# Very Awkward Problem 1987 Nissan Pathfinder



## vinceholio (Feb 23, 2004)

Heres my story!
OK i traded my 94 nissan pickup for a 87 pathfinder to one of my cousins it has ran fine until recently .
the problems i having is that whenever i go through a bumpy road or hit some potholes in town the pathfinder will just die out and not start i thought it was the fuel filter at first i replaced that then i thought it was the fuel pump but its shooting gas all the way up front then i thought it might be the wiring to the gas pump and i have checked that but it seems fine no cracks or exposed wiring.
then i leave the vehicle alone for a day or 2 and wham it starts right up no problems it will be shooting out black smoke then some white smoke then black (carbonated) smoke then its good to go till i hit a bump or two again i was wondering if that electro fuel injection carb can be replaced with a normal carb off a pickup i think that may be the problem can anyone shed any light on this lemme know if there needs to be more details etc...
many thanks
vince:hal: :hal:


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## Zilverado (Sep 25, 2002)

That definitely sounds like an electrical problem to me. My guess is you've got a loose connection (possibly a main ground) somewhere, that just gets knocked loose when you hit a bump. maybe check your main ground cable.

Does it die suddenly, or sputter to a stop. A sudden stop would indicate an electrical (spark) failure, while a slow sputtering could be the ful pump dieing and the engine slowly sucking the last of the fuel (similar to unplugging the fuel pump fuse while the engine is running).

So, once it "dies", what does it do when you try to restart it? Does it crank and just not fire (fuel or spark)? Or no cranking at all (electrical)?


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## architectdave (Aug 29, 2005)

I had the same problem with a 88 hardbody pickup v6... it would run fine but hit a bump or frot heave and it would die....then it would start back up or you had to wait a bit... i had two grages try and an electronics expert....he had it for 3 weeks to run errands with and see if he could get it to die while he had it...nothing.... after a year or so of frustration i sold it and told the guy who baught it all about it....dont know if it ever got fixed....


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## vinceholio (Feb 23, 2004)

Thanks for the replys!
Ok heres what happens i will be going down the bumpy road and it will just like die out kinda like the fuel got cut off it will slowly idle down till 0 !Then i will attempt to restart it and it will sputter a few times and maybe stay idling under 1000 rpm then it will sputter up to like 4000 rpm then go down to like 100 rpm and stay there till i let go of the gas and during this time i have the gas pedal to the floor. i was reading at another forums about the codes and such i am such a greenhorn in this area its funny blinking lights and such i understood em now where the heck is the box that blinks? lol i think its the one under the passenger seat well no hurry on this project i traded it specifically for room for a car seat and the snow here in northern new mexico and we havent gotten any! time to go to santafe and look for a newer pathfinder or something!
thanks for the interest zilverado!


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## Chris24 (Dec 8, 2005)

My 87 was doing the same thing. The last time it happened, I just went to pass someone and was under heavy acceleration and it was like someone turned it off. It just died. It just cranked and cranked and finally started. I got it home, went to the back and looked under the access panel to the top of the tank. One wire was corroded and help on by a strand. Also the ground back there was VERY loose. I rewired as best as I could and reattached the ground. Ran great ... Until this morning!!
I was on my way to work and it just quit on me again. Crank crank crank. I checked the back and fiddled with the wires. It all looked good. I did notice that the top of the tank was a bit wet with fuel. Bad fuel pump to tank seal. Fix that later. Checked the fuel pump fuse and it was blown. Had another in my glove box, replaced it and it started again. I took off and got about 8 miles down the road and this time instead of quitting, it just bogged down like vinceholio was describing. I pulled off the road and tried to start it. This time, the qhole interior filled with smoke. I looked in the back and saw my carpet smoldering. I ran back there. Pulled up the carpet and smoke and flames billowed out. I removed the access panel and saw the wiring and entire tank up in flames!! I poured my morning coffee over it, half a bottle of windshield washer fluid and a half a bottle of Mt. Dew and it finally went out. I think it was seconds away from blowing up in my face!
Anyhow ... sputtering is fuel pump. Shutting off is wiring. Usually the ground. Make sure you have that ground! Trace them wires down and make sure it is not arcing on you.
Anyone have a fuel pump wiring harness for an 87 Pathy? lolol


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## vinceholio (Feb 23, 2004)

wow thats a insane story something like that usaully happens to me i am gonna check and see tomorrow the wiring on the back gotta be it also one more question how in the world do i read the ecu unit? it looks sealed i will post some pics later to show my greenhorn brain what side the lil lights are on! 
:fluffpol: :fluffpol:


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## OkcOffRoader (Feb 25, 2005)

last weekend we went to the river for a little trail chasing, and as soon as i unhooked my friends zuk off my pathfinder (towbar) i took off, hit a small bump and my 87 pathy bogged to a halt...sounded like i ran out of gas, but i had a 1/4 tank....checked the fuses, all good....had my friend turn on the key so i could listen for the pump, all good.......pulled the fuel line off the filter and turned key on, great pressure....had my wife drive 20 miles to bring me 5 gallons of gas, no change....by then i was pulling my hair out, trying to figure out how we are gonna tow my nissan with my friends (not street legal) zuk...then i checked for spark, no spark.....i ended up finding a frayed wire on my coil, not the big lead wire but one of the powerwires...it was actually broke off, but i could tell it was in bad shape for some time, because that stupid little round emmission thingy is rotted out and that rotted the coil bracket and fenderwell so there are plenty of things to cut up wires...you might take a look at it, i had to splice the wire and put the whole coil in a crown royal bag cause i had no electrical tape on me, just so i could get home....


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## vinceholio (Feb 23, 2004)

hmm i will try that tomorrow i am off of work and havent been able to sleep i checked out the fuel pump and such and it seems to be working i got juice back there and such so i will look at that area tomorrow and see if the coil wiring is jacked i didnt think of that i will eventaully have this problem fixed and post the results! thanks everyone for the replys!
vince:newbie:


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## Dave.r12345 (Oct 22, 2005)

I had my 95 pathy offroad and it had a problem with just turning off, the problem was a corroded battery terminal.


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## vinceholio (Feb 23, 2004)

*wow this post still here!*

i havent been on this site in forever and found my old post! anyways i solved the problem it seems the spark plug wires have never been replaced i replaced them and its been running like a champ! 
thanks everyone!
vince


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## dvdswanson (Nov 6, 2005)

wow, all that agrivation for plug wires, glad to hear its fixed.


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## Xeno (Oct 5, 2005)

Not just plug wires, but what is so pose to be basic tune up maintenance.

X


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