Car D.I.Y.

[fossyant]

The Datsun is poorly. Trip to Wales at weekend, perfect going down, but didn't start promptly when we got into it yesterday morning. Took a bit of cranking ! Main issue is it didn't have much poke, so drove it stready on the way home - no MIL, but it managed "about" 70 OK.

Filled with premium when near home, but on starting the MIL came on.

ODBC plugged in and read the fault code - P0335 crankshaft position sensor. Reset then tested again. I'm getting about 50% immediate starts, the rest take cranking. Running OK but I've not driven it. As the code has popped up again, I've ordered a set of genuine Nissan crank and cam sensors off ebay (new in box) for £54. Parts should arrive this week. Needs the car on a set of ramps as it's at the rear bottom of the engine.

Anyone know if crank sensors are in the 'oil' - do I prepare for oil to come out ?

 

[rockyroller]

The Datsun is poorly. Trip to Wales at weekend, perfect going down, but didn't start promptly when we got into it yesterday morning. Took a bit of cranking ! Main issue is it didn't have much poke, so drove it stready on the way home - no MIL, but it managed "about" 70 OK.

Filled with premium when near home, but on starting the MIL came on.

ODBC plugged in and read the fault code - P0335 crankshaft position sensor. Reset then tested again. I'm getting about 50% immediate starts, the rest take cranking. Running OK but I've not driven it. As the code has popped up again, I've ordered a set of genuine Nissan crank and cam sensors off ebay (new in box) for £54. Parts should arrive this week. Needs the car on a set of ramps as it's at the rear bottom of the engine.

Anyone know if crank sensors are in the 'oil' - do I prepare for oil to come out ?

sorry can't help you but curious what Datsun you have. I haven't see that name in the US in a long time. learned to drive a stick in a HS teacher's 240Z (1977). I was so bad my friend Sherry couldn't stop laughing the whole time

 

[fossyant]

sorry can't help you but curious what Datsun you have. I haven't see that name in the US in a long time. learned to drive a stick in a HS teacher's 240Z (1977). I was so bad my friend Sherry couldn't stop laughing the whole time

Sorry it's a 'joke' - we sometimes still call them Datsuns, It's a Nissan Primera - not dissimilar looking to the Maxima in the US (from around 2005 - my car is 2001), although fitted with less polluting euro engines !

 

[rockyroller]

Sorry it's a 'joke' - we sometimes still call them Datsuns, It's a Nissan Primera - not dissimilar looking to the Maxima in the US (from around 2005 - my car is 2001), although fitted with less polluting euro engines !

oh haha cool!

 

[fossyant]

And the Nissan/Datsun lives.

Two sensors arrived today - genuine Nissan sensor pack off ebay, crank and cam with end serial number letters 3 and 4. One on the car were 0 and 1. So 3 replaced 0, the faulty crank sensor, and then replaced 1 with 4 as a matched pair. I was a bit dubious, but the parts were physically identical.

What a bloody job to get out. - The sensor is located at the rear of the engine, above the drive shaft about half way up - only access is from the rear of the engine underneath - other side blocked by gearbox, and top - too many hoses and metal pipes.

Under car, on my back, arm up between drive shaft and subframe, elbow deep. Got the retaining screw out, but the sensor wouldn't pull. It would rotate in the 'hole', but would it come out ? Took an hour of twisting and turning, using this tool and that to try and prise it out. Finally it popped out. New one just slotted in without any trouble, no resistance at all. I think the seals swell over time. THe cam sensor was at the top of the engine and a couple of minutes to swap.

Car started first time but, it was running rough. A quick drive and the MIL reported cylinder 3 misfire (using an ODBC II reader). In with new spark plugs and brake cleanered the coil packs. Swapped 3 and 4 to prove 3 was dodgy - as you pull the coil pack, it stops a spark plug firing, so when I pulled the swapped 3 out, it ran even worse (2 cylinders). Swapped back and cleaned up 3 again. Fortunately, this extra cleaning sorted it.

