I have a 1999 SE Limited with around 30k miles on it. I've owned the car for 1 year and take excellent care of it (i.e., I change the oil on a regular basis, clean the engine, etc..).

Just recently, the car sat for about 2-3 days in my drive way, and when I started it up, what sounded like one of the rocker arms was knocking VERY LOUD . I immedately shut the engine off, waited a moment and then restarted the car. The knock was still there, but considerably less noisey. After the car warmed up, the noise went away.

I've not heard the noise again, until just the other day, when after sitting for 2 days, I went out to start my car and the same thing happened.

I wondered if this was a "known" problem and what was the cause. I plan to take my car in for service ASAP, but I just have to know if this is something that other people have "seen before".

TIA.

Where do you live, and how cold is it, and how much gas was left in your tank when you let it sit for a few days???

if you start your car after long periods of inactivity try, turning key 2 clicks without turning over and wait for 5-10 seconds, then start. this builds fuel pressure.

I live in Atlanta GA, the mornings I had the problem it was around 40 degress. I generally keep the gas tank full, I rarely go below 1/4 tank and run High Oct. fuel ONLY.

We had a cold snap the first time it happened, but this last time, it was not as cold (probably 50 or so).

I am familar with the clicking sounds from a fuel injection system, but this sounded more like a knocking postion, vavle or something along those lines. Very loud.

Tomorrow i am getting a few things fixed on my 96 SE which also happen. When its cold out my car doesnt start well i gotta rev it up and i get a little smoke outa the exhaust. My max just hit 100k

now my boy who looked at my car put it on the computer and said my knock censor was shot, my starter is going, i need a new EGR control celiniod, but the cold start problem was due to the IAC motor being crappy (Intake air control) motor. Now those freekin parts where expensive as hell and it takes only 3/4 an hour to put them all in. Damn Nissan parts. anyways put your car on a computer and let me know what u find if you keep having the cold start problem...

Jay

I live in Seattle and on chilly morns my '99 5-speed will do the same thing. It will start with an annoying rocker-sounding noise. Once the revs creep down to 600(about 5 minutes) it usually leaves gradually. I have also experienced an ignigtion coil failure which one of the coils fails thus dropping one of the cylinders. Apparently some I-30s do this more freaquently. Has anyone experienced this?

What you have described is exactly the same problem I have (FYI - mine is a 5-speed as well). Since the car is still under the original factory warenty, I plan to go raise cain with Nissan and get them to fix it.

I'm going to continue digging, I'm curious how wide spread this problem really is; I've already checked for recall notices, but have found nothing.