Hey everyone..

I've been having trouble with what I think is the starter on my 2004 XE V6 stick. It has 175,000 km on it (about 105k miles)

Anyway... when I turn the key, the starter sometimes just spins without catching the engine.. sometimes it cranks the engine for a bit then loses contact and spins.. sometimes it cranks normally.. this can go on for a few minutes until it eventually cranks the engine long enough to start.

Used to do it in the winter on the coldest days but then stopped.. Been doing this again for about a week now..

Tried a search of starter issues, but only seemed to get the standard "it just clicks when I turn the key" result so that didn't help.

Any assistance is much appreciated.

Thanks.

Probably the one way clutch in the starter is bad. You'll have to replace it to fix the problem.

it is the Bendix drive in the starter... so i would pull the starter and take it to get it checked then replace it...

sounds like a bad solenoid. id rebuild it or just replace it.

Bad solenoid would hold it in constantly or not engage it at all. Depending on if the pull in or hold in windings sailed. Either way whatever failed will be replaced because most places only carry the whole started to replace cause remans have gotten so inexpensive.

My guess is the pull in windings.

Sounds like I should just find a new starter and replace that...

Thanks guys...

you have to rip it out to replace the solenoid anyway. Might as well replace it all. plus they usually offer lifetime warranties on reman'ed starters.

Yeah, better off with a full replacement

Well, I managed to find an old starter from an 03 Frontier at a wreckers for $50 and went ahead to do the replacement. Unfortunately, the official Nissan service manual omits some key elements in the remove-and-replace sequence.. So here is my step-by-step for replacing a starter i na 2004 Xterra XE V6 with a manual transmission:


The usual about battery disconnection, safely raising the vehicle...
Remove the engine front undercover (skid plate basically).
Remove the passenger front wheel.
Pull aside the long rubber thing covering the gap in the wheel well.
Unbolt the main battery cable through the wheel-well opening (10mm bolt).
Disconnect the ignition lead wire and unclip from the tie.
Unbolt the two 14mm bolts holding the starter from the opposite side. The bolts don't go through the flange of the starter, but hold it on from behind through the bellhousing. Easier access this way, wobble joint required for the upper bolt.
Starter comes out through the gap inthe wheel well.
Take the clip off the old starter lead wire and attach to the new starter lead wire.
Put in new starter through the same gap in wheel well.
Bolt it in from the back.
Reattach the main battery cable.
Reclip the ignition lead wire.
Reattach the pass-front wheel and skid plate.
Safely lower vehicle and reattach battery.


Sorry, I don't have any photos since I got home at around 7pm and didn't want to have this take any longer than it had to.

Sweet! Put it on the HOW TO section. Did it work out for you?

Works great.. now I'm wondering if I should bring it back to the wreckers to get the $10 core charge back or have a shop rebuild it and keep it as a spare....

It can't be the one way clutch or bendix drive or pull in windings.....

It's gotta be the jammyframmus in the doohickey.