Alright update:

Cleaned the MAF sensor...(looked a little dirty) and the air intake sensor (same, a little dirty).

So I after about a month of being parked, I gave the X another test run...ran great cold at idle...was only about 100 feet from the house and it started running rough, turned around to get back in the driveway and it was running really bad. So I parked it back in the garage. I went from driving 5 or so miles to now 100 feet before it runs terrible. Still no engine on or blinking.

Ok, so I rented the code checker thingy I got a P1336 which is a misfire code. I checked my Chilton book and it says its a Crankshaft Position Sensor fault.

Would this sensor cause my engine to misfire so badly? For the guys that replaced the distributor, what was your X doing? Now it runs bad the whole time just idling in the garage.

On a side note:

I did a search and came up with this topic:
click here

By the way, I can reach this sensor fairly well through the drivers front fender to the engine bay with my 2" body lift.

Also, just to check if I had real major problems, I did a compression test on all cylinders to see if I have a bad valves or piston rings...all came up fine at 150-155 and held steady...so I guess I can rule that out.

Please help with any additional help or comments!

I really think it's the distributor.

What tends to go out is the camshaft position sensor, which is inside the distributor. As I said in the post you linked to, the crankshaft position sensor is not used for anything... it's allll the camshaft position sensor.

Hey, fwiw, after cleaning the MAF sensor, it took a couple of minutes/miles for the ECM to catch up and start rationing fuel/air at the proper rates. Ran great till the day it died.

Good luck Matt

DBAX:

Off topic, but what happened to your old Xterra Dan?...I was out of the loop on this.

bad wreck. IIRC someone pulled out in front of him (maybe they ran a light? I don't remember) and he plowed into them... then the other person got out of their car and ran away

Update, please help with any advice!

So my truck's current symptoms are firing up perfectly (which it always has), but now runs rough right away at cold (used to run fine at cold and got worse when warmed up).

After checking the codes and having my P1336 alarm...eventhough Kaiser said it wouldn't do anything to change the performance, I decided to just check it aways to see what it would show. So I checked my crankcase position sensor. It had good resistance, but went ahead and replaced it since I had it out. I still keep getting the P1336 code. I checked the timing after I finally purchased a timing gun. Its like way off...like estimated about 30 degrees....loosening the distributor nut and moving it all the way one way and all the other way doesn't change the "rough" idle that i get. I either get about 20 degree all the one way one direction and about 40 the other direction.

So would this or not indicate its the distributor? Or could this be totally something else?

Did you disconnect the TPS when you tried adjusting the timing? The bottom plug on the TPS needs disconnecting to set the timing.

ah....no I didn't. Ok, will do...is that why I get such a large number? I'll try this tonight. Thanks for your input

2 CHECK IGNITION TIMING
1. Run engine at about 2,000 rpm for about 2 minutes under no-load.
2. Rev engine (2,000 to 3,000 rpm) two or three times under no-load, then run engine at idle speed.
SEF978U
3. Turn off engine and disconnect throttle position sensor harness connector.
SEF975R
4. Start and rev engine (2,000 - 3,000 rpm) two or three times under no-load, then run at idle speed.
5. Check ignition timing with a timing light.
SEF371S
15°±2° BTDC (in “P” or “N” position)

Hi Folks:

I'm new to this board, but, have been following this thread for a while.
I am experiencing a similar problem. My X w/SC stumbles at idle and I get a flashing SES light then a solid light. It stumbles during acceleration but does fine after about 2800 rpm. I get an error code P300 "random misfire" (gee, like I couldn't figure that out without a code checker).

I had replced the plugs about 2 months ago with Bosch Platinums, and now replaced those with NGK Iridiums (after reading this forum).
I've changed out:
Cap & Rotor
Plugs
Plug Wires
MAF sensor (3 months ago)
Fuel Pump (under recall w/ MAF)
Fuel Filter
Cleaned the K&N

How do you diagnose a faulty distributor?

