I have a 95 SE 5spd. I just recently got my car out of the shop for good the day before Maxus. I got the motor and tranny replaced. It is a 98 motor with 30k and a junkyard tranny. I figured it was bad gas. When I fist put it in the shop my tank was full. My car was in and out the shop for about four months. I would get it back and something else would go wrong. I never got to put fresh gas in it until the day of Maxus. I have changed the fuel filter and I have run the NOS brand octane booster. It still won't start unless I pat the gas. Why is a fuel injected car doing that? What is my cure?

 

possibly a bad starter?
I heard that 95-96's have bad starters that need to be replaced around 55k.
Im no expert though, I had a 98 that wouldnt start...but thats because of some dealer BS about me "switching the ignition fuses wrong". If you didnt mess with the fuses, and if your shop did a good job on replacing the motor...AND if they didnt replace the 95 starrter...then that could be it

 

Try this "trick" - turn your key to "on" but not start. Wait two or three seconds. Then try to start the car. The wait allows the fuel rail to pressurize, which helps the engine to start a little more smoothly.

If you absolutely cannot start the car without stepping on the gas, I would suspect a problem with the fuel system. A defective fuel pump would cause a lack of power on hard acceleration, as well as a characteristic groaning noise.

You did not mention whether you switched to the 98 ECU after your engine swap. Perhaps your ECU is incompatible with the newer engine. The ECU controls the cold start parameters for the engine, dictating such factors as amount of fuel injected, timing, etc... I know the 95 Maximas had different emissions equipment than 98 Maximas, so it could very well be that the ECU's are incompatible.

I would not suspect a starter unless you have problems cranking the engine. From your description, it sounds like the engine will crank, but not fire up.

 

Wait until you have a full tank of fresh fuel, and see if the problem persists. If it does, post again on this thread.

The "key on, wait, then crank" sequence suggested by Eric L. is useful to help diagnose a loss of residual pressure. This could be caused by a bad fuel pump check valve, bad fuel pressure regulator, sticking-open injectors, or an external fuel leak.

 

I've pumped over three tankfuls. No I didn't replace the computer. It's a 95 computer, but now being a 98 shouldn't matter because my intake and exhaust is from a 98 maxima. When they put the motor in they used parts off my old motor like the pulley's, alternator, and the a/c condenser. Remember I said this happened after the last time I got it out the shop. I got it out 4 times with the fourth time being the last an me still having it. #1Had it back 3-4 days, tranny. This was right after the motor and tranny swap. Got that fixed. #2I picked the car up a friday at about 9 p.m. and it was broke down at about 1 a.m. I pulled off from a light, not in any way hard and the passenger side axle went. Got that fixed. #3Got it back that next friday and when I got home I looked under my hood and my idler pulley, the nut for it, and my alternator/ air conditioning belt was gone. I tried to huury to the parts store before it closed but the battery started dying. On they way home the car cut off and would not go in gear. Had it for a couple of hours that time. Fixed it myself this time. I took a idler pulley off a 89-91 body style civic, bought a belt, modified the pulley, found a nut and put it on. I finally got it started, but when I drove home I could only use 2,3, and 4. I got the clutch bled by a friend and got it a little more drivable. I drove to the shop. #4I had to get my slave cylinder replaced. After this time, I finally got it back and a few days later, I noticed the starting problems.

 

Actually, it's not the actual exhaust pipes that the 95 differs from the 98, but rather the evaporative and emissions control devices, such as EGR valve, vacuum hoses, etc.. So when you added the new engine, I bet all those vacuum valves and hoses were from the 98 engine right? So..I would not rule out the possibility of incompatible ECU's yet.

From the problems you describe, neither a defective axle, bad transmission, or belt problem should prevent the engine from starting. So I think they are coincidental and not related to your starting problem.