Still stalling, need help.

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:19 pm

97 Pathfinder, V6, 98K, 5-speed 2wd.

Stalls intermittently while driving. Thought it was MAF-plug-related, but I addressed that. Checked fuel delivery, all good. Obviously electrical.

Something that MAY clue us in, the temp gauge flickers and fluctuates (drops) RIGHT before it stalls... Temp gauge also flickers (downward) if you rev the engine.

Starts right up after the stall.

Any clues, guys?

Post by **NISTECH** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 5:41 pm

It sounds like you loosing full power to the car period. At least for a breif second. At you battery positive cable there is 1 or 2 small connectors that plug into the positive battery cable. Check the connections thoroughly. before you push on them just gently pull out on them and see if they are locked into place.If they are not locked you could have this problem. Also check the other end where they connect to the main fuse in the fuse box near the battery.

Post by **AZhitman** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:51 pm

OK, did all that.

Finally got frustrated and took it in to the dealer... Dealer calls and says my MAF is bad.

Says he cleared the code (created when I pulled the MAF plug off), and drove it - it stalled, and threw a MAF code.

NOW - My question is, is there a possibility that my PLUG is just bad (like a loose internal connection)? Because that would cause the same code as a bad MAF, right?

I asked them what happens if I byu a new MAF and it still does this - he says, "Won't happen."

I can't be so sure...

DO the MAF's go bad on these that easily?

Either way, I'm picking it up (unrepaired) until I can get a second opinion from the people I trust: Scott and Chris.

Post by **NISTECH** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:41 pm

Not as common on the older r50 pathfinders but on rare occasions it can happen. Do this tighten the female terminals in your maf connector if you can.Then drive it for a few days and se if there is an improvement. It could very well be there is a loose connection inside the airflow meter. Give the terminal trick a try first though. You need to exibit extream patience when removing the pins from the connector housing to tighten them. It can get really frustrating trying to lift the release tabs in the connector to allow the pin to back out. Speaking from experiance of course..lol I am trying to remember if that connector has the yellow lock block that comes out from the terminal side of the connector. If it does you need to pop that out before removing the pins. At that point you try to lift the release to slide the pin out.

Post by **AZhitman** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 4:12 pm

Scott - Can I buy a new MAF plug and rewire it?

Post by **NISTECH** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 4:28 pm

The plug is not offered in the parts catalog seperatly. What you need to do is go down to the dealer and ask to speak to a back counter parts guy. Then ask him for the kent more harness repair kit. You will then have to match your connector with one of the ones in the kit. Once you match your connector you then need to locate the pins and water seals for the connectors. There is a book with the kits. Find your connector number in that book and it will list the pins and seals you need. Be warned though Some dealers depleat the stock in those draws and never replenish it. So it may take a couple dealers to find a kit that is full.

There are 2 kits each with 4 drawers in each. Each drawer containes 5 to 20 compartments with various connectors , pins and seals. The dealer I am currently at does not have these kits, they have some half a$$ case thing that is about 1/10 of the whole kits. The last 2 dealers I was at had those kits so your chances are fair they will have it.

Post by **AZhitman** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:03 pm

OK, some "narrowing down" info:

I completely dismantled the MAF and plug. I have reassembled it, and I am gettnig good contact on all 3 wires.

It will not stall when cold, it seems. Appears it only happens once operating temp is reached, and even then, it's very sporadic. Starts right back up, idle hunts for a bit, then settles back in and runs fine.

Thought it might be "motion-related", but I got it to stall while sitting still, idling in the garage.

I'm gonna go pick up a MAF and see if that cures it.

Post by **NISTECH** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:05 am

I am a bit stumped on this one especially since it happens with out rhyme or reason. [ Sitting still or driving plus restarts without incident] Any way you can moniter MAF voltage when it occurs. Maybe catch it drop out. How does it die? slowly drops idle and flutters to a stop or like you just turned the key and its off? When it dies what does the tack do? slowly drop off to 0 or instantly it is on 0 and then the car dies? we are talking Ms of time here. This would take very keen observation to catch that. What I am trying to asses here is if you are loosing power or maf signal.

There have been very rare cases I have seen where the ECM relay pops open and kills the car and it will start right back up. The typical relay failure though the car wont imediatly start right back up. I just remembered a couple cases I had like that over my 10yr stint with nissan. There were only 2 that matched that senario. Each car had different codes but one had the maf code along with a couple other codes. They werent pathfinders but they also werent the same model vehicle.

Post by **AZhitman** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:34 am

When it dies, it drops instantly like turning off the key.

Hard to assess via the tach,as it's a 5-speed and the car being in gear will artificially create RPM's...

Lights stay on, but idle "hunts" right after restart - fluctuates between 1500-600 before settling in at a normal rate.

Post by **NISTECH** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 2:46 pm

AZhitman wrote:Hard to assess via the tach,as it's a 5-speed and the car being in gear will artificially create RPM's...

What do you mean? The tac signal has 0 input from the trans.

Post by **AZhitman** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:24 pm

But when the truck is in gear, and it "stalls", the engine is still spinning - inertia keeps it "running", but if I were to step on the clutch, it would die.

That make more sense?

Post by **NISTECH** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 7:03 pm

Oh I see what your saying. No what I was getting at is if it drops to zero instantiniously that indicates the ECM lost a power supply or ground source. The tac is operated electronically. If it lost power or signal , regardless of weather or not you were on decel in gear, it would drop to 0. The reason I suggested watching it was your temp gauge flutter.

Post by **AZhitman** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:03 am

It's BAAAAACK.

Grrrrr.

I *JUST* put her up for sale, having swapped in a new MAF. But driving it this morning, it started doing the same old crap again.

NOTE: Does NOT stall until it reaches operating temp (not sure if that might be a clue).

Currently has a CEL from me disconnecting the MAF. If I clear the code, then drive it, and it pulls this nonsense again, shouldn't I be able to pull a code somehow without any special equipment?

Went through every connection and harness, nothing seems amiss.

When it stalls, it does so instantaneously. I'm almost feeling like it might be fuel-related now, since the lights stay on and it usually fires right back up.

Help please?

Post by **NISTECH** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 3:19 pm

Greg if it was fule supply related It would not just shut down, It would die slowly as if it were becoming very lean. I am seriously thinking this is an electrical gremlin.

You should be able to pull codes if it stores one, does not neccesarily have to illuminate the light.

When it dies does it ever happen while accelerating or holding a teady throttle. Or does it ALWAYS happen on decel or at idle?

Still stalling, need help.

Still stalling, need help.

Re: (AZhitman)

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