a friend has a 1998 Maxima with about 170k on it , it has trouble starting the starter and the engine turn over ok , but it just does not "catch" as in start the engine , the starter seems somewhat weak and slow most likey due to excesscive hard starts , but what i am saying is that there is a possiblity that the starter is not spinning the engine over enough to start easy ,but it sound like it is turning over fast enough , so this is an unlikey cause.
so is it fuel or electrical in nature?
if starting fulid is sprayed intp the air intake it does not make any differance , so this would seem to piont to an electircal issue right?
Temp, amount of gas in the tank, pumping the gas does not seem to make a differance
when it is started it runs fine
what is the next step ?
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Well, if it runs fine once started, I would think that rules out the fuel system as the cause of the problem.
Could be electrical, as you guessed. But, how about the starter itself? 1998 - that's ten plus years of starting. Maybe a new starter might be the fix?
If you have a battery charger, you could juice up the battery beforehand to eliminate low electrical output as the cause.
"if starting fulid is sprayed intp the air intake it does not make any differance , so this would seem to piont to an electircal issue right?"
>> Yes, to some extent, so check plugs for soot deposits and wrong electrode gap. Also check plug leads for proper contact and no cracks. Distributor cover and arm chould be checked for discharge marks/tracks/moisture. However, a starting gas check is not conclusive, so you may want to check the connectors for the engine temp sensor, lambda sond and the connectors at injectors/throttle body and the main connector at the electronics box. The throttle position sensor (a potentiometer) and its sliding contact may be worn, should be checked with proper instruments.
"Temp, amount of gas in the tank, pumping the gas does not seem to make a differance"
>> Pumping the accelerator on a modern car doesn't make much of a difference, normally, as there's no acceleration pump as in older cars. One thing to check is the fuel line pressure, after the pump. If it's weak, cold start problems may occur. Some engines have a cold start injector for cold starts; check its connectors and its function, if present.
The fuel pump works according to a number of conditions that have to be met. It starts as you turn ignition on and runs for a few seconds. Then it runs as starter is engaged and continues to run if engine fires and runs. Verify that it does indeed start with ignition "On" and on "starter active", otherwise starting problems are inevitable.
"when it is started it runs fine"
>> Sounds like fuel pump issue to me, possibly temp sensor problems.
/RID
If it runs fine after it gets going I would think the fuel pump is fine otherwise it would die out or idle erratically,I would check all vacuum hoses for cracks etc...check you intake manifold for leaks,check plug wires for correct ohm resistance and the condition of the wires,also distributor cap and contacts for carbon build up.
Take a look at the ignition switch. Intermittent contact on the start circuit portion of the ignition could be your culprit. There are two different contact sets involved, the ones that supply power to the ignition when the key's turned to start, and the one used when the key's turned to run. If the start contacts aren't working all the time, this is what you'll get. Alternately, if it starts like a champ, then dies as soon as you go back to run, those contacts are shot.
Incidentally, you can substituted fuel pump for ignition, but only if it happens on cold starts. If it happens on all starts, look back to the ignition side of things.
Failing that, I'd start giving serious thoughts to grounds. It takes a lot more juice to start than run, so the ground that's adequate for running may be nowhere near good enough for starting. Try running a standard issue jumper cable from the negative terminal on the battery to then engine block. If it clears up, replace the ground cable(s) between the battery and the block and the firewall.
Sounds like a starter Solenoid or the starter istelf.
Starters have brushes that build up in carbon and make them week. If the engine cranks slow, you may not get the combustion needed to get a good ignition of the fuel within the piston.
Do you hear a clicking noise, (like your battery is dead), periodically when trying to start the engine? If so, replace your starter Solenoid.
On this link you will find a picture of a starter solenoid:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymo
For your NISSAN, I believe you will find this part in the engine compartment on the passanger side mounted above your front tire on the firewall.
A solenoid is a magnetic rod that rides in a cylinder that is wrapped by a wire coil. when current goes through the coil, the rod actuates back an forth. For a starter solenoid, it acts as a switch to the starter. But, if the solenoid is gummed up or not working well, it may give the appearance the starter is dying.
This is a ten dollar item that needs to be replaced from time to time, (about every 40,000 miles). It is often overlooked.
