Help - car won't start!
 

Brief history:

had this problem with starting up ever since Fidanza flywheel - wrote about it already and I thought that problem was with a faulty crank position sensor.
Couple of weeks back, installed a new starter and a battery.
Problem with starting was still there. Just last week, changed out crank position sensor. Problem is STILL there.

Car is sitting on the parking lot, it just keeps cranking, but it won't start. I am getting really desperate. Had to go buy another car saturday. .
I'll double check for intake leaks today. Also have to add that the clutch pedal might have something to do with it, because I have to kinda push and push and angle my foot in order to get the ignition to start cranking. Then, like I said, it just... cranks.

Any opinions on my problem?

Thanks

Bump for this. Not to thread-whore, but I think I have the same problem. My wife tried to start her car this morning, and it just cranks with the occasional sputter like the engine is trying to catch.

Maxihari, do you smell gas after it cranks for a few seconds? Even if one or two coil packs went out, the car should still fire, right? It would run like crap, but it should at least run. The gas smell makes me think that the fuel pump is still good, and I can still hear it priming when you turn the car to "on". Any suggestions? I don't have any codes either.

Well yes, I smell gas, for few reasons.
First of all,
I keep pressing the loud pedal, thinking that somehow it's going to start the damn thing up hahah. That actually floods the spark plugs with gas... or something - hence the smell.
2nd, its running really rich, with intake and full exhaust mods without tuning.

Kept talking to people and diggin around a little and found out that if I add ground wires / fix current ground of battery (probably coroted as hell)... it just migh fix the problem. Will try to do that before anything else.

Also, just ordered new ignintion switch $30. I KNOW i have to change that out. Mine doesn't work every time.

I had the same problem last week and it was the Camshaft Position sensor.

Kind of devised a plan:
-will change ignition switch (Bad, already ordered)
-will take off intake and double check starter for contact and ground (little black wire)
-will double check that the battery wire off neg. from battery goes to the right terminal on starter (there are two - Autozone product)
-will double check the battery cables to make sure that the wires off the neg. battery are grounded - either to engine or to the frame.
-will try then

I'll do it thursday and let you guys know.

thanks.

All right, I need somebody;s opinion and / or advice.

Changed out the ignition switch assy, and took off and WD40'd all of the contacts -starter, battery.

Ignition switch solved part of the problem. I still have the problem with the clutch pedal - have to play around with it, untill I get contact... (bad Clutch Interlock Switch?)

As far as the starter goes... It won't ever crank anymore...
Actually, it cranks one or twice, the just whines...
I tried once or twice and left it alone.
What do you guys think that is?
Is it possible that I messed up a brand new starter, by cranking and trying to start the car? If that's the case, I'll take it back to store and get a new one.

Please help.
Thanks

Same here.

Take a look to my thread : http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=502023

Your problem sounds like the same as crazy97, put a grounding kit on your transmission and TB. Cost about 30 $ if your do one by yourself, try it, it works for a lot of people. Its one of the last link in my thread.

good luck.

Certainly,
I will do that one of these days. It was already on my to do list...

BUT, what troubles me now, for some reason, is the fact that starter wont even crank the engine. It does it once, twice and then I get this weak whine.

What you mean is , the starter turns but the starters's teeths dont enter in the flywheel's teeths?

How do you know if starter turns?
This one just whines.

When I first installed it, it would crank and crank and crank, very much like the Energizer Bunny.

Battery was spent, recharged it, put a new crank position sensor and now starter just whines.
It cranks once or twice and whines.

starter
 

Try ingnition coil or fuel pump

You think that these "ignition coil or fuel pump" would be a cause for that starter to whine?

I dont really get it. But Ill explain two possibilities

If the starter turns and makes turn the flywheel, you should know it. If its that case, starter solenoide is the problem

If the engine dont want make fire and the starter works well, thats an other problem.
Possibilities :
1.No Fuel pressure or low (maybe the fuse)
2. Coil packs dont make the spark plugs work
3. Starter signal fuse burn
4. TB stick
5. Crank shaft position sensor broken
6. The timing is bad because of the ground (put a grounding kit was the solution for a lot of people on the board)

Does your car sounds like that? : http://videos.streetfire.net/video/8...8f0096156c.htm

Then, more solutions on : http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=452286

I am not sure how to recognize if the starter turns the flywheel. The engine doesn't crank, starter just whines.

The rest of the issues:
1. Didn't check for fuel pressure or power. How to do that? The last time the car ran, it ran like a ... like a ... like a gazella, for the lack of better term :wtf:
2. Didn't check for that either. How?
3. Fuse is ok. Just checked two days ago.
4. Cleaned TB when I installed the starter. Ran after that. (month ago)
5. Changed out with a brand new OEM part last week.
6. Will do the grounding thing this weekend with 4 gauge wires. That was my plan originally.

But what troubles me is the whine on the starter, when trying to start the car.
Solenoid? Probably the best to get a new starter under warranty.

thanks

...Anybody?

bah, dont buy a new, try one from someone you know or someone how want to borrow one. It takes about 10 minutes to change.

But, if the starter sounds like hes going crazy and the engine wont start, 90% of the chances thats the starter solenoide.

But first thing, go on motorvate.ca and follow the instruction to rebuilt and regrease the starter. Then try a new one.

Oh if is the case take a 10 teeth starter. (oem for a 4th gen its 8)

See, I just bought it a month ago. I'm saying maybe I f-ed it up by cranking so much.

yeah if the new starter just whines you prolly burned it out.. check your clutch position sensor. it should be positioned just above the pedal. it sorta works like a brake light switch. make sure you have plenty of clutch fluid too.. the other day i ran out of clutch fluid and she didn't like it much.... ehh i just had to replace my starter at 119k.. so sad.. :(