hbsprite

I've got a 97 gxe auto, completely stock, and am having a bit of trouble starting the car. The car starts perfectly if it is left overnight, or for a long period of time, it also starts perfectly if it is still warm, but if it is anywhere in between (about 1-3 hours of sitting) it seems to take forever to start. Sometimes it turns over 10 times before it finally starts. Other than that it runs great. Any suggestions/cures?

dch95

Any check engine codes? Is it slow to turn over? Any white smoke out of the back during/after start? Has it ever died on you for no apparent reason? Answers to these questions may help out. Post back.

Nismo

iTrader: (18)

this had been discussed a lot here. Anyways try putting the key in and turn it one but not starting the car. keep it there for 10-15 sec. and turn the key all the way. press a little gas if it wont start automatically

hbsprite

No check engine codes, turns over fine, no smoke. It has NEVER died on me. The only time I know something is up is when I try and start.

hbsprite

Thanks, I will try. So am I not the only one having this problem? Are there other people with the same problem. Does anyone know what the cause/cure is? I can only think that it might have something to do with the fuel pump.

Nismo

iTrader: (18)

Alot of ppl including me have this problem. There was a post about this a few days back and it was explained there. use the search or check the older pages on here and look for it.

hbsprite

I could only find one post about a similar problem. That problem was with cold starts, my problem is when the engine is between warm and cold. It starts perfectly in the morning, but if I let it sit for 1-3 hours it takes awhile before it will start.

Daniel B. Martin

Idea #1) Faulty Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. A bad ECTS will send a "cold engine" signal to the Engine Control Module even when the engine is still warm. The ECM responds by directing the fuel system to deliver a rich mixture. That makes for hard starting.

Remedy #1) Test your Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. This is easy enough, requiring only an ohmmeter.

On the 4th Generation Maxima engine the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor is located in the water outlet tube close to the engine end of the upper radiator hose. There are two sensors in that area. The one nearest the hose is for the dashboard temperature gauge. The ECTS, the one you're interested in, is right next to the the gauge sending unit. There is a good picture of these sensors in the Haynes manual on page 3-7.

With the engine cold, disconnect the ECTS and measure its resistance.
Reconnect the ECTS, start the engine, run it until fully warmed up. Stop
the engine, and repeat the resistance measurement. The "warm" reading
should be a much lower value than the "cold" reading.

The gives these specs:
Engine coolant temperature 68F, ECTS resistance 2.1 - 2.9 Kohms
Engine coolant temperature 194F, ECTS resistance 0.24 - 0.26 Kohms
(Roughly a factor of ten difference.)

If the ECTS is out of spec, replace it.

Daniel B. Martin

Idea #2) Leaky fuel injectors allow residual pressure to "pee" gasoline into the intake manifold, causing the engine to choke on an over-rich mixture. Test this theory by cranking the engine to start with the gas pedal floored. A wide open throttle while cranking is a signal to the ECM to "clear a flooded engine".

A more rigorous test is a fuel pressure test. 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).

Bleed the fuel rail pressure by pulling the fuel pump fuse and making several attempts to start the engine (it won't start). Install a T-fitting with a pressure gauge in the flexible rubber fuel line just downstream of the fuel filter. Install the fuel pump fuse. Start the engine. You should see the pressure maintain a stable 34 psi. After turning the engine off the fuel system should hold pressure for a long time, 24 hours or longer. If the residual pressure bleeds off in only one or two hours that is a sign of a problem such as leaky injectors.

Remedy #2) Buy three cans of name-brand fuel injector cleaner. Treat three successive tankfuls of gasoline. I've had good luck with this kind of "snake oil" product.

If the cleaner does not resolve the sticky injector problem you may have to spend some real money. Identify which injector(s) are leaking and replace them.

BLacKMax69

all i have tyo say is do NOT pump on your gas because u will fu*k up your car pretty bad...my car had a engine problem where the cylinders were not sealed right and gas from the injectors was leakin into the oil and making the "rich mixture" that makes your car not start...i had an extra engine, thank God and now my car starts up the first try...well until last night where my alarm took over my car and now my car is getting worked on 2marro morning...damn alarm

dch95

If your injectors were leaking into your oil, pumping the gas would not have any affect on this because injectors are electrically operated and not operated (directly) by the accelerator. A bad Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor could cause extra fuel to go into the cylinders thereby causing the "extra gas/rich mixture" problem.

Guest

I have the exact same problem and received a number of suggestions when I posted my initial remarks at:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=5941

Unfortunately, the fuel filter doesn't seem to have fixed the problem. The air filter, as also suggested, didn't help. The high octane gas didn't help (not that I thought it would), and the WOT check (start car with accelerator floored) didn’t help either.

I have not yet had the fuel pressure checked, the plugs changed, or the engine coolant temp gauge checked. I'm still trying to find a dealer near me that I trust (read: mission impossible).

If you ever find a solution to this, could you please email me and let me know what it was? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Andrew Eberhard
andrew@eberhard.net