98 Pathfinder running rough missing

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harm
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98 Pathfinder running rough missing

Postby harm » Sat Feb 25, 2017 4:10 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJjabnvUVYc

From the video you can hear that it is running rough and i haven't been able to figure out the problem. Replaced plugs, cap, rotor and wires.

From reading i was thinking maybe the distributor could be bad?? What goes bad on them? Would you think that from the video i need to replace the distributor??

98 pathfinder
150,000 miles

Thanks!
Tom


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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Sat Feb 25, 2017 7:14 pm

A lot of times the bearings go bad in the distributor causing play in the shaft and other times the cam sensor can fail. Other than the fact that your engine isn't running very well, there's nothing in the video that can say what is exactly wrong with your problem. You would need to view the spark patterns on an oscilloscope to determine if the distributor or something with the ignition is causing the misfire (or, swap in a known good distributor. I've seen intake gasket leaks and head gasket leaks on these engines, albeit rare. Timing belts can jump a tooth and fuel injectors can get dirty on these engines. Incorrect spark plugs can cause poor running conditions, such as Splitfire and Bosch Platinums; always stick with NGK spark plugs! I've seen brand new, aftermarket distributor caps bad out of the box (best to stick with NGK and genuine Nissan when it comes to ignition components). It seems to idle okay but start misfiring when you begin to turn the throttle drum, so that "may" be an indication of a bad throttle position sensor. When's the last time the fuel filter was replaced? Have you checked that the fuel pressure is in spec? Have you checked it for stored trouble codes? That's where I would start.

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harm
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Postby harm » Mon Feb 27, 2017 5:59 am

@smj999smj

I replaced the fuel filter yesterday. The problem still exists. I noticed that it gets gradually worse as the car warms up to running temperature. The code pulled from our local autozone called for a bad knock sensor. I followed a video that relocated the knock sensor to the top of the intake manifold in efforts to reduce more labor hours on accessing the original sensor. This did not solve the problem. I believe my next step is a brand new distributor and throttle position sensor.

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:28 pm

The knock sensor code is going to trigger anytime that the engine is running rough, so just because the code is there, doesn't mean the knock sensor is at fault. It is often reactionary to the main problem. Also, a bad knock sensor won't cause a rough running engine.
I would refer to the service manual and test the throttle position sensor before replacing it. Also, keep in mind if you do replace the TPS, there is a very specific adjustment procedure to be performed using an ohmmeter and feeler gauges and then afterwards, the closed throttle position switch needs to be re-learned. There was a technical service bulletin on the matter.
In either case, I would highly recommend using genuine Nissan parts. Aftermarket distributors have been known to be problematic or have short service lives. You might save some money with the aftermarket, but it's usually not worth it when it arrives bad out of the box or starts acting up again several months down the road. The fact that the problem gets worse as the engine gets hotter would be consistent with a failing distributor.

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harm
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Postby harm » Fri Mar 03, 2017 5:42 am

We ordered one of the distributors of Ebay. Go it all hooked up and runs like a charm!! From the pics you can see why we would not spend the many hundreds of dollars on an OEM distirbutor. We will take our chaces with the $60 dollar one and if in 6 months this one goes out i will buy another one :lol:

I think the key symptom here was that it ran worse the longer it ran, electrical component heating up and failing.

Thanks for the help!http://s296.photobucket.com/user/t-th/s ... pathfinder

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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:56 pm

I just don't like doing a job twice and the low cost distributors usually have a tendency to break down at the worse possible time. Plus, the genuine Nissan remans also come with a new cap and rotor, which offsets the cost a little. To each his own! ;)

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Cusser
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Postby Cusser » Wed Mar 29, 2017 8:33 am

harm wrote:We ordered one of the distributors of Ebay. Go it all hooked up and runs like a charm!! From the pics you can see why we would not spend the many hundreds of dollars on an OEM distirbutor. We will take our chaces with the $60 dollar one and if in 6 months this one goes out i will buy another one :lol:
My daughter had her '98 Pathfinder stall out and die, was diagnosed as a bad distributor. She lives 150 miles away, she bought an $80 new distributor with 10-year warranty from an Ebay retailer, and I installed it and timed it. Not only did that correct the problem, she now had the power that the engine had never shown in the 3 years she'd had it; two shops had investigated why it had low power on highway uphills and could not find the issue. So I figure bad module or failure to go to full advance.

I want to post that after a year or so, the Pathfinder stalled out on the freeway, and AAA towed it. The set screw for its rotor (never never been touched or checked) had loosened up and fallen off; fix was to reinstall. Supplier did refund her purchase price to offset shop diagnosis, as the issue was theirs.

This distributor also came with rotor (installed) and new cap.

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harm
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Postby harm » Wed Mar 29, 2017 9:57 am

When i installed our new distributor i did verify that the rotor was tight so hopefully it stays tight!

Thanks for sharing your experience!


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