# Nissan Frontier question???



## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Anyone out there know alot about cars?? Ive got a 2000 Nissan Frontier , anyways when I pulled into the parkinglot this morning to work, the **** thing just died. Still have power, it turns over all that stuff still, but just wont start. Havent had anything wrong with it in the past. Im thinking it has to be fuel related, fuel pump possibly. It seems to turn over ok, so that makes me think its not ignition related but im no mechanic. If it was something to do with the timing belt would it still turn over like that?? Any info would be awesome since now ive gotta find a way how to get it home.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

Let me know if you need me to give you a rope tow. I think it's time for some new truck shopping huh?


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Should a went with a Chevrolet


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> Should a went with a Chevrolet


Ya Chevy's dont die............ :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

This thing has 170,000 miles & the only thing I have had to replace on it is 2 batterys. It is a off roading machine!!!

Craig, Ya Im really really wishing I could get a new one, But man that payment would really blow now days. Thinking I just need to get a beater that can pull all the toys :lol:


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## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

Check the coil packs. I had a 2000 Infiniti I30t that did the same thing. Plenty of power to turn it over, but wouldn't start. When a coil goes out, the cylinder it ignites basically shuts down which throws off the timing and can make the thing die altogether.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

My toyota did that a few years ago. I thought it was a fuel line problem but it just ended up being a terminal corrosion problem on my battery. Just looking at it, you couldnt tell but when you pulled the positive connection it was corroded through. Easy fix. Hope its something easy like that! Your little truck in a ballsy bugger!


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

The battery all looks good. It turns over but just doesnt do anything at all. Ill have to check the coil packs like you said. Was that a pain to replace? Im hoping it wasnt a timing belt. I would almost think if it was the fuel pump that it would atleast try to start. It just turns over. Really not sure if there is spark. It did sound like it but like i said, Im FAR from being a mechanic :lol:


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

PM that Spry Yellowdog guy. He was very helpful last time I had an issue with a car.


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

If the timing belt broke, it would still crank when you turned the key over, it just wouldn't turn the camshaft, so it won't start. Hopefully that motor doesn't mash valves or you may be in the market for a new truck, if it's the belt.

Could be fuel pump (If it's electronic and died, I would think it would do that), coils (You would probably get a NOC sensor failure on a diagnostic if that was the case), plugged filter(s), plugged jets, excessive moisture etc. 

I would say fuel pump or timing belt. Strange that it happened just as you were pulling in.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

If it was mashing the valves wouldnt you be able to hear it? Mabeya knock in the engine or something? Yes it was very strange. I drove 12 miles from home, and it just died right out in the parkinglot at my work. I had to push it the last 30 feet to my parking spot. Definately wierd. Im thinking about going out at lunch & checking fuses, those types of easy things. That would sure be nice if it was just a fuse going to the fuel pump :lol: . Done some checking & its 279.00 for a fuel pump :x , so In a way i hope its not that , but if it is just that then there isnt something wrong with the engine. Im also hoping that if it is the fuel pump that is not in the fuel tank on that thing. Never really had to replace anything on it.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

Didn't run outta gas did ya?

Take the air filter off and shoot a little starting fluid into the intake, not a ton and see if she fires up. That will tell you if its fuel related. If not then i would maybe say timing belt, but i think you would've known if you have lost your timing belt. Its not pretty 99% of the time.

Also check your fuses and relays that are used for your fuel system and see if that could be the issue.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

honkerfool said:


> Didn't run outta gas did ya?.


 :lol: , Nope, Just filled it up last night. Tank is full. I will try the starting fluid thing.


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

The fuel pumps for those are famous for failing. their is a contact in the fuel pump module that gets burned up. make sure you look at that closely if you have no fuel pressure. test for power and ground then that will tell you if the pump is bad. you will have to buy a pump and a module. I dont think they sell them together. 

The first step is to check for pressure and spark that will tell you the right direction to go.

go with an OEM pump!! if it is the fault.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

So what was the problem...


