Inherited a 2001 SE 4x4.. First truck.. have some questions.

[mastamoon]

Hey All,

So my wifes father passed away recently and we were given his 01 Pathfinder. Its a 4x4 with about 220k miles on it. Seems to run great and looks good. No rust that I can see (spent lots of its life down in South Carolina with little/no salty roads) so she wants to fix it up a bit and keep it.

There are a few issues with it that I was hoping you guys could help me out with.

1. CEL for code P1110. The code doesnt come on right away after being cleared but does come on when you hit about 50mph. Ive read this is the VTC Solenoid on the passenger side. Going through the little bit of paperwork I found in the glovebox, it looks like it had this replaced at about 75k miles. Is it likely this just needs to be swapped out again? Truck seems to run fine in general.

2. We have noticed a wobble/shimmy that seems to come from the rear end. I believe this is the "death wobble/sway", but from the reading I have done on it, that seems to manifest itself at higher speeds. This wobble is most noticeable around 5-25mph. As you go faster, it smooths out but you can still feel it. I havent gotten under the truck yet to check bushings, but I was hoping to get a confirmation that it does happen at low speeds as well as high or what I might be looking for if its not the 'death wobble/sway'.

Those are the major issues thus far. I mostly need to get the CEL fixed so I can get it through NJ inspection so any info on #1 would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks everybody!

[fastpakr]

Before I went any further with the P1110 code, I'd be inclined to check the oil and/or change it to something on the upper end of the factory recommended range. The cam timing system is oil pressure driven, and if the pressure goes slightly down it can generate a code for one or both banks.

I can't remember if it was here or one of the other Pathfinder forums, but the other day I read a description of checking the trailing arm bushings. Basically, place the vehicle in park with the emergency brake off, then roll it slightly forward and backward to watch for twisting movement in the arms that would indicate wrecked bushings.

[rgk]

Yes, you will have a P1110 if your oil is low or dirty. See if the light goes away when you change the oil. Type of oil has not mattered for me.

If you still get the code after changing the oil, remove the solenoid, clean it out, then apply 9v to the terminals. If you see the little piston moving, it's probably fine. A nnew VVT solenoid runs about $130. I picked up a used one on eBay for $50.

To remove the solenoid, unbolt the fuel pressure regulator and move it out of the way without disturbing the fuel line. You can remove the vacuum line. Then remove the bolt that holds the solenoid housing in place. You may have to pull hard to get the housing out.

Then carefully disconnect the connector, and even more carefully remove the connector from the metal ledge it sits on. There is a special plastic tab that you press which will allow you to remove the connector from the ledge. Then remove the unit and remove the solenoid from its housing for testing.

In regards to the sway, you can twist the control arms by hand. If they have any give, it's time to replace them. If the bushings look cracked or worn, it's time to replace them.

I had a massive death sway. My bushings looked fine, but I could twist the arms so I replaced them. When I removed them, I could see that they were in fact 100% shot.

[mastamoon]

Thanks for the replies!

The truck had an oil change within the last 2 weeks. I believe they used 5w-30. Is 10w-30 as a fix ok for winters in NJ? I guess a 30 dollar oil change is cheaper than 130 dollar part. Im surprised that that something that effects timing doesnt have driveability symptoms.

Hope my jack is tall enough to lift the truck, have only owned cars my whole life lol. Is it possible/ok to lift these trucks by the rear diff? I was wondering if it was something different than the normal death sway due to it being 'lumpy' at low speeds and smoothing out the faster you go. Everythign I have read so far seems to say its worse at higherspeeds. Ill still do the check.

[fastpakr]

That sounds more like something being out of balance and causing a harmonic vibration. Might be time for a wheel balance and rotation, then check the driveshaft if that doesn't solve it.

[rgk]

If you just had an oil change, I would check the solenoid, it might just require a cleaning. Either 5w or 10w will be fine.

To replace the arms, you will want to lift the truck by the unibody under the rear door and put jack stands underneath it before you crawl under it.

