Another starting problem-replaced just about everything
10-27-2008, 08:19 AM
#405
OMFG! This thing really needs to be stickied! Or at least a quick link or write-up needs to be done on the 4th gen FAQ's!
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
***NOTE*** If you bolt your second ground wire to a bolt that holds the engine/tranny together, this may cause you problems (As it did Tavarish) because it puts your Crank Sensor Out of wack***
Something like that.
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
***NOTE*** If you bolt your second ground wire to a bolt that holds the engine/tranny together, this may cause you problems (As it did Tavarish) because it puts your Crank Sensor Out of wack***
Something like that.
10-27-2008, 06:38 PM
#406
OMFG! This thing really needs to be stickied! Or at least a quick link or write-up needs to be done on the 4th gen FAQ's!
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
***NOTE*** If you bolt your second ground wire to a bolt that holds the engine/tranny together, this may cause you problems (As it did Tavarish) because it puts your Crank Sensor Out of wack***
Something like that.
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
***NOTE*** If you bolt your second ground wire to a bolt that holds the engine/tranny together, this may cause you problems (As it did Tavarish) because it puts your Crank Sensor Out of wack***
Something like that.
10-27-2008, 08:53 PM
#407
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OMFG! This thing really needs to be stickied! Or at least a quick link or write-up needs to be done on the 4th gen FAQ's!
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
Something like that.
Q: Why does my car crank and crank and crank and pops and cranks and sometimes rpm fluctuates up to 1k rpms and cranks some more and then sometimes finally start?
A: Over time your ground wires will corrode. You must replace/clean your ground wires or create more grounds from your starter/tranny bellhousing to your chassis/negative battery terminal. IE.
Ground Wire 1: Connect a ground wire from the 17 mm bolt (LONG ONE) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis)
Ground Wire 2: Connect a ground wire from a bolt on your transimission's bellhousing (Not a bolt that connects your transmission to your engine) to your negative battery terminal (Or a point on your chassis).
Something like that.
***NOTE*** If you bolt your second ground wire to a bolt that holds the engine/tranny together, this may cause you problems (As it did Tavarish) because it puts your Crank Sensor Out of wack***
10-28-2008, 07:50 AM
#408
i wish it was that easy did just about everything listed in this thread every week tried something different for about a year replaced ecu starter sensors you name it, guess what was wrong? timing, took car to replace the timing chain just before i sold it and voila no more starting issues
Crazy97: We all learn something new each day
. I learned to completely read through a thread esepecially if there are additional posts after the problem has been "solved." And... Don't go hastily posting up your car on craigslist because you are frustrated with the current problem that you know is most likely something small... they will lowball the $hit out of you not believing it's a small problem (Which I shoulda figured already)!
10-28-2008, 09:55 AM
#409
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Crazy97: We all learn something new each day
. I learned to completely read through a thread esepecially if there are additional posts after the problem has been "solved." And... Don't go hastily posting up your car on craigslist because you are frustrated with the current problem that you know is most likely something small... they will lowball the $hit out of you not believing it's a small problem (Which I shoulda figured already)!
10-28-2008, 01:26 PM
#410
Heck yes it fixed my car! It saved my car! I had just replaced the passenger side knuckle and put in a 96 Maxima tranny. Put everything back together and it was cranking like a loser and drained my battery out!
Hastily I posted it on craigslist to sell it cause I didn't want to deal with it anymore. Then people started lowballing me so I figured I'd figure out the problem first. Now it starts up so easily (Except the grease in my starter has gone sticky) that I don't even want to sell it anymore.
Seriously, find another roomy 4 door, consistent + reliable, no turbo lag car that can run 13's under $2500 (Which is what the car and mod's would come up to)? You can't, so I'll just keep it.
Hastily I posted it on craigslist to sell it cause I didn't want to deal with it anymore. Then people started lowballing me so I figured I'd figure out the problem first. Now it starts up so easily (Except the grease in my starter has gone sticky) that I don't even want to sell it anymore.