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Im really really hoping its the fuel pump, but Im almost positive its the timing belt. I havent torn it apart yet. Decided that will be the weekend project. It will turn over, but listening to it, it sounds like its the starter turning over the bottom part, but it doesnt sound like the crank is turning. Im just really hoping that it didnt ruin the engine or the valves. Most people I have talked to say its a "interference engine" and that when the belt breaks it will usually bend the rods & break the valves. My only hope was that I was actually just idling(or very low RPM's) when it happened, so that may not have ruined much(if anything) I think thats where im gonna start is by tearing that apart. :shock:


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

if it is the belt, that is a bad deal. it most likely would have made a good amount of noise and racket if you threw the belt. Was the truck sluggish or at any loss of power before it died? How many miles are on the truck?


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I was just coasting into work when it went out & unfortunately I had the radio on like usual. I didnt even know the engine had died until i went to turn a small corner & it was hard to turn the wheel (power steering wasnt working with the engine dead) It ran great up to that point. Didnt notice anything out of the ordinary. The truck has about 163,000 on it. they recommend changing it at 105,000. Why fix somethin that wasnt broke was my thinkin :? :lol: Wishin now I would have changed it back then.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

I think pretty much all Japanese engines are interference engines. It sounds like we have still not yet determined spark/fuel. The spark test is very easy to do; the easiest way to is to get a spark tester from harbor freight or an auto parts place...it can be done w/o it too, but you need another person, just disconnect the coil plug and see if it arcs to a grounded piece of metal. I would call the Nissan dealer and see if you can get teh ear of one of the service writers for a minute to give you some direction as to common problems or his preliminary diagnosis. Good luck!


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

Sounds like it went from bad to worse. 

Its a little over a 3 hour job (on flat rate) to do a timing belt. If the belt did break the motor will sound very flat while cranking. it may not of made much nosie at all witch is common. and you just might have a few bent valves. there is a few ways to tell . the easiest is to but a belt on it ans try to start it up. or loosen the cam shaft and put compressed air down in the cylinders and listen for air coming out the intake or exhaust ports. A leasson learned the hard way my freind. good luck you just might get lucky...


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Well its torn apart & it is the belt. It didnt actually break tho. All the teeth on the belt down around the crankshaft are gone, so now its trying to decide if thats all that happened or if one of the top cranks froze up causing it to eat up those teeth aroiund the crankshaft. I took your advice & got the Haynes manual. Its a good book. Going to get the new water pump, new belts & going to try to put it back together. Wish me luck. Thanks for all the advice guys!!!! :|


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

before you put a new pump and all on it install the new belt and see if you have any bent valves. the cams are most likley good just a worn out belt .. good luck!!


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

You guys know if there is a way of checking for bent valves without taking off the whole valve cover thing?? I just picked up the parts, New belts, water pump, timing belt tensioner ,ect, $203.00. Will put it back together in the morning & hope for the best. The guy at Napa says if the engine was just at idle when it happened, it might be ok, But I would really be lucky if so.

You guys think if I just line up the dots on the pulleys to the dots on the housings, then put the belt on with the aligned dots, Then pull the distributor to make sure its on the #1 cylinder that it should be timed correctly if it was previously off?


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

STEVO said:


> You guys think if I just line up the dots on the pulleys to the dots on the housings, then put the belt on with the aligned dots, Then pull the distributor to make sure its on the #1 cylinder that it should be timed correctly if it was previously off?


Just line up the marks on the crank and on the cams and you will be fine. no need to pull the distibitor cap to check. Install the new belt then just put the crank pully back on and try and start it. If it runs your good to go. if not you know what happend. I cant remember right but that model you might have to count out the number of teeth on the belt and that will put the cams inline with the crank. If there is no marks, your hanes manual should tell you that it if that is the case.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Well I got it all back together, spent the biggest part of the day trying to figure it out. Trying to get the crankshaft & the camshafts perfectly aligned to the dots was a big pain. Every time I would get them lined up, either the cam would be off TCD or when I tightened the tensioner that would throw it off a bit. The belt they gave me was kind of a pain in the arse because it seemed like the lines on the belt were off by one tooth from the crank. Got it all back together & turned it over & it started right up. Boy was I relieved. I turned over the crank & the cams several times with the breaker bar listening for any noises coming from the engine, couldnt hear anything so Im pretty sure I dodged a BIG bullet with no damage to the engine. I was able to drive it all the way down town to get my core back on my waterpump. Its about beer thirty (God its been a week :lol: ) Thanks a ton for all the advice you guys gave me. The Haynes manual was a good book & I think it saved my butt a few times putting it back together(It always seems to come apart much easier than it goes back together :lol: ) I only had 2 extra bolts  

This is really the first foreign engine I have worked on & man are they different from what ive worked on. Give me a Chev 350 or 454 & I could do it with some confidence, but these newer motors are technical. I can now see why they want a arm, leg & your first born to work on them. 

