The Nissan Path

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 5:15 pm**

I am trying to find the crank sensor on my 1998 pathfinder. I have looked everyplace it indicates on line where it is supposed to be, but I can not find it. Does any one have an actual picture showing where it is located?

Posted: **Sat Jan 31, 2015 7:16 pm**

It's not in the easiest place to get to and even tougher if you don't have a vehicle hoist so you can get to it from underneath. It's located at the top of the transmission bellhousing, a few inches left of center. It has a metal heat shield over it and is held in with a single, 10mm head bolt. With the vehicle on a hoist, I would stand under the vehicle and squeeze by arm past the front driveshaft and reach up to the sensor. It's a real pain!

Image link:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/2cp-images/ques ... /large.gif

Posted: **Sun Feb 01, 2015 1:08 pm**

smj999smj wrote:It's not in the easiest place to get to and even tougher if you don't have a vehicle hoist so you can get to it from underneath. It's located at the top of the transmission bellhousing, a few inches left of center. It has a metal heat shield over it and is held in with a single, 10mm head bolt. With the vehicle on a hoist, I would stand under the vehicle and squeeze by arm past the front driveshaft and reach up to the sensor. It's a real pain!

Image link:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/2cp-images/ques ... /large.gif

OK, Thanks, I have tried feeling all around in that location, but have had no success. I am going to borrow a mirror to see if that will help me locate it. I am either reaching form the top, or laying on the ground, I do not have access to a hoist.

Posted: **Sun Feb 01, 2015 2:04 pm**

If your arms and hands are of normal man size I doubt VERY seriously you will be able to manipulate it. It's still a b!*$# after dropping the transmission cross member and removing the drive shaft so you can tilt the engine and tranny to gain another inch or so of clearance. Also, the plug is a snap lock that pretty much requires you to bend the heat shield out of the way to even get your fingertips on. An articulated, ratcheting 10mm wrench is your best bet. When that doesn't, work a large flat blade screwdriver to pry the connector's plastic flanged bayonet works pretty well. This gives you more slack to be able to release the clip.

Posted: **Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:27 pm**

moymurfs wrote:If your arms and hands are of normal man size I doubt VERY seriously you will be able to manipulate it. It's still a b!*$# after dropping the transmission cross member and removing the drive shaft so you can tilt the engine and tranny to gain another inch or so of clearance. Also, the plug is a snap lock that pretty much requires you to bend the heat shield out of the way to even get your fingertips on. An articulated, ratcheting 10mm wrench is your best bet. When that doesn't, work a large flat blade screwdriver to pry the connector's plastic flanged bayonet works pretty well. This gives you more slack to be able to release the clip.

Thanks, I have not had time yet to get to this, am planning on this being my Saturday project, again, I will let you know how it goes, Thanks to all for the help.

Posted: **Sat Feb 07, 2015 3:13 pm**

montana wrote:
moymurfs wrote:If your arms and hands are of normal man size I doubt VERY seriously you will be able to manipulate it. It's still a b!*$# after dropping the transmission cross member and removing the drive shaft so you can tilt the engine and tranny to gain another inch or so of clearance. Also, the plug is a snap lock that pretty much requires you to bend the heat shield out of the way to even get your fingertips on. An articulated, ratcheting 10mm wrench is your best bet. When that doesn't, work a large flat blade screwdriver to pry the connector's plastic flanged bayonet works pretty well. This gives you more slack to be able to release the clip.
Thanks, I have not had time yet to get to this, am planning on this being my Saturday project, again, I will let you know how it goes, Thanks to all for the help.

