1987 NISSAN PULSAR fuel

32
ROADSIDE TROUBLE SHOOTING
CAUTION: To prevent severe electrical shock extreme care must be taken w\
hen
working on or near the electronic ignition system as dangerous high tension voltages
are produced in both the primary and secondary circuits. See the text fo\
r
precautionary notes.

This section deals with the common causes of
engine failure to start, as inevitably there will come a
time when every driver will experience this problem
and will therefore need to call upon his own resources
to rectify the trouble. Roadside breakdowns other
than engine failure can be identified by reference to
the Trouble Shooting section on the particular com-
ponent affected.

1. TROUBLE SHOOTING
Trouble shooting is only a process of elimination
and provided the procedure is carried out correctly
and systematically an accur ate diagnosis of the trouble
can be made in the minimum amount of time.

For an internal combustion engine to run there
are three basic requirements, these are ignition, fuel
and compression. There are other factors of course
but as a rule an engine's failure to start can be
attributed to a fault in one of these three systems.

Reports from field engineers of motoring organi-
sations prove that the bigg est percentage of engine
breakdowns are in the order of ignition or electrical
failure first, followed by fuel, with mechanical or
compression failure the least common.

Should the engine fail to start, first check that
there is adequate fuel in the tank and if so. carry out
the following checking procedures in the order de-
scribed.

TO JUMP START A VEHICLE
NOTE: Jump starting a vehicle can be
dangerous if the procedure described below
is not performed correctly. If any doubt
exists, it is recommended that the services of
a competent mechanic be obtained.

The vehicles covered by this manual are
equipped with complex electronic circuitry
which can be damaged by voltage surges.
These voltage surges can be generated when

jump starting, or being jump started by
another vehicle. If av ailable use jumper
leads equipped with a surge protection de-
vice and follow the lead manufacturers in-
structions carefully, particularly regarding
the connection and disconnection of the
leads.

(1) Ensure that the booster battery is 12 volts
and the negative terminal is earthed.
(2) Ensure that the vehicles are not touching and
that the ignition and all accessories on both vehicles
are switched Off. (3) Ensure that the transmissions on both vehi-
cles are in Park or Neutral and the handbrakes are
firmly applied. (4) Remove the vent caps from the battery and
check the electrolyte level. Replenish with distilled
water as necessary.

View showing the correct jumper lead connections for
jump starting a vehicle. The leads shown are equipped
with a surge protection device.

Roadside Trouble Shooting
ing the wiring from any component, ensure
that the ignition switch is off and the
negative battery terminal is disconnected to
prevent damage to the solid state circuitry.

(4) Open the electrode gap of a serviceable spark
plug to 6 mm. Securely earth the plug using a jumper
lead or by tying the plug to an earthed engine
component.
(5) Disconnect the high tension lead from a
spark plug and connect it to the test spark plug.
(6) Have an assistant operate the starter motor.
(7) Check that a spark, if any, jumps the gap on
the test spark plug. If the spark is satisfactory, proceed to operation

(8).
If there is no spark, proceed as follows:
(a) Check the high tension leads to ensure that
they are dry and that the insulation is not cracked or
perished. Check the ends of the leads for burning. Using an ohmmeter, measure the resistance in

each high tension lead. The resistance should be no
more than 15 000 ohms per lead.
(b) Check the distributor cap to ensure that it is
dry and clean. Examine both the inside and outside of
the cap for cracks or tracki ng, particularly between the
high tension lead segments.

Check that the carbon brush in the centre of the
distributor cap interior fa ce is clean and dry and
ensure that the brush moves freely in and out of its
locating hole.

(c) Check the rotor arm for cracks, deposits and
burning on the metal arm. (d) Ensure that the high tension leads have dry.
clean and secure connections on the distributor cap. (8) If the above checks r esult in a good spark at
the spark plug high tension leads but the engine is still
not operating satisfac torily, remove all the spark plugs
and check the condition and electrode gap as de-
scribed in the Engine Tune-up section under the
appropriate heading.

3. TO CHECK FUEL SYSTEM
Due to the complex nature of the EFI system, it is
recommended that should the following checks prove
satisfactory but the engine fail to start, reference be
made to the Fuel and Engine Management section of
this manual or a Nissan workshop be consulted.

