Mattox

Hello all, I have a 91 Maxima and sometimes it will start like nothings wrong at all-then a little later it will crank real fast but wont start--I keep trying to start it and it still fast cranks and when i go to turn the key back to off position it acts like its backfiring and wants to start but wont--I also smell an awful smell kinda like gas and kinda like either (hard to explain the smell) This morning I got in it--It started right up--drove fine for about a mile and started sputtering and backfiiring thru the engine i think---It quit on me and I couldn't get it started again---same thing except this time it kept backfiring and not starting.

I thought it might be the distributer cap getting damp--but it now does it when its not damp out---can it be the timing belt? any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks

Tarzan

Replace the green fusebox relay under the hood to begin with. It only costs you 20 bucks or so, but may save you from a lot of expenses. Keep in mind there may be many different problems at the same time. How old are your spark plugs? Maybe it's time to replace them.
Did you clean white aluminum oxide from the distributor cap contacts? It helps to make your engine run smoother and start easier. You should do it every 10k miles or so.

Wiking

No its not the timing belt, well 0.01% chance there is.

Quite possibly cam pos sensor and/or distr grounding. Take the pin off from distr and clean (hard to access that downunder screw)

Replace plugs, cap, wires.

Test all sensors: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/9

Clean your connectors: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/14


etcetc.