thenderste

Hello all,

I’m the proud original owner of a 1989 Maxima SE with only 292,000 miles. And until the other day was running great. I still obtain close to 30 mpg on the highway and the car doesn’t burn a drop of oil.
Since I’m in medicine and not an automobile expert I’ll give you the history and sympoms and what I have tried to revive the patient (Maxima).
The current status of my Maxima is that it is not running. The engine turns over but will not start. The battery is almost new and checks out okay. I have replaced the coil and distributor but that did not help. The coil checks out okay and the coil is receiving 12 volts on the input side but the coil is not generating the high energy voltage on the output side and of course without this the car won’t start.
My feeling from reading other problems in this forum that it could be something of a sensor problem. But where to start, I don’t know.

History: uneventful for thirteen years, involved in accident in 2001 (265,000 miles) to the right front of the car, car repaired (except for AC and cruise control) and driven for more then 25,000 miles until recently,
I was driving along the other day and the engine would just cut out (rpm’s on the tach would drop to zero) and then a few seconds later the engine would kick in and run for a few minutes and then cut out again, this happen about five times and with the last time the engine would not start again.
Looking under the hood I did find some wires that had their insulation damaged in the accident and because of the exposure to salt in the winter were either bare or nearly severed. The connector on the low voltage side of the coil was bent (this from the accident but not discovered until now).
I repaired the wiring and replaced the coil and for good measure I replaced the distributor. After each of these repairs I tried to start the car but it will not start. It turns over fine but will not start.
One other piece of info, at about 287,000 miles I had part of my exhaust system replaced (a flex pipe near the engine) and I remember the mechanic stating that I was lucky that he could salvage the O2 sensor. After this repair I did notice that from time to time the idle speed would be higher then normal.

My many thanks in advance to those offering advice,
sorry for the rather long post,
TOD

4DSC1989

I have an 89 with 5 speed stick. The car died like that when I was shifting. It turned out there was a short in the back up light switch and that circuit also powers the computer or the O2 sensor. A new fuse would blow out after a short drive. Have replaced the back up light switch (watch out for trany oil) and no problem.

Maxpwer

iTrader: (7)

If there is no rust on the car you could sell it to me

thenderste

Thanks for the ideas. I will check that wiring this weekend and let you know what I find.

TOD

thenderste

Thanks for the offer, but there is a little rust on the car. I know this problem can be fixed. The car just has too much life in it to let it go.

TOD

thenderste

Thanks for the offer, but there is a little rust on the car. I know this problem can be fixed. The car just has too much life in it to let it go.

TOD

thenderste

I have my Maxima running. All my friends had given up. It was a couple of wires that I had to repair in a wiring harness that was damaged in an accident. It's running great. 300,000 here I come!