Navara 3.0l turbo diesel - engine stalling problem

Submitted: Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 17:30
ThreadID: 41855 Views:12935 Replies:9 FollowUps:5
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Please help. I have an '02 Navara ST-R (3.0l turbo diesel) which has done 76000kms. About 6 weeks ago the engine light came on while i was doing about 90kmh and the engine completely stalled and all power shut off, after waiting a few seconds i was able to turn the key and the car started no problem. Since then, the car is now randomly stalling but only while coasting downhill with my foot off the accelarator and the engine light doesn't come on. I am able to restart the car while rolling down hill. The Nissan dealer ran it on the diagnostic computer but no faults appeared...they then knocked me off my chair by suggesting (or guessing) it was a problem with the fuel injector pump and it would cost me about $5000 to have replaced. As i am not prepared to fork out the $$ if they are only guessing at what the problem is i decided to take it to an auto electrician. He put the diagnostic machine on the car and it reported a "throttle sensor" issue - he deleted the fault entry. I drove the car today and the fault is still there, the car stalls while going down hill with my foot off the accelerator - i went back to the auto electrician this arvo to see if the throttle sensor fault appeared but the fault did not appear on the machine. So, now i have no idea what to do - i can't believe Nissan don't know what the problem is or are unwilling to properly diagnose the fault. Does anyone out there have any idea or suggestions for what i can do. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Would be grateful for any suggestions at this stage.
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Reply By: Hopper51 - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 18:46

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 18:46
Hi there Zabble
Sounds like the motor is stuffed - throw it away and get a new one.
More seriously, I had a Mazda RX8 that started cutting out when it only had 250kms on the clock. The Mazda mechanic said I wasn't revving it hard enough. Tried that but it progressively got worse. I wasn't happy considering it was a brand new car. The dealer eventually agreed there was a problem even though it did not show up on the diagnostic computer. They pulled the fuel tank out and found a fair quantity of rust like crud (the fuel tank is plastic) inside which was blocking the pump and filter after it had been running a short time. They ended up flushing out the tank and the fuel lines and replacing the pump and filter - all this before I had used 1 tank of fuel. As near as we could work out, some bright spark on the Melbourne wharves added a bit of fuel from a dubious source because he thought it had run out when it flooded and wouldn't start while unloading from the ship. The RX8 was prone to this when brand new. It was a magnificent car to drive but after 2.5 years and another fault that the dealers couldn't and didn't seem interested in fixing I traded it in on a new TD6 landcruiser. No more problems.
regards
Hopper_51
AnswerID: 219049

Reply By: Gerhardp1 - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 18:58

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 18:58
I'd be doing as Hopper51 suggests -

Check your fuel filter(s) for crud. If found, drop the tank and clean it out.

You haven't used Biodiesel by any chance?
AnswerID: 219052

Follow Up By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:13

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:13
Biodiesel?? I would hate to see the quality of fuel that has been used in the previous 75000km if using biodiesel could dislodge enough crud and buildup to stall it??

We all know of the fantastic cleaning properties of commercial biodiesel but I cant imagine that there would be sufficient crud in the system yet....maybe 200000km!

Mat
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FollowupID: 479521

Follow Up By: Gerhardp1 - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:01

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 09:01
Try reading the forum - plenty of people have had problems after using biodiesel.

There could easily be plenty of crud in the system. It only takes one fill of junk fuel.

So try a positive suggestion or don't bother posting.
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FollowupID: 479669

Follow Up By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 10:08

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 10:08
Ive done the research even worked alongside dealerships to prove that there is no detremental effects when using commercial biodiesel. In response to customers having warranty repairs declinded and then later approved!! Why dont YOU read for yourself and not rely on third hand info on a forum!

So buddy I do know my facts but if in case you are ill-informed and refferring to home made biodiesel...well yes there can be some effects at the unpredicatability of the processing.

Not so with commercial biodiesel there are more stringent regulations on it than there are on standard diesel.

Now for the crud side of things....The biodiesel has superb cleaning properties and if you had an old engine that had alot of 'gumming' in the fule lines etc these can dislodge in the first few tanks using bio. So you need to be aware and look at an early fuel filter change. Thats it!!

The crud you pick up in a dodgy fuel load will fill and block anyones filters and its pretty much immediately as the posted said happened to him. This has NOTHING to do with biodiesel.

