# Engine Turns Over 1/2 Round Only



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Does your booster have a START mode? Just boosting, unless it is over a period of time, won't start an engine. If it is an electronic Schumacher with a start mode, once you turn on the ignition and try to start it, the charger goes into recycle mode and you have to wait 180 seconds to do it again. Poor excuse for a charger, IMO.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

LOL, I had to have my son install my new hitch assembly on my CRV and I tried to help. One time down under there was enough, he finished it. Down almost 80 pounds from my worst weight ever but still 60+ to go (265). I keep telling myself that will solve the up and down problem but suspect when I get there old age will still stop me. Back on topic.

You are losing the connection somewhere between the battery and the starter or internal to the starter. You'll need someone to get down there with a meter and watch when you crank it over.

I know a couple of people who have installed their own lifts, certainly handy.

Bud


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I could help you by pulling it to start if someone would pull my 48 ford coupe to start it and you'd promise to remember to turn the key on. Oh hell, i keep remembering those good ole days and that won't work on much anything today.


Back on topic - do you have a meter that the cranking amps can be checked with? That might tell you something about where the problem is if the normal CCA's were known.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Can you get on it with a wrench and turn it over by hand. Make sure it doesn't have a liquid in a cylinder.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Nealtw said:


> Can you get on it with a wrench and turn it over by hand. Make sure it doesn't have a liquid in a cylinder.


Ayuh,...... I suggest ya pull the spark plugs, 'n try to turn it over on the starter,......


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## roughneck (Nov 28, 2014)

You certain the battery is good? Even showing full charge they can lack the capacity needed to turn the engine over.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

You didn't say what the code was.?


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

chandler48 said:


> Does your booster have a START mode? Just boosting, unless it is over a period of time, won't start an engine. If it is an electronic Schumacher with a start mode, once you turn on the ignition and try to start it, the charger goes into recycle mode and you have to wait 180 seconds to do it again. Poor excuse for a charger, IMO.


I mis-spoke when I said booster, I should have said my power pack. My charger/booster is shot, I can seem to keep one working long. I plan to take the battery out of the car tomorrow and give that a try. It shows the battery is at full charge though.

Dern Neal, I hadn't thought about water in one cylinder, now that gives me chills. Man I would hate to have to jerk that engine out although it would be easier than the little car was. I will pull the plugs tomorrow and see if it will turn over that way. But that is the way it was acting, just like a cylinder was full of water. I hope I can get to the plugs fairly easy.

I don't remember the exact number of the code but my code reader said it was either dirty oil or the cam positioning censor was bad. It was time for an oil change but the oil was just slightly off color, it was far from opaque. Even if it were the sensor, it wouldn't cost much. 

Our grandson is going to take the starter off Saturday and see if that contact inside is corroded. I know the solenoid works because it will engage and turn the engine a little. Man I hope it isn't water in a cylinder.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Bud9051 said:


> LOL, I had to have my son install my new hitch assembly on my CRV and I tried to help. One time down under there was enough, he finished it. Down almost 80 pounds from my worst weight ever but still 60+ to go (265). I keep telling myself that will solve the up and down problem but suspect when I get there old age will still stop me. Back on topic.
> 
> You are losing the connection somewhere between the battery and the starter or internal to the starter. You'll need someone to get down there with a meter and watch when you crank it over.
> 
> ...


Bud, it was rough to get under the truck a few months back, it just kills my back to turn over and especially getting up off the ground, but today the pain hit 10, I didn't know if I could stand it to get up or not. Our grandson is 20 years old is 6 foot 2 and 280 pounds. He is so stout it is scary. lol

If I still lived out in the sticks I would have a place I could walk under a car to work on but here that isn't possible.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

SeniorSitizen said:


> I could help you by pulling it to start if someone would pull my 48 ford coupe to start it and you'd promise to remember to turn the key on. Oh hell, i keep remembering those good ole days and that won't work on much anything today.
> 
> 
> Back on topic - do you have a meter that the cranking amps can be checked with? That might tell you something about where the problem is if the normal CCA's were known.


SS, the only thing I have is a multi meter, don't know it that would work or not.