Seriously, find another roomy 4 door, consistent + reliable, no turbo lag car that can run 13's under $2500 (Which is what the car and mod's would come up to)? You can't, so I'll just keep it.
11-04-2008, 05:59 PM
#411
Add another one to the list that this ground strap fixed. Tranny hadn't been out that I know of but the car had a hard start. It would crank, crank, crank slow(like a weak battery), crank, crank, start. Put this strap from the 17mm bolt on the starter(low bolt) to the negative battery terminal. Took 20 minutes to install and the hard start now gone. Thanks for the info!
11-11-2008, 08:19 AM
#413
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Starting problem solved! My 5th gen Maxima had the same symptoms after a clutch job. It would take several attempts to start, especially if I didn't drive it for a few days. The problem was going on for almost a year, I just ignored it - this is my 2nd "beater car".
I ordered some 4 gauge battery cable and lugs online for less than $20. I ran 1 cable from the neg battery terminal to the 14 mm starter bolt (the one closer to the front of the car) and another from the neg battery to the bottom of the tranny bell housing (12 mm bolt). The car now starts on the first try every time. I also noticed much smoother idle.
Thanks crazy and all posters on this thread!
I ordered some 4 gauge battery cable and lugs online for less than $20. I ran 1 cable from the neg battery terminal to the 14 mm starter bolt (the one closer to the front of the car) and another from the neg battery to the bottom of the tranny bell housing (12 mm bolt). The car now starts on the first try every time. I also noticed much smoother idle.
Thanks crazy and all posters on this thread!
Last edited by prorider; 11-11-2008 at 08:38 AM.
11-14-2008, 03:56 PM
#414
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Starting problem solved! My 5th gen Maxima had the same symptoms after a clutch job. It would take several attempts to start, especially if I didn't drive it for a few days. The problem was going on for almost a year, I just ignored it - this is my 2nd "beater car".
I ordered some 4 gauge battery cable and lugs online for less than $20. I ran 1 cable from the neg battery terminal to the 14 mm starter bolt (the one closer to the front of the car) and another from the neg battery to the bottom of the tranny bell housing (12 mm bolt). The car now starts on the first try every time. I also noticed much smoother idle.
Thanks crazy and all posters on this thread!
I ordered some 4 gauge battery cable and lugs online for less than $20. I ran 1 cable from the neg battery terminal to the 14 mm starter bolt (the one closer to the front of the car) and another from the neg battery to the bottom of the tranny bell housing (12 mm bolt). The car now starts on the first try every time. I also noticed much smoother idle.
Thanks crazy and all posters on this thread!
11-25-2008, 06:54 PM
#415
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Mine had been starting rough the past few weeks. After putting in a new battery that I needed anyway didn't fix the problem I thought I'd check the forums. I was amazed to find so many others with the exact same problem as I was having. I ran ground wire from the front bolt of my starter to my battery, now it starts first try every time. Thanks for all of the help.
11-29-2008, 10:36 AM
#417
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Same trouble
Hey guys. I was having the same starting challenges. I replaced the Knock sensor and the Cam sensor. The codes came up when I ran a diagnostic test. That was a month ago and things seemed to be fixed. Now the problem has come back in a similar way. When it is cranking to start it will hickup but will always start. Does anyone have any insight on how to make it stop hickuping?
11-30-2008, 08:14 PM
#418
Hey guys. I was having the same starting challenges. I replaced the Knock sensor and the Cam sensor. The codes came up when I ran a diagnostic test. That was a month ago and things seemed to be fixed. Now the problem has come back in a similar way. When it is cranking to start it will hickup but will always start. Does anyone have any insight on how to make it stop hickuping?
11-30-2008, 08:55 PM
#419
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FINALLY... after reading your post and its answers I fixed my car by tips on your post. Not only was the car making the exact sound when starting but I had erratic spart on 4 of the plugs. THE GROUNDS REALLY WORK!!!
