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Hi guys,
Having a hard start on my 2000 maxi when cold or 10+ min soak. Have to do a 2nd start cycle and then it starts and stabilizes and is fine.
Restarts fine on 1st try within 5 minutes of soaking. Runs good once started. Longer than 5mins and it's not happy.
No recent work other than BG44k fuel treatment and switched to premium about 1500 miles ago. I was using 87oct. Issue seemed to start not too long after BG44k but I have used a number of times before and zero issues.
Pulled off vac hoses on fuel regulator and dampener and both looked free of fuel.
i had a problem (no codes) when car's been sitting a while would start ok, then shut off the engine go to the store or something, get back in and try to start again, wont start, that or starts then rpms drop too low car dies. either i had to let it sit for a while to let it cool down or press on gas pedal to force rpms above 2000 so it wont die, once you get going seemed ok.
i got some throttle body cleaner and cleaned the throttle very well (make sure you get in there deep) also a good idea to completely disconnect the battery during this time, and problem fixed, ran beautifully after that.
i only use 87, as for treatment only use gumout 30001
i had a problem (no codes) when car's been sitting a while would start ok, then shut off the engine go to the store or something, get back in and try to start again, wont start, that or starts then rpms drop too low car dies. either i had to let it sit for a while to let it cool down or press on gas pedal to force rpms above 2000 so it wont die, once you get going seemed ok.
i got some throttle body cleaner and cleaned the throttle very well (make sure you get in there deep) also a good idea to completely disconnect the battery during this time, and problem fixed, ran beautifully after that.
i only use 87, as for treatment only use gumout 30001
I did have a slow idle issue in tbe past when not warmed up and I cleaned tb and it worked. Maybe this is same issue....will clean and see.
might try obvious stuff too, could be bad air or fuel filter, could ba spark plugs, have the battery tested, my neighbor's car would randomly die while driving, no codes, battery was new, tried everything, decided to swap the battery just to see, boom, problem solved, turns out it was a manufacturing defect...
I'm thinking spark plugs or try changing the engine coolant temperature sensor, ECU uses it as one of the main factors in controlling the fuel ratio, especially on cold starts.
The fuel pumps can leak down, lose prime. When its doing a long crank turn the key of then try again. If it starts right up thats a clue it may be the pump.
The fuel pumps can leak down, lose prime. When its doing a long crank turn the key of then try again. If it starts right up thats a clue it may be the pump.
That does seem to help. But wouldn't a bad pump affect driving and power? Once running its good.
I guess I want to prove the pump or regulator or diaphragm before I go replacing parts and not sure how to do that.
I think I will cold start it and run 1 min and then restart and see what happens. Nothing will be warm yet and if it starts fine then might swap the pump.
Last edited by MichMaxFan; 10-31-2020 at 05:15 AM.
I had similar hard starts after several minutes of heat soaking. It was the rubber air tube between the throttle body and MAF. It had developed hairline cracks from age and allowed air to bypass the MAF. Also make sure the connections are air tight. My 2000 has been starting perfect since.
I had similar hard starts after several minutes of heat soaking. It was the rubber air tube between the throttle body and MAF. It had developed hairline cracks from age and allowed air to bypass the MAF. Also make sure the connections are air tight. My 2000 has been starting perfect since.
I will have to spray carb fluid on hoses when cold engine and see if it affects things. This start could be many issues
I should mention the hairline cracks were in the folds of the air tube and difficult to see. As the engine is cranking with the starter engaged, the engine tends to move more and pulls on the folds of the air tube allowing air to sneak in the cracks past the MAF. My fix was the replacement of the air tube.
I should mention the hairline cracks were in the folds of the air tube and difficult to see. As the engine is cranking with the starter engaged, the engine tends to move more and pulls on the folds of the air tube allowing air to sneak in the cracks past the MAF. My fix was the replacement of the air tube.
ok. Thanks. I cleaned the maf just to rule that out as well.
How did u find the crack? (Other than remove and inspect with a light)?
That does seem to help. But wouldn't a bad pump affect driving and power? Once running its good.
I guess I want to prove the pump or regulator or diaphragm before I go replacing parts and not sure how to do that.
I think I will cold start it and run 1 min and then restart and see what happens. Nothing will be warm yet and if it starts fine then might swap the pump.
Yes that's correct if the pump was bad it wouldn't matter what conditions. The better word to use might be replacing the pump assembly. Which includes the check and pressure pressure valves, sending unit and pump. An all-in-one assembly. All the manufacturers did this. Not sure why. Makes it hard to test. Your best bet to do that if you want to is from under the seat. Tap into where it connects to the pump.
