Turn the key over click.. Power got it. Whip out my voltmeter 12.2v at the battery. Eh ok. Jump it, no difference plenty power no crank. So maybe starter solenoid, or relay? I replace both and I'm getting the same results. Input appreciated

 

If the click is coming from under the hood, it seems like the starter. If the click is coming from under the dash, that is normal, you just don't hear it when the car cranks.

What I would suggest is that you check for voltage on the starter solenoid wire, the thin wire that attached to the solenoid (Test Point A in the photo below). This wire should have battery voltage when you are trying to crank the engine. If you do, then the starter has a problem. It could be the solenoid or it could be the brushes in the starter motor.

If you are brave, you could jumper across the solenoid connections (Test Points B & C in the photo below). Use an old screwdriver or something because the spark will put a pit mark in it. And of course be careful that you don't touch anything else as you are dealing with a battery connection.

 

Would be best to try to find schematics for your Vehicle so that you can check the various check points.

Sounds like the is an open circuit to starter relay so it would be best to follow the schematic.

I believe that the ECU comes into play here and will lok to see if a few paramaters are met before allowing the starter circuit to get energized.

I am new to the Nissan. Purchased my 04 Maxima this past Sept but most vehicles will not start till some of these Parameters are met.

1) Ignition Switch is powered up to feed the starting circuit
2) Neutral Safety Switch is closed.
3) Some check for Fuel Pressure by having a Pressure switch Close on rise of pressure.
4) there may e more parameters the ECU needs to be present before it sends Power to the Starter relay.

Hope someone jumps in and is able to give you a link to the Service Manual or a list of these to check.

Good luck

 

When I contact point B and C the starter motor begins to operate even while the engine is not cranking, that's not right is it?

 

Yes that is normal and a good test for the Starter winding and brushes, but does not test the Starter Bendex Pick up coil.

Battery Positive should always be present at the Main Starter Terminal ( Larger Cable) Terminal C Connection I believe, as per the previous Photo that was posted. Jumping Points C and B makes the starter motor turn.

Point A is how to energize the Pick up Coil which causes a Contact Plate (inside Solenoid) to close Terminal B and C to turn the Starter Motor. This also causes the Bendex arm to push the starter gear to engage on to the Cranking Flywheel Gear, which then would cause the Engine to Crank over.

To test it, turn the Ignition Key to off position and run a Jumper wire from Terminal C and touch it to Terminal A and the Engine should start cranking. If not then try jumper wire from Battery Positive Terminal to Terminal A of the Starter Coil.

If the Engine cranks over when Terminal A is energized then you will have to determine why the Starting Relay is not energizing.

The Starting Coil is what is currently not Energizing when you turn on the ignition. So with a Schematic you can work backwards from that point to see what is not getting energized.

I believe the starting relay feeds the Starter Bendex Pick up Coil.

Have you tested the Starting circuit Fuse yet by chance?

 

I just went into Advanced today and plugged in the new starter relay. The starter fuse is good I hooked a test light to both ends and it lights. So I'm assuming it's a wiring issue between battery (+) and the coil

 

I am not certain how to attach photos on this forum so I uploaded a schamtic for a starting ircuit for a Sentra which should be close so you can have an idea of what needs to be checked, as I indicated on my Post #3.

http://forums.maxima.org/album.php?albumid=8678


Is there a way to attach Photos to our posts? if yes can some one let me know if I need to change any of my Forum settings? Thank you

 

I use tinypic. It creates a forum link which you then paste and people will see the image in the post not the link.

 

What you need to test is test point "A" in the above picture. IF you have 12volts while the key is in the crank position, then you're dealing with a bad starter. If the starter itself isn't bad, then I'd look into the ground connection to the engine. No ground on that means no crank.

 

I had same problem. It was a combo of bad starter and not good enough grounds. I changed out starter and added a ground direct from negative battery terminal to the transmission case. Right after that it started right up every time.

 

Here's a video of what was happening to me last month after I replaced the starter with a rebuilt starter...ended up tapping on the starter and it started right up. I then bought a brand new starter, put it in and now I haven't had the problem since, but my fingers are crossed hope that fixed it! Anyways, hope this sheds some light on your issue:

 

Do not attempt to follow the schematic posted by acamara. It is from a newer car and has very little similarity to the 5th gen Maxima.