Thanks for the tips and hope you car stays running...
A Happy Maxima owner!
Thanks for the tips and hope you car stays running...
A Happy Maxima owner!
12-16-2008, 10:40 PM
#420
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 235
make that one more success story it was -10F degrees with the wind chill
i had a reman starter with a lifetime guarantee so i got a new reman, and 2 grounds (one on the 14mm starter bolt and one on the 12mm that holds the tranny to the bell housing)
one turn of the key DONE!!!!
i feel much better going on longer/further trips
THANKS A TON!!!!!
i had a reman starter with a lifetime guarantee so i got a new reman, and 2 grounds (one on the 14mm starter bolt and one on the 12mm that holds the tranny to the bell housing)
one turn of the key DONE!!!!
i feel much better going on longer/further trips
THANKS A TON!!!!!
Last edited by smai555; 12-16-2008 at 10:51 PM.
12-23-2008, 05:14 PM
#421
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Location: Charlotte, NC
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Any way I can see a picture of those four wires running to the starter. I have the same problem, replaced the clutch then a week later starter problems. 3 starters later the car is still parked. Luckily, I have the life time warranty from Azone. I placed one ground from negative cable to the starter 14mm nut, but the problem persist. I am going to place a second to the trans, hopefully I can get the Beast running again. I miss driving stick.
01-03-2009, 10:42 AM
#422
I just had to add my experience. I stumbled upon this thread after having some serious cold weather battery draining starts.. I have had this starting problem for 2 years, and had 3 starters in my car with no help. I tried this method- I ran a 14ga. wire from my starter bolt to my neg batt. post, to no avail. I got really disappointed, and out of curiosity, I pulled a bellhousing bolt out and slipped a ring onto it and wired another ground to the neg post. Got in the car expecting a no start, and it started on the FIRST CRANK with a WEAK BATTERY. I was amazed. Thank you so much for supplying this information. creammotors, you should try running that bellhousing ground too, thats the one that made mine actually work! And someone said you shouldn't use a trans to engine bolt, but I did, and it worked. Give it a go!
01-03-2009, 05:52 PM
#423
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I just had to add my experience. I stumbled upon this thread after having some serious cold weather battery draining starts.. I have had this starting problem for 2 years, and had 3 starters in my car with no help. I tried this method- I ran a 14ga. wire from my starter bolt to my neg batt. post, to no avail. I got really disappointed, and out of curiosity, I pulled a bellhousing bolt out and slipped a ring onto it and wired another ground to the neg post. Got in the car expecting a no start, and it started on the FIRST CRANK with a WEAK BATTERY. I was amazed. Thank you so much for supplying this information. creammotors, you should try running that bellhousing ground too, thats the one that made mine actually work! And someone said you shouldn't use a trans to engine bolt, but I did, and it worked. Give it a go!
I just cut those ground wires on the tranny today. . I have an 8ga wire from starter to battery and from starter to where the neg cable bolts to the engine. I'm trying to clear up a bad start that seems to happen about 1 out of 15 times.
01-09-2009, 11:04 AM
#424
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 18
THANKS TO ALL!!!
I had my clutch changed a few months back and then after I started having trouble starting the car. My mechanic told me it may be my Engine coolent temp sensor, because that was the code he pulled from the ECU. So he wanted me to bring it back in to change it, but I decided to do it myself and it still was there. Then in December I had a leak in my water pump and had brought it in to get changed. Now he fixed the water pump but now it won't even start anymore! it's been sitting outside since Dec.12 out in the cold weather that we have here in Ontario Canada. And I he said he replaced the starter 2 times! I just replaced my starter just before my clutch went. So I decided to try and figure out what happened and I came across this thread! and Man I tell you I can't get this smile off my face!
