the other day my car wouldnt start. It took 55 minutes and when it did start, it ran fine. For a while its been having that grinding noise when i start it up, but the it goes away?Do you all think new starter or just a bad tank of gas? thanks

 

well the idea of starter has been discussed. check out this link http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hreadid=14278.
Personally, I think it may be your starter or some seriously dirty terminals.
But I let Daniel B Martin give you a more through diagnosis.

 

Did it crank at all? If you turn the key all the way and there wasn't anything, then it's more likely to not be bad gas..

 

What year Maxima is it? A '95?

 

Your post is an example of a common problem on this forum. People needing advice post a question but describe their symptoms in a vague or ambiguous way.

You said your car wouldn't start. Please be more specific. Did it not crank (no Rrr-Rrr-Rrr)? Did it crank, but slower than usual? Did it crank at normal speed but fail to fire (no Vroom!). The diagnostic paths and potential remedies are different.

Help us to help you by providing a clear report of symptoms.

 

what did you do? Just cut and paste that response in all the ambiguous postings? I agree though, a lot of posts are very vague...like "I hear a clunk"

 

Yes. It saves keying time.

 

D.b.M- it wouldnt even turn, i tried it forever, until i got lucky, i guess. It is a 95 with a lot of miles. I guess i just need a big checkup anyway. Im gonna change everything out anyway. Thanks a lot though

 

Had the same problem, get your starter changed, i went for like a few months like that till it finally jus gave and then i was completely pissed off, so change it urself and save some cash....

 

i will, thanks- what kinds of prices are we talking about here?

 

If you get a new aftermarket (that's what I got) or a rebuilt Nissan starter, it will be less than $200. You can replace it yourself fairly easily.

 

You are reporting a no-crank problem.

Always do the easy check first. If your vehicle is a 5-speed, make sure the clutch pedal is all the way down when you twist the key to START. If automatic, jiggle the shifter while attempting to crank. Try cranking in both Park and Neutral. If those steps are unsuccessful, consider ...

- discharged battery (dim headlights with engine off)
- weak battery (check voltage at terminals while cranking)
- loose or dirty battery terminal connections at the battery
- loose or dirty battery-to-body ground connection
- loose or dirty battery-to-engine block connection
- bad ignition switch
- bad clutch safety switch (5-speed)
- bad neutral safety switch (automatic)
- bad inhibitor relay
- bad solenoid
- bad starter

The starter is an expensive item so I would check the other items before
spending the money on a replacement.