Since you jumpered test points B & C and the motor spins, that is good. You now need to verify that the solenoid works. Check for 12 volts at test point A when the ignition key is turned to the START position. An alternate way to test would be to jumper test points A & C. If you have 12 volts or the engine does not crank, the solenoid is bad.

If you would like to get the service manual (FSM) for your car, you can download it from here.

http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/

To see the schematic of the starter circuit for the 2001 Maxima, click on the link below and go to page 12.

http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/2001/SC.pdf

 

The 5th gen Maxima starter does not use the Bendix starter gear system. The starter pinion gear is driven into the flywheel gear by a lever that is moved/pushed by the starter solenoid.

Nissan didn't start using the Bendix system until the 2004 model, the 6th gen.

 

My apologies if I used the wrong term.

The term "Bendex" is not used by some Starter Manufacturers but the principle is similar on all Starters.

As explained in one of my posts, when the starter Pick-up coil is energized, it pulls on a plunger which causes A metal disc to short (close) the circuit between Terminal B and C of the Starter Coil which cause the Starter motor to turn, and at the same time moves a Lever that pushes Starter Pinion Gear into the Flywheel Gear.

This is referred to as the "Bendex Action" of a Starter

I have worked on many Starte Motors in the Past, for North American and Foreign vehicles as well as those used by Air Compressor Units and Locomotives.

Older Ford Starters worked slightly differently since they did not have the Solenoid attached to the Starter itself.

As to the Schematic that I had linked, I had posted I did indicate that it was for a Sentra but that the princple was similar, namely that before the CPU could energize the Starter relay wjich then would send 12 Volts to the Starter Solenoid that it needed other parameters to exist such as a feed from th Ignition Switch and that the Neutral Safety Switch needed to be closed (which occurs when shift lever is either in Neutral or in Park Position).

That when all parameters required were met that only then would the CPU allow the 12 volts from the Ignition switch to energize the Starter Pick up Coil or Starter Solenoid.

From the Picture of the Starter you posted with Pints A, B and C it looks like the started has an attached Solenoid thus it would use the Bendex Principle.

The point I was making is that he would need to 1st check to see if the Starter would crank the Engine by jumpering terminal A and C of the Starter Solenoid and if it did that he would then have to check the Starting circuit to find what was not allwoing a feed to the Starter Solenoid.

We are saying the same thing I believe but using different words.

I was merely trying to help the OP diagnose why engine is not cranking.

This is what he added to his initial Post"


From what he posted here it appears that he may have already replaced the Starter and starter relay and was getting the same results.

I will step aside and let you continue to help him so as not to confuse the OP.

I hope that this Thread helps others in some diagnosing steps when they find that the Engine is not cranking when they turn the ignition to the start position

 

Neutral safety switch?

 

Neutral Safety Switch is a general term

Nissan uses the term " Park/Neutral Position Switch" Seee page 12 of the PDF file that was posted earlier

The shift Lever must be in Neutral or Park Position to start the Car.

Never want a Vehicle to start in Gear is why it is refered to as a Neutral Safety Switch.

 

Jumping test points A & C the car cranks over. Today I am going to clean up some grounds and see if that's where the issue is. Neutral safety switch was a thought but still no crank in the neutral position.

 

Since the starter worked when you jumpered A & C, cleaning grounds isn't going to help.

As long as you don't have an after market alarm on the car, here's something for you to try. Remove the inhibitor relay that is in the box in front of the battery. Assuming you have an automatic transmission, put a jumper in the socket, between pins 6 & 7. Look on the bottom of the relay to see which pins are 6 & 7.

This jumper will eliminate the neutral safety switch and the stock alarm interruption. It allows the car to start in any gear, so be careful. Also, FWIW, the cruise control will not work with this jumper installed.

If the car does not start with this jumper installed, that would mean that you are not getting power from the ignition switch. That would mean either a wiring problem or a bad ignition switch. If you have an after market alarm system, it is also suspect.

 

There's no aftermarket alarm/security system on this Car. So no cranking with the jumper cable installed in pins 6 & 7 looks like I'll need to investigate the ignition switch and its wiring.