Sorry to bother you Mr. Martin I'm sure you get a lot of requests but I need some help.

I bought a 1999 I30 with a bad engine, snapped connecting rod, and I bought a new engine for it. The engine was from a 97 max an i could not get it to start no matter what I tried. I checked all sensors concerning the ignition, both crank sensors, cam and even coolant temperature and all checked out. The engine cranks but no turn over. I put some fuel in the intake, and it pops but no juice. i pulled one of the plugs from the rear cylinders and it was fouled with oil all over it. i changed all the plugs and nothing. I ended up sending the engine back and acquired another one. I finished installing the new one yesterday and cranked it, similar problems here but the difference is that when I put gas in the intake, the engine actually turns over but it does not hold.

That, to me, narrows it down to a fuel problem. So i plugged a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel line and noticed a couple of things. First, when the car is turned on without cranking the pressure jumps to about 35psi but quickly drops to zero. Secondly, when cranked, the pressure jumps to about 45psi but when the cranking stops, it drops back down to zero. It seems to me that the pressure is not holding but I cannot find any leaks in the system.

The question is; Do you think that the fuel pump is weak and needs changing or from, your experience, is there another problem that i am overlooking.

I appreciate your help in advance, thank you.

 

Are you SERIOUS? He's been gone for a while. But yes it does sound like a fuel problem. It's clearly not holding pressure.

 

Is that a flame or you dont know what the problem is

 

Read the edit. But my point was/is that DBM has been gone for years and years.

I wouldn't really suggest putting fuel in the TB on FI car's.

 

Oh! I have been away from this forum for a long while also. Dont know who the guru is now?

What do you think the reason for the problem is? I dont want to start buying parts without any real certainty.

btw i put gas in the tb for diagnostic reasons just to make sure the engine does in fact turn over and to narrow it down to a fuel problem.

 

Have you tried pulling the fuel rail and seeing how it sprays, or if one or more of the injectors are stuck open?

 

daniel b martin's last post was over 5 years ago, and even that post was his only one in the last 6 years hehe.

anyhow, cranking and turning over are the same thing. do you mean the car isn't firing?

 

I seriously thought this was a gravedug post but to see somebody writing to him now,

 

wow I guess I'm way out of touch I didnt realize he was not around anymore. I just remember him being the go to guy for most questions.

I have tested most of the connections, including the three front injectors and spark plug connections, and they all checked out.

Ignoring the fact that i'm out of touch, hard as it may be, any suggestions will help greatly. Thanks.

 

Wow, I'm curious as to what happened with DBM. Anyone know?

(And yeah, I googled the hell out of it)

 

Maxima.org Search > Google

 

I would check your grounds, FPR, and fuel pump. Make sure none of the fuses are blown.

 

i missed dbm, he was a great contributor to this place.

 

I thought it is normal for the fuel pressure to drop if the engine is nor running. Typically, the fuel pump runs for a couple of seconds when the key is in run position. Then the fuel pump runs only when the engine is turning, either cranking or actually running. If the engine stops turning, the fuel pump is stopped automatically.

If you get good fuel pressure while cranking, then the fuel pump is good.

 

It should drop, yes. Should it drop quickly? Nope.

 

Yes, I thought the pressure is suppossed to hold a while even after the pump is off. i have to actually move quickly from the car seat to the engine bay to catch the needle while its dropping.

If thats not the problem, then what do you suggest. It has spark because with some gas in the TB, the engine actually fired but would not stay on or rev. For some reason, its not getting a continuos flow of fuel. I still cannot see any leaks in the system. I wonder if a bad pump would cause this problem.

 

pressure regulator? leak in the lines somewhere?

you've got fuel leaking back out of the pressurized side of the system somewhere. it could be through an injector, hose, regulator, or backwards through the pump.

start tearing into it again and see what you can find.

sicne the engine won't run at all, I'm goign to make a wild guess and say it's probably in the injectors somewhere.