Random hard starts.....
09-02-2009, 06:33 PM
#1
Random hard starts.....
Hi Everyone,
At random times my 96 4th gen with 126,000 miles on it has a hard time starting. The best way to describe the starting issue is that it feels like the engine almost is seized, or like kick back when attempting to pull start a chain saw or lawn mower. You can feel the starter motor stop spinning, almost like it can't actually turn the engine over. Then you turn the key again, and the car starts perfectly. There is no rhyme or reason to when the car does this. Do you have any ideas?
Oh and when the car is running, it runs perfectly. I do have a CEL po400 (I guess the EGR tube) but I have not had a chance to deal with that, but I doubt that could cause the starting issue?
Thanks,
Zack
At random times my 96 4th gen with 126,000 miles on it has a hard time starting. The best way to describe the starting issue is that it feels like the engine almost is seized, or like kick back when attempting to pull start a chain saw or lawn mower. You can feel the starter motor stop spinning, almost like it can't actually turn the engine over. Then you turn the key again, and the car starts perfectly. There is no rhyme or reason to when the car does this. Do you have any ideas?
Oh and when the car is running, it runs perfectly. I do have a CEL po400 (I guess the EGR tube) but I have not had a chance to deal with that, but I doubt that could cause the starting issue?
Thanks,
Zack
09-02-2009, 07:01 PM
#2
That's how mine was, made noises like you describe. The starter is too weak to turn the engine over. Don't know how old your starter is but........
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ike-champ.html
Lesson learned is, if your starter is more than ten years old and you have starting issues there is a good chance they are being caused by the starter. Had I know that the starter was so (relatively) easy to remove I would have gotten it tested.
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ike-champ.html
Lesson learned is, if your starter is more than ten years old and you have starting issues there is a good chance they are being caused by the starter. Had I know that the starter was so (relatively) easy to remove I would have gotten it tested.
09-03-2009, 11:43 AM
#5
1997 Nissan Maxima SE
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Illinois
Posts: 110
Another starting problem-replaced just about everything
I've been having this problem for about a month just a few days after a clutch job. I can get it to start but it some times takes a while. Sometimes when I'm cranking the engine, it will crank and then stop suddenly and then resume cranking.
Here is a video from tavarish of his car trying to start. Listen to the pause he gets while cranking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIpAaHfsuxU
No codes either
Edit: When I had a guy from nissan hook up a computer to the car in the back parking lot
He noticed the POS reading fluctuating wildly, so I replaced the Crank sensors and nothing.I've replaced the following-
-spark plugs
-ECT sensor (engine coolant sensor)
-crank sensor
-crank ref sensor
-camshaft sensor
-ignition switch
-switched batteries
-4 of the 6 coils are fairly new
-fuel filter within 10K
-2 different starters from a junkyard, both 10 tooth. No one seems to have an 11 tooth starter unless I buy a new one. One was from a 96 and one was from a 99.
UPDATE: An 11 tooth starter from an 01 has been added without solving this, but improving it slightly.
Any ideas would be appreciated!
EDIT: PROBLEM FIXED!- http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.php?p=4716170&postcount=130
UPDATE:
9/30/06
Had some starting glitches come back so I added more wires to the starter and the starts are ok again, guess my grounds on the tranny were worse than most peoples.
Starter has 4 ground wires running to it.
3 8ga (2 of them are running directly to the neg terminal)
1 10ga
Tranny has 2 12ga still.
This thread(thanks to C MAX's advice) has helped the following solve thieir starting problem: crazy97, KRRZ350, vj72ct, Mishmosh, Ptatohed, Vettefever5, Tavarish, Mxzmax, White Shadow, T love, Max Gator(5TH GEN), acidspit86, prince starbai, JaTan, oVeRdOsE, liquidx, serfer420, UT-Max, wwjd180, maxihari77SE96, momay, Ham1987, liqidvenom, mistuhjj, mansurxk, TunerMaxima3000, 1chewabacha1, titanbk, miserov, Kidyahoo1, smai555, foxracing12, azn_mint, Peter1
Last edited by crazy97; 03-02-2009 at 09:02 AM.
09-03-2009, 11:47 AM
#6
This is such an odd issue. The starter is about three years old. When everything is working ok, the starter motor spins the engine over perfectly. Could the starter still be at fault?
Thanks,
Zack
09-03-2009, 04:55 PM
#9
Yes, totally different. The car actually stops cranking, again almost like the engine is seized, or like kick back from a pull start on a chain saw. So you must let off on the key, and try again. Usually when you try the second time, it fires up perfectly. The second time the starter spins great, with no problems at all.
Zack
09-03-2009, 04:57 PM
#10
Another starting problem-replaced just about everything
I've been having this problem for about a month just a few days after a clutch job. I can get it to start but it some times takes a while. Sometimes when I'm cranking the engine, it will crank and then stop suddenly and then resume cranking.
Here is a video from tavarish of his car trying to start. Listen to the pause he gets while cranking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIpAaHfsuxU
No codes either
Edit: When I had a guy from nissan hook up a computer to the car in the back parking lot
He noticed the POS reading fluctuating wildly, so I replaced the Crank sensors and nothing.I've replaced the following-
-spark plugs
-ECT sensor (engine coolant sensor)
-crank sensor
-crank ref sensor
-camshaft sensor
-ignition switch
-switched batteries
-4 of the 6 coils are fairly new
-fuel filter within 10K
-2 different starters from a junkyard, both 10 tooth. No one seems to have an 11 tooth starter unless I buy a new one. One was from a 96 and one was from a 99.
UPDATE: An 11 tooth starter from an 01 has been added without solving this, but improving it slightly.
Any ideas would be appreciated!
EDIT: PROBLEM FIXED!- http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.php?p=4716170&postcount=130
UPDATE:
9/30/06
Had some starting glitches come back so I added more wires to the starter and the starts are ok again, guess my grounds on the tranny were worse than most peoples.
Starter has 4 ground wires running to it.
3 8ga (2 of them are running directly to the neg terminal)
1 10ga
Tranny has 2 12ga still.
This thread(thanks to C MAX's advice) has helped the following solve thieir starting problem: crazy97, KRRZ350, vj72ct, Mishmosh, Ptatohed, Vettefever5, Tavarish, Mxzmax, White Shadow, T love, Max Gator(5TH GEN), acidspit86, prince starbai, JaTan, oVeRdOsE, liquidx, serfer420, UT-Max, wwjd180, maxihari77SE96, momay, Ham1987, liqidvenom, mistuhjj, mansurxk, TunerMaxima3000, 1chewabacha1, titanbk, miserov, Kidyahoo1, smai555, foxracing12, azn_mint, Peter1
Last edited by crazy97; 03-02-2009 at 09:02 AM.
My car sounds totally different from the youtube video. My car actually stops cranking. That car just keeps cranking in the video.
Thanks,
Zack
09-03-2009, 07:30 PM
#11
Check your ignition switch and stuff some tape into the slot of the switch. I had a gap form in the + shape of the switch and when I turned my key to START the switch itself would not turn all the way and so it made my car sputter and die occasionally when starting and it would take two or three tries before it actually starts.
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