will run out of the plug holes). If there's no evidence of fluid in the cylinders you'll probably need to pull the valve cover and see if the top end looks okay. After that it has to be some problem deeper in the engine.

 

It is going to be safest to hand turn the engine (via the crank pulley) until you figure out why the engine won't turn over. Trying to do so with the starter runs the risk of burning out the starter. And trying to do so by pushing it off runs the risk of bending/breaking something.

 

What lead up to the desire to clean the MAF? Was the engine running properly before you cleaned the MAF? How much cleaner did you spray into the intake?

 

that my guess too especially since you mention the wheels locking up.. definitely pull the plugs (get the 4 anyway) and look inside (using flashlight).. if fluid present then crank, by hand, to get rid of the fluid... also, be careful when you pull the first plug.. the content of the cylinder may be under pressure.. then i'd let it air out for a bit.. and try again..

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Sweet guys, thats what the guys on the other forum were thinking too, that the engine is hydrolocked.

 

When you say "if fluid present then crank, by hand, to get rid of the fluid..." what do you mean? How do I crank by hand? Where does this fluid go?

 

Could there be any damage to the engine? I know hydrolocking an engine by, say, driving in a river bend valves, etc. but being that the motor never ran with the cleaner in it there shouldn't be any damage. It never turned over.

 

And BTW, it was a whole 20 oz can!

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