Dexter

my car wont start, but all of the electrical stuff works (windows, radio, etc.) so I think my starter died. Is there any link to changing the starter on a 95 Maxima? Also will a boost help start the car, because I'm at work and the only tool I have in the car is a #10 wrench, plus I don't think there are any auto part stores nearby. So I'd rather get home and replace the starter there than get under my car in the parking lot @ work.

Dexter

ok I found the article on fixing the starter noise on motorvate, it shows how to get to & remove the starter so I think that will work. but I want to know if there is anything else I should check for b4 running out & getting a new starter. Everything inside the car works, the problem comes when I try to start the car, I even tried to give it some gas to see if that would work and nothing.

will boosting the car help me get home?

i'll check the starter relay to see if that could be the problem also

suggestions welcome.

Dubbya

iTrader: (16)

Usually you can jump start a car with a bad starter. Generally when they go out they just draw 2x as many Cranking Amps which your battery can not handle. Also try banging on it with a hammer or something. If you get it started by either of these methods I wouldnt trust it to work that way again.

Dexter

don't have a hammer with me and there is 2 many stuff in the way to get to it (car is too low to crawl under) to bang on it i'm gonna cross my fingers and hope it starts up with a jump. And get home to work on pulling it out when I get there. Will a rebuilt auto-zone starter do?

Dexter

so would u say it is the starter?

Jellyfishian

When my starter went out, I was at the store, and I had a screwdriver in the car, so I took it and banged on the starter from the top, and it started and I got home, but after that it would not start until I replaced it

Dubbya

iTrader: (16)

The starter is on top of the transmisson. You will never get anywhere close to it from under the car. An auto zone starter should be fine.

Dexter

did you try jumping it? because I'm trying to remember if my car has been jumped recently and hoping that jumping it will work and not having to rely on a tow-truck. WISH ME LUCK!

svojs

1) Starter is accessable from top. There should be a big hole aside air filter box that you can access starter.

2) Does your car crank? If not, it might be bad starter.

3) Sometimes giving starter a whack will help it to start. The AAA tow truck drivers use a long metal tube (dia=1.5"-2") to whack the starter that I've seen several times.

4) The two major bolts fixing starter are pretty tight. Get a long-arm wrench to loosen them. Using a torque wrench to tighten them would be a good idea.

Good luck!!!

Dexter

no crank at all.
ok, i'll keep all that in mind. what's the size of the bolts on the starter?

Dan

iTrader: (2)

Have you already tried a rebuild/regrease? That worked for me.

JPMax

iTrader: (10)

Wow, it's been a few years since I replaced mine.

I think one bolt is 12mm and the other is 17mm.

If you only have a normal rachet, see if you can find a 2' piece of pipe to slip over the handle. It should give you enough leverage to break loose the big bolt.

svojs

Yes, sir. Exactly.


I used my torque wrench with a 16" long arm. A cheating bar would be nice for loosening bolts.

Dexter

too much hassle, might as well put a new one in and save time/effort.

svojs

Re-Grease is OK. Just disassemble the starter, regrease it then put them back. It's just a little bit messy.

But re-build is another story. Usually the magnetics/brushes/coils need to be replaced. That would be messy.

Dexter

like I said too much hassle, might as well put a rebuilt one and sell the old core to autozone.

TurTLe*

iTrader: (11)

if you find a way to bang on it and your car starts that way. then its your starter. Normally a jump wouldn't help it. But if you get it started with the jump and once you remove the jump you car dies then its your altnator.

it could be your battery. enough power to power items but not enough junk to start your car.

remans are what your gonna find at nissan. when i quoted them i think $100 average. or near there.

clive

Just happened to me. I thought it was the ign sw but no. The solenoid contacts go bad.
Get a good lump of wire. Or a jump lead. Turn on the ignition. MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL WITH HANDBRAKE ON. Jump the battery plus to the main starter terminal. I bet it will start. Then replace or rebuild the starter. I just had mine rebuilt for $65 but then, I live in Mexico...