(1) Check that the fuel tank contains a reason-
able amount of fuel. (2) Have an assistant switch the ignition on and
off while squeezing the fuel supply hose with the
fingers. If the fuel pump is operating it should be
possible to feel the fuel pr essure increase for approx-
imately two seconds.
NOTE: When conducting the above test it
should be possible to hear the fuel pump and
ignition relays clicking when the ignition is
switched on and off

If the fuel pump relay fails, power will be
supplied to the fuel pump via the oil pressure


Check the distributor cap for cracks or tracking between the terminals. Squeeze the fuel supply hose while the ignition is
switched On. An increase in pressure should be felt.

Check the spark plug high tension leads for cracks and
burnt or corroded terminals.

Roadside Trouble Shooting 35


View showing the location of the fuel pump fuse and the EGI and fuel pump relays.
switch. When starting the engine, the fuel
pump will not operate until the oil pressure
is sufficient to extinguish the oil pressure
warning lamp. Therefore it will be necessary
to operate the starter motor for a longer
period than usual to start the engine.

(3) If the fuel pump cannot be felt operating,
check the fuel pump fuse located in the fuse panel
adjacent to the steering column.

If the fuel pump fuse is serviceable, refer to the
Fuel and Engine Management section for detailed
tests on the fuel pump.

(4) Check that all fuel hose connections are
secure.
(5) Remove the spark plugs and check for petrol
saturation of the electrodes which indicates flooding.
Thoroughly clean and dry the spark plugs before
replacement. Fully depress the throttle pedal and turn the
ignition switch to the start position. If the engine does
not start, proceed as follows.

Check that the MAP sensor hose is not blocked or split
and ensure that all electrical connections are clean and
secure.
If flooding persists, refer to the Fuel and Engine
Management section.

(6) Check that all EFI electrical wiring connec-
tors are clean and secure.
(7) Check that the MAP sensor vacuum hose is
securely connected at each end and is not split or
blocked.
4. TO CHECK MECHANICAL SYSTEM
The following check procedure assumes that the
starter motor will rotate the engine. If not, on manual
transaxle models, depress the clutch pedal to disen-
gage the engine from the tr ansaxle in case the fault lies
within the transaxle.

If the starter motor will not rotate the engine, it
will be necessary to remove the starter motor and
attempt to turn the engine over manually. This will
establish whether the fault lies with the starter motor,
which could be jammed or defective, or with the
engine, which could be seized or have broken internal
components such as connecting rods, pistons and
crankshafts etc.

If the starter motor is not at fault and the engine
will not rotate manually, refer to the Engine Mechan-
ical Trouble Shooting heading in the Engine section.

It should be noted that the only way that cylinder
compression can be accurately tested is with a com-
pression gauge. The method described in the following
procedure is only intended to give a rough indication
when checking for causes of engine breakdown,

(I) When the engine is cool, check for loss of
coolant from the cooling system.

If coolant loss is evident, check carefully for any
indication of external leakage. Remove the engine oil
dipstick and check for wate r contamination (emulsi-
fication) of the oil. When oil mixes with water it will
Ensure that all fuel connections are securely tightened.

Engine 39
Oil pump cover plate screws............................ 6 Nm
Oil pump mounting bolts.................................. 6 Nm
Oil pump pickup bolts
(coat with Loctite 242)..................................... 8 Nm
Sump bolts (coat with Loctite 242) .................. 5 Nm
Sump drain plug .............................................. 35 Nm
*Use new bolts
Head bolts maximum torque 135 Nm

1. ENGINE MECHANICAL TROUBLE
SHOOTING

ENGINE MISSES AT IDLING SPEED
NOTE: For other causes of engine misfire,
refer to the Fuel and Engine Management
section.

(1) Blown head gasket: Check the cylinder com-
pressions and renew the he ad gasket as necessary.
(2) Burnt valves or seats in the cylinder head:
Check the cylinder compressions and overhaul the
cylinder head as necessary. (3) Broken or worn piston rings: Check the
cylinder compressions and renew the piston rings as
necessary.
(4) Weak or broken valve springs: Remove the
camshaft housing top cover and check the condition
of the valve springs. (5) Air leak at the inlet manifold gasket; Check
for air leaks by applying oil around the manifold
joints. Renew the gasket if an air leak is evident.
NOTE: Use a compre ssion gauge and check
the compression pressure in each cylinder as
described in the Engine Tune-up section. If
a low pressure reading is indicated in one or
more cylinders, remove the cylinder head for
gasket and valve inspection. Should the


gasket and valves prove satisfactory, inspect
the cylinder bores, pistons and rings.