I think this will be the first night in the last week that I will get some good sleep :lol:


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

By the time I got all the stuff (Haynes manual, Timing Belt, Timing belt tensioner, new fan belts, water pump & a small water hose behind the fuel pump, antifreeze) I was into it about $220. Not bad at all considering the pro's wanted 7-800 just to do the timing belt. Man I was relieved when it started right up. It actually sounds better now then it did before. There was one other tooth that was missing from the timing belt belt(plus the 10 or so from the crankshaft)on the other side that was missing a rib, so it may have been off just a tad before all this started. :? 

I was starting to look for a beater to drive for a few monthes until i could save up enough for a new engine :shock: . Im thinking that when it broke that it was just at idle (5-600 rpms) rather than the 2-3000 RPms they are usually at on the road. I guess only time will tell. I would think if there were bent rods or bad valves then I would know by now right?


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

fatbass said:


> -*|*- -*|*- -*|*- -*|*- -*|*-
> 
> That's excellent news, STEVO! How much did you save by doing it yourself? :?:


But don't forget time is money, so it may not have been that much of a savings over all. Just saying, if you spend a whole weekend working on a vehicle, it means you can do anything else. If you know what you are doing like you guys do it is well worth it.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

It's a good thing he didn't invite me over to help he would be in the market for a new truck, I am clueless and just bend over and take it when my cars break down. That is why I am so adamant about keeping up the maintenance on them so hopefully they will last.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

Time is definately money, but figuring with all the things I changed out a mechanic wanted over a grand, so If i can save 800 bucks, its well worth it to me to give up a day of fishing(or the Opener of the bowhunt in this case :x :lol: ) to save that money. I dont make 75-100 bucks a hour of my time anywhere else :lol: . It really didnt take me all weekend, Took me about 2 hours on Friday to get it all apart, got the parts & mabey took me 5 hours on sat to put it back together, but thats checking & rechecking ........ and rechecking my work. So mabey 7-8 hours is all. Its good to have it all done. Thanks for the advice guys. 

Haha, Orvis I thought about offering free beer to the buds that wanted to help, But then I got thinking that I didnt want a bunch of drunk people messin with my engine :lol:


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## jahan (Sep 7, 2007)

STEVO said:


> Time is definately money, but figuring with all the things I changed out a mechanic wanted over a grand, so If i can save 800 bucks, its well worth it to me to give up a day of fishing(or the Opener of the bowhunt in this case :x :lol: ) to save that money. I dont make 75-100 bucks a hour of my time anywhere else :lol: . It really didnt take me all weekend, Took me about 2 hours on Friday to get it all apart, got the parts & mabey took me 5 hours on sat to put it back together, but thats checking & rechecking ........ and rechecking my work. So mabey 7-8 hours is all. Its good to have it all done. Thanks for the advice guys.
> 
> Haha, Orvis I thought about offering free beer to the buds that wanted to help, But then I got thinking that I didnt want a bunch of drunk people messin with my engine :lol:


Just so you know, I think it was good you tried it yourself, I was just pointing out that most people neglect the time factor, but I think you ended up well ahead.


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

I think it has been good too. Outside of regular maintenance to it , this is really the only thing that I have done to it. Like I said I can handle my own with a chev engine, but these newer foreign engines get pretty technical. Kinda funny how they give you just enough room to get a small chinese guys hands in there, But any normal sized guy is screwed :lol: One thing that I did think was wierd was in the Haynes manual, the #1 step was to evacuate the AC system?? I could not figure out for the life of me why they would want you to do that. the work I was performing was nowhere near the AC system. I didnt do that one & it works fine now!!


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

#1DEER 1-I said:


> Should a went with a Chevrolet


 :lol: Man I love that little guy.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

STEVO said:


> Haha, Orvis I thought about offering free beer to the buds that wanted to help, But then I got thinking that I didnt want a bunch of drunk people messin with my engine :lol:


that why you give the beer out after the work is all done.


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