A few days ago, my 92 Maxima won't start. It feels like engine got seized somehow. So I put it in the first gear, disconnected power transistor, and pushed the car to move the engine. After a few pushes, the starter can turn the engine. Then putting back the power transistor, I was able to start the car.

This morning, it happens to me again. So I had to go thru the same routine to start the car.

My question is what could cause the engine to seize? Any suggestion is welcome.

 

If your engine was truly seized, it would be extremely difficult/if not impossible to turn over at all. I believe you are looking at possibly a cable that might have to much resistance or bad connection, or other electrical problems. Hope you can figure out the true cause.

 

It might be your power transistor.

 

Somebody put sugar in your gas tank...

 

phaggotry for a response, right there...

five things have caused these problems for me:
loose/corroded battery cables (starter side, battery side, chassis side)
bad battery.
bad battery cables
bad starter
bad neutral safety switch (or shifter bushings on auto trans)

 

haven't heard that word since high school. Lmao!

 

i put sugar in yo mama's gas tank last night

if youve got a automatic, check your shifter bushing. on my 3rd gen i had the same thing, sometimes nothing would happen when you tried to start it and you had to go behind the car and push it and park would fully engage and it would start.

you can still get the bushing from Nissan, had to order one from Nissan at work for another 3rd gen and it was $5 i think

 

Check your starter. It's held in by like two bolts or something. When you try to start the car do you just hear a "click?" Your motor can't be seized if you're able to push start it. Also, you might also want to check your battery.

 

You didn't specify if was an AT/ MT but if yours is AT then I'm pretty sure its the bushing.

 

He actually did indirectlyAnyway, I don't know what the heck the disconnecting of the power transistor has to do with this all (or why anybody would even come to think of its involvement) .................... one can exert a lot more torque on the engine with the starter than during a simple bump-start, so I would think the obvious thing to blame is the starter or its associated mechanical/electrical components (cables/connections/battery/bushes/brushes)

 

Starter!

 

if its an automatic wiggle the shifter and or use the red shift lock bypass button to move the shifter
and try starting in nuetral

 

Ah yeah when he said he had to rock the car. I'm MT so I think in my frame of mind first to help then AT comes second.
Plus I was sleepy at that point when I wrote that.

 

Hell with it this old I would replace the bushing anyways if it were the culprit or not. Its cheap and you don't have to worry about it for a long while.

 

It is a manual shift car. Starter is good. The reason that I disconnected the power transistor is not to fire any cylinder in case ignition timing is messed up.

After pushing the car with the first gear on, feels like it overcomes some resistance to turn the engine. after that, the starter can turn the engine and start it.

Not sure what causes the resistance. But it is there and I can hear a "clicking" sound from the engine bay right before engine stops turning.

 

Get the starter seen to and check cables/connections/bushes - as I said the starter can exert way more torque on the motor than a simple first-gear bump start, so if the starter cannot turn the motor the obvious is the answer

 

Thanks. Is there a way to test the starter?

 

If you are sorta mechanically and electrically inclined you can strip and inspect the individual components and based on experience and visual indicators decide what if anything needs attention - in general its difficult for a non-specialist person to actually load test the thing, so your own level of experience is often the governing factor for success.

The fact that you ask would lead me to believe the correct answer is to rather take it to a shop

 

I would say I can do medium level mechanical and electrical repairs. Just putting a 12V DC power to the starter is not enough to test it as there is no load as you rightly pointed out.

I will go to a yard and get another starter to see if it will fix this problem.

 

the way we do it at work is just take the starter out and hook up a booster pack to it, if it doesnt turn normally its most likely pooched. theres also the obvious like worn teeth etc

 

After replacing MAF sensor, this problem goes away. Other engine problems like stalling during warm and rough idle improved as well, although idle is still not very stable. But now I can start the engine and drive it normally.

Will continue working on the rough idle issue.

 

What problem? .................... This cannot possibly be the reason for the engine not wanting to turn over

 

I know the reason that the engine was not turning when I tried to start it was an electrical problem, not mechanical. The engine started acting strangely after I grounded the VTC. Plus, the MAF sensor was on its way out, seems like the ECU was stopping the engine.

After I replaced the MAF sensor, I reset the ECU as well. So, now I can start the engine.

 

 

For the rough idle go through a check list of cleaning IACV, all injectors are firing , cleaning tb and making sure your getting correct air/fuel/spark. Its gotta be something simple. The hard part (I've had to experience) is finding what simple issue it is. GL With time, motivation and patience you'll figure it out. Thats what helped me.

 

Oh and don't forget the most important of all that gets everyone (even though its the most simplest issue to fix) vacuum leak. Could be a lose connection or a worn hose. Matter of fact check for that first.

 

I agree. So far, I have replaced all the vacuum hoses; cleaned IACV/TB; I have found #2 cylinder is not firing. So when I have time, I will check why this cylinder is not firing. Another thing I might try is to put in another ECU because when I grounded the VTC, I did not turn off the engine so I broke a fuse a couple of times. I am afraid that the ECU might be damaged (but I really hope not).