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Also batteries may have bad cells and and still somewhat work. After putting a battery charger on the battery, you still may not get a full charge to the battery. The battery is used to start a car, While a proper working alternator will run the car. In fact, after starting a car, you could disconnect the battery and the car should still run fine because of the alternator. It might be a good idea to have a battery shop check your batter to see if it is holding a charge or if you have a bad cell in the battery.
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Battery terminals can build up corrosion or have loose connections. So, the amps are insulated from going to the starter. Making sure your battery cables are cleaned of all corrosion might improve starting performance. I am sure you probably checked this, but I though I would add this point.
I had a similar problem on my Nissan Sentra. Thing is a 98. Starter was going slower, and slooower, and sloooower ... to the point where it didn't turn over. Hooked up a charger to the battery, thinking that was the problem. Nope. Didn't turn over. Problem was the starter.
Problem being, as I'm sure you're learning, starters aren't always the easiest thing to access. In fact, I'm pretty sure the mechanic won't call me back when I let him know I need the starter replaced. So our immediate fix was a good old fashioned hammer and a screwdriver. Banged on the starter a few times and it started working. No joke. We knocked all the junk out of there and it started just fine for the next couple months without any other issues.
But now it's getting slooow again and barely turning over, so I'm afraid my luck has about run out. Let me know how your starter issue turns out. My recommendation would be to replace the thing, but I'd definitely go with what your mechanic says. 170k miles and 10 years ... yeah, those things have a lifespan of about that, as I found out recently.
You've probably got the same issue on your Sentra, BMilneSLO. Run a new ground from the battery to the block, and from the block to the starter. Most starters get replaced without need, simply because there's a bad ground present. Replacing the starter fixes the ground, and clears up the problem. And, a perfectly good starter makes it's way to the refurbisher, who laughs gleefully.
Hi, I am the guy thats having the Maxima issues... Lol, thank yall so much for all the help... I'm not there yet but am going to give yall some more details about whats been done.
-Ive gone through about 5 starters in the last 4 months (Yeah, something is screwing up the starters)
(one thought I had on this is an off balance flywheel, or bad teeth in the starter area, causing the starter to work harder than it should or get stuck in the fly wheel once the engine starts for a moment) One time when the starter went bad I push started it and a large peice of the starter broke off and was stuck loosley into the transmission, transmission had to be dropped to get it out... yeowch!
-Cold weather definitely makes the starting issue worse
-The fuel pump has been replaced, and is new (3 months)...
-It has new coil packs, and fuel injectors (3.5 months)
-Battery was replaced a month ago
-Has a new alternator ~2months
-Has a used transmission (1.5 years ago installed)
-Something on the front of the engine attached to the 'ram air' looking air intake called a 'boost sensor', was bad, and was replaced, making starting much easier, but not fixed... (this part has to do with computer calculations of the ambient pressure vs the engine vacuum pressure and then calculates fuel flow) Replacing this also fixed some engine shuttering and restored power in lower end torque...
-Right now the car is in the shop getting a new starter installed under warranty, the mechanic is going to get a nissan dealer to read the codes, and diagnose issues. (Ill post all that info as soon as I can get it)
-I really doubt an engine grounding problem as we have tried hooking multiple jumper cables to the negative battery terminal to different parts of the engine with no improved starting capability
-Replaced the muffler a couple weeks ago (rusting through in some areas) ...damn ethanol poisoning our gas
-Interesting fact, Fuel octane is a big variable in this... regular gas makes the starting problem MUCH worse where as premium fuel allows me to start much easier... and this may be mental, but Octane boost + Dry gas + Premium Fuel seems to help a lot....
Thanks again for all the time yall have put into it, Ive used many of yalls suggestions as you've added them... but Im still stuck with a Yabba-Dabba-Do Flinstone's push start car at the moment :-(... Look forward to hearing and trying more of yalls feedback.
-Thanks
When teeth are ground down or missing on a flywheel, it usually sounds like a grinding sound or a loud screetch.
If it sounds like the battery is almost dead, then I suspect your selonoid, unclean or loose battery connections, a bad cell in the battery, or a film of insulation (like a non-conductive grease) between your battery connections.
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by: andossPosted on 2009-01-21 at 20:13:48ID: 23436420
Sounds to me like it needs a new fuel pump. Had the same issue with an old car i had, called road side assistance and the guy managed to get enough fuel through the line to start it (wasn't easy to do).
I put it a new fuel pump next day problem solved.