Thanks, Rod


My Other Car

7 CHECK CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
1. Install any parts removed.
2. Start engine.
3. Check voltage between ECM terminals 44, 48 and ground, ECM terminal 49 and ground with DC range.
AEC072B
OK or NG
OK © GO TO 8.
NG © Replace distributor assembly with camshaft position sensor.
8 CHECK CMPS SHIELD CIRCUIT FOR OPEN AND SHORT
1. Turn ignition switch OFF.
2. Disconnect joint connector-1.
3. Check the following.
I Continuity between joint connector terminal 1 and ground
I Joint connector
(Refer to “HARNESS LAYOUT”, EL-292.)
Continuity should exist.
4. Also check harness for short to ground and short to power.
5. Then reconnect joint connector-1.
OK or NG
OK © GO TO 9.
NG © Repair open circuit or short to ground or short to power in harness or connectors.
9 CHECK INTERMITTENT INCIDENT
Refer to “TROUBLE DIAGNOSIS FOR INTERMITTENT INCIDENT”, EC-706.
© INSPECTION END
DTC P0340 CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CMPS) VG33E
Diagnostic Procedure (Cont’d)
EC-918

Having the same issues, but a distributer is on order. Hope its here today. Will keep posted.

from where did you buy the new distributor? And how much did you pay for it? thanks.

I should just "buck up" and get a distributor...I keep over-thinking the problem to make sure that is it, and still haven't gotten anywhere....so maybe time to buy one and see.

Please post for those getting distributors and let me know if that is what fixed your problems?

Prices I've checked into. Ebay new $194. Local autostores want $329 with old one returned (core).

I bought it off of ebay, it is 194.00 with a life time warrenty. Auto zone wanted near 600.00 cloes to my house

Great...keep me posted if it fixs your problem. I'm about to order one myself!

try this site!!
Item Number msrp, core, there price
221001W601RE $370.65 $60.00 $248.40
https://www.1stnissanparts.com/oe_parts_cat.html

You did unplug the distributor before you shot the timing to turn off the electronic advance right? I cannot remember which plug it is but you will not get the right timing with one of them connected. If you did disconnect the plug and you are still that far off then the distributor is stabbed in one tooth off. You will need to pull the distributor and back it up one tooth. Remember that because the teeth are at an angle that the rotor will turn when you pull it up, so compensate for that when you change it.

Just went through this a while back when a buddy borrowed my good distributor to troubleshoot his GF's truck. He stabbed it wrong and started a whole episode of farting with it until he got it right again.

After checking/replacing the plugs, wires, cap & rotor my error code P300 has become P306?

I just have one of the simple code readers not the Consult II thingy.

Could a bad distributor have just cylinder 6 misfiring? Or is this time to pull the injector out and check it?
With the supercharger in the way this could be a pain.

I bought a rebuilt distributor for $120 on ebay, the company belives it may be new in the wrong box, which I can throw in and check.

Thoughts, Comments?

A-Reef-Scene, have you installed your new distributor yet? Curious if you did and if it fixed your issue. Thanks....

I'm going to put in today. It has just been to cold outside to work on the truck. Yesterday was -14 with the wind.

I here ya, its too damn cold to work on mine, even in the garage....all I wanted to do was just check my timing before I purchase a distributor....but haven't done that yet with 10 degree and lower temps...can't imagine -14 degrees!

Hope all works out for you....again, let me know! Cheers...matt

It's alive!!!! That has fixed the problem, started right up with no sputter. Sounds like it's idle is better and the engine now sits at the right idle speed. It was not hard to do at all. I just took pics of the distributer with the cap off for placement when I put I back in.

Wow...great! Ok, I need to order one and see if that is what my problem is...thanks for your follow up post!

I replaced # 6 injector on Saturday. I've put about 40 miles on the X since then and I have not had a missfire. The old injector measured 14 ohms so it must be clogged.

The currious thing is I had the same issue with my q45 within 24 hours of the Xterra starting to missfire. #2 injector was bad on the Q45??? Do these Nissan vehicles talk to each other when were not around?