Last week i was cruising at highway speed when my xterra started sputtering. It progressively got worse and seemed that the engine was jolting anytime i tried to apply more throttle. I had to pull over and shut it down and would not restart. I left the vehicle for about 2 hours, came back and it started right back up. started trying to make it closer to home and quickly the same issue occured and had to pull over. I got the vehicle towed to local shop, and the next day they started the vehicle and it ran fine. I took the vehicle for the weekend and realized that it would run fine for about 10 minutes after starting it and then the issue would return. This was the case after every time i would let the vehicle sit for an extended period of time to cool down. On the monday i went back to shop and they brought up codes for a camshaft sensor error and a crankshaft sensor error. Ive had the fuel filter replaced already. Does this sound like a fuel pump issue that caused the sensor errors or would one of the sensors most likely be the cause. The shop said most likely is the camshaft sensor but id like to be more sure since it requires buying the whole distributor which is an expensive part. Thanks, Joe

Last week i was cruising at highway speed when my xterra started sputtering. It progressively got worse and seemed that the engine was jolting anytime i tried to apply more throttle. I had to pull over and shut it down and would not restart. I left the vehicle for about 2 hours, came back and it started right back up. started trying to make it closer to home and quickly the same issue occured and had to pull over. I got the vehicle towed to local shop, and the next day they started the vehicle and it ran fine. I took the vehicle for the weekend and realized that it would run fine for about 10 minutes after starting it and then the issue would return. This was the case after every time i would let the vehicle sit for an extended period of time to cool down. On the monday i went back to shop and they brought up codes for a camshaft sensor error and a crankshaft sensor error. Ive had the fuel filter replaced already. Does this sound like a fuel pump issue that caused the sensor errors or would one of the sensors most likely be the cause. The shop said most likely is the camshaft sensor but id like to be more sure since it requires buying the whole distributor which is an expensive part. Thanks, Joe

What engine/transmission do you have, mileage, and other maintenance, such as timing belt, etc...have you done besides the fuel filter?

2000 3.3 v6 5speed manual. I bought vehicle with 170,000 kms and now has 225,000 kms. I havent done anything to the vehicle since ove owned it other than fuel filter. Ran flawlessly until now.

That engine has a timing belt...one that was due to be changed about the time (Mileage) you bought it at.

If they sold it to avoid doing that belt, and you never changed it, that might be an issue.

If it were changed, and THEN the rig sold, at least that might be OK.

Do you have the maintenance log/records?

(And yes, a bad distributor can cause the symptoms)