1997 Nissan Pathfinder Ignition Timing after placing PCM in diagnostic mode

1997 Nissan Pathfinder Ignition Timing after placing PCM in diagnostic mode

[@gregorysummers2666]

Umm the part I needed was after your video cut out

[@ChristopherQuimby]

dont worry about PCM diagnostics mode. Not necessary

[@ChristopherQuimby]

also see my above answers to same question.

[@Mattsretiring]

My dude- you cut the video short just when you were getting to the interesting bit. Why was your car losing power and what did you do to fix it? Cheers

[@2dazetake]

Damz your video cut out just before some needed info, working on the same engine right now, about ready to put a new distributor in and will probably run into the same problem thanks for the post,not sure what happened at the end of the video,but we missed it.

[@cathalodonnell6588]

How did you get the PCM out? Its an absolute nightmare from what I can see

[@cxq109]

A few verbal "typos". Inside the distributor is the Camshaft Position Sensor. NOT the CRANKshat position sensor. The crank sensor is on the back of the engine near the transmission bell housing. I've heard that some of the distributors have bad resistors in them that get wonky when hot. Try to save a few $ on a cheaper distributor and you PAY for it in the end.

[@Ty-tie_FTW]

I bought a cheap distributor online and it failed after a month. 98 pathfinder... It wasnt getting spark so i warrantied the distributor with a replacement of the same kind. Could the resistor be the problem in mine? Can i buy an aftermarket resistor to put in the distributor??

[@ricgomez1]

Question is how I take it out of diagnostic mode?

[@jimbuski7868]

What finally ended up happening was.............WHAT? Mine failed the same way. Left me hanging at 5:35

[@cxq109]

jim buski , Sorry. Ran out of data space on iPhone. Internittant power loss at high RPM was from the crank position sensor in original factory distributor finally giving up the ghost. Spark signal would stop at high RPM as the ECU could not tell when to spark, so it would just drop. Also tachometer would "flutter" down just for a few milliseconds with the power loss. After getting new NAPA distributor that problem is gone and no problem with the warm/hot no start I had with the cheap parts...

[@cxq109]

Cam sensor I mean...

[@cxq109]

Also most guys don't bother with ECU diagnostic mode. That ended up making no difference. Lots of extra work. You can disconnect the electronic throttle control after warming up engine and that keeps ECU from advancing/retarding ignition timing when you rotate distributor to adjust timing. I tried that too, but made little difference for me. You wouldn't expect computer to adjust timing at idle anyway, but what the book says to do. Mine was failing smogs and I kept having to re-learn the ECU through like 10 test patterns (like a thousand miles of useless driving--there ya go you eco-nazi's how did that help emissions!!!!) and I did not want to do one more for unplugging idle control. Can't recall if that mode clears ECU memory anyway, but I was trying to avoid yet another relearn. In the end my timing was same in all three situations: 1.) Normal set up 2.) Idle Control connector disconnected 3.) ECU in diagnostics mode all at normal operating temp. Maybe in really cold temps or high elevations the ECU will adjust throttle and idle timing and potentially interfere with manual adjustment...but for me at sea level and normal room temp outside air I noticed no effect on when I went to check/adjust timing.

[@cxq109]

See kzbin.info/www/bejne/apjQc5ekYs13lcU