Wrightsfd

Starter is a common problem on Maximas. When mine went out the first time I did the regreas, and it worked great...for a week. So I replaced it with an Autozone rebuilt. That one lasted a couple years. I'm now on #3 (replaced free at Autozone) and it is fine. The replacement is simple as long as you have the right tools and a little patience. Since I've now done it three times it only took me 15 minutes from hood up to closed last time. Really is a simple job and only requires the removal of the airbox-intake mechanism. I also think a 17mm and 12mm bolt are the right sizes from what I remember. My local Autozone charged me $140 w/ core trade for the first replacement starter and it is guaranteed for life.

The car will generally give you one or two starts that sound funny before it goes out. Last time I was in San Francisco (I live in LA) on New Years Day and drove for a day before heading home and doing the replacement. Luckily I have a manual tranny and could simply park on a hill to re-start the car. Plenty of hills in SF to get you going. I now always pay attention to my starter, I listen carefully when it turns. If it cranks funny I know it is about done.

Good luck.

Wheelie King

iTrader: (19)

Mine just went and I replaced it with a rebuilt Advance Auto starter for $85. It has a lifetime warranty. I agree with everything above except that I've never jump started a car with a bad starter and got it to work. My starter mad a funny noise like it was dying on the two starts before it went. I spent 2.5 hours in a mexican restaurant parking lot trying to get the starter going after it died. I tried to jump it, ran a cable from the positive post of the battery to the starter with the ignition on, etc. An open hood in a mexican restaurant around 10:00 on a Tuesday night is a magnet for drunken fools who have to take a look and make a comment. Once the lot cleared and I tried everything else, I was able to push start the car.

Replacement was very easy. The thing couldn't be easier to reach. I used some break free and a very long rachet for the 17 mm bolt. It was tight but once it broke free there were no problems. I used the rathet/breaker bar I use on my hub nut. If you don't have one then this is a good excuse to get one. Otherwise, the pipe mentioned above will work. The whole operation took me an hour but that includes digging around for socket sizes, PB Blaster, removing air box, snorkel, etc, loosening half of my FTSB, and replacing everything. Piece of cake.

Dexter

I got it to start with a jump, at first it didn't want to go but then I gave it a little gas and it started. Got home and now I'm about to work on removing it.

Dodd

iTrader: (1)

my starter has died 3 times in the last 6 months all i do is push start it to the garage and get them to replace it since its undfer warrinty

Dexter

Pulled it out, and noticed it was cracked (not good) took it to autopart store and got it tested it cranked a bit and then I got worried thinking it might be something else. But then he brought a new one and tested it the new one has so much TORQUE it almost took his arm off! So I brought the new one and put it in the difference is very noticable, very happy with the results

Dexter

THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS I DUNNO WHERE MY MAX WOULD BE WITHOUT YOUZ!

jasonv

iTrader: (2)

how would jumping a cars battery get a bad starter going? dude theres nothing wrong with your starter. check your battery and charging system.

if your starter is going bad all you can do is try to crank it while you hit it or just turn the key over 100 times and hope one of them starts it.

Dexter

when a starter goes bad it requires twice as many AMPS (like someone else said) to get it started up too much for just one battery, that's how.

and not always will jump starting or banging on the starter help, it just depends on luck. I got lucky

if it were the battery I wouldn't be able to roll down the windows, use the radio, etc. I've been in the Dead Battery Scenario...

jasonv

iTrader: (2)

ok believe what you will. and maybe if your axle clicks three times and you say theres no place like home, jet engines will come out of your wheel well and zip you home at warp speed.

Dexter

LOL! your funny!

anyways I dunno if that was it or not but replacing the starter solved the problem so by making use of my basic deductive skills I attribute the cause of the problem to the old starter (which was cracked, and had a very weak torque).

BTW if anyone has one of those craftsman jack lifts, the lift bar makes for one DAMN FINE breaker bar in case you didn't know.