I told the mechanic about grounding the wires but he said it probably won't work and it my be a timing issue. So it's been a month without my car. So I decided to go try it myself, I bought the cables and connectors $10. And went there in the freaking cold at night when I got off work, dug it out of the snow, jacked it up and started working on it.
And then after everything was done! Cranked it for the first time after it's been sitting in the cold for a month and if FREAKIN' WORKED!!!! Thank you all so much for your help!!!!!
Azn Mint
I told the mechanic about grounding the wires but he said it probably won't work and it my be a timing issue. So it's been a month without my car. So I decided to go try it myself, I bought the cables and connectors $10. And went there in the freaking cold at night when I got off work, dug it out of the snow, jacked it up and started working on it. And then after everything was done! Cranked it for the first time after it's been sitting in the cold for a month and if FREAKIN' WORKED!!!! Thank you all so much for your help!!!!!
Azn Mint
01-09-2009, 11:39 PM
#425
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I had my clutch changed a few months back and then after I started having trouble starting the car. My mechanic told me it may be my Engine coolent temp sensor, because that was the code he pulled from the ECU. So he wanted me to bring it back in to change it, but I decided to do it myself and it still was there. Then in December I had a leak in my water pump and had brought it in to get changed. Now he fixed the water pump but now it won't even start anymore! it's been sitting outside since Dec.12 out in the cold weather that we have here in Ontario Canada. And I he said he replaced the starter 2 times! I just replaced my starter just before my clutch went. So I decided to try and figure out what happened and I came across this thread! and Man I tell you I can't get this smile off my face! I told the mechanic about grounding the wires but he said it probably won't work and it my be a timing issue. So it's been a month without my car. So I decided to go try it myself, I bought the cables and connectors $10. And went there in the freaking cold at night when I got off work, dug it out of the snow, jacked it up and started working on it.
And then after everything was done! Cranked it for the first time after it's been sitting in the cold for a month and if FREAKIN' WORKED!!!! Thank you all so much for your help!!!!!
Azn Mint
I told the mechanic about grounding the wires but he said it probably won't work and it my be a timing issue. So it's been a month without my car. So I decided to go try it myself, I bought the cables and connectors $10. And went there in the freaking cold at night when I got off work, dug it out of the snow, jacked it up and started working on it. And then after everything was done! Cranked it for the first time after it's been sitting in the cold for a month and if FREAKIN' WORKED!!!! Thank you all so much for your help!!!!!
Azn Mint
01-10-2009, 06:53 AM
#426
i am also having this exact same problem with the hard start.. i changed sensor after sensor.. starter is brand new but my battery is kinda old but the cca is still 675 im going to try grounding the starter later on today and ill let you guys know if that helped or fixed it!
01-11-2009, 02:51 PM
#427
i have a question.. i went to the parts store and i got two 4gauge wires, there for a battery but have the regular circle ends for bolting to something.. can i use 4gauge to ground the starter to the negitive terminal? or would that be way to thick? everyone else uses 8gauge and they only had 4..
01-12-2009, 04:33 PM
#428
Just for everyone's info, I think I finally got mine working with a 4 gauge strap from the neg terminal to the diff housing. Here's the link:
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...t-problem.html
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...t-problem.html
01-12-2009, 04:46 PM
#429
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01-12-2009, 04:58 PM
#430
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i have a question.. i went to the parts store and i got two 4gauge wires, there for a battery but have the regular circle ends for bolting to something.. can i use 4gauge to ground the starter to the negitive terminal? or would that be way to thick? everyone else uses 8gauge and they only had 4..
01-13-2009, 11:01 AM
#432
I may try it this way next time I'm bored and want to tinker.
