Dis-assemble & re-assemble a ka20 engine

P0340 mercury villager 2001

I'm not sure whether your vehicle has a MAF sensor? If so, try cleaning it .. a dirty MAF sensor can cause the problems you describe.

Can you get somebody with an OBD2 - handheld scanner/diagnostic .. to connect it to your vehicle and read the error code? The error code will point you in the right direction.

Is the distributor shaft turning when the vehicle is cranked?

i am assumming that your engine is a 5.0 or a 5.7 liter engine.this is the most common used in the chevy pickup.this means "if" it has a distributor it will be located at the rear of the engine.BUT it could also be "dis" ignition or "cop" type ignition. dis is distributorless and cop is coil on plug type ignition

The distributor does have to be removed and dis-assembled in order to replace the ignition pick-up coil/stator, and if the pick-up coil/stator is faulty then the distributor should be replaced because the distributor will come with a new pick-up coil/stator and the old distributor will have to be removed anyway and in the long run it will actually save money from not having to pay a mechanic to remove and dis-assemble the distributor to replace the pick-up coil/stator, however most of the time it is the ignition module inside of the distributor that is faulty.




When the engine is at TDC (Top Dead Center) is the ignition rotor pointing to the #1 position on the distributor housing as described below?



The engine should be set on TDC (Top Dead Center) with the distributor cap removed, and there is a mark or notch on the distributor housing that the rotor should be pointing to when the engine is on top dead center. (Look under the distributor cap and find where the number one terminal runs under the distributor cap, and where that position on the distributor cap corresponds with the distributor housing, and it should match up to a mark or a notch on the distributor housing)

This static timing is all that matters and the computer will be able to control the timing as long as the ignition rotor is in that position when the engine is at top dead center.



If the engine is at TDC and the ignition rotor does not point to the #1 mark on the distributor housing, then loosen the hold down bolt to the distributor and turn the distributor until the rotor is pointing to the #1 mark on the distributor and then tighten the distributor hold down bolt.

Have you recently purchased the vehicle. A rebuilt agent with, racing seals & a racing oil pump, will run around 75 - 85 lbs pressure. If it just started happening on a vehicle you have had for a while, a defective guage. Or look for a plugged oil chamber, (near impossible without dis-assembly). Bad oil sending unit (part that sends the signal to the guage.

I hate to give bad news, I have forgotten when Chevy started putting Coil packs on that particular vehicle. If it has a Distributor pull the distributor cap and crank the motor over while you are watching the rotor assembly. If it doesn't turn the Timing Chain Broke. If it has a coil pack, pull one of the Valve Covers and crank the motor while watching the valves. If the valves don't cycle the the Timing chain is broken. Now, assuming the timing chain hasn't broken then you need to check the fuel pump.

According to msn.autos
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Reliability.aspx?year=2001&make=Nissan&model=Xterra&trimid=92964

Occasional problems on this vehicle are plugging of the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve Passages (2.4L engine only) and failure of the Fuel Pump Sending Unit Assembly Connector Terminals. Plugged EGR Valve Passages may cause the engine to misfire and may also cause the Check Engine Light to illuminate. Failure of the Fuel Pump Sending Unit Assembly Connector Terminals can cause loss of power to the fuel pump leading to a crank and no start or an engine stall while driving. A periodic problem on this vehicle is failure of Distributor Assembly (3.3L only). The cost to repair the EGR Valve Passages is estimated at $10.00 for parts and $130.00 for labor. The cost to replace the Fuel Pump Sending Unit Assembly is estimated at $206.41 for parts and $195.00 for labor. The cost to replace the Distributor Assembly is estimated at $370.00 for parts and $39.00 for labor .All prices are estimates based on $65.00 per flat rate hour and do not include diagnostic time or any applicable sales tax.

By distributor, is that the cap or the whole piece of aluminum- housing with stator assembly/ control module/shaft/rotor/cap, the whole sha-bang.
If it was the "whole" distributor & If it ran before you put the distributor in & you only had sparks then the distributor was installed wrong.
Check for spark at the end of the plug wires. If you have spark then its more likely the distributor is in wrong &/or the firing order is off.

Is the Z20,Z24 and KA20 and 24 engines similar and if they are there is one for sale on www.gumtree.com in the brisbane section.