Intermittent lost of power

[Daroosie]

Hi All,

I have got a Nissan Pathfinder 2007 - 72,000 miles on the clock. Diesel.
owned for 3 years. It is my main vehicle - used for work and pleasure. I don't tow anything and my load isn't massive most days - tools for work and a dog. An average journey to work is 60 miles each way.

In the last year it has developed a problem - while at slow speeds it turns its self off. Like its stalling. The engine just cuts out. It shutters sometimes - like its not firing right and it shifts the bonnet left to right.
It happens at random - when there is a full tank, half a tank, quarter of a tank.
If you pull away from a set of lights there is a chance it just cuts out. (not helpful on a Friday night on the north circular in London)
It also occurs when coming up to a junction as you go down the gears or when pulling away. Today it did it whilst driving in a 20mph zone it just cuts out.

It has never done it when I'm travelling above 40mph which is a good thing as I do a lot of motorway driving.

It starts straight away each time. From stand still or just keep rolling turn it off and turn it on again and its fine. Until the next time. There is no white smoke that I have noticed.

Ive been to a number of garages in the area over the last year and because it doesn't come up with a fault they have no idea what it could be. Fuel, electrical, mechanics? who knows.

A couple of weeks ago (when I joined the site) it was happening pretty frequently 8 times on the way to work and someone recommended to change the fuel filter - which I managed to do last Saturday. The mechanic who fitted it said that he managed to find a fault code but it crashed his machine several times over - so all he saw was its something to do with the fuel system.
He didn't think the fuel filter was the issue - it has since done it several times.

I just wanted anyones thoughts on what it could be or any good garages in the Essex area. It seems everyone is a little apprehensive due to the size of the vehicle?

Or do I take it back to Nissan and hope they can find the fault?

I don't want to lose the vehicle.

 

[rayf3262]

Hi All,

I have got a Nissan Pathfinder 2007 - 72,000 miles on the clock. Diesel.
owned for 3 years. It is my main vehicle - used for work and pleasure. I don't tow anything and my load isn't massive most days - tools for work and a dog. An average journey to work is 60 miles each way.

In the last year it has developed a problem - while at slow speeds it turns its self off. Like its stalling. The engine just cuts out. It shutters sometimes - like its not firing right and it shifts the bonnet left to right.
It happens at random - when there is a full tank, half a tank, quarter of a tank.
If you pull away from a set of lights there is a chance it just cuts out. (not helpful on a Friday night on the north circular in London)
It also occurs when coming up to a junction as you go down the gears or when pulling away. Today it did it whilst driving in a 20mph zone it just cuts out.

It has never done it when I'm travelling above 40mph which is a good thing as I do a lot of motorway driving.

The mechanic who fitted it said that he managed to find a fault code but it crashed his machine several times over - so all he saw was its something to do with the fuel system.
He didn't think the fuel filter was the issue - it has since done it several times.

It may be worthwhile checking the MAF (mass airflow sensor).
A failing MAF does exhibit many of the symptoms you describe, typically at low engine rpm's.
At cruising speeds the airflow passing the MAF is sufficient to mask the lack of MAF sensitivity at a lower airflow volume.
I am not familiar with the details of the airflow sensor arrangement on the Navara so can't offer any detailed advice on checking it, but it should be straightforward enough and is certainly worth eliminating as part of the diagnostic process.
It can be caused by an air leak into the inlet path AFTER the MAF location, or a build up of dirt/crud on the sensor itself or just a plain and simple sensor in the process of failing.

 

[RJL Services]

i had similiar on a jeep cherokee 2.8 diesel i cleaned the maf sensor and on the cherokee they have a manifold air pressure sensor too on the intake manifold when i removed it was all sooted and gunked up i replaced the sensor and all was fine afterwards it was a right pain as it was an automatic kept cutting out randomly so may be worth seeing if the navara has one fitted

 

[Daroosie]

Thanks I'll have a look at it today and see whats going on with the airflow sensor

 

[Davey Boy]

Morning!
If your sensor is similar to the fine wire type on the Patrol's DO NOT be tempted to touch the wire in the window at all. You don't need to to be able to clean it.
You can buy small tins of proper spray solvent MAF cleaner to do the job, or use a good quality electrical contact cleaner spray, and douse the component in the stuff and leave until bone dry. They can get very dirty, and hopefully this may be you're issue, and an easy fix.
D

 

[Banshee]

Be very careful when near MAF's, Ive been told that as a general rule if it's a Bosch MAF they should not be touched and are self cleaning.

I made this guide a while ago which shows how to clean the Hitachi variant found in earlier Mk2 Terranos and Mavericks

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/downloads/workshop/wk48.pdf