gaios1

Hi everyone,

I have a 96 GXE model which is driven by my wife (shame! shame!)... but nonetheless, I'm happy to say that she takes as much care of it as I would too. As the subject heading implies, I've been having a starting problem for about a year now, and I can't seem to find a solution for it. So I resort to my fellow Maxima owners to help me out (since the dealer has been totally useless to me so far!). The symptons go as follows:
During startup, the starter motor itself cranks as normal, but once the engine actually starts, it reaches about 1,100RPM, then it dies completely. If I try to restart, the starter motor will keep going, but the engine won't start at all. The ONLY way that I can start the engine, is if I pump the gas while restarting the motor. Subsequently, once the engine picks up, I actually have to keep pumping the gas for about another 5sec, until the RPMs settle down to about 1,100RPM for warming up. If I let go of the gas pedal at any time before those 5sec, the car will die once more. Also, during this "forced" startup, some dark gray stinking smoke comes out of the exhaust for some 2-3sec.
Keep in mind that this problem happens unfrequently; meaning that the car can be hot or cold, the weather can be hot or cold, it can be summer or winter,etc. Also, the problem can happen twice in one day, and then 6 months latter... so it's very intermittent.
I had a 96K PM done on it by Nissan last year that cost me $500CAN. New spark plugs, cables, battery, filters (air, fuel, etc), the works. I don't regret spending the money since maintenance is very important. But the problem still exists.
Any suggestions would be trully appreciated as I care for my Maxima as much as the next person, and I would hate to see this problem compound onto something else and make matters worse.

Thanks for your time, and sorry for the long message.

Peter

Daniel B. Martin

Thank you for your long and detailed report of symptoms. Don't apologize; lots of details help to fill in the picture.

Intermittent problems are the most difficult kind to diagnose and repair. When you "fix" something, it takes days or weeks to know if it was the right fix or another well-intentioned mistake.

Your symptoms indicate that your Maxima engine has one or more fuel injectors which is sticking open. As a consequence the residual pressure in the fuel rail drops to zero as the gasoline "pees" into the intake manifold. At the next start-up the engine falters because it has two problems:
- inadequate fuel pressure
- a momentarily over-rich mixture due to the pooled gasoline in the manifold

Please try the easy and inexpensive "fix" first. Buy three cans of name-brand fuel injector cleaner. Treat three successive tankfuls of gasoline. I've had good results with this kind of "snake oil" product.

If the cleaner does not solve the problem, a recommended next step is a fuel pressure test. This is done by installing a T-fitting with a pressure gauge in the rubber fuel line, just downstream of the fuel filter. This is a standard diagnostic test. You will find instructions and a diagram or picture in Chilton (page 5-3) and Haynes (page 4-3,4). The fuel pressure test may reveal problems with the fuel pump, filter, injectors, pressure regulator, and return line.

gaios1

Thanks for your insight Daniel.

In fact, I have added a fuel injector cleaner to a tankfull of gas already. But as you mentioned, I will continue to add the same cleaner again on my next visit to the gas station.
I added the injector cleaner for the same reason that you mentioned: inadequate air/fuel mixture ratio. I suspect that might be the problem, just by "recognizing" the odd smell of the exhaust, but I wasn't sure. Worth the try though!

Once again, thanks for your reply!
Peter