Check for air leaks at the inlet manifold
by applying engine oil around the manifold
joints. If the oil can be seen or heard sucking
into the manifold or excessive smoke begins
to issue from the exhaust system, there is an
air leak at the inlet manifold.

NOISY VALVE OPERATION
(1) Faulty hydraulic tappets: Renew the faulty
tappet assemblies. (2) Weak or broken valve springs: Remove the
camshaft housing top cover and check the condition
of the valve springs. (3) Worn valve guides: Overhaul the cylinder
head as described in this section. (4) Worn rocker gear: Remove (he rocker gear
and check the components for wear.

Camshaft lobe wear is also a cause of noisy valve
operation.
BIG END BEARING NOISE
(1) Inadequate oil supply: Check the oil level in
the sump and the condition of the oil pump and relief
valve. Renew the oil filter.

(2) Excessive bearing clearance: Renew the bear-
ing shells, check and regrind the big end journals if
oval or tapered. (3) Thin oil or oil diluted by petrol or water:
Change to the correct oil grade. Check and rectify the
cause of the oil dilution. Ch eck that the engine is not
operating in overheat conditions.
(4) Low oil pressure: Check the engine oil level.
Check the pressure relief valve and spring and the oil
filter bypass valve. (5) Misaligned big end bearings: Align the con-
necting rods and renew the big end bearing shells.
NOTE: Big end bearing noise is indicated
by a metallic knock wh ich is usually loudest
at approximately 60 km/h with the throttle
Air leaks at the inlet manifold can be located by
applying engine oil around the suspect joints.

42 Engine
The cylinder block is a cast iron alloy, deep skirt
design and the crankshaft is supported in the cylinder
block by five precision insert replaceable main bear-
ings. Crankshaft end float is controlled by the flanged
centre main bearing. Connecting rods are I section
forgings equipped with precision insert replaceable big
end bearings. The gudgeon pins are an interference fit
in the connecting rod and a floating fit in the piston.

The cast aluminum pistons are equipped with
two compression rings and one oil control ring.

The twin rotor, involute gear oil pump is mounted
directly to the front face of the cylinder block. The
inner rotor is internally driven by the crankshaft. The
oil pump pressure relief valve is not adjustable, and
consists of a plunger and spring mounted in the oil
pump body.

The pump draws oil through a screen in the sump
and delivers it, via a full flow replaceable oil filter, to
the oil gallery from where it is distributed to the
hydraulic tappets, camshaft and crankshaft bearings
and to the overhead rocker and valve mechanism.

3. ENGINE AND TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY
Special Equipment Required:
To Remove and Instill — Suitable lifting tackle,
extra long chassis stands, suitable trolley

TO REMOVE
NOTE: Due to the high residual pressure
within the fuel system, it will be necessary to
depressurize the system before removing any
fuel supply components. Refer to the Fuel
and Engine Management section for the
correct procedure.

(1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
(2) Mark around the bonnet hinges with a soft
lead pencil Co facilitate correct installation. With the
aid of an assistant, remove the bonnet retaining bolts
and remove the bonnet from the vehicle.
(3) Drain the engine and transaxle lubricant.
(4) Open the coolant drain tap located on the
lower radiator pipe and drain the coolant. (5) Loosen the hose clips and disconnect the
heater hoses from the heater pipes at the bulkhead.
NOTE: Do not use excessive force to remove
the heater hoses from the heater pipes or the
heater core will become dislodged from the
heater unit. If necessary, cut the heater
hoses from the pipes using a sharp knife.

