97 maxima gxe Starts with staring fluid than dies( car does crank no start otherwise)
 

I bought a modded 97 gxe it sat for 2 YRS the car has a lot of tasteful mods and the previous owner took great care of her.

Before I make it a money pit of trial and error looking for ideas

CAR cranks no start
[Unless I use starting fluid] she will start and I can rev her but than she dies it's staying on longer 5 secs verses 2 sec and I can rev it without it dieing when I first starter her I'd give it gas it automatically die faster.


Today I changed the fuel filter
The old one had some derby when I examined her

I used dry gas

Added techron fuel injection cleaner

I think my alternator is shot
But I have one on hand new ready to go in tomorrow
Reason the battery does not seem to be charging

Also getting a starter tomorrow
This one seems week.

What else should I do I wanna get this car on the road !

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Spark, air, and fuel brah. Sounds like you're missing the fuel in this equation.

Did the fuel lines have pressure when you changed the filter? Can you hear the fuel pump turning on when you turn the key to the ON position?

If you aren't sure take the line off of the filter and try cranking the car and see if you have some flow.


I don't see how you can diagnose the alternator and starter as being bad if you can't even get it to keep running and you have been cranking it over with ether. You're just going to leave dents in the car by throwing parts at it.

Understood it sat for 2 YRS I know the starter is bad and figured I have a new alternator sitting around. Being it sat for 2 YRS through some harsh winters.

I will check the pump for sound, pressure etc

Well I put my ear to the back seat and too the fuel area, and had the wife turn the key from the on position to the off position nothing silence she is a gonner I wanna say the pump is dead or clogged etc, gonna open her up tomorrow to get a definite answer.

Any other input guys lmk I appreciate any and all help.
Thank you

I would pop the seat cushion off or maybe even partially remove the pump hangar and double check just to be sure.

Bummer, at least it is any easy fix. New gas with ethanol leaves nasty crud on everything if you lit it sit.

here is a good how-to

Make sure you get a pump and a new strainer. Some pumps don't include the strainer.

Before you go and buy a fuel pump, test the old one first.

There are 2 wire harness connectors on the fuel tank float assembly, a 4 wire connector and a 2 wire connector. The 2 wire connector is for the fuel pump.

Unplug the 2 wire connector and use 2 jumper wires, 12 volts and ground. Connect the ground jumper wire to the pin that gets the green/red stripe wire. Connect the 12 volt jumper to the pin that gets the black/yellow stripe wire.

If the pump runs, you have a control circuit problem. Otherwise you need a fuel pump.

I will test that tomorrow, stupid question control circuit problem?

The issue is the car sat for approx 2YRS untouched, when I changed the fuel filter The gas was brown with tiny spec like particles, I could imagine what the tank inside looks like. Also I know this doesn't confirm the issue but I do not here the pump priming the original miles on the car is 203k with a new motor mods etc the owner had all the invoices for everything and owned the car since 2002. It cranks like it wants to turn over I spray starter fluid she will start rev up and slowly die as if there is not a consistent amount of fuel running thru, first thought maf still could be but when I saw the filter and debris, it gives me a gut feeling fuel issue.
I will run some tests tomorrow and check plugs, maf, etc. Starting with fuel.

Thanks again for all the input.. it helps

what are the tasteful mods he put onto it? wonder why he didn't drive it for 2years.

Bought a new car had plans of using it as a weekend cruiser and it needed a radiator support which he bough gave me never installed

ALOT the post is still up he was from Massachusetts
97 gxe with mods is the title. Great member/person invoices for everything done in a binder and all .

Other possibilities are a bad FPR or a significant vacuum leak.

That's true I can check vaccum with the smoke machine, fuel pressure regulator idk possibilities. I swear it feels like the fuel pump when I took out the fuel filter there was hardly any gas driven through the light and I have been trying to start this thing for a while so I figured with all that priming I should have a whole bunch of fuel come out of that fuel filter all the lines so I have a feeling its not priming but I will also check that thank you the wizard

i am reminded of my friend's lawnmower that sat for awhile and would not start. The problem was that the gas all went bad and left a grimy film on the carburetor and intake.

Sounds like u may wanna clean out the TB, intake, IACV, and replace PCV.

Check the fuel pump fuse and relay?

The design of the fuel pump circuit is more than sending 12 volts to the fuel pump when you turn the ignition key on. While it is not complex, it does exist and you need to be aware of it.

The main part is that the ECU has to energize a relay and it is the relay that sends 12 volts to the fuel pump. But the ECU has to see certain conditions before it will do that. For starting purposes, the ECU will energize the fuel pump relay for a second or two when you turn the ignition key on. If the ECU does not get a signal from the crankshaft sensor within that initial second or two, the ECU de-energizes the fuel pump relay and the fuel pump stops. This is also true if the engine has been running and dies. The ECU will de-energize the relay within a second or two to turn the fuel pump off.

There is also a speed control circuit for the fuel pump. The ECU can regulate how fast the fuel pump spins, thereby regulating the amount of fuel the pump spits out. I don't know what the ECU uses to determine how much gas needs to be pumped. It is a circuit similar to the dash light dimmer, so it probably can shut off the pump.

What I am thinking is that you have a problem with old, congealed gasoline. It has probably plugged the fuel rails and the injectors.

I would start with testing the fuel pump, as others have said. If the gas looks nasty I would pump all of it out with a syphon hose, then add a few gallons of fresh gas. Please drain the gas before changing the fuel pump. You do not want to foul your new fuel pump.

Perhaps you can buy a used pump to keep the costs within reason.

Fuel pump was the answer.. on to the next issues

Does your car run now?

Keep in mind that someone who uses the search feature in the future can learn from YOU the fix that ultimately solved their problem.

I have I will not delete the thread it was helpful. Lock it up..
And yes the car runs now a few other issues not in relation,
Put the new fuel pump and she started right up..

Also this may help I noticed a few particals in the tank, and used a extendable magnet and it grabbed those particals there weren't to many figured that would help instead of dropping the tank stuck it in the fuel line hoses as well and got some debris there.
Thought it may help

Thank you all