Ok, here's my problem: If I drive my 98 Maxima every day, it starts and runs fine. But when I leave it outside for several days without running, when I start it the engine makes a loud rattling or jackhammer-like noise and the whole car shakes for about 30 seconds. Anyone know what this might be and am I looking at a future repair? It has 43,000 miles. Thanks.

 

When was the last tune up? I know its common for cars to start rough when its left un driven for a long time due to the oil draining off the engine but you said only a few days?

 

What kind of oil and filter are you using? Sounds like your getting a lot of drain back of oil and your getting dry starts. Not good. Use a Nissan oil filter and either a 5W-30 or 10W-30 motor oil, Castrol GTX or Mobil 1 Oil. Then see if your loud starts go away.

 

Yikes! After 2 days sitting outside, when I tried to start the car it shook and clattered, and the starter alternately cranked and freewheeled - the car barely sputtered and would not start, and lots of clouds of white smoke came out of the exhaust. But the smoke was coming out of the exhaust when the starter was cranking, without the engine running. After lots of cranking and smoke, it finally started running, after that it was fine. I know that it will start and run fine when I go tomorrow to work, but if I leave it several days that will