02-27-2009, 06:16 AM
#433
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Thought I Was Crazy
I have been looking at this particular forum discussion for quite some time. I had just purchased a 1997 Maxima GLE at an auction sale. I too had the same problem with this 4th generation Maxima. I took it to a shop for them to look at and they couldn't figure things out. They tried a cam sensor but of course that didn't do anything. Thank God it didn't cost me anything. I decided to do it myself but couldn't get the car to start outside of the shop I took it to. I decided to ask them to put on the recommended ground straps. They told me there's no way it was a grounding issue. Like I was crazy or something. I then took it to another shop which I regularly deal with and had them do the grounding straps. Well with the help of everyone here it fricken worked. Purrs like a kitten. Thanks to everyone who did their homework on this one!!!!
03-02-2009, 08:29 AM
#435
I have been looking at this particular forum discussion for quite some time. I had just purchased a 1997 Maxima GLE at an auction sale. I too had the same problem with this 4th generation Maxima. I took it to a shop for them to look at and they couldn't figure things out. They tried a cam sensor but of course that didn't do anything. Thank God it didn't cost me anything. I decided to do it myself but couldn't get the car to start outside of the shop I took it to. I decided to ask them to put on the recommended ground straps. They told me there's no way it was a grounding issue. Like I was crazy or something. I then took it to another shop which I regularly deal with and had them do the grounding straps. Well with the help of everyone here it fricken worked. Purrs like a kitten. Thanks to everyone who did their homework on this one!!!!
03-02-2009, 10:52 AM
#436
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Added ground straps from negative side of battery to any bolt that mounts the starter to the engine and a ground strap from the negative side of the battery to a bolt to the bell housing of the transmission. There are different ways of doing this but you'll get the picture! If you want pictures just look at previous pages in this discussion thread.
05-25-2009, 07:20 PM
#437
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I have been following this and other threads for a very long time (clutch was replaced almost 2 years ago...and I have managed to start it 3 times in the past two years...I have placed 4 gauge ground cables from the neg battery post to the start, the bell housing, and also to the frame...still didn't help...
luckily just before I sent off to have clutch replaced...I also had a starter die...so my lifetime warranty on the starter has paid off well...as over the past two years I have burnt up 4 starters trying to get the damn thing started!
after sitting the past 6 months...I got a push start and it started right up and ran perfectly smooth...now I seem to have something different...now it just cranks and cranks and cranks...it use to all have the crank, pop, backfire through throttle body...but now nothing..doesn't sound like it is doing anything now...
Like someone else said...I have a car that I can't start, can't sell as it doesn't start...I want it back so I can sell it!!!!! Grrrrrrr
***UPDATE***just got a push again tonight...push about 10 feet...popped the clutch in second gear and started immediately...this is driving me crazy...I guess if I always have some one ride with me I can get them to push! LOL!
Greg
luckily just before I sent off to have clutch replaced...I also had a starter die...so my lifetime warranty on the starter has paid off well...as over the past two years I have burnt up 4 starters trying to get the damn thing started!
after sitting the past 6 months...I got a push start and it started right up and ran perfectly smooth...now I seem to have something different...now it just cranks and cranks and cranks...it use to all have the crank, pop, backfire through throttle body...but now nothing..doesn't sound like it is doing anything now...
Like someone else said...I have a car that I can't start, can't sell as it doesn't start...I want it back so I can sell it!!!!! Grrrrrrr
***UPDATE***just got a push again tonight...push about 10 feet...popped the clutch in second gear and started immediately...this is driving me crazy...I guess if I always have some one ride with me I can get them to push! LOL!
Greg
Last edited by glalderman; 05-26-2009 at 03:12 PM.
06-05-2009, 11:44 AM
#438
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Another save, thanks to this thread!
I blew the tranny on my wife's 98 Max just after Christmas, and after we had a new/used tranny installed, the car exhibited the same symptoms of the difficult starting as show in the video. Went through the typical fixes, beginning with the starter, which had the squeal upon cranking. So at first, I removed, cleaned and regreased the starter. That solved the squeal, but the hard starting remained.