(6) Loosen the hose clamps and disconnect the
radiator hoses from the engine assembly. (7) Disconnect the positive lead from the bat-
tery. (8) On 1.8 liter models, disconnect the air inlet
duct.
(9) On 1.6 liter models, remove the air cleaner
assembly. Refer to the Fuel and Engine Management
section if necessary. (10) Disconnect the throttle cable from the throt-
tle body and from the camshaft housing top cover
bracket, if applicable. (11) Disconnect the fuel supply and return hoses.
Mark the hoses as an aid to installation. (12) Suitably mark and disconnect the charcoal
canister hoses. (13) Disconnect the injector wires from the injec-
tors. On 1.6 liter models, slide the wiring out from the
throttle body. (14) Disconnect the wiring fr om the throttle po-
sition sensor (TPS), idle air control (IAC) valve,
oxygen (O
2) sensor wire, coolant temperature sensor,
coolant sender and on 1.8 liter models, the manifold
air temperature (MAT) sensor. (15) Disconnect the wiring connector adjacent to
the top heater hose, the wiring from the alternator and
the two earth wires from underneath the cylinder head
bolts. (16) Lay the wiring loom over on the passenger
side of the engine compar tment, clear of the work
area.
(17) On manual transaxle models, loosen the
clutch cable adjusting nuts and remove the cable
through the slot in the lever. Remove the clutch cable
bracket from the transaxle after removing the retain-
ing bolts and place the cable to one side.
(18) Disconnect the wiring from the starter mo-
tor, speedometer sender and on manual transaxle
models, the reverse lamp switch wiring.
(19) If applicable, disconnect the power steering
lines from the pump and drain the fluid into a
container. Suitably plug the lines and the pump to
prevent the entry of dirt.
(20) On automatic transaxle models, disconnect
the selector cable and bracket from the transaxle
assembly.
Disconnect the transaxle oil cooler lines from the
transaxle. Plug the lines and fittings to prevent the
entry of dirt etc.

(21) Loosen the front wheel nuts, raise the front
of the vehicle and support it on extra long chassis
stands. Ensure that the vehicle is high enough to allow
removal of the engine from underneath. (22) Remove the front wheels and the engine
splash guards from the vehicle.
(23) On manual transaxle models, remove the
stay rod and control rod bolts and nuts and disconnect
the rods from the transaxle.
(24) Remove the lower control arm to steering
knuckle ball joint nuts and separate the ball joints
from the steering knuckle by holding a dolly or a
hammer against one side of the steering knuckle and
hitting the other side with a hammer. The taper on the
ball joint will release fr om the steering knuckle.
(25) Pull the steering knuckles outward swiftly to

44 Engine

Rear three quarter view of the 1.8 liter engine and automatic transaxle assembly.
mountings. Lower the assembly onto the mountings
and tighten the mounting nuts and bolts.

(4) Install a new exhaust flange gasket.
(5) Fill the engine and transaxle with the correct
quantity and grade of lubricant. (6) Fill the cooling system as described in the
Cooling and Heating Systems section. (7) On models with power steering, fill the power
steering reservoir with the recommended fluid.
(8) Start and run the engine until it reaches the
normal operating temperatur e and check for fuel, oil
and coolant leaks.
4. MANIFOLDS
INLET MANIFOLD - 1.6 Liter Models

To Remove and Install
NOTE: Due to the high residual pressure
within the fuel system, it will be necessary to

depressurise the system before removing the
fuel supply components. Refer to the Fuel
and Engine Management section for the
correct procedure.

(1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
(2) Remove the wingnuts retaining the air
cleaner to the throttle body, lift the air cleaner
upwards slightly and disconnect the vacuum hoses. (3) Drain the cooling system as described in the
Cooling and Heating Systems section. (4) Loosen the hose clamps and disconnect the
engine coolant hoses from the rear of the manifold.
(5) Disconnect the small branch of the engine
ventilation hose from the rear of the inlet manifold. (6) On automatic transaxle models, disconnect
the kickdown cable from the throttle lever by releasing
the wire spring clip and re moving the cable end socket
from the ball.
(7) Turn the throttle lever to the full throttle
position. Using the slack in the throttle cable, release
the throttle cable end thr ough the slot provided.

Engine 45


Installed view of the inlet manifold. 1.6 liter models. Air
cleaner removed.
(8) Remove the bolts retaining the throttle cable
bracket to the inlet manifold and place the bracket
with cable(s) attached to one side.
(9) Suitably mark the supply and return fuel
hoses and disconnect them from the throttle body.
(10) Suitably mark and disconnect the air pre-
heat, map sensor, charcoal canister and brake booster
vacuum hoses from the throttle body. (11) Disconnect the electrical connector from the
throttle body. (12) Remove the inlet manifold nuts and with-
draw the inlet manifold assembly. Discard the gasket. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:

