I am having problems with my starter. Seems like lots of people do. Seems like there are many cheap, relatively easy things one SHOULD do before he goes out and buys a new starter (i.e., before he goes out to buy new, expensive parts that might not even be broken).

Could we compile a list in this thread - or perhaps in a Sticky - of ALL the maintenance-type steps one SHOULD take BEFORE replacing parts, in order to narrow down the starting problem? It would be so nice if I could clean, check, sand, polish, shine - or hell, fart on - anything and everything under the hood of my '98 that has to do with starting my car, FIRST. Then I'll know that if my starting problems continue, I'll have to start replacing parts! This would be a good resource for everyone else with starting problems.

I'll start it off, and hopefully you pros can fill in the missing steps/gaps or clarify what I've already got, or even put these in the order of importance? Also, are there any helpful links that show how to do the more complicated steps? (For instance, cleaning the IACV sounds complicated.)

-Clean throttle body
-Clean IACV
-Replace fuel filter
-Run fuel-injector cleaner through gas tank
-Check battery at local auto parts store
-Check fuel pressure
-Check fuel pressure regulator
-Check EGR valve (no idea what this is)
-Check crank sensor
-Check engine grounds (starter to tranny, tranny to body - right?)


WHAT ELSE??

 

I have gone through 3 starters before I found my problems. Starter was the least. Check your grounds, absolutely. Specifically the positive red cable post, mine was corroded like hell. Do this. Just check the resistance from the Red part to the 140 A fuse. IF its high that is where your problem lies. Anyways, your list looks exhaustive. But it would help if you would describe the problem a bit. Does it crank, does the starter whirr but not turn the engine, does it engage, does it feel like less power, etc, etc.

 

It was especially worse in the winter (I would have to turn it like a half-dozen times before it would start), but it still takes me 3-4 times to start it. So here's how a typical start goes for me:

I turn the key for a good five seconds (renenenenenenene). Then another five seconds or so (renenenenenenenene). Then a third (renenenenene-glu-glu-glu ... RPMs spike a little ... almost there!). Then a fourth (renenenenene-glu-glu-glu-VROOM), but what really pushes the start over the edge is a little bit of gas. Then I'm off to the races.

Other things of note: (1) After it starts, it sometimes dies. (2) After it starts, the RPMs bounce from 400-1200 RPMs - up, down, up, down - and that's usually when I gas it a little to keep it from dying on me. (3) After it starts, I reverse out of my parking spot, put it in Drive, then give it a little gas to move forward ... and it hesitates - no forward motion - then it will lurch forward, act like it's gonna stall again, then lurch again and I'm fine for the rest of the drive. No stalls at lights, nothing like that.

What do you think is going on?

Haven't cleaned the TB since I bought it 90,000 miles ago at 69k. Recently changed the fuel filter. I've run injector cleaner once through the gas tank (this seemed to help, but it may have been the change in weather that made the difference, since I did it right about the time a heat wave hit the D.C. area ... the starter problem remains!).

 

Could there be a problem with my alternator? Would that explain the strange ebb and flow after it starts? The lights go correspondingly bright and dim as the RMPs increase and decrease, respectively.

 

compression,fuel,spark,cam shaft sensor

egr is connected to your upper intake manifold underneath your tb,that has a saucer type vaccum thingy on it. i dont really belive it would affect your start ups.

have you tried hooking up a 4-6 gauge wire from your block or starter up to your ground on the battery? clean your connections on your starter? Check ignition switch? (which i think i have but i just deal with it)

 

well it sounds like a fuel delivery problem to me. do you hear the fuel pump run when it doesnt want to start?? maybe your fuel pump is on its way out. how long has it been like this??

 

I have the exact same problem as the OP. great description BTW!
here is what I attribute it to...loosing fuel pressure.
now iirc the fuel pump has a check vavle,actually a ball but all the same,any way this valve will leak fuel back into the tank(wears out,sticks,ext...) essentially emptying the fuel lines of gas so that each time I have to start the car it has to pump gas from the tank up to the engine and then build it up to pressure. the fix is replacing the fuel pump.I just live with it for now because if I cycle the key from off-on a few times it helps.this gives the pump a chance to get fuel to the engine before I actually crank it over.
this is not an uncommon problem really, I have seen it many,many times and the fuel pump was the fix(not just nissans either)
now I have done all of the before mentioned things just to try it(and it couldnt hurt) and it did not affect my starting problem which further supports my original diagnosis.of course to verify this you could hook a in line fuel pressure gauge up and check it before you attempt to start the car.that is actually how we discoverd this problem BTW
hope this helps

 

Two things:

Check spark and fuel spray.

Pull a plug and coil, ground the threads of the plug and try to crank. Check that for spark.

Pull the front fuel rail up after removing the 2 12mm bolts, and watch the injectors. Try to crank. Check for the fuel spray.

Any codes? Check them even if the light is not lit.



EDIT: Never mind. Its late and I am not thinking straight. Your fuel delivery and pressure and your spark should be fine if you are not stalling at lights and/or get no hesitation while accelerating.

That means it brings it down to something with starting(duh), so I would recommend regreasing your starter(cheap and easy, and not too hard), checking your grounds and wires, and also check the cranking amps of your battery. Especially since you're in DC.

 

Thanks a lot, guys. I'll get going on all of these and let the forum know what works.