Well I do know my facts and Im very happy to share if someone is willing to listen to POSITIVE feedback! So how about you try being factual in your responses and not listening to your mates, mates, mate of a girlfriend you met in a pub once 30 yearsa ago!!! or dont bother posting!

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FollowupID: 479691

Reply By: Member - Matt Mu (Perth-WA) - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:18

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:18
I would suggest that what ever TPS setup the Nissan utilizes could be the prob...just dropping the fueling off too much at idle. Seems sus it had resident fault codes in that area...sounds like an intermittant, hence not there when you get it checked.

By chance does the level in the fuel tank effect the amount of 'stalls' ie the lower the tank the more prone to stalling? Maybe a transfer pump issue??
Heaps of guesses sorry Zab...cant help without a process of elimination.

Goodluck,

Matt.
AnswerID: 219055

Reply By: howesy - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:40

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:40
Definately a far cheaper option and will only do it good to pull the fuel tank and have it cleaned. Blow the lines and replace filters. I would be surprised that a dealer wouldn't check this before replacing a $5000 item on a guess. Any way surely it couldn't cost much more than a grand for a pump specialist to strip alean repair and recalibrate, my old Hilux only cost me $850 including labour.
AnswerID: 219060

Reply By: zabble - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:57

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:57
what an awesome forum - thanks so much for all the tips so far...

Firstly, i have never used any biodiesel but about 15000 kms ago i had a bad batch of fuel (from an independant - never again!) which resulted in a lot of coughing & spluttering and the fuel filter needing to be replaced. But the new problem has only started about 2000kms ago so not sure that there is any connection there.

Interesting that the engine only stall when i go down hill with my foot off the accelerator, coasting. wierd. maybe this suggests a TPS issue ?

Also interesting, that the TPS was the fault logged on the diagnostic but once removed hasn't come back.

I'm thinking of perhaps replacing the TPS as a starting point and if that doesn't work, perhaps clean the tank & lines (not that i know how to do either of these things but it's a good time to start learning i guess).

This will definately be a process of elimination so if anyone has anymore tips i'm happy to hear them. thanks again everyone
AnswerID: 219063

Follow Up By: zabble - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:59

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 19:59
sorry, forgot to mention that the problem occurs at whatever the level of fuel in the tank, max or low.
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FollowupID: 479527

Reply By: brett - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 20:29

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 20:29
If the engine light came on then there will be a fault code that can be retrieved, if you took it to a Nissan dealer and they found no history of a code then that Nissan delaer has a serious problem. The fact that someone else found the throttle position error code confirms this. Clearing the error code won't fix the fault, you need to fix the TPS. I hope you didn't pay the Nissan delaer any money for their non diagnosis
AnswerID: 219071

Reply By: zabble - Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 20:47

Thursday, Feb 01, 2007 at 20:47
the more i research, the more it sounds like issues with the TPS (i hope).

Can anyone refer me to any manuals or info on where to purchase a TPS and how to fix it? Do i need to replace it or does it just need to be adjusted?
AnswerID: 219078

Follow Up By: 120scruiser (NSW) - Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 20:16

Friday, Feb 02, 2007 at 20:16
I would start with the wiring connection.
When the ECU throws up a fault code, in your case TPS, it means it is in the TPS circuit and not necesarily the actual switch. It is possibly the switch but could be a bad connection.
I would be looking at the MAF sensor as well. It doesn't take much to unplug, inspect and replug. Sometimes we fix faults in my workshop by doing this as it is only a bad connection. Mostly on older systems though.
The MAF sensors do give problems in the Nissans.
Hope this helps
120scruiser
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FollowupID: 479854

Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 04:54

Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 04:54
I have an 03 Navara, and never had a fuel problem ( touchwood ) ,,,

Have you had a look at the in-line filter at the fuel tank ?

Its in a very awkward spot, but it is accessable, I would change that , and the main one as well ,,,,

Try putting a double dose of Chemtech Diesel additive, into the fuel tank, and tow something really heavy, for 50 or 100 km..at highway speed ( safely )

A really good workout, is sometimes the best thing. A real good blow out

Cheers Mate
Bucky
AnswerID: 219397

Reply By: Red One - Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 21:41

Saturday, Feb 03, 2007 at 21:41
get them to check the air flow sensor
AnswerID: 219538

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