[JChace029]

So some background -

Have a 2004 Xterra with about 153,000 miles on it. Normal maintenance, routine oil changes, one as recently as last Monday.

About 10 days about I notice a short "buck" while driving on the highway. Then another. Got home fine, no further issue. I dropped it at the mechanic and he said he couldn't find any issue. Told him I would pick it up and drive it back if it happens again.

This past week while driving long distance, I notice much more common bucking, especially while on inclines and running above 60Mph/3000RPM. No "Check Engine Light" or anything else. On the ride home from work (about 30 miles, 45 minutes) it started severely bucking again, tachometer spiking back and forth while doing so. Once I took the offramp to head home, the car stalled when I stopped at a red light. Service Engine Soon, battery, oil, and Brake lights went on. Tried to restart, nothing. Restart while flooring the gas pedal got me enough gas to get off the line and around the corner where I stalled for a final time. Towed to the mechanic.

Next day, Mechanic calls me and says it started up fine and he drove it around without issue. He suggested it might be a distributor issue but he wasn't willing to spend $500 to fix it without knowing for sure (this is why I like the guy).

Told him to keep it for a few more days, drive it a ton, and see if he can find an issue.

I'm stumped - anyone have any suggestions for me to offer him?

 

[dejablue]

Yes this could be the problem he needs to take the coil pack out of the dist and look in the bottom to see if the bearing has died. Check out this Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv7SrkGBRhA

 

[dejablue]

Why is this $500 a new dist is $150 and 30 mins to install ????????????

 

[JChace029]

Why is this $500 a new dist is $150 and 30 mins to install ????????????

I haven't looked into the part pricing at all, this is just what he said. If it turns out to be the Distributor, I can certainly talk to him about part cost, etc.

 

[dejablue]

I haven't looked into the part pricing at all, this is just what he said. If it turns out to be the Distributor, I can certainly talk to him about part cost, etc.

There is a casting # under the neck of the old dist ,you must match this # on the new dist or it will not work.

 

[JChace029]

There is a casting # under the neck of the old dist ,you must match this # on the new dist or it will not work.

Call from the mechanic - he feels it's definitely the distributor now. Says the whole thing needs to be replaced. Looking at actually $600.

How do you suggest to a mechanic that he should do something different? I told him about what you posted above, seemed to write that off.

 

[dejablue]

Call from the mechanic - he feels it's definitely the distributor now. Says the whole thing needs to be replaced. Looking at actually $600.

How do you suggest to a mechanic that he should do something different? I told him about what you posted above, seemed to write that off.

Not much you can do if it doesn't run right or stops working in 30 days its the wrong one. There are at lest 5 different dis 1 for California 1 for Texas 1 for East coast 1 for Canada and a few more it must match the ECM .