Need some help fixing my DD non DSM

[fulanititoo8198]

I have Sunday/Mon off and want to try to fix the daily. I know there is a lot of gearheads in here so maybe I can get some help. I can't figure this one out.. Previous owner told me it was starting and then got harder and harder to start and now it doesn't start.

Car is a 98 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 3.3L V6 the weird thing it does is it cranks really fast sounds like 3-4 fast cranks and then 1-2 really slow. So far I verified car has fuel, spark, I installed a new distributor,cap, rotor, crank angle sensor, new battery, and spark plugs. No CEL's. I would do a compression test, but I'm trying to leave anything that requires removing plugs for last since they took me a good 3 hours to put in. This engine is terrible to work on.

Just looking for tips/hints to help me clue in on the problem. I'm trying to avoid having to tear down the front of the motor to verify timing as that's what I'm scared it might be. I'm no mechanic though so I would appreciate advice.

 

[Fehrion_sit]

so it does and doesnt not run ? has it ever been overheated? how does the oil look on the dipstick? if it feels like sand you might be screwed

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Does your starter work then? If you keep that key turned does the engine keep turning over or does the starter quit? Spray ether in it and try and start it.

 

[WES_393]

Assuming the starter is engaging fully, the engine needs 3 things to run: Fuel, Spark, Compression. Pull a plug wire, lay it on something metal, and have someone crank the engine while you watch for spark. If no spark, start looking at coils, sensors, ECU, and anything else that is ignition related. Even if you have good spark it might be a good idea to hook up a timing light to make sure ignition timing is at least in the ballpark while cranking. Once you verify spark, move on to fuel.

You may have a Schrader valve on one of the fuel rails which you could hook up a fuel pressure tester (or just push open to see if fuel squirts out). But if not then you'll need to disconnect a fuel line at some point to test for presence of fuel pressure. Either way, test for fuel pressure while the fuel pump is supposed to be running, which might only be while cranking the engine. If you know you have at least some fuel, it would be good to make sure the injectors are firing or at least getting voltage/signal at the connector. If you have fuel, move on to compression.

Of course the only way to truly test compression is to hook up a tester. If you suspect the timing may be off, it will affect all cylinders. So testing just one cylinder would give you a good idea about mechanical timing. If compression low or dead in that cylinder, then I would start by verifying cam/crank timing.

With all that said, if the engine doesn't even make a fart, then it's either fuel or compression. If you don't even hear the starter fighting the engine, it would likely be a compression issue. If just one or a few cylinders had lost compression, you would still get some reaction from the engine. But it's also possible your used to hearing the engine try to fire and a loss of fuel or spark is causing the engine to crank quietly. Either way, your tests should point you in the right direction.

 

[Diamond Star Werks]

Showoff!^^ jk . What he said op.

 

[fulanititoo8198]

Thank you VERY much guys. Here are a few videos I made of what it's doing. It looks like timing to me I'm just reaching the limits of what I can do in an apt garage haha. I hope it's not bent valves or bad compression I was told the car was running fine and just needed a battery when I bought it. I bought it for 500.00 so I'm hoping I don't have to invest too much in it.

Pathfinder no start - YouTube

Pathfinder no start - YouTube