For five generations, the Pathfinder represented the best that Nissan has to offer in the mid-size SUV category, and this model is especially popular in the US market. Still, it sometimes gets tough to keep up with engine maintenance, especially if you are a DIY enthusiast due to loads of different engines used across the generation models.
If you could use some help with your specific engine, this guide on Nissan Pathfinder (1995-2023) firing order should help. Our team will not only tell you exactly how the cylinders of your Pathfinder engine are firing up, but we’ll also go through the engine cylinder configuration that you can use as guidelines.
| PATHFINDER YEARS | ENGINE | FIRING ORDER |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Gen (1995-2003) | 3.3L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
| 3.5L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 2.7L diesel | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 3.0L diesel | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 3rd Gen (2004-2011) | 4.0L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
| 5.6L V8 | 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2 | |
| 2.5L diesel | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 4th Gen (2012-2020) | 2.5L hybrid | 1-3-4-2 |
| 3.5L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 2.5L diesel | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 5th Gen (2021-present) | 3.5L turbo | 1-2-3-4-5-6 |
Second-generation Nissan Pathfinder (1995-2003) firing order
The second-gen Pathfinder model offered two main engine configurations and these included V6 petrol engines and four-cylinder diesel powertrains. Probably the most renowned engine from this era was a 3.5-liter V6, so we’ll take a look at all of these options and their respective firing orders.
Nissan Pathfinder 3.3L firing order
As a base engine option for the V6 Pathfinder, the second-gen model featured a 3.3-liter six-cylinder engine. So, the Nissan Pathfinder 3.3L firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6 and the cylinder layout of this engine is pretty straightforward.
For this engine, there are two cylinder banks housing three cylinders per bank, and the key thing is that the first cylinder is on the passenger’s side. While the first cylinder is the front-most cylinder in this bank, cylinders 3 and 5 follow right up toward the rear end. On the other hand, the driver’s side cylinders are numbered 2, 4, and 6 in that order from front to rear.
Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L firing order
For the other V6 option, Nissan added a 3.5-liter six-cylinder and this engine was similar to the 3.3-liter engine for several reasons. First off, the Nissan Pathfinder 3.5L firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6, just like it is for the 3.3-liter engine.
However, there’s a major difference in the way that the cylinders are arranged within the engine. This one is placed in the Pathfinder engine bay transversely, so there’s an upper and a lower cylinder bank instead of a driver’s side and a passenger’s side bank. The upper bank houses cylinders 1, 3, and 5 from left to right, while the lower one includes cylinders 2, 4, and 6 in the same orientation.
Nissan Pathfinder 2.7L diesel firing order
The 2.7-liter diesel engine was the first diesel used in a second-gen Pathfinder with a firing order of 1-3-4-2. It’s a standard firing sequence for four-cylinder engines of that time and the cylinders are laid out from the first one on the left side to the fourth one on the right side in a straight order.
Nissan Pathfinder 3.0L diesel firing order
The 3.0-liter diesel engine from the second-gen Pathfinder model isn’t like the six-cylinder petrol V6 used in the previous one. Instead, it’s a four-cylinder diesel with a firing order of 1-3-4-2, just like the previously mentioned 2.7L diesel.
However, there’s a major difference between these two engines as well, since this one has a unique cylinder configuration. Unlike going from 1 to 4 left to right like the 2.7L engine, the 3.0-liter diesel has cylinders 1 to 4 numbered in a straight sequence front to rear.
Third-generation Nissan Pathfinder (2004-2011) firing order
Significant changes were made in the transition from the second-gen to the third-gen Pathfinder model, so all the previous engine options were ditched by the brand. In their place, Nissan added three new optional engines with a V8 more suitable for the US market, so let’s take a look at their firing orders:
Nissan Pathfinder 4.0L firing order
The Nissan Pathfinder 4.0L firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6 and as you can probably tell by now, it’s their standard V6 firing pattern. So, the 4.0L engine is a regular longitudinal V6 with cylinders ranging from the odd 1, 3, and 5 order on the passenger’s side, to the even 2, 4, and 6 order on the driver’s side.
So, make sure to differentiate between this one and the transverse 3.5L engine in case you own a V6 Pathfinder.
Nissan Pathfinder 5.6L firing order
The 5.6-liter engine was the first V8 used in a Pathfinder as a model, and the firing order for this one is 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2. Like the previous V6 options, it has an even and an odd cylinder bank, only this time four cylinders are located within each bank.
So, cylinders 1, 3, 5, and 7 are on the driver’s side, while cylinders 2, 4, 6, and 8 are on the passenger’s side of the engine.
Nissan Pathfinder 2.5L diesel firing order
Finally, we have the 2.5-liter diesel engine which came as a successor to previous four-cylinder diesel engines in the Pathfinder like the 2.7L and 3.0L options. So, the Nissan Pathfinder 2.5L diesel firing order is 1-3-4-2 and the cylinders of this engine are laid out 1 to 4 straight from left to right.
Fourth-generation Nissan Pathfinder (2012-2020) firing order
The fourth-generation model of the Pathfinder saw the return of the 3.5-liter V6 with a firing order 1-2-3-4-5-6 that we discussed a while back. On top of that, the 2.5-liter diesel engine was still there with a 1-3-4-2 firing order, and the only new option at the time was a hybrid 2.5-liter petrol four-cylinder.
Nissan Pathfinder 2.5L hybrid firing order
The Nissan Pathfinder 2.5L hybrid firing order is 1-3-4-2 and it’s the same four-cylinder firing pattern all over again. On top of that, the cylinder layout is straight 1 to 4 from left to right, so it’s the same as for the diesel version of the engine.
However, being a petrol engine, this one is a bit different and it has an electric hybrid component which makes the maintenance a bit different when compared with the diesel one.
Fifth-generation Nissan Pathfinder (2021-present) firing order
Finally, we have the fifth-gen Pathfinder model which only used one engine option throughout the production and it was a 3.5-liter turbo V6 engine. However, this one was based on the regular 3.5L V6 that we’ve already mentioned and the firing order is once again 1-2-3-4-5-6.
This time the only difference is forced induction and this engine features the same cylinder arrangement as the original 3.5L V6, so you can check that section of our guide for details.
Our take
Now that we’ve thoroughly checked all the Pathfinder engines used from 1995 onward, you should have all the key information laid down clearly to help you find the specs for your engine.
Make sure to double-check the firing order and cylinder configuration so you’ll know where to start applying the firing order since the cylinder layout is just as important in this case.
