Help!!! My qx wont start

[jrey1717]

had a passat w8, vw wanted 10 grand to fix so i bought a qx4 nd took a 7k loss for what i owed on my vdub, now my truck quit and it wont start. I know i can fix it if i can just figure out whats wrong with it

truck is a 97 with 110 k on it
i was slightly accelerating going up a hill ( i was low on gas) when the truck kind of whimpered out on me. not like a chug before it runs out of gas but more of a whimper. I got it towed back to the house, put a half tank in it of high test and some injection cleaner ( lucas).Power was and is all good so i ruled out battery and alternator.I checked the fuse for the fuel pump, listened by the gas tank as another put it in acc and could hear the pump mking noise. I also can feel the suction if i try to start it a few times with the cap on. By the posts it sounds like the distributor, so i changed that, still nothing. Truck sounds exactly the same. I want to go, but i cant is how i would describe it. there just isnt that last kick. No backfire or anything and placed the new dist in the same position as the old, and it sounds exactly the same.

about 1500 miles ago the trucks engine light was on for a catalytic converter, but the light went off after a day or so. No check engine light is on at the moment.

Please help me if you can!!

[Towncivilian]

Welcome to NICO.

Try changing the fuel filter, there is a guide here on the procedure. Also check both ends of the battery cables for corrosion if you haven't yet; if any is present, clean it off with a mixture of baking soda and water. Apply petroleum jelly to the battery posts before installing the battery cable terminals to prevent further corrosion.

Using higher octane than 87 will not provide any advantages. The engine is designed to run on 87 octane. Lucas Injector Cleaner is garbage. Use a PEA based fuel system cleaner such as Chevron Techron, Gumout Regane, or Redline SI-1. PEA (polyether amines) is proven to clean effectively without leaving behind its own deposits as solvent-based cleaners do.

The spark plug change interval is 105k miles. Do you know if they have been replaced around this time?

[jrey1717]

im not sure.i dont have any service records. new battery and cables are clean.

I just noticed a moment ago there is a slight coolant drip. it looks like its running down by the bottom of the belt system, on the last pulley then running down some tubing to the frame then dripping on the road. My coolant level in the resivoir is still right below max.

also i noticed when i was under the back, as i had swying before it quit that one of the springs has a rubber piece in it and the other does not. Do you know how they should look? There is nothing that looks like a shaft inbewteen either spring one is empty and one has the rubber piece.

id like to get it running first though. Thank you so much for your reply.

[Towncivilian]

Could you try to take pictures of both the coolant leak and the area with the missing part?

I would pull a spark plug to check its condition. Post a picture or two here so we can look at it. Upload images to www.imgur.com.

[jrey1717]

http://jeffreynolds1.imgur.com/

for pics

for vids

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/flS1M4M3t8k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/flS1M4M3t8k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[jrey1717]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLjRbQ99 ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1HeYSXy ... e=youtu.be

[Towncivilian]

Is this part the one missing from one side? If it is, provide your VIN and I can give you the exact part number for its replacement.

It's difficult to tell where the coolant leak is based on the photos and video, they're pretty dark. Is the fluid leaking definitely coolant? What color is it?

It's possible the starter is failing. Try tapping it with the back end of a screwdriver once or twice, then try starting the engine.

[jrey1717]

it's green coolant, and it's dripping off the bottom of the alternator so I think it's coming from above.. as for in the spring there is a rubber piece on one side and nothing in the drivers side just the spring

would the starter cause it to stall like it did

[Towncivilian]

Is there coolant coming out of the water pump weep hole?

No, the starter wouldn't cause a stall if the engine is already running.

I would pull a spark plug and check its condition.

[jrey1717]

Sorry it took so long to get back. I changed 5 of the 6 plugs, they were rusty and worn. I am going to do the last of the plugs and the fuel filter tonight.

As for the coolant, the leak stopped. I maybe lost a cup or 2 in coolant.

I am hoping the combination of distributor, fuel filter and plugs will get it to fire back up. The wires look good. I will get out the shop lights and try to take some good pictures for you have a look and see if you can't guide me.

Here is what i ruled out. Remember the car was on E when it stalled,and it just kind of whimpered out on me going up a hill. The truck now sits with a half tank of gas.

Distributor - Replaced
Fuel Pump- Good Suction on Fuel Cap, making noise when car is on acc
Plugs- Bad- Replacing
Battery- New- electrical power good
Alternator- electrical power is good
Fuel Filter- Replacing

I almost wonder if there is some sediment in the tank that got caught in the filter, judging from the NGK plugs condition that I pulled out i would say they are original plugs - Will post pics tonight, that the fuel filter probably hasn't ever been changed. Sure would be nice if thats the problem.

I haven't tapped the starter yet, I wanted to get the plugs together. If the timing is off on the distributor, it would atleast backfire, and not sound exactly the same as it did before i changed the plugs and dist?

[Towncivilian]

Fuel filters very rarely cause starting issues. Any sediment present in the fuel tank would always be sucked up no matter what, the fuel pickup is at the bottom of the fuel tank, it would be illogical otherwise. It's still a good idea to rule it out anyway, especially if you don't know the last time it's been changed.

A leak suddenly stopping is weird. I'd continue monitoring for leaks.

Sorry, I don't know much about timing or distributors since my Pathfinder is distributor-less.

[jrey1717]

Turned out the timing belt snapped, luckliy i was going about 20 MPH so it didnt bend valves and i could just have the belt replaced. Thank you for your help.