Bought a NAPA reman off ebay and broke... so I took what was good off of that and rebuilt the original starter, tested it, installed it and the car still started difficult. So the car sat since February because my wife wasn't sure the car would start... leaving her to beat on my Lincoln LS for the past 4 months
Began searching the forums for the conditing and there was a ton of threads. Found this thread the other day, the video, and all the info. So I set off to AutoZone this morning, bought a 6' length of 4 awg battery cable, some copper ends, solder, flux... and had at it.
Crank to start is one second now. Thanks much for the info, as I finally get my LS back... before she destroys it!!!
I blew the tranny on my wife's 98 Max just after Christmas, and after we had a new/used tranny installed, the car exhibited the same symptoms of the difficult starting as show in the video. Went through the typical fixes, beginning with the starter, which had the squeal upon cranking. So at first, I removed, cleaned and regreased the starter. That solved the squeal, but the hard starting remained.
Bought a NAPA reman off ebay and broke... so I took what was good off of that and rebuilt the original starter, tested it, installed it and the car still started difficult. So the car sat since February because my wife wasn't sure the car would start... leaving her to beat on my Lincoln LS for the past 4 months
Began searching the forums for the conditing and there was a ton of threads. Found this thread the other day, the video, and all the info. So I set off to AutoZone this morning, bought a 6' length of 4 awg battery cable, some copper ends, solder, flux... and had at it.
Crank to start is one second now. Thanks much for the info, as I finally get my LS back... before she destroys it!!!
09-01-2009, 11:24 PM
#439
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much thanks to everyone for all the info. this turned out to be the problem with my max after my mechanic installed a new clutch. when the car started it ran perfectly fine. i had tried adding a ground strap to just the starter to no avail. today i went down to the garage and put another 4g wire to the bell housing as suggested, damn thing started like a champ. 
09-17-2009, 09:50 AM
#440
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Well, the problem... for me at least... continues. Not long after adding the ground cables the car slowly but surely returned to it's hard-starting habbits. Finally, the other day, the car up and died on my wife, stranding her at work. Turne the ignition switch and nothing. Had it towed to my mechanic because I was sick of dealing with this. The mechanic tested the starter and it was fried. So for $323 he installed a new starter since the NAPA one I installed only lasted 6 months or so.
After the new starter a week ago, the car has been starting fine, like new... until the other day. The wife said it was "acting up" like it has been all along. Additionally, the SES light came on. She had the codes read at autozone and they came back with MAF Sensor, Crankshaft Position Sensor (ref), and the knock sensor.
I looked at the car today and noticed one of my additional grounds had come uncrimped... actually, the only connection I didn't solder; so I repaired that and the car fired right up. I cleared the codes and went to start it again and it was a rough start... and the SES light came back on. I'm pretty sure that the knock sensor is hearing the rough start, and I have no idea why a failing MAF sensor would cause a rough start as well. I'm thinking of replacing the REF Crank sensor since it's the most inexpensive and relativley easy to get to... and it's cheaper for me to start throwing parts at it than my mechanic.
Just frustrated because this car runs like a champ when it starts and gets decent gas mileage.
After the new starter a week ago, the car has been starting fine, like new... until the other day. The wife said it was "acting up" like it has been all along. Additionally, the SES light came on. She had the codes read at autozone and they came back with MAF Sensor, Crankshaft Position Sensor (ref), and the knock sensor.
I looked at the car today and noticed one of my additional grounds had come uncrimped... actually, the only connection I didn't solder; so I repaired that and the car fired right up. I cleared the codes and went to start it again and it was a rough start... and the SES light came back on. I'm pretty sure that the knock sensor is hearing the rough start, and I have no idea why a failing MAF sensor would cause a rough start as well. I'm thinking of replacing the REF Crank sensor since it's the most inexpensive and relativley easy to get to... and it's cheaper for me to start throwing parts at it than my mechanic.
Just frustrated because this car runs like a champ when it starts and gets decent gas mileage.