This really sucks. I was going to run some errands today and I stopped at a stoplight. All of the sudden the car went from idling fine to plain out dead. I tried to restart it and it wouldn't (starter was replaced not to long ago, and battery was replaced a couple of weeks ago). It sounds like it is eager to start up but something isn't making the final step. I get pushed over into a parking lot where I sit for a minute or so and I try to start it again. It starts up and I immediately head for home and my car dies again when it rolls inot the driveway. Same symptoms throgh- the car is eager to start, but it just can't.

I am hesitant to try to go out again and get stranded, but I am thinking that it is the alternator. It doesn't do anything negative when i put on the lights though, but I am thinking that maybe it is the alternator getting really close to being dead, if not there already.

Any good places to buy an alternator? Anyone in GA can you lend me a hand installing this? I am not that mechanically inclined, so the help would be appreciated.

 

I got a Duralast reman alt from AutoZone last year.

Installation isn't too hard. The worst part is trying to keep the AC compressor out of the way while you get the bolts started on the new one...

 

u dont need to unbolt the A/C compressor. just take off the lower rad hose, the rad support bars up top (2 10mm bolts) push the rad up and slide the alt out at the same time. it shouldnt take u more than 15 minutes to get out ur alternator.

 

you should probably have it tested before you replace it... any codes?

 

Went out and checked the codes: They are as follows:

3 long 4 short Knock sensor
10 long 1 short Front Left Htd 02 sensor heater
1 long 3 short Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor

Just ordered a knock sensor on Ebay. Now to find a good place for the rest of this stuff. Come on Max, you couldn't bring me this gift for Christmas!

 

Ah, the infamous 0304....

 

i wold have replaced the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor first....that might be the cause of ur issues

 

The KS has about 161,000 miles on it (as well as the 02 sensors and the engine coolant sensor). I am guessing that the KS had gone WAYYY before then.

Would it be best to try replacing one of these at a time or should I get them all since they have so many miles on them?

I want to make sure that I get the sensors that are a must for good operation.

Back to the original issue, why would the car die all of the sudden?

 

Im gonna have to aggree on this one. Definetly the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor.

-matt

 

If it was the alternator the battery light on the gauge cluster would've come on and stayed on.

 

u love the smiley dont u

 

Sure why not....

 

The car started after I read and cleared the codes. It only stayed running for a minute or so before it quickly dies. Starter is still trying, and there is plenty of juice- full power and no dimming of the lights.

After it dies, the battery, and the oil lights come on and followed shortly thereafter by the MIL light. When I get the car started they all turn off and stay off. Maybe the codes will resurface again......

 

What size or should the guys at Autozone (or reccommended place) know which will fit?

 

http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker...ERATURE+SENSOR
there is only one listed

 

definetly not the alt. CTS is what im gunna go with too

 

Is it the greyish plug on the right? I am looking on my service manual and it only shows one plug. EC-127


If it is the grey one then I tried to remove it. The nut holding it on is pretty tight, so I hit it with some Liquid Wrench and it still won't budge. GREAT!

Any suggestions?

 

I pretty sure the coolant temperature sensor would cause the engine to die, I drove for a few months with a bad one and it never killed the engine.

It's possible that it's the voltage regulator in the alternator but I would doubt it my experience with voltage regulators in the Maxima is that lights and guages start acting flakey when they start going out... one got bad enough to turn off radio, air, lights, etc. but it didn't kill the engine either.

If you do replace the alternator, don't forget to press the brass bushing on the back connection most of the way in before installing it... I had to replace mine yesterday and forgot about pressing this bushing, kept turning the bolt and it would never catch with the nut then I had to pull the damn thing back out to press in the busing and reinstall.

Wish I would have decided to replace it when I replaced the radiator last week. FYI if you get a new thermostat don't forget to order a gasket. When I went to put in the new thermostat I found it didn't include the gasket and a trip to the local parts store was wasted as they didn't have a listing for a thermostat gasket and it wasn't included with their thermostat either.

 

There are 2 listed. Any special tools needed to get this thing off? The guy said that they sell a ECT sensosr tool for removing it.

I tried a pair of adjustable pliers and they couldn't get it loose

 

Sorry, this is slightly off topic, but I was just curious, did you have a check engine light? I think my KS might need replacing, and most likely my O2 sensors as well, but I have no CEL. Contemplating whether or not to manually pull codes. thanks

 

will it stay on if you give it gas? i would def check the alt before replacing it.

 

I did have a check engine light after I parked it at my house, but not before then. I pulled and erased the codes and they haven't come one since. I am not going to mess with it. I am going to have it towed tomorrow and have a mechanic straighten this out. I at least have done the troubleshooting to cut down on the possible problems.

 

It used to stay on if I gave it gas, but now the car cuts off so fast you would think that you turned the key off while it was running. It is hard to get it started back up regardless if I give it no gas, floor it, or anywhere inbetween.

I am thinking that the alternator is still working but on the way out. Just good enough to do its job before showing signs that it is dying. Just my guess though.

 

How would the thermostat cause the engine to die? I'm not asking like a smart a$$, I would honestly like to know.

 

Who said anything about a thermostat?

 

When I got that code someone on the org told me to change my thermostat.

 

And why did you do that?

 

If the sensor is malfunctioning, it will send incorrect readings to the ECU. If the readings indicate too high a temperature, then I suppose the ECU will 'kill' the engine to prevent it from overheating and damage. Anyone want to confirm this?

Anyways, I had the same issue last year, and ended up replacing the ECTS, which fixed the issue. The original was in pretty bad shape, with lots of corrosion and actually fell apart after I removed it! After spraying it with WD-40, you will want to wait awhile as it takes some time to penetrate.

 

Thanks for a real response.

 

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/may98/techtotech.htm

Then why does the engine proceed to overheat when the thrmostat is bad and the ECTS is good?

 

I had a prob w/ stalling last year. If I was at a light or drive thru or turning it would die on me. It was embarassing because sometimes it would take several minutes before I could get it restarted. It seemed like it was a fuel system or air prob. after trying many other things I finally tried the ECTS, which I had a code for, and it went away. So, if you are having stalling issues and you have the code on your check engine light for ECTS then I would definitely change it. It solved my prob.