5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Max broke down today

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-04-2011, 03:09 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
Max broke down today

Soooo I'm on my way to work when my car starts overheating. Leaky radiator that i STILL haven't gotten a chance to fix is the culprit. I stop, put water in the radiator, gas in the car, and get on my way. Next stop i get the car to a stop it stalls. I try to start it up again, hesitently it sputtered to life. I go on my way in 1st gear, get to 2k rpms, and the car starts bucking like crazy. I shift into 2nd, get to 2k rpms, and it bucks again. Same thing through 3rd and 4th gear. It ran like normal through every gear until i hit the 2k rpm mark. Next stop light, stalls again. This time it doesnt start again. I kept cranking and cranking, and finally gave up cuz i didnt want to burn out my starter. Dude in the truck behind me was nice enough to help me push it across the intersection to a gas station.

That's the story. Any thoughts?
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 03:28 PM
  #2  
Member
iTrader: (1)
 
datsunzcar84's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Dover PA
Posts: 248
If you had a over hearing issue was it ran out low on coolant long? Keep in mind if its low on coolant the gauge may read lower than the actual temature. You may have possibly poped a head gasket...
datsunzcar84 is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 04:28 PM
  #3  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
CMax03's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 9,538
sounds almost like a crank/cam sensor failure.....Was it spilling out fliud (coolant) or detonating?
CMax03 is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 06:35 PM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
VQP0WER's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Moore, OK
Posts: 1,767
You didn't fill it with E85, did you?
VQP0WER is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 07:44 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
cabernet's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 306
Originally Posted by datsunzcar84
If you had a over hearing issue was it ran out low on coolant long? Keep in mind if its low on coolant the gauge may read lower than the actual temature. You may have possibly poped a head gasket...
Yep, I had a Ford that overheated and blew out a head gasket. Kept trying to start it and it kept trying to turn over but wouldn't. Definate possibilty it's the head gasket.
cabernet is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 08:27 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
T_Behr904's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Originally Posted by cabernet
Yep, I had a Ford that overheated and blew out a head gasket. Kept trying to start it and it kept trying to turn over but wouldn't. Definate possibilty it's the head gasket.
Do a compression check
T_Behr904 is offline  
Old 06-04-2011, 08:34 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
chrome91's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Posts: 7,539
how much coolant do you think was gone? as in was the overflow and rad dry? if the rad was empty, could be HG. hopefully not
chrome91 is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 01:09 AM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
00Lightsout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SoCal
Posts: 427
if your radiator is broken and the car is overheating....the coolant line that runs through your throttle body(IACV) will FREAK OUT!!

FIX THE RADIATOR or Temporarily bypass the throttle body of the coolant line until the radiator is FIXED!
00Lightsout is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 08:45 AM
  #9  
Newbie - Just Registered
 
unwrittenwurds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8
The engine bay in my 02 Max is running extremely hot for the past week. Not sure what's going on. Temp Gauge is normal, no leaks, fans turning on and blowing out hot air, my a/c and heat works (on a typical day the hood you can't touch) it just generates to much heat... I think I am having a trans issue, during a nice 50degree cool day my max drives like a champion, on a hot muggy day, the car drives sluggishly, and my trans starts to jerk under full throttle or when I let off the gas pedal (most of the time the trans shifts smoothly, its noticeable when it does shift) and other times when it shifts into gear it jerks, or pops into gear hard, I wouldn't say its slipping, it just comes and goes.. . I just cleaned my MAF, replaced two o2 sensors, valve covers, P1800 code intake solenoid replaced, still didn't feel a difference.. My check engine / AT check lights are not on,
diagnosed and reading no codes?? I think maybe my VB needs replaced or cleaned, warning signs that my transmission solenoid is going bad.. ??? Good luck!!



take your car in for testing, you might have bad sensors..

Last edited by unwrittenwurds; 06-05-2011 at 08:47 AM.
unwrittenwurds is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 06:23 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
radiator mustve been close to dry cuz the overflow was empty also. takin it to the shop in the next couple days, ill let you guys know whats up. ive had the car for a while now, it needs other things too. if its a head gasket im getting something new.
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 06:25 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
chrome91's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Posts: 7,539
it could not be a headgasket though, at work lots of cars have come in with little coolant and the headgasket was okay. hopefully it isnt
chrome91 is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 06:26 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
well i know the head gasket wasnt causing over heating, but the hard start could be the gasket is what im saying. i guess well see. either way i know it needs a radiator and whatever needs to be fixed to rectify the hard starting once its figured out. which means spending more money than i have. so yea.
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 06:28 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
T_Behr904's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
The starting problem could be one of the crank position sensors
T_Behr904 is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 06:38 PM
  #14  
Bad *** Newb
iTrader: (7)
 