After the truck is on stands, a floor jack is needed to lift the axle (yes, under the diff.) in order to replace the arms. Don't try to lift the axle with a scissor jack. A floor jack will run you a hundred bucks and is a good investment if you plan on doing your own work on the truck, as is a pair of truck jack stands.

I'm a skinny guy, so I can just crawl under the truck without lifting it to check the arms.

[atraudes]

I was getting what felt like fishtailing at lower speeds when I'd corner, sort of like when you hit an icy patch. I didn't have quite the same symptoms as you, but it certainly sounds like the same problem.

If you have a larger jack like so, you'll probably be fine:



I had a small basic floor jack when I first got mine, but there is plenty it can't do simply because it doesn't have the reach. If that's the case, I'd invest in a bottle jack and some stands if you don't have them already. Bust out a tape measure and measure the clearance before you go to the store though

You can absolutely jack it up by the pumpkin, or on the axle portions as well.

Edit: Damn rgk, beat me to it

[mastamoon]

Good thing about the wife wanting a truck to drive is I get to buy new tools! :P

Ill have to roll my jack and jack stands out and see if it allows me to atleast get enough clearance to get the tires off the ground.

[rgk]

Im surprised that that something that effects timing doesnt have driveability symptoms.

When my solenoid went bad, I didn't have a P1110, but I did have a perpetually-pending valve timing performance code (P0011 or P0021). My only symptom was a slightly rough idle.

IIRC, according to the FSM, there are other things that could cause a P1110, so if you pull your solenoid and it checks out OK, check all your sensors: camshaft, crankshaft, and the other VVT solenoid. Look up the code in the FSM, and read all the fine print. You should find step-by-step troubleshooting instructions.

[mastamoon]

Little update.

Was able to get under the truck for the first time and do some investigating.

1st.. Oil, Oil everywhere. https://goo.gl/photos/1ZcHJ8bPGP7r2F1X9 I hope/believe that its coming from the oil cooler. But from above I also notice the passenger side valve cover is leaking also so it might be that. Need to do both jobs obviously but gonna tackle the orings in the oil cooler first. Question: Could a leak like these possibly in itself cause the P1110 CEL? Ive read that oil pressure can cause the same error, would the leaks in this picture be sufficient enough to possibly cause the CEL?

Death Wobble.. My jack isnt high enough to lift the truck and have the suspension hang so I jacked up the rear end and put it on jackstands. Started the truck and brought it up to speed and noticed the rear axle bobbing. This must be what Im feeling. Since I had it jacked up and supported on the axle, I couldn't really shake the suspension to see if it had any play so I cant be 100% sure. I guess it could still be an out of whack tire/rim causing it also.

And add another thing to the list. I saw that both boots are destroyed on both CV Joints. Looks like an easy job if the bolts come free anyway.

I need to kill the CEL to get the truck through inspection before putting money towards new tires and other parts so Im hoping to get that buttoned up before digging into the wobble.

What do you guys think? :

[fastpakr]

I doubt that you'd lose enough oil pressure from the cooler to cause that, but it's certainly worth a shot. Is the oil level up to spec?

The CV axles are relatively easy to replace. I just did one of mine last week and it wasn't a major hassle. For what it's worth, if you need to swap either side ball joint while you're there, do NOT use the Driveworks model. It will not fit - the casting is too large (fixable with a file) to clear the shaft, and the grease zerk goes straight up and interferes with the shaft (not fixable).

[mastamoon]

I doubt that you'd lose enough oil pressure from the cooler to cause that, but it's certainly worth a shot. Is the oil level up to spec?

The CV axles are relatively easy to replace. I just did one of mine last week and it wasn't a major hassle. For what it's worth, if you need to swap either side ball joint while you're there, do NOT use the Driveworks model. It will not fit - the casting is too large (fixable with a file) to clear the shaft, and the grease zerk goes straight up and interferes with the shaft (not fixable).

I didnt think so either.. and from the drops in the driveway I think this is a long slow leak.. and no Oil light so I would guess pressure is ok.

I was hoping not to touch the balljoint. I saw a video last night that looked like it could be done without actually popping it out, do you know if this is the case?