Well, I have still had no luck trying to locate the crank sensor. I have used an inspection mirror, and have looked everyplace I can think of. I see no 10 MM bolt head, no wire going to the sensor, no cover plate, I am very frustrated. I took some pictures, but have been unable to attach them to this post. I was hoping some one could look at the actual picture and tell me if they could see it, or where it would be in reference to the pictures. I have a couple of questions. I am not sure it is the crank sensor that is causing mu problem. I am just going off of what I have read on the internet as I have been searching. If it is the crank sensor, would there be a code that would tell me that is what the problem is?
To start with the Pathfinder would just not start. To make a long story short, I have changed the distributer cap and rotor, the spark plugs and the fuel filter. The fuel pump and timing belt are less than 8 months old. Now the car will start and run, then it will eventually die. I have noticed that while running, sometimes the needle on the tach will just drop off to 0. Then most of the time it will die. Sometimes it will just run rough, then pick back up and run. After it sets for a while, it will start back up.
The reason I felt it was the crank sensor is, it acts as though what ever is controlling the timing is not working correctly.
Today after I changed the fuel filter, it ran for quit a while. I thought maybe that had been the problem. I took the car for a drive, I got about a mile from my house and it died. After pulling it back home, it started again. When I turned the starter, it cranked for a few minutes and was not starting, then just as I let go of the key, it begin to sound as though it was going to back fire a little, then it took hold and ran. I am very confused.
Any suggestions?

Posted: **Sat Feb 07, 2015 3:44 pm**

http://www.justanswer.com/nissan/3m7gs- ... using.html
It's at the 11;30 0'CLOCK position on the bell housing.
Hope that helps but I would try to pull some codes off of it to help narrow your search for the what might be a different issue.
Have you been able to pull any codes?

The distributors are notorious for crapping out. Just a rotor or cap doesn't cut it. I had one where the bearing was finally disintegrating and caused innards to sink...thus the flimsy disc on the cam position sensor was getting out of whack and causing havoc.

Posted: **Tue Feb 10, 2015 5:27 pm**

moymurfs wrote:http://www.justanswer.com/nissan/3m7gs- ... using.html
It's at the 11;30 0'CLOCK position on the bell housing.
Hope that helps but I would try to pull some codes off of it to help narrow your search for the what might be a different issue.
Have you been able to pull any codes?

The distributors are notorious for crapping out. Just a rotor or cap doesn't cut it. I had one where the bearing was finally disintegrating and caused innards to sink...thus the flimsy disc on the cam position sensor was getting out of whack and causing havoc.

I have not tried to pull any codes, I have not found any one with a code reader that is close enough to where I live that I can take it too. I am still searching. I pulled the distributor, and mechanically, I can not see any issues. It turns freely, no binding or catching. I know that does not tell all, but a close inspection of the distributor looks good. I will look extra close at the 11:30 position on the bell housing, thanks.

Posted: **Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:30 pm**

montana wrote:
moymurfs wrote:http://www.justanswer.com/nissan/3m7gs- ... using.html
It's at the 11;30 0'CLOCK position on the bell housing.
Hope that helps but I would try to pull some codes off of it to help narrow your search for the what might be a different issue.
Have you been able to pull any codes?

The distributors are notorious for crapping out. Just a rotor or cap doesn't cut it. I had one where the bearing was finally disintegrating and caused innards to sink...thus the flimsy disc on the cam position sensor was getting out of whack and causing havoc.
I have not tried to pull any codes, I have not found any one with a code reader that is close enough to where I live that I can take it too. I am still searching. I pulled the distributor, and mechanically, I can not see any issues. It turns freely, no binding or catching. I know that does not tell all, but a close inspection of the distributor looks good. I will look extra close at the 11:30 position on the bell housing, thanks.

You can check codes without a code reader, if you want:

http://www.troublecodes.net/Nissan/

Posted: **Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:53 am**

smj999smj wrote:
montana wrote:
moymurfs wrote:http://www.justanswer.com/nissan/3m7gs- ... using.html
It's at the 11;30 0'CLOCK position on the bell housing.
Hope that helps but I would try to pull some codes off of it to help narrow your search for the what might be a different issue.
Have you been able to pull any codes?

The distributors are notorious for crapping out. Just a rotor or cap doesn't cut it. I had one where the bearing was finally disintegrating and caused innards to sink...thus the flimsy disc on the cam position sensor was getting out of whack and causing havoc.
I have not tried to pull any codes, I have not found any one with a code reader that is close enough to where I live that I can take it too. I am still searching. I pulled the distributor, and mechanically, I can not see any issues. It turns freely, no binding or catching. I know that does not tell all, but a close inspection of the distributor looks good. I will look extra close at the 11:30 position on the bell housing, thanks.
You can check codes without a code reader, if you want:

Where is the ECU located, and once you count the number of flashes, where is the information that indicates the problem.

http://www.troublecodes.net/Nissan/

The Nissan Path

1998 crank sensor location

1998 crank sensor location