1997 Hardbody no start after collision?

[GareBear]

I rescued a solid (except for the bed) '97 King Cab 4x4 from my local salvage yard. It suffered a relatively minor collision to the front right corner. The previous owner said it would not start afterward. I've just about completed a front wrap swap from a straight, rust-free '93 Pathfinder and would like information regarding this no-start issue. My question is, is there any kind of collision induced shut-down or system disabling device on this model or year pickup? I found one blown fuse (Radio/Air Cond), but all others were OK. It was not specified by the previous owner whether it was a no crank or crank and no fire situation, unfortunately. I'll know more once I put a battery in it, obviously, but I greatly appreciate the wealth of information I've received from the members here in the past. I'd just like to have as much information as possible before I get to the point of starting it. Maybe I should start a separate thread on this, but the distributor has a small two-pin plug that seems to be unused or at least missing it's connector and wires. What is the function of this plug/receptacle?
Thank you in advance!

[whomadewho]

Some arm chair guesses.. IF the damage was in the right front corner check the relays in the fuse box located on the right inner fender. There relays located in the main fuse box. Endless possibilities when a vehicle sits at a salvage yard. Look at the positive battery cable. Check the fuse able link there is a number of wires going to the cable check for corrosion. Do the gauges work. Does the engine turn over? Are you getting fuel? No fuel could indicate a relay? Check for spark. Possibly the distributor has been going bad for sometime. TEST ALL THE PARTS BEFORE REPLACING.

[GareBear]

Copy that, whomadewho. Hoping to know more this weekend. I'll post anything I find. Many thanks!

[GareBear]

So I finally got things situated enough to install a battery and see if it would start. No go. Engine cranks, but there is no spark. I have not checked the fuel pump as of yet, but in my attempts to start the truck, no noticeable noise is coming from it. As mentioned in my initial post, the 2 pin plug at the distributor does not have anything connected to it. I opened up the convoluted tubing that houses the wires for the other connector (6 or 7 pin) and I found two wires that were cut, a blue wire and a black with white tracer. Are these the two wires that are supposed to connect at the small 2 pin plug? I have no idea why these would be cut, but I have found two other connectors missing, the inlet air temp sensor and another one just below and to the front of the throttle body, which appears to have something to do with engine coolant/heater hose, not sure but it's green. I have tried to search wiring schematics for this issue, but I can't make heads or tales of the ones I've found. I've checked and confirmed voltage at all in dash fuses, voltage at all connectors integrated into the positive battery cable, two small ground wires at the main battery negative cable to inner fender mount and voltage supply to the fuel pump relay. If the two cut wires I found are in fact supposed to go to the 2 pin plug, which one goes to which side in the connector?
Thank you for your help

[fontana dan]

Can you hook up a scanner to the OBDII connector and read engine codes?
Do you have a pic of the connector at the distributor? And you are saying it is totally gone, cut off? Sounds like you found the problem. Time to repair the broken wires or hit the JY for a connector.

[GareBear]

Good idea to run a scan. I don't have one and have never used one, but I'm sure I can find a buddy that does and has. No check engine light currently on, but that may not mean anything. I just recently found a video of a guy demonstrating a no-spark diagnosis on a '97 Hardbody requiring replacement of the distributor. Upon close inspection of distributor removal and disconnection of the 2 pin plug, the wires are, in fact, black w/white tracer (toward front of the engine) and blue (closest to cab). Since the connector is completely AWOL, I can only guess which is the correct one. I found, what I believe, to be the one needed and possibly the same one as the other two that are MIA. It's a Standard Motor Products part #S2907, photo attached. It's listed as a knock sensor, but I'm hoping someone may be able to confirm that it's the correct one.

[whomadewho]

If you discovered an extra plug located near the distributor it plugs directly into the distributor You have a large plug located on the top a smaller plug is located near the bottom. Follow the plug wire that connects to number two spark plug to the distributor cap. Reach directly down that’s where it goes. Some arm chair guesses.. post accident the engine stopped running. That would be the reason it’s not plugged in. Lots of possibilities... bad distributor... timing chain issues. Make sure the firing order is correct.

[whomadewho]

Could also try pulling Number 1 plug rotate the engine to TOP DEAD Center. Pull the distributor cap note the position of the rotor.. Remove the plug that goes to distributor check for bent broken or corroded wires. Check the distributor cap and the rotor to ensure that It isn’t cracked and the tip of the rotor is making good contact with the cap. Just out of curiosity did you do any body work on the truck? Was any body work done when you purchased the truck? Just saying one wouldn’t do body repair on a vehicle that doesn’t start. My arm chair theory the engine died long after the accident. Possibly you might be able to recover saved codes stored in the memory. Don’t need the engine running. Check for antifreeze in the oil and oil in the radiator I hope TOTALLY wrong but I suspect the timing guides or chain are gone. Again check for T.D C. IF the chain is bad DO NOT keep spinning the engine over. By doing that you are at a high risk for bending valves.

