Problem:

The green connector to the front crank position sensor is rusted to the point that it will not budge at all. I also found metal shavings at the end of the front crank position sensor which I cleaned.

Questions:

1. Should I cut the 3 wires to the green connector and splice it to a new one?
2. If I have to cut and splice the 3 wires to a new connector, where can I find one? I checked www.courtesyparts.com but no luck. Go to junkyard?
3. Can the metal shavings on the crank position sensor be one of the root cause of a starting problem? If so, can someone explain why and where the metal shavings may have come from? Reference to my other thread >>> http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ubleshoot.html

 

Aren't the connectors all plastic? What is this "rust" you speak of?

 

I would think so. The part where you press down on the connector to disconnect it from the sensor won't go down. When I tried pressing down on it with a flathead, I noticed a brown residue on the flathead. I sprayed WD-40 and tried to remove the rust/brown residue that is on it but it just won't come off. I'll try to get a photo of it later...

 

When I bought my max there was a large portion of the connectors exhibiting similar symptoms to what you've said. In fact I ended up breaking two of them, one of them being the one on the other end of the cable you're having the trouble with, where it connects to the wire harness.

I would just take the sensor out and man handle it. If I were doing it my biggest fear would be breaking the connector since it's harder to find but since you're fairly willing to break it I would just spray it with whatever lubricants you can and push and pull like hell until it comes apart.

As far as the metal shavings go the sensor points at the flexplate which gets spun by the starter. I'm assuming the metal on metal spinning function of the it over time could cause a little metal shavings or whatever to fling around, the magnet just catches it. Clean it off with a dry cloth or paper towel, look it up in the FSM and do a quick test of it. It's pretty simple you just put a volt meter on it and test the resistance as you move a screwdriver in front of it.

 

I took a closer look at the other green connectors and the rusted part is actually a spring. There's two of them, the function is pretty self explanatory. I'm gonna give it another shot and see if I can get it off. What's FSM? Is it the how to's forum? Do you know what resistance it is suppose to read? I'd assume it would be the same for the other crank position sensor under the crank pulley and the camshaft sensor?

 

Field Service Manual. You can get the one for your year here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/

Check the EC section, you'll find diagnostics for the sensor. There isn't a set resistance to test it unfortunately, probably because its not an accurate way to test it. I just test resistance as I move a screwdriver or something metal in front it. If it changes in response to metal in front it then it's probably good.