CPS problems in Morrisburg

[Scotto]

First - A big thanks to Jayman and HolidayNation for doing their best to help out. Now on to the problem that has my truck grounded in the little town of Morrisburg.

Driving back from Val David, Qu. today the truck started to stutter. Pulled into an OnRoute and it appeared that the truck was misfiring a bit, but a quick check of things and a little drive around seemed to be OK. I looked at the distributor, wires, checked codes. Nothing amiss. So we left. Everything appeared good, and the truck was fine for the next 30 mins. Then it stuttered again, but worse. Four-ways on the side of the 401 kind of worse. Managed to get off the highway, and limped into Morrisburg at 20KPH. Found the only open garage - a Canadian Tire. Not my first choice, but what can you do?

Turns out the head mechanic guy was actually good. Not terribly versed on Nissans, but a good mechanic. And he let me help out. We looked at codes, and found that the Camshaft Position Sensor was throwing a code. ScanGauge useless So we took the distributor cap off, cleaned it, then pulled the rotor off, and then had a look under the little housing that covers the CPS. A little yellow wire that feeds to the CPS had shorted on the wall of the distributor. Arced across - could see a burn mark on the wall, and the sheath was black. This must have blown the CPS. I'm hoping that the 5V CPS stopped any shorting of the ECM. I am happy the little wire didn't catch fire.

But we couldn't find a new CPS to save our lives. It's now about 4:00 on Saturday afternoon. We're 500 Kms from home, and getting desperate. Sylvain the mechanic lets me use his laptop to log into CNTC. I called Eric and Jay, but no luck on a spare CPS - although Jay offered to take his off his truck for me - and I thought of the other guys in Ottawa, but time was running short. If I was on my own I would have called everyone, got a motel, and then found a bar. But three kids and Jennifer and still a long drive home? As it was, we took two vehicles for the trip, and we had Jenn's Matrix, and Jennifer thought it foolish to hang out in M-burg til possibly Tuesday, so we left.

So.... The truck is in M-burg, waiting for a new CPS to show up. It's sitting in a Canadian Tire bay as the guys at the C-Tire felt that there wouldn't be much left of the truck if left in the parking lot. I agreed that the folks in M-burg would strip my truck if left outside.

So I am at home, but without yellow beast. The next trick is going to be to find a way to get back to M-burg on Tuesday or Wednesday. It's been a long day, and I have a few ideas - like train, then bus; or fly, then rent a car; or maybe call on Jay or Eric or someone else out in the Ottawa area who might like to offer a guy a ride to that little town on the 401 - but I am fried right now and need a cleared brain to solve the issue.

Going to be a long week....


Scott

[Morpheus]

Scott, if you need to, you can take the whole distributor off my truck and run it back out there if you want. My truck will be in the garage for at least the next few weeks, just bolt it in and it should get the beast back home.

[Simon]

i don't think you can buy the CPS separate from the distributor, but I could be wrong.

[Adam]

If you can get to Ottawa I can give you a ride out to Morrisburg.

I just looked on rock auto and the distributor between a 3.3 xterra and r50 pathfinder are the same, and I saw 2 r50s in the local junkyard here so maybe that could be a quick fix? The yard's site lists a distributor at 14.99.

[studum]

I'm also under the impression (from reading on clubfrontier) that the CPS is built into the distributor and you have to swap out the whole unit.

Good luck!

[HolidayNation]

I believe Scott has ordered the part(s) already, they just wouldn't have it in time for him to wait around, with the whole family. I know bearskin airlines does several trips between KW and Ottawa airports, fairly cheap one way flights. So maybe a flight out and someone can pick him up at the Otown airport. Unlike pearson, ottawa is a quick in and out. Just a thought. Unfortunately I am going to be away this week so I am no help.

[Scotto]

Right now - I don't know 100% - but I remember looking at the little screws that hold it in place. And here's a link to a pic of the dist, and the CPS can be spotted: http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2883. And as I read the post it says it can't be removed if it's the diode... I just found the cost of a new ignition coil and it's $200-

My Haynes manual is still in the truck - but it was my impression that this was a part that could be replaced. I remember looking at two little screws that held it in place. Either/or, it will be replaced.

I might take you up on your offer, Morpheus. And I'll keep you in the loop, Adam.

Thanks!

[Morpheus]

Np, takes 5 min to remove, install is a little more tricky.

Officially, the cps is part of the distributor, but they can be rebuilt, therefore the parts must be available, somewhere. Just have to search for them.

[Scotto]

OK - I have my plan together.