[whomadewho]

This site also has a FREE YES FREE Factory service manuals. At the home page - click on Service Manuals Follow the step by step directions. It will provide you with everything in detail about the 1997 Nissan D21 Hardbody Is your truck a 2wd. OR a 4X4 ?

[GareBear]

Much appreciated, whomadewho. The truck is a 4x4. I'm in the process of swapping the entire front wrap. I currently have the inner fender/core support assembly on the truck bolted to the core support frame mounts and each inner fender "resting" against the fire wall of the cab. I have not spot welded them to the cab as of yet. Before I go any further, I wanted to try and start the engine and make sure there isn't any major issues with it. This was a local truck and I personally know the family of the previous owner. I spoke with them last night and found out that immediately after the collision the truck still ran. It was hauled to the owner's residence and sat for about a month and a half (it was not driveable due to a broken bead on the front passenger tire. Also, the starter was bad and would not restart once shut off, which I just recently had rebuilt). When they tried to load it onto a trailer to take it to the junkyard where I found it, it would not start. The previous owner's Dad does mechanic work and my best guess is the connector I'm missing, got cut off and used on a different vehicle. That makes sense because the convoluted tubing/loom going to the distributor had a section missing out of it. I'm guessing this is the section where the wires to each of the two distributor plugs "Y'd" off (and we all know how hard it can be to unwrap factory electrical tape from a joint like that). My attempts to find the correct connector have not yielded any results, so I'm just going to install different male/female connectors (Deutsch, Weatherpack, etc.). I have a connector to the IAT coming from Rock Auto, but I still need a connector to what I believe is the Engine Coolant Temperature Sender/Sensor. Thank you for the info. about the factory manuals on this site. I will definitely check them out for this, and any other issues. I truly appreciate your time and advice with my situation.

[GareBear]

Good news, got it running. Pulled the distributor to put a different connector set on the coil wires and reconnected to the cut wires I found inside the harness loom. Bad news, it smokes like a freight train. Kinda hoping it may be due to having set for so long or carbon build up maybe. Not sure what to do from here. I haven't run across any engines locally to do a swap. Really don't want to get into a rebuild and machine work. I'm in NE Kansas, anybody got a source within a couple hundred miles I might get an engine?

[whomadewho]

Glad you got it running. You stated it smokes? How long have you run the truck? Is the coolant level staying up? Might try removing the radiator cap run the engine until it reaches operating temperature and look for air bubbles. This could indicate a possible head gasket? Is the engine running HOT? How does it run? Does it smell like it’s burning oil. Very possible from sitting. Before changing the engine just my opinion... I would check compression. Check the exhaust to rule out the possibility that you don’t have a rodent living rent free somewhere in the exhaust. Could be something in the fuel tank. Try topping off the fuel level. Change the fuel filter. Assuming you have changed the oil I would add a bottle of Marvel Mystery oil in the oil. This would help in case the engine is gummed up or the rings are sticking.

[GareBear]

The longest I let it run was maybe 2 minutes. It's smoking from under the hood a little as well. It appears the cam cover gasket has been leaking for some time. If the exhaust manifold gasket has a leak, it could possibly be seeping in from the cam cover gasket. My plan is to change the oil and check for coolant contamination. It didn't smell like coolant burning, but it's worth a look. A compression check will be done. I spoke with the previous owner and he said it did not smoke when he owned it. One thought, he pulled the tires and wheels off at the junkyard. The yard owner used a bucket loader to lift each end off the ground rather than hassle with a jack. Depending on how high he lifted it, the oil level may have, possibly, seeped into or past the rings a little. It sounds pretty good. Throttle response is good as well and started easily. Squatters in the exhaust is something I never thought of. It was sitting back in February and the muffler looks to have exceeded it's pressure rating. The outer case is blown out and open to all invaders. If there's no sign of coolant in the oil and compression is good, I'm going to drive it and see if it cleans out. The spark plugs that were in it were pretty carboned up so the rings may be as well and may just need a shot of MM oil, like you said, to free them up.

[whomadewho]

A leaky rocker arm cover gasket is real common along with the O ring on the distributor. housing. At this point I would hold off on the compression check if you do a check sometime later on make sure you unplug the fuel pump relay located under the hood. Just change the oil add the Marvel oil. Check the radiator cap for pressure. Check the antifreeze.. Check for air bubbles Check for exhaust flow restrictions ...Easy way... rev. the engine up and check the flow at the tailpipe. After doing that run the engine for a longer period of time and monitor the gauges.