Child_uv_KoRn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,943
Originally Posted by anomaly117
well i know the head gasket wasnt causing over heating, but the hard start could be the gasket is what im saying. i guess well see. either way i know it needs a radiator and whatever needs to be fixed to rectify the hard starting once its figured out. which means spending more money than i have. so yea.
Right, there's not enough compression for it to fire. Common problem when you keep driving after it pops.
Child_uv_KoRn is offline  
Old 06-05-2011, 07:01 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
T_Behr904's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Originally Posted by T_Behr904
Do a compression check
T_Behr904 is offline  
Old 06-06-2011, 12:33 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
cars getting towed to the shop tmrw. ill let you guys know what's up when i find out. thanks for all your advice.
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-06-2011, 01:52 PM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
00Lightsout's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: SoCal
Posts: 427
Originally Posted by anomaly117
cars getting towed to the shop tmrw. ill let you guys know what's up when i find out. thanks for all your advice.
cool beans
00Lightsout is offline  
Old 06-06-2011, 02:23 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Rods03Max619's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Diego,California
Posts: 8,949
Originally Posted by anomaly117
cars getting towed to the shop tmrw. ill let you guys know what's up when i find out. thanks for all your advice.
DAMN hope it ain't that costly for you...Good Luck ....
Rods03Max619 is offline  
Old 06-08-2011, 02:19 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
mechanic wont have time to look at my car til tmrw... this suspense is stupid.
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-09-2011, 06:00 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
T_Behr904's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Hang in there, i hate that part of it too
T_Behr904 is offline  
Old 06-10-2011, 10:06 AM
  #21  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
fixed. radiator and thermostat replaced. ignition systems just got wet from the leaking radiator, that's why the car freaked out and stalled and such. runs like a champ now. thanks again guys.
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-10-2011, 10:32 AM
  #22  
Senior Member
iTrader: (18)
 
Shift_Max's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NOVA
Posts: 1,031
Glad to hear...
Shift_Max is offline  
Old 06-10-2011, 10:41 AM
  #23  
Member
 
icukev's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: St. Louis, MO
Posts: 98
That's cool that it was something you were already going to get done. Glad it wasn't something worse. Mine is leaking power steering fluid but I can't see where? Will try and get it to the shop next week.

Anyway, glad you're back on the road.
icukev is offline  
Old 06-10-2011, 02:35 PM
  #24  
Bad *** Newb
iTrader: (7)
 
Child_uv_KoRn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,943
Originally Posted by anomaly117
fixed. radiator and thermostat replaced. ignition systems just got wet from the leaking radiator, that's why the car freaked out and stalled and such. runs like a champ now. thanks again guys.
Lucky guy. Glad it wasn't a HG.
Child_uv_KoRn is offline  
Old 06-10-2011, 05:14 PM
  #25  
Senior Member
 
T_Behr904's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 10,349
Good to hear!
T_Behr904 is offline  
Old 06-12-2011, 11:43 AM
  #26  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
Lucky guy. Glad it wasn't a HG.
ME TOO. woulda probly sold it for parts if it was
anomaly117 is offline  
Old 06-12-2011, 11:52 AM
  #27  
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Rods03Max619's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Diego,California
Posts: 8,949
Originally Posted by anomaly117
fixed. radiator and thermostat replaced. ignition systems just got wet from the leaking radiator, that's why the car freaked out and stalled and such. runs like a champ now. thanks again guys.
NICE To Hear....
Rods03Max619 is offline  
Old 06-12-2011, 11:57 AM
  #28  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Rochester's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 5,296
Originally Posted by anomaly117
fixed. radiator and thermostat replaced. ignition systems just got wet from the leaking radiator, that's why the car freaked out and stalled and such. runs like a champ now. thanks again guys.
That's it? I mean, that's great and all, but wouldn't you have already seen anti-freeze all over your engine bay? What you're describing seems like something that would be obvious.
Rochester is offline  
Old 06-12-2011, 03:11 PM
  #29  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (3)
 
anomaly117's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pawtucket, RI
Posts: 3,362
Originally Posted by Rochester
That's it? I mean, that's great and all, but wouldn't you have already seen anti-freeze all over your engine bay? What you're describing seems like something that would be obvious.
as i said earlier, i knew the radiator was a problem. it was obvious. what i didn't know is that it could cause issues with the ignition itself. thanks for your valuable input.
anomaly117 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
bbsitum
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
7
09-06-2019 07:31 PM
HOKUSMAX
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
4
11-13-2017 04:34 AM
dcam0326
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
8
09-18-2015 04:52 PM
seesole
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
15
09-14-2015 12:38 PM
Vequity
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
7
09-10-2015 05:26 AM



Quick Reply: Max broke down today



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:58 AM.