how to replace starter on my 2001 Qx4

[mvmcali]

2 times in the past year my 2001 qx4 (160k miles) would not start and it wasnt the battery. once it started again after cooling down for 1 hour and 2nd time AAA came out and turned the key on/off rapidly and then it started.

im guessing i need a new starter . ive searched on this forum but dont see any details about the starter. is this something i can do myself? Im wondering how accessible the damn thing is for removal/replacement?

[VStar650CL]

It's not a terrible job. Half an hour if you have an electric ratchet and a set of swivels. Motor rates it at 0.7 hours with a B difficulty. The roughest part with hand tools is getting the cable end off the starter. This is a pretty good vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LCgMH9cDdk

[mvmcali]

thanks. that is a good video. before i posted my Q , i crawled under the car to take a look. i saw what i knew was the starter but when i saw confined it was, i was hoping i was wrong.

did you use an OEM or cheaper 3rd party starter? i think i heard you cant buy a new OEM anymore , you can only buy a rebuilt?

ive had my 2001 qx4 for 21 years now, 160k miles, im torn between whether I want to buy a newer fancy suv or keep it longer.

[mvmcali]

sorry for that giant icon. im not sure how the heck that happend

[VStar650CL]

I'm not an owner, just a Nissan tech. The Pathies and Xterras are identical, I've done plenty of them. Those Calsonic starters are pretty stout, they usually just die from crappy brushes. Years ago many places would rebuild them in-shop, but nobody does that anymore. Because they're pretty sturdy, my experience is that the remans are usually okay, you're not rolling dice like with reman alternators. Get one from a reputable vendor like RockAuto just in case, but I wouldn't worry too much about getting a bad one.

[mvmcali]

thanks. i was also going to attempt my first front brake job too. they are disk brakes but apparently you have to remove the hubs to get the rotors off. which , i think, requires a bit of 'touch' when tightening them back up. do you have any links to videos for that? do you think a medium skilled DIYer like me should attempt this myself

[VStar650CL]

First, do you have any pulsation in the front brakes? If not, the first rule is, don't fix what ain't broke. Scuff the rotors with some coarse steel wool and just change the pads. Don't use emory or sandpaper, those can leave abrasives embedded in the new pads. Second, you don't need to pull the hubs to remove the rotors, just the calipers and caliper brackets. The rotors are just held on by the lug nuts (and often a ton of rust), so once the bracket is removed, the rotor may come loose in your hand. If not, a couple good whacks with a hand sledge on the hub section will usually suffice to bust the rust. The bracket is #4 in the diagram on BR-22, for some Japlish reason Nissan calls them "torque members":
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... System.pdf

It isn't complicated.

[VStar650CL]

Aargh, well, I take that back, on the '01's you do need to pop the bearing (not the whole hub from the rotor). That isn't complicated either, but it can be brutal if a race is seized. But like I said, unless you have a pulsation, leave them alone. If you do, everything you need to know is here starting on AX-7:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... r+Axle.pdf

[mvmcali]

thanks. i'll take a look and will comment back if I tackle these projects myself... to give some comments for the next guy !

[VStar650CL]

[sroberts]

I replaced my starter in 2016, it was a bit of a challenge but I prevailed. There are a couple tips in this thread: topic611114.html

[mvmcali]

I replaced mine today succesfully! i will post on that other thread mentioned above ...topic611114.html