Sunday night I took off from a red light. 1st to 2nd, then I slowed down for the next light. Car stalls out. No funny noises, nothing. It just stalls out and would not start back up.

The Shell station were I had the car towed to, said the computer say's the engine has no compression. There in the process of checking out the timing chain to see if it's broken. The guy said if it is broken, there's a good chance it still could have caused engine damage. The car only has 90,000 miles on it.

Anybody ever break there timing chain without causing any other damage? This really really sucks!

 

If the timing chain broke you probably have internal engine damage and this will be an expensive repair.

Timing chains are durable and seldom break. When a timing chain is worn it makes an ugly loud rattling sound, especially pronounced immediately after start-up. Since you didn't mention these symptoms your problem may be something else.

There are lots of vehicle problems which would cause the engine to stall and not restart. Most of them can be fixed at a lower cost than a broken timing chain. Here are some problems which might afflict your car. This list is just off the top of my head, and is not complete.
- out of gas
- bad fuel pump
- bad fuel pump relay
- bad fuel pressure regulator
- bad Engine Control Module relay
- blown fusible link in the narrow fuse and link box adjacent to the battery

 

For God's sake, do not let some gas station "Billy" work on your car. Tow it to a ASE or Nissan shop ASAP. My buddies Maxima did nearly the same thing. He had it towed to an Amoco station. While trying to start his car for 5 minutes they burned up his starter and chipped his flywheel screwing with something. They didn't cover any of the damage they inflicked either. After all that, it turned out to be his fuel pump.....$2000 later.

I'm almost certain it's your fuel pump. I don't know much about ECUs, but it seems pretty clear to me that if your motor won't start, the system won't read any compression (even though it is there regardless). Why not run a REAL compression test? You would clearly hear a timing chain go and your motor would have stumbled wildly. The only way they can check the timing chain is to pull the cover which isn't easy. All this is why you take it somewhere reputable.


Dave

 

I'll second that motion.

 

Thanks guy's, I'm going to get second opinion. Good point, If the car isn't running at all, of course it's not going to show any compression. I just hope when I tow it to Nissan, I hope there computer pinpoints something else.

 

hey man, sorry to hear about your car... i know this is OT but just wanted to say, cool name!

 

There is a simple way to see if you have a broken chain. Open up your oil filler cap and try to see the cam. If you can't then you have to take out the valve cover. Turn the crank and if the cam doesn't move, your chain is broken.

There are plenty of ase certified mechanics that work at a gas station. Why the negative response?

 

That may be true in some places. Unfortunately it's hit or miss with no guarantee on the results.
-Zack

 

Not one single problem with this car in 90,000 miles and the motor dies? Sure, I drove the car hard on occasion, but I took very good care of this Nissan. For crying out loud, I got 80,000 miles out of the original clutch. The car ran like a scolded dog up untill this happend. What the hell? Very, very strange! Is it possible I got a lemon engine?

I'm in the process of getting a used 97 engine with 37,000 miles on it. I'm guaranteed for 6 months on this motor. My total bill with the engine installed will be $3200. I get sick just thinking about this whole ordeal.

I loved this car so much, but I think after I get the new engine put in, I'm going to have to sell her. Anyone interested let me know. $8500 for a loaded 96 SE with a 97 motor with 37,000 miles.

 

Why are you getting a 97 motor? Why not a 2002 max motor? Or even a 95 (fastest max, right?) Just too much to mess with, or what? Ibet if you waited a bit you coudl get a used 2002 max engine... just a thought.

 

After reading the hole forum Im confused...everybody thinks its NOT a blown engine...just something fuel related...So why are you already planning on buying a new/used engine when you really didnt get anything pinpionted yet >>??



It cant be the chain...you would hear loud sounds comeing from the front of your car and the thing would shake your death before you stoped...and you would hear metal on metal...wouldnt you ??

 

I think he took it to nissan and thats what they said?

 

Don't leave us hanging like this TJ. WHY are you getting a new engine? What actually happened to it?

 

Try replacing your pump because unfortunately i was faced with the same problem and replaced my fuel pump cause i figured that had to be the problem cause it couldn't be the timing belt with only 50,000 miles on it...i replaced it and now it runs fine.....

 

I took the car to Nissan, there computer read the same damn thing when trying to start the motor. No compression in the engine. Fuel pump is fine. Both Nissan and the Shell mechanic feel something internal in the engine is damaged.

I had a 91 240sx before this car, and was much harder on it. Engine never failed. I sold it to my friend after I hit 105,000 miles. My friend has over 160,000 miles on it now, and the engine still runs ok.

Why didn't I hear a funny noise or something when my car stalled out. When I opened my hood there was no funny smells, the engine wasn't even very hot. I thought I just flooded the engine. Maybe it was those damn Busch plugs I had put in at 65,000 miles. Lol. Like I said before, this engine had run fantastic up untill this disaster. I swear, the transmission on this car has never even aged. Something in my engine just all of a sudden gave out. I just don't understand how I got over 80,000 miles on the original clutch, and then 10,000 miles later the engine craps out with no warning signs. I just can't get over it.

I'm really in the hole now with this car. I gotta sell her. Anyone interested, just let me know.

 

Whoa, you're replacing the engine because you don't know what's wrong? Did you forget to tell us that the mechanics tried more than a compression test and a fuel pump test?

 

Several of us reading this sad story don't understand it either. Good engines don't die suddenly and without symptoms.

If you want to sell the car tell your location and the asking price "as is", and with a replacement engine. Someone contemplating a VQ35DE engine swap might want your car "as is".

 

I don't understand why Nissan dealer can't tell you what the exact problem is. Of course it's better for them to just throw a new engine in instead of figuring out what the problem is.

 

To pinpoint what exactly is wrong with the engine, they have to take the sucker apart. That's going to cost me even more $$$, and in the end I still might need to get a new engine. I'm screwed!

I live in Baltimore Maryland, and I'm selling the car for $8500. It's a 96 SE 5spd with a tad over 90,000 miles. Midnight blue, almost loaded. New motor should be in by next Tuesday. Clutch is 4 months old, and the tires are only 8 months old, and the only thing the car needs is front brakes. The new engine going in is a 97 with 37,000 miles on it. I'll have all the paper work for the new engine for who ever decides to buy the car. THIS SUCKS!

 

That's bs. You don't have to take the engine apart to determine if you need a new engine or to determine why the engine is not running.

But it this way, you could be spending thousands of dollars when the culprit could be a loose wire or a faulty crank angle sensor. I fully understand that you have to make some moves now becuase you are without a car. But please don't put yourself in the mercy of these idiots who insist your motor is toast. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN YOU OEN SHRED OF EVIDENCE OF WHAT'S WRONG!!!!!!!!!!

For the amount of $$$ you migth spend, it makes sense to have the car towed to someone competent and honest to get a 2nd opinion. What's another few humdred when you are already prepared to spend thousands?