I read this post in another Infiniti forum where a member was having the same issue as me with his car starting: "As a General Motors guy, after reading your post I would have guessed a fuel pressure regulator not maintaining pressure. I don't know if these cars maintain pressure in the fuel pump assy, an external regulator, or both. A good test to see if you're dropping pressure after an extended period of sitting is to cycle the ignition key on and off several times when it has been sitting. If you let the pump prime by cycling the key a few times prior to starting and it starts without hesitation, then you know it's not holding fuel pressure."

I've been having starting issues with my 2000 Infiniti I30t for a couple months now. It will turn over but it takes it a bit to start and sometimes the starter will even kick back. I had Autozone test the starter while I was trying to start it and he said it FAILED each time it was trying to start, but then he had me turn the key until it started and then he showed me that it PASSED along with the battery and the alternator.

Unfortunately, no one has been able to tell me specifically what the problem is. Then I read the post above and so this morning I went out and cycled the key off and on a few times and it started right up. So now my question is would this indicate that I have a bad fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator or both?

 

Can you post a video so I can tell you if it sounds like a fuel pump or fpr. But does your car start fine within a hour or so of driving it. If it does then its not the fuel pump its the fuel pressure regulator.

 

I can try to get a video, but I'm not to knowledgeable about those things. Once the car starts it runs fine—no misfires, no rough idling, etc.

 

So basically the car takes excessive cranks before it starts right? That means the car is not holding any fuel pressure and it leaks back to the fuel tank because the fuel pressure regulator is going bad. OEM fuel pumps by Nissan hardly ever go bad. As I replaced my fuel pump and it still didn't fix anything and it turned out to be the fuel pressure regulator and I put my original pump back in and it had no problems with starting again.

 

Yes, sometimes it takes a few cranks before it starts. Unless I cycle the key on and off a few times, then it starts right away. I just called my parts store and they said their price for the regulator is $113. Ouch....

Gonna have to search around, unless that's the going price for that thing.

 

Heres one for 72.00 on amazon . http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004WNFWKO?cache=fc978edea69878edfe1530955db3e9dc& pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1412963975&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1[/IMG]

 

I don't really want to order a part like this off Amazon. O'Reilly's can get it tomorrow morning for $113. Plus I have some reward points saved so I can get a few bucks off that. I double checked to make sure the O-ring comes with it and he said it does.

Hopefully it IS the regulator, because I don't think you can take a auto part back once you've installed and used it. I would hate to be out a hundred bucks....

 

Actually you can take it back to them. Every time I had bought a part and it didn't work I always took it back to autozoneand have gotten my money back.

 

I don't think you answered a previously asked q.

After you've driven your car, does it start back up easily within a few minutes or even 30 minutes or an hour? If so, then chances are it's your FPR.

I've gotten several used FPR's off org members here for around $25 shipped.

 

definitely a junkyard item at that kind of price

 

After I've driven it a while it will sometimes start right back up, but sometimes it will still take a couple tries to get it to start. Once I'm driving it everything is fine—there's never any misfires, hesitation or stalling.

 

One of my local junkyards is getting a Infiniti in next week. I was thinking of getting a few things off it, depending on the shape it's in.

 

Hmmmm...well now I'm not totally convinced it the FPR.
Come to think of it, there are 2 FPR's. Do all 5th and 5.5 gens have 2 FPRs?
My 2000 has 2.

 

I just looked through the entire FSM for my car and I don't see a second FPR anywhere. I've been reading up on this problem and there are many different suggestions as to what it could be—fuel filter, fuel pump, FPR, FPR damper, etc. I think before I spend money on a part I may not need I should take the car into my mechanic Monday and have him check it out so he can diagnose exactly what the problem is.

 

Well this was a new one. I pulled into the driveway and turned the car off, removed the key and all the doors locked and the security light came on (solid red). As soon as I opened the door the horn started blaring. Couldn't figure out how to turn the dang thing off so I just waited until it stopped. I don't know if this is related to the hard starting issue or not, but it's never done that before.

 

If the alarm is set (for whatever reason), opening the door will set off the alarm. If the alarm goes off, you turn it off by locking the doors with the remote or using the key in the door.

But why it went off, I don't know. My 97 would go off once in a while when sitting in the garage. My 2000 also goes off. It seems to be the nature of the beast.

 

I always just cycle the key to lock and unlock the doors to stop the alarm.

 

Thanks guys for the tips on the alarm. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming....

The part is in at the store, but I'm still hesitant about buying it.

 

You're mechanic has to perform the pressure check first so unless your got some bfranks to splurge with....
I wouldn't spend $100+ if im not certain that part isn't gonna fix the problem,like someone said the junkyard if your best bet, you can be out of $20 instead of a c-note.

 

Does it start fine in the morning. If it does that means your fuel pump is fine and its holding pressure. If its a bad fpr the car will not start after it been driven and warmed up.

 

I'm not as familiar with 5th gens as I am 4th gens yet. If the FSM calls out a FPR and a FPR damper, then that's what it is when I said I see two FPR's. That solves that mystery.

 

If I cycle the key off and on a few times it will start right up. Otherwise it can take anywhere from 2-5 tries before it starts. Sometimes the starter will kick back if it's taking too long to start, so then I either cycle the key or step on the gas pedal a couple times.

 

Why don't you take out the back seat and check the pump for resistance?

 

I know nothing about doing that. I don't have a meter, but would this be a good one to use for resistance testing?

 

That will work just fine. It's cheaper at Amazon and it's actually rated #1 for the best bang for the buck multimeter.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVYGZA/...I2NDHFH392KQ0P

 

Well after a couple days the CES came back on—reading P0430 again. I'm not overly concerned about that, since the car is running fine. The only issue it has is the starting problem. After reading a lot of similar threads here on the Org I'm beginning to think it's probably the fuel pump. I'll have to give a friend a call and see if he has a meter and can come over and check that resistance. Are there any how-tos around here for checking the resistance on that thing?

 

Yes indeed, search for FSM download it and check the E.C. section page 581

 

Thanks. I found the section on diagnosing the fuel pump—it's section EC page 816. There's also this section starting on page 679 that talks about diagnosing the fuel pump control module (FPCM). There's a lot of stuff here that is Greek to me, but if I can find someone who knows this stuff at least we'll have some diagrams to go by.

 

Don't worry if you read greek its simple....just take out your rear bottom seat ,remove bolts for the cover to the access hole for the pump and disconnect the wire harness and check resistance between fuel level sensor unit and fuel pump terminals 1and3.

 

Just talked to the junkyard guy again this morning and he said he'll be getting that Infiniti I30 in this week for sure. Same car as mine and he said the engine and everything is in great shape. I figure whatever parts I need (fuel pump, etc.) I can get them off that car cheaper than buying them new.