Talking about pulling your car off to start, I have done that tons of times. When the automatic transmissions came our where you could pull start a car, I didn't know about it then. I pulled one fellow 65 or 70 mph trying to get it to started, never did,. LOL I use to park my VW bug on a hill because the starter was bad and I could roll off and crank it. Some of the things we did when we were young. lol


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

BigJim said:


> SS, the only thing I have is a multi meter, don't know it that would work or not.
> 
> Talking about pulling your car off to start, I have done that tons of times. When the automatic transmissions came our where you could pull start a car, I didn't know about it then. I pulled one fellow 65 or 70 mph trying to get it to started, never did,. LOL I use to park my VW bug on a hill because the starter was bad and I could roll off and crank it. Some of the things we did when we were young. lol


When you live at the bottom of the hill, you jack up the VW and turn the wheel to start it. :biggrin2:


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Potential hydro lock as noted above. Pull the plugs and be sure to crank it that way.


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## Brainbucket (Mar 30, 2015)

I would put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and manually turn engine over twice so cam turns once. If that works, put meter on battery and crank engine. Voltage should stay above 10 volts. If not, bad battery. If so, put meter on starter main stud and crank engine. If above 10 volts, put meter on battery ground and engine block and crank engine. (Voltage drop test) If below 1 volt, you have a bad starter.:vs_cool:


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Brainbucket said:


> I would put a breaker bar on the crank bolt and manually turn engine over twice so cam turns once. If that works, put meter on battery and crank engine. Voltage should stay above 10 volts. If not, bad battery. If so, put meter on starter main stud and crank engine. If above 10 volts, put meter on battery ground and engine block and crank engine. (Voltage drop test) If below 1 volt, you have a bad starter.:vs_cool:


Thanks BB, I really appreciate it, I will give that a try.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

:blush: I got out there while ago and there is no way to get to those spark plugs without major dismantling. So I did try the wrench on the balance and turned the engine 360 degrees, there is no hydraulic build up in a cylinder and man am I a happy camper. I tried boosting it again, no go. The battery in the car won't work in the Pathfinder.

I checked the voltage of the battery again and the battery is shot. I am so embarrassed, I can't believe I couldn't see that sooner. I had a battery I bought a year or so ago that I have kept a trickle charger on and believe it or not it fit perfect and worked like a charm. It fired right up. Now if I can just get my deep well impact socket that fell on top of the skid plate.

Thanks fellows, you guys are good friends, I appreciate you. 
Now to address that code. lol


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

If the cam sensor isn't working or has came unconnected, the engine timing will be so far off that it could possibly fire early and kick back against the starter. That takes a while to bleed of the pressure and then if you try again, it'll do it all over.

That device is usually easy to get to up on top of the block. Should be an easy fix. Every time I say that it takes a couple days. :biggrin2:

Oh wait, I see you got it started.... well, anyway, you may need that info yet. 

Good luck with the code dismissal. Make sure that wire is connected to the sensor.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Glad you circled around and found the problem.
I was going to mention something about those spark plugs but thought my difficulty might have been just me. Had 2 Pathfinders and wish I had at least one back. Really enjoyed them.

Best
Bud


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

surferdude2 said:


> If the cam sensor isn't working or has came unconnected, the engine timing will be so far off that it could possibly fire early and kick back against the starter. That takes a while to bleed of the pressure and then if you try again, it'll do it all over.
> 
> That device is usually easy to get to up on top of the block. Should be an easy fix. Every time I say that it takes a couple days. :biggrin2:
> 
> ...


That sensor is easy to get to and it doesn't break the bank for a change. After the battery being disconnected for a while, it reset the code so I will wait until it spits it out again before I do anything to it.

Bud, did your Pathfinder ride rough? I don't know if the shocks I put on it were weak or what but it sure rides rough. I think I am going to put airbags on back and see if that helps.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

97 and it was always more like a truck than a car. Can't remember exactly but sway bar or control arm bushings went bad. Vehicle would go into uncontrollable back and forth oscillations and I would have to hit brakes to stop it. Had a relative who owned a garage so he replaced the bushings. He opted for synthetic bushings as being better but said "never again". Guess they were very difficult to press into place.

