jvelos3

iTrader: (2)

so a while ago i had a starting problem and it was solved with a new starter and battery. the problem came back after about 1 month. ive been trying to diagnose the problem and in the meanwhile ive just been living with it.

today i try and start the car. 1st try...no start. just crank crank crank... no worries. this always happens. 2nd try...crank crank...BANG BANG BANG. it sounded like someone was knocking on my hood. i thought it was my dad so i stop and look up. well he wasnt there....no one was. I am pretty sure it was my maxima making the sound. i tried to start the car but it was just cran crank crank and i just stopped because i got scared.

is my engine f**ked? what should i do?

anyone who has any experience with this or any ideas please step in and make a comment.

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

It is an intake backfire. Your hard start is probably a result of major deposits that are now holding open your valves preventing enough compression to get the car going. these open valves allow the gasses to come out of the intake valves instead of pushing the pistons down. pull out a plug and look inside your cylinders. probably very thick and black. then have someone stand behind you while you crank it. they will prob notice large puffs of black smoke if you try to start it while holding down the gas pedal. Once it gets this bad, it is harder to treat. Be careful not to burn out your starter. When I encountered this problem the only solution I could find was a piston soak with some Berrymans B12 Chemtool. That allowed to to get it started and some Gummout Regane (or Redline SI-1) helped to finish up the cleaning. once done, you have to find out why you were getting so much deposits to begin with.

jvelos3

iTrader: (2)

hmmm...well i just finished running autorx...would this have anything to do with the deposits in my cylinders? also i have an evap 10 08 code...i know this is an emmissions thing so would this have anything to do with it?

2da mizzax

iTrader: (4)

nope and nope. autorx is for your crankcase etc. Evap is recirculating fuel (but not in the cylinder). do you run fuel cleaners? The intake backfire is what it is. The deposits being the most likely the cause. Only other cause I can think of would be your timing being off. That is extremely unlikely since we use a chain and not a belt, but a faulty crankshaft position sensor would also cause this. First thing to do is it pull the plugs in the front bank and see what is going on in there.

speed racer

iTrader: (10)

Sounds like you should do a compression test and a leak down test. This can help diagnose if those valves are good or bad.

jvelos3

iTrader: (2)

okay...i guess i will be doing a compression test and leak down test once spring break rolls around next week.

thanks for the input u guys.

ImmaSquashYou

iTrader: (7)

happened to me..but it only took like a day or two for this to happen...went back to switch starters...fixed the problem..for about a day...so then i returned my pepboys starters n went to napa.....2 months later...starts with no problem..no more bang bang bang sound......it does sound scary...i know..i've been through it......i'm pretty sure its your starter not engaging fully/correctly...