Just Quit....ECM?

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 4:21 pm

Our 1997 Pathy with 310K just up and quit the other day while driving.
It had been running fine, no hesitation, misses, nothing.
The starter will turn the engine just fine, but no spark.
In addition to replacing the distributor, wires and plugs, I have run all of the troubleshoots in the Haynes manual. Still no spark.
That seems to point to the ECM.
A new one is 350ish and a used one here abouts (we are stranded in Maryland) is 100.
Thing is the number on ours is MECM-W203R, and that dosent match the info from any place I look up the 1997.
Any thoughts or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:17 am

Well...
Frustrated, I decided to go back to basics.
Foolishly, I guess, I hadnt checked to see if the dizzy was turning...I aint.
I am guessing that the timing belt snapped.
If so it is my fault as I changed it about 5k ago.

No noise when it died, none at all.
Any oppinion on valve train damage? The wisdom of the google seems to lean towards "everything should be fine", but nothing deffinate.
Thanks again.

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 9:24 am

Just incase anyone is following along.
Timing belt shredded.
I replaced it about 5k ago, second time I did it. Supprised it would happen after 5k, I'd think sooner if I'd gotten something wrong.
Bad tensioner? Didnt replace.
But also the carnk shaft pully has seperated! The two larger, outer groved tracks have conpletely seperated from the pully it self. The pully "body" and the V track "power" steering are still as one and firmly in place on the crankshaft.
Very Odd.

Postby **mar1** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 10:20 am

sorry cant really contribute to the thread, but just to assure you that someone is reading

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 10:26 am

Thanks, I started to think i was all alone was having teotwawki fears.

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 4:31 am

The tensioner was the culprit. Completely exploded, my fault for not replacing it when i was in there.
I have to order the tensioner and the crankshaft pulley, so it'll be a week before I know how well it survived.
Couldn't find definitive word on line about the VG33E being non-interference, but the dealership here abouts says it is. So unless I personally find out different I am going to be happily confident as I wait for parts to arrive.

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 5:08 pm

New belt, new tensioner, new harmonic balancer and away he goes!
I can confirm, based on the opinion of two dealerships and my own experience that the VG33E engine is in fact a non interference engine.

Postby **smj999smj** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:11 pm

Usually when I do a timing belt on a VG, I get Gates Timing belt componant kit w/ water pump from Rockauto.com. I'll also get a set of front cam and crank seals, thermostat and drive belts from Nissan...radiator hoses as needed. My thinking is that it'll be 105,000 miles until the timing belt is due and that's a lot of additional miles on the water pump and tensioner if I choose not to replace them. Goes to the old saying,"Do it once and do it right." The Gates kits are of good quality and often use Koyo pullies and Aisen water pumps on their kits for Asian makes; both are OEM suppliers to Nissan and Toyota.

Gdubyacobb · Postby **Gdubyacobb** » Sun Nov 25, 2012 6:48 pm

Yeah, I agree. That's sound advice.
I've done the waterpump every 100k, but when I did it 5k back I didn't do the tensioner. Completely my own fault.
When I hit 400k, I'll be sure to do the tensioner now mater how it seems.

Just Quit....ECM?

Just Quit....ECM?

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