Bud


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## huesmann (Aug 18, 2011)

Occam's Razor, back at work.


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

Bud9051 said:


> 97 and it was always more like a truck than a car. Can't remember exactly but sway bar or control arm bushings went bad. Vehicle would go into uncontrollable back and forth oscillations and I would have to hit brakes to stop it. Had a relative who owned a garage so he replaced the bushings. He opted for synthetic bushings as being better but said "never again". Guess they were very difficult to press into place.
> 
> Bud


All of the early to mid 50's Fords had that same shimmy problem that started showing up when they aged a bit. It came on at roughly 53 mph and shook the whole car so badly that you either had to slow down or speed up. Once you understood that, the trick was to either accelerate through the low 50 mph range and cruise above 55 or stay below it. That usually meant you were either catching up with other cars or holding them back. Seemed like everyone else wanted to drive 53 mph just to make Ford owners suffer! :biggrin2:

It was a cheap easy fix, replace the control arm ($10 new, $5 at the junk yard), 2 bolts and 1 nut but some people just put up with it. Whoever coined the phrase "Poor people have poor ways" knew what they were talking about! :biggrin2:


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Bud9051 said:


> 97 and it was always more like a truck than a car. Can't remember exactly but sway bar or control arm bushings went bad. Vehicle would go into uncontrollable back and forth oscillations and I would have to hit brakes to stop it. Had a relative who owned a garage so he replaced the bushings. He opted for synthetic bushings as being better but said "never again". Guess they were very difficult to press into place.
> 
> Bud


This one did the same thing when we bought it and headed home. We didn't notice it when we test drove it. The rear of the car got all over the place when I hit the passing gear. 

I replaced all of the arms, I had read how hard the bushings were to replace. The trailing arms were no picnic, I can tell you that, and not cheap either. The dern bolts for them cost $10 each and there are 8. No way to get those nuts broken loose without a really heavy duty impact wrench either. I had to cut a couple of them off, my Ingersol impact just rounded the nut off and that was using 6 point impact sockets.

We really like the Pathfinder, it has replaced the 4X4 Toyota truck we gave our grandson. I hope the air bags will help some.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

surferdude2 said:


> If the cam sensor isn't working or has came unconnected, the engine timing will be so far off that it could possibly fire early and kick back against the starter. That takes a while to bleed of the pressure and then if you try again, it'll do it all over.
> 
> That device is usually easy to get to up on top of the block. Should be an easy fix. Every time I say that it takes a couple days. :biggrin2:
> 
> ...


Posted the wrong part, it wasn't the cam positioning sensor, it was the VVT Veritable Valve Timing Solenoid. Big difference. If the VVT goes out, it can destroy the engine by keeping the timing chain and parts from being lubricated, which can cause the chain to break or wear to the point of malfunction. It also puts the engine in limp mode so it is running really lean.

I ordered both of them, not taking a chance of the other one going south.


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## surferdude2 (Nov 21, 2019)

BigJim said:


> Posted the wrong part, it wasn't the cam positioning sensor, it was the VVT Veritable Valve Timing Solenoid. Big difference. If the VVT goes out, it can destroy the engine by keeping the timing chain and parts from being lubricated, which can cause the chain to break or wear to the point of malfunction. It also puts the engine in limp mode so it is running really lean.
> 
> I ordered both of them, not taking a chance of the other one going south.


That sounds like a smart thing to do, just in case

With an "interference type engine" you can't take any chances with anything related to valve timing. I assume the engine is that type based on the warning you got.

Best regards, SD2.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

surferdude2 said:


> That sounds like a smart thing to do, just in case
> 
> With an "interference type engine" you can't take any chances with anything related to valve timing. I assume the engine is that type based on the warning you got.
> 
> Best regards, SD2.


It for sure is an interference engine, but the good part is, the timing chain is a chain instead of a belt. Just one tooth or two gone on a belt and an engine most times is shot.

Now if I can get a volunteer to get under the truck and get my deep well socket off the skid plate I will be a happy camper. lol


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