Hopefully another 20 years out of it. The Mrs was like 'you need a new car, it's getting on, I know you don't use it much but...' So £54 for parts and an extra £18 for four plugs, and a sweary hour or so and it's purring again.

Dasun nice Nissan !

The big wory was if this didn't sort it, it could be a stretched timing chain, and it's a massive job (they don't tend to stretch on these engines though - but it would get worse, rather than an 'instant' starting/misfire like mine was). A new chain would be a big job in labour and more than the car's worth.

 

[fossyant]

The offending bits of plastic with magnets and stuff. Critical on modern injected cars.

 

[rockyroller]

The offending bits of plastic with magnets and stuff. Critical on modern injected cars.

impressive work!

 

[fossyant]

impressive work!

Thinking about it, there was a recall on my car for these sensors, so I suspect I never got one - hence the serial number being a digit or two different (replacement revised part). I've owned the car 19 out of 20 years.

 

[fraz101]

Thinking about it, there was a recall on my car for these sensors, so I suspect I never got one - hence the serial number being a digit or two different (replacement revised part). I've owned the car 19 out of 20 years.

Glad,you got it sorted and it was only the sensors.

I used to work on Renaults and we shared workshop with Nissan techs. Timing chains were very common for throwing the cam sensor fault codes. Very common for chain stretch which isn’t a quick or easy job.

 

[fossyant]

Glad,you got it sorted and it was only the sensors.

I used to work on Renaults and we shared workshop with Nissan techs. Timing chains were very common for throwing the cam sensor fault codes. Very common for chain stretch which isn’t a quick or easy job.

Chain stretch should only ever happen if the car isn't looked after - i.e. oil changes. Mine has had all that. We've had chain driven cars for over 20 years, no issues - Nissan and Toyota. It's like cam belts, you don't look after it, the car will get you.

Mine has a Nissan engine. Thing is a chain failure will start to cause running issues - that's when it needs looking at. A sensor going is quite quick TBH, but will lead to big problems. I've been massively impressed with Toyota and Nissan engines. Nissan always have a 'backdoor' fix without their software.

 

[fraz101]

Yes oil quality is key to prolonging the life of the chain.

I have seen many Nissan chains stretched and the first symptom is usually MIL light on and showing cam sensor fault(as it alters cam timing due to chain stretch),usually then followed by a slight misfire

 

[fossyant]

Yes oil quality is key to prolonging the life of the chain.

I have seen many Nissan chains stretched and the first symptom is usually MIL light on and showing cam sensor fault(as it alters cam timing due to chain stretch),usually then followed by a slight misfire

I'd seen nothing until a struggled start - but the MIL said crankshaft. The car is old though, but it's been incredibly reliable, and hasn't ever 'broken down'.

Oil changes are key - but most folk won't pay nor will they do it. My son's mate's car had oil like soup come out of it, when he wondered why it wasn't running - they (son and mates) did their best to fix it - new oil, full service, but it was done for. 64 plate Corsa..

 

[fraz101]

I'd seen nothing until a struggled start - but the MIL said crankshaft. The car is old though, but it's been incredibly reliable, and hasn't ever 'broken down'.

Oil changes are key - but most folk won't pay nor will they do it. My son's mate's car had oil like soup come out of it, when he wondered why it wasn't running - they (son and mates) did their best to fix it - new oil, full service, but it was done for. 64 plate Corsa..

Like you said earlier there was indeed a recall on the sensors many years ago And it’s usually cam sensor fault with a stretched chain.
Keep changing the oil regularly 👍

 

[fossyant]

Like you said earlier there was indeed a recall on the sensors many years ago And it’s usually cam sensor fault with a stretched chain.
Keep changing the oil regularly 👍

I think mine never got done It's the bike hauler, as it's easier getting bikes on the 'car' rather than the Qashqai - which has been brill too.

It's old, still looks nice, comfy, has lots of toys... and can get 4 big MTB's on the roof, 4 riders in the car in comfort, dirty kit in the boot, and still wipe clean with a baby wipe (the interior is cream .....)...

 

[fossyant]

Pic on my avatar....