Last edited by rodent_infested_03; 11-02-2020 at 03:57 AM.
Rodent: My pressure and diphram valve is in engine bay. I have a 2000. Both vacuum lines look clear but I've read that they can leak internally as well and allow pressure drop and not show in vac line.
Still trying each potential thing but I will need to likely tap the fuel line. Can't I remove the line at the asm under the seat and easily hook the gage to that? One of the kits I saw online had a T and wondering if that fits. We don't have a test port from what I've read.
could have leaky injectors that are flooding the engine. how old are your spark plugs?
Plugs are ngk coppewoupdl are 24000 miles old.
I did wonder about an injector issue. It smells gassy when it starts but that could be from double the normal cranks. Seems if it were flooding it woud be even harder to start...maybe a clog but how can u easily find that without, what, pulling each one and inspecting?
AutoZone load tested and battery held 13v they said but his gizmo reported to replace the battery so volts are lower than optimal but seems to me it should not be my issue. Maybe a freak thing but seems it should be unrelated to my issue.
I got my money on the ECT. if the ECU doesn't know how cold the engine is it won't throw in that extra fuel for the cold start.
I remember when I had my 91 Nissan Stanza and I installed a button for the starter because the ignition switch would stick and eat up starters. the car had a KA24E that used a cold start injector. when I would start the car cold I would actually have to hold the key in the cranking position while pressing the starter button. the cold start injector only worked while cranking the car with the key and the start button being wired directly to the starter bypassed that. when the car was already warmed up I could just turn the key to the run position and press the starter button. but on a cold start it would just crank and crank until I put the key into the crank position while holding the starter button..
I have 4th gen maxima. It had exactly same issue as yours, hard start when cold and hard start when warm. Once it got running, no issue.
I traced it back to throttle body and wax solenoid. It was not ECTS as many said. It was really close since both are related to coolant/temp. Warm/hot coolant going through TB makes wax expanding, moving plunger which pushes the butterfly open. This modifies A/F ratio mechanically.
In 4th gen, this is called IACV-FICD. Basically, FICD acts like small engine choke. You set choke when cold start and half/no choke if you want restart (warm). It was preset at factory and it is not supposed to be adjusted, but wax solenoid can be replaced. On mine, wax/coolant leaked, plunger seized and no longer moved TB cam follower correctly. The effect was no choke during cold start and half choke warm.
Your max is 2000, the TB is different than 4th gen ones, no more wax solenoid. Image on Ebay still shows coolant connection. You may check if your year TB still behaves same, causing your issue in similar way.
Thought you might be interested. I replaced the fuel pump today in the 2006 Altima that's having a hard to start after driving then sitting for 20 minutes. I cannot replicate the problem so it would appear the fuel pump fixed it. I went with a $55 eBay pump. In a few days when I'm comfortable with the new pump I'm going to take it apart and try to figure out what was causing the loss of prime only when it was warm. Good luck trying to fix your problem
Thought you might be interested. I replaced the fuel pump today in the 2006 Altima that's having a hard to start after driving then sitting for 20 minutes. I cannot replicate the problem so it would appear the fuel pump fixed it. I went with a $55 eBay pump. In a few days when I'm comfortable with the new pump I'm going to take it apart and try to figure out what was causing the loss of prime only when it was warm. Good luck trying to fix your problem
There is a sentra in the family that had hard start between 10min and 1 hour soak but never an issue when cold. Perfect start unless during a a few minutes after a run. I replaced entire pump asm and its been fine.
Makes me think same issue on my maxi but symptoms are diff when cold.
My TB is clean and coolant lines are disconnected from it.
Hi guys,
Having a hard start on my 2000 maxi when cold or 10+ min soak. Have to do a 2nd start cycle and then it starts and stabilizes and is fine.
Restarts fine on 1st try within 5 minutes of soaking. Runs good once started. Longer than 5mins and it's not happy.
No recent work other than BG44k fuel treatment and switched to premium about 1500 miles ago. I was using 87oct. Issue seemed to start not too long after BG44k but I have used a number of times before and zero issues.
Pulled off vac hoses on fuel regulator and dampener and both looked free of fuel.
Fuel filter is approx 9,000 miles old.
Thanks in advance for your ideas.
i had this problem on my maxima, the culprit was the diaphragm that sits on the throttle body, the internal rubber part had a hole in it and would not increase the idle for cold start. easy way to check if it this is is either squeeze the small rubber hose or disconnect it from the diaphragm when engine is cold, then start it, if idle comes up and you dont need to keeep attemtping to start it, this could be the issue if not something vaccum related in the cold start cycle could be causing it.
10-13-2020, 11:03 AM