I'm getting them to find an ignition distributor (more on-line looking solved the issue: the sensor is "an integral part of the distributor" (Haynes, section 6-12), which at first I thought meant important, but now realize means it doesn't come off). Fortunately, the cost of the part isn't steep. Somewhere around $200-250. My thinking here is that they can put it on, and the truck should be good, but if it's not, I haven't spent a lot of time running around getting a part and going out there only to find nothing has changed. The crankshaft position sensor would do the same things to the truck... Although I am 95% certain it is that little, tiny burnt, slightly melted and charred wire that caused the whole kit and caboodle to blow up.

After some hunting, Via Rail can get me from KW to Cornwall for a fair price (if they don't crash) and it's only 45Km from there to Morrisburg. I can cab that... But if someone from Ottawa wants to pick me up and visit the charming town of Morrisburg, hey, I'll buy lunch.

I'm hoping Tuesday will be the day of the long journey....

[Scotto]

Np, takes 5 min to remove, install is a little more tricky.

Officially, the cps is part of the distributor, but they can be rebuilt, therefore the parts must be available, somewhere. Just have to search for them.

Excellent - I'll keep that old bad boy and use it as a spare for next time...

[Scotto]

If you can get to Ottawa I can give you a ride out to Morrisburg.

I just looked on rock auto and the distributor between a 3.3 xterra and r50 pathfinder are the same, and I saw 2 r50s in the local junkyard here so maybe that could be a quick fix? The yard's site lists a distributor at 14.99.

Thanks Adam - that quote must be for a cap and rotor. When a new dizzy is 200+, what's he selling for $15-???

[Adam]

http://www.kennyupull.net/pricelist.php

It is a pull it yourself yard so things are ridiculously cheap.

If you want a ride let me know, I've got no work this week.

[01R50]

http://www.kennyupull.net/pricelist.php

It is a pull it yourself yard so things are ridiculously cheap.

If you want a ride let me know, I've got no work this week.

FYI. Was at Kennys in Ottawa on Friday and there were no R50's/xterra's or anything else interesting in the yard. If they did have some, they are gone now. I know that 96 Pathy is gone too. Kenny's in Gatineau might have some though.

[studum]

FWIW I was just sitting here and thinking. I've also read on club frontier that the bearings commonly go in the dizzy, and when the do the sensors can give faulty readings and cause problems similar to yours. You're probably on the right track with the burnt wire and all but thought I'd mention it as an FYI if you didn't know already. Nissan says the bearing isn't serviceable, but some of the guys there have managed to change only the bearing.

If you're departing KW outside of my work hours I can offer to taxi you between home and KW if you don't have that sorted out, but unfortunately can't afford to take any time off right now.

[Big Bird]

At work i have already replace a couple of bearings on customers distributors due to noise not performance. I would just replace the whole unit.

[Miner]

I would love to help but this week is nuts.

VIA to Cornwall is probably your best bet. If I wasn't tied up at work, and after work, we could have driven you from Kingston.

Good luck.

FYI - if anyone has a breakdown on the 401 corridor near Kingston I have the truck and a float (think really heavy car-hauler) ready to go for a friend in need. My last tow was a stranger who broke down in front of my house Saturday night. These things happen and it is good tobe able to help when we can.

[Bender]

Man if you can wait until the weekend we could drive up. I would be up for a road trip! Cost you a beer or two but would be fun! Let me know.

[Scotto]

At work i have already replace a couple of bearings on customers distributors due to noise not performance. I would just replace the whole unit.

Yeah -we're replacing the whole unit. It's a bit more in cost than what I could get at home - but it would be a 7 to10 day delivery to my home. I need it now... But hey, it's Morrisburg. What can you expect. I asked for my old dizzy back. They weren't aware of a core charge, so I would like to rebuild it and use it as a spare.

The new dizzy arrived there this afternoon. I'm going to call around noon tomorrow and see how the truck is. My fear is that C-tire has a hard time setting it up, and I'll have to learn fast or drag it to 417 Nissan. Hoping all will be good. And no other weird issues. I suspect the ECU is fine, as it continued to read codes. And there's so many fuses to protect it.

Anyway, that means Wednesday is the big VIA trip.

As it happens, I was at band practice yesterday, and our bass drummer happens to be from Morrisburg. Who would have guessed? He said it was very smart to keep the truck in the bay and not out in the parking lot.

Christ - what a town.

Thanks for all the offers for help. That's what makes this club great.

[Scotto]

Man if you can wait until the weekend we could drive up. I would be up for a road trip! Cost you a beer or two but would be fun! Let me know.

Jay - thanks buddy. It still might come to that. Only issue is I have a wedding to pipe on Saturday (good $) and then I bolt to grandma's....

In other news, I have some floors to weld on the Jeep that require the attention of a young fella I know who is particularly handy with a MIG.

We need to get together and hang soon.

[Bender]

Well if it comes down to buddy I am done work on Fridays at 4:30 so we could leave after that. Just keep it in the back of your mind. It would make us exhausted but we can do it!

Side note, sorry to hear about your grandma.