[GareBear]

Copy that, whomadewho. I'm also wondering if the oil may be contaminated with fuel as well. I know, after talking with the previous owner, that it's very possible several attempts were made to start the truck after the wreck. This more than likely dumped a substantial amount of fuel into the cylinders and found it's way past the rings into the oil pan making it thinner. I read in the service manual you directed me to on this site, that the Inlet Air Temperature sensor is not a contributing variable in the Engine Control System, only for diagnostics. That did not make sense to me, but with it being disconnected, would that create an overly rich fuel mixture, also creating a diluted oil condition? On a different subject, I located a straight, rust free King Cab bed. Any idea what one would be worth? The owner said he didn't know what he wanted for it, but would like to get what it is worth. I don't blame him. Saw another one awhile back on craigslist for $1000, but that guy said he didn't know what they were worth either.

[GareBear]

Time for an update. I was able to drive the pickup for the first time this weekend. With regard to the engine smoking, it appears the oil had indeed been contaminated with fuel. I changed it and it was very black and smelled of gasoline. Started the engine after changing and it seems to be staying fairly clean so far. I'm hoping the smoking was simply due to the gasoline thinning it significantly, obviously not good for wear on internal components, but for a $350 junk yard rescue I'm not as concerned. I'll just have to pay more attention to regular maintenance. The smoking got noticeably less after the oil change and short drive. I will have to replace the cam cover gasket, however. It's still smoking pretty bad under the hood, no big deal. I checked to see if the heater was working after the drive and it didn't seem to be very hot. I could care less about A/C, but heat is a must. I spend alot of time outside in the winter hunting and such. As mentioned in a previous post, I found a green male 2 pin connector just below and to the front of the throttle body that looks like it may be a solenoid type valve in a coolant line coming from the head/intake. I found two cut wires I'm pretty sure go to this plug. Am I correct that this is what allows coolant flow to the heater core when the heat control is activated? Seems like a long time coming to get it driveable. Runs OK, check engine light is on so it's probably generated some codes during the several attempts to start it since the wreck. I'll be looking into that soon. I'm just about ready to remove the front wrap and prepare for it's final installation.

[VStar650CL]

I don't recall the Hardbodies having an electric water valve and the FSM seems to confirm that, there's just a cable driven water control valve and mix door. Both of those are inside the cab. See HA-43 here:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... k%2Fha.pdf

[whomadewho]

Before replacing the cover gasket try tightening the bolts. One would think if the cover gasket was leaking you notice the oil seeping out. I suspect something ?? Is caught between the heat shield and the exhaust manifold. Try letting the engine run for an extended period of time. Another possibility the exhaust manifold is cracked which would explain the smoke. I wouldn’t recommend removing the heat shield the bolts Snap off. If the manifold is cracked don’t waste time trying to remove the bolts on the heat shield if the bolts don’t come loose snap them off. As far as the heater goes I would recommend running the engine until it reaches operating temperature and take a infrared gun to get an accurate temperature reading. Check the radiator cap to ensure it’s holding pressure. The temperature should be roughly 195 degrees plus in order to have good heat. Possibly the thermostat is stuck open. The thermostat also has a bypass valve in it which may not be working correctly. As far as codes you can try clearing the stored codes and see what happens. Possibly the cooling system may air locked?.

[GareBear]

Thank you, Vstar and whomadewho, for the info. I'll try to get a decent photo of the sensor/connector I'm referencing. I'd like to know what it is. I'd say the coolant system did, in fact, have a bit of air in it. After driving it and letting it cool completely down, the coolant reservoir tank was just about empty. I filled it up to the Max line and will keep an eye on it. May go ahead and change the thermostat as well.

[whomadewho]

If it’s absolutely necessary to replace the thermostat. NOTE .. underneath the thermostat housing are some hoses. Try not to disturb them. They are hard to find and they have the factory wire hose clamps that are nasty to remove. Another thought when you’re under the truck do yourself a huge favor and remove the bolts that hold the cover (guard) in place. Apply some anti seize to the bolt threads. Not necessary to completely remove the pan just do a couple at a time.

[whomadewho]

One other thing.. Replace the thermostat with a genuine Nissan OEM.

[GareBear]

Copy that. I do suspect a bad thermostat. Started it yesterday and ran the engine at about 2000 rpm for what should've been long enough to fully warm up and the needle barely got above the bottom mark. Good news, it seems the smoking has completely cleared up. I pulled the exhaust from the muffler back and brought it to work to weld the seam back together. Not permanent, just can't swing a new one right now.

[whomadewho]

Few other arm chair thoughts... The truck should have a downstream 02 Sensor. Check for bad wires and a connector. Pretty common to have a corroded plug. When you change the thermostat try not to apply to much sealer. Best just using a gasket. One last thought check the clutch fan.