(1) Ensure that all the carbon and old gasket
material is cleaned from the manifold and cylinder
head faces. (2) Check the face of the manifold for distortion
using a straight edge and a feeler gauge. (3) Use a new gasket and ensure that the mani-
fold retaining nuts are tightened to the specified
torque in a spiral pattern from the centre outwards. (4) Connect the vacuum hoses, the throttle cable
and where applicable, the kickdown cable. Adjust the
throttle cable as outlined in the Fuel and Engine
Management section and the kickdown cable as
described in the Automatic Transaxle section. (5) Fill the cooling system as described in the
Cooling and Heating Systems section. (6) Start the engine and check for air, fuel and
water leaks.
INLET MANIFOLD - 1.8 Liter Models
To Remove and Install
NOTE: Due to the high residual pressure
within the fuel system, it will be necessary to
depressurise the system before removing any
fuel supply components. Refer to the Fuel

and Engine Management section for the
correct procedure.

(1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
(2) Loosen the hose clamp and disconnect the
air inlet duct from the throttle body. (3) Suitably mark and disconnect the vacuum
hoses from the throttle body. (4) On automatic transaxle models disconnect
the kickdown cable from the throttle lever by releasing
the wire spring clip and re moving the cable and socket
from the ball. (5) Turn the throttle lever to the full throttle
position. Using the slack in the throttle cable, release
the throttle cable end thr ough the slot provided.
(6) Remove the bolts retaining the throttle cable
bracket to the inlet manifold and place the bracket
with cable(s) attached to one side. (7) Disconnect the wiring connectors from the
idle air control (IAC) valve and the throttle position
sensor (TPS).
(8) Disconnect the wiring connectors from the
fuel injectors and manifold air temperature (MAT)
sensor.
NOTE: A small screwdriver or similar tool
can be used to release the wire spring clips
on the injector connectors.

(9) Suitably mark and disconnect the fuel supply
and return lines from the fuel rail. (10) Remove the inlet manifold nuts and with-
draw the inlet manifold assembly. Discard the gasket. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:


View of the inlet manifold removed from the engine.

46 Engine
(1) Ensure that all carbon and old gasket mate-
rial is cleaned from the manifold and cylinder head
faces. (2) Check the face of the manifold for distortion
using a straight edge and a feeler gauge. (3) Use a new gasket and ensure that the mani-
fold retaining nuts are tightened to the specified
torque in a spiral pattern from the centre outwards. (4) Adjust the throttle cabl e as described in the
Fuel and Engine Management section and the kick-
down cable as described in the Automatic Transaxle
section.
(5) Start the engine and check for air, fuel and
water leaks.
EXHAUST MANIFOLD

To Remove and Install
(1) Bring the engine to operating temperature
and remove the oxygen sensor.
(2) Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
(3) On 1.6 liter models, remove the air cleaner
nuts, disconnect the vacuum hose and withdraw the
air cleaner from the vehicle. (4) Remove the front exhaust pipe flange mount-
ing nuts and separate the exhaust pipe from the
manifold. (5) Remove the heat shield retaining bolts and
withdraw the heat shield from the exhaust manifold. (6) Remove the exhaust manifold to cylinder
head retaining nuts and remove the manifold from the
engine. Discard the manifold gasket. Installation is a reversal of the removal procedure
with attention to the following points:

(1) Ensure that all carbon is cleaned from the
manifold and cylinder head mating surfaces. (2) Check the face of the manifold for distortion
using a straight edge and feeler gauges. (3) Use new gaskets on assembly.
(4) Tighten the exhaust manifold retaining nuts
to the specified torque in the sequence shown in the
illustration. (5) Install the oxygen sensor. Refer to the Fuel
and Engine Management section. (6) Coat the threads of the front exhaust pipe to
manifold retaining nuts with an anti-seize solution
and tighten the nuts to the specified torque.
5. CAMSHAFT DRIVE BELT
Special Equipment Required:
To Adjust — Drive belt adjusting tool
TO REMOVE
(1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
(2) Raise the front of the vehicle, support it on
chassis stands and remove the right hand front wheel.
Refer to the Wheels and Tires section. (3) Remove the fasteners securing the engine
splash guard to the right hand front inner mudguard
and remove the splash guard. (4) Loosen the alternator adjusting bolt and if
equipped, the power steering and air conditioning
adjusting bolts. Remove the drive belt(s).


View of the exhaust manifold and components showing
the correct tightening sequence.

View of the 1.8 liter engine with the upper timing belt
cover removed showing the camshaft gear timing
marks. Inset shows the crankshaft pulley timing
marks.