Rattling, shaking when starting
08-26-2002, 09:30 PM
#1
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Rattling, shaking when starting
Ok, here's my problem: If I drive my 98 Maxima every day, it starts and runs fine. But when I leave it outside for several days without running, when I start it the engine makes a loud rattling or jackhammer-like noise and the whole car shakes for about 30 seconds. Anyone know what this might be and am I looking at a future repair? It has 43,000 miles. Thanks.
08-27-2002, 05:18 AM
#3
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What kind of oil and filter are you using? Sounds like your getting a lot of drain back of oil and your getting dry starts. Not good. Use a Nissan oil filter and either a 5W-30 or 10W-30 motor oil, Castrol GTX or Mobil 1 Oil. Then see if your loud starts go away.
08-27-2002, 08:48 PM
#4
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Uh-oh, it's even worse than I thought
Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
08-27-2002, 09:16 PM
#5
Re: Uh-oh, it's even worse than I thought
Originally posted by sgmax
Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
Wild guess on your starting problem- is your exhaust clogged?
08-27-2002, 09:29 PM
#6
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Re: Re: Uh-oh, it's even worse than I thought
Do you mean the cat. converter? The problem is, it will be fine tomorrow, and the next day, until I leave it sitting for several days, then it seems to happen again. 
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nismo
AmericanRacing Pinzetti and the kit is the Stillen kit with IonicDynamics rears.
Wild guess on your starting problem- is your exhaust clogged? [/QUOTE
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nismo
AmericanRacing Pinzetti and the kit is the Stillen kit with IonicDynamics rears.
Wild guess on your starting problem- is your exhaust clogged? [/QUOTE
08-27-2002, 10:09 PM
#7
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Re: Uh-oh, it's even worse than I thought
Originally posted by sgmax
Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.
P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?
White smoke usually means your burning water in your engine. I think it might be like a head gasket. How many miles do you have on that engine? If there's any blue to that smoke, that could indicate burning oil. If you're burning oil, you will probably smell burned oil. It smells kinda like that smell right after you drive your car after an oil change or if you know an old car that leaks so much oil that you smell it each time you drive. I've never smelled it on a maxima after an oil change, but I usually smell it from the residual oil burn off on toyotas after driving it right after changing oil. The maxima doesn't have the smell cause the oil filter and pan is below the engine and it doesn't burn off, it just drips off.
08-28-2002, 09:21 PM
#8
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Re: Re: Uh-oh, it's even worse than I thought
That mention of water reminded me that while the car was sitting last time it was in out in the rain - could water from rain have gotten in the engine somehow? Then again, when I drive it in rain it is fine. It has 43,000 miles (approx.). It did not smell like burning oil, actually it did not have much smell at all - maybe it was water. It pretty much filled up the driveway around the car with smoke, keep in mind this is before the engine started running, just whenever the starter was cranked more smoke came out of the exhaust pipe.
Originally posted by SamMan23
White smoke usually means your burning water in your engine. I think it might be like a head gasket. How many miles do you have on that engine? If there's any blue to that smoke, that could indicate burning oil. If you're burning oil, you will probably smell burned oil. It smells kinda like that smell right after you drive your car after an oil change or if you know an old car that leaks so much oil that you smell it each time you drive. I've never smelled it on a maxima after an oil change, but I usually smell it from the residual oil burn off on toyotas after driving it right after changing oil. The maxima doesn't have the smell cause the oil filter and pan is below the engine and it doesn't burn off, it just drips off.
White smoke usually means your burning water in your engine. I think it might be like a head gasket. How many miles do you have on that engine? If there's any blue to that smoke, that could indicate burning oil. If you're burning oil, you will probably smell burned oil. It smells kinda like that smell right after you drive your car after an oil change or if you know an old car that leaks so much oil that you smell it each time you drive. I've never smelled it on a maxima after an oil change, but I usually smell it from the residual oil burn off on toyotas after driving it right after changing oil. The maxima doesn't have the smell cause the oil filter and pan is below the engine and it doesn't burn off, it just drips off.
08-29-2002, 12:27 AM
#9
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Not water from the rain. Plenty of cars sit in the rain just fine. I'm talking about radiator fluid. HOw's your radiator fluid level? HAs it gone down at all? Don't open while it's hot. It might spew out. It should be totally full as you open your radiator cap when it's cold. If it's not, then you might be burning some of it which is where the white smoke comes from. I hope some other mechanics chime in.
08-29-2002, 08:49 PM
#10
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Can I look in the overflow container instead of inside the radiator? The coolant in the overflow is a little lower than the full mark, maybe 3/4 inch or so.
Originally posted by SamMan23
Not water from the rain. Plenty of cars sit in the rain just fine. I'm talking about radiator fluid. HOw's your radiator fluid level? HAs it gone down at all? Don't open while it's hot. It might spew out. It should be totally full as you open your radiator cap when it's cold. If it's not, then you might be burning some of it which is where the white smoke comes from. I hope some other mechanics chime in.
Not water from the rain. Plenty of cars sit in the rain just fine. I'm talking about radiator fluid. HOw's your radiator fluid level? HAs it gone down at all? Don't open while it's hot. It might spew out. It should be totally full as you open your radiator cap when it's cold. If it's not, then you might be burning some of it which is where the white smoke comes from. I hope some other mechanics chime in.
08-29-2002, 09:13 PM
#11
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Originally posted by sgmax
Can I look in the overflow container instead of inside the radiator? The coolant in the overflow is a little lower than the full mark, maybe 3/4 inch or so.
Can I look in the overflow container instead of inside the radiator? The coolant in the overflow is a little lower than the full mark, maybe 3/4 inch or so.
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