Well I enjoyed about 8 problem free months with my Max but here I am again.

Drove the car down the street to the store today and all was well.......Ran in for milk and came out.....car wouldn't start.

Cranked and cranked and nothing. Rolled car down the driveway and popped the clutch and it started and drove home just fine.

It's happened twice now.

I was thinking fuel pump, but the car runs fine once it's started so I'm think it's something in the ignition system.

The CEL codes were for O2 sensor upstream (replaced 6 months ago), Cylinder 4 misfire (?), Knock Sensor (replaced 4 months ago)

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as to where to start looking.

Thanks!

1999 Maxima.

 

Check coil plug and spark plug on cylinder #4?

 

Im sure i need to, but i cant imagine that it would keep it from starting.

 

Starter... I thought mine was fine till it started crankin ****ty and then eventually it cranked a lot with no start. Replaced the starter (20 min job with basic hand tools) and she starts up no problem after 2-3 cranks

 

When you turn the key over what happens?

Does it attempt to crank but never fires?
Does it crank once and then the lights die?
Does it not do anything?
If you turn they key and give it a little gas will it start up?

 

When i turn the key it cranks and cranks and cranks but nothing happens, it doesnt even sputter. Giving gas doesnt help at all.

But as i said, i can pop start the car and it runs ok.

So im thinking the starter???? Or something in the ignition system??

 

^Possible starter, I'll let someone else with more experience chime in on that for sure. Ive never dealt with a bad starter

 

My car (95 5speed) would crank for an extended period of time and sometimes i get a nasty grinding sound and no crank when i try to start the car. ive replaced the FPR, Fuel pump and fuel filter, moral of the story my starter was on the fritz.

Maybe add an extra ground first and see if that helps? if not you may need to snag a new starter and you could always take yours apart later on and see what went wrong/is it fixable.

The KS is probably a piggback code as i replaced mine and it still shows up (no CEL though and no other codes just KS) Also, the cylinder 4 misfire could possibly be an injector if not a coil or plug. Luckily its right in the front and easy to check lol

 

Cranks but no start? Will push start?

Sounds like a bad ground to me. Corrosion starts between the aluminum mating surfaces and you get sh***y connection. While cranking there is a voltage drop, enough to render the crank and cam sensors useless. Without a crank signal you will not get fuel or spark. Have you had the transmission and engine separated lately? This is a pretty common problem on our cars.

 

Engine and tranny have never seperated.

As i said, with a pop start it runs fine and will sometimes crank and start just fine......sometimes not.

When you say add a ground, what do i need to add it to? Is a chasis ground ok??

 

I didn't say add a ground. Adding grounds seldom fixes anything. Cleaning existing grounds is more beneficial.

 

Came out today and couldnt make ot not start. Ran fine, idled it for 20 min, shut it off, back on, off, let it sit. Started with ease everytime.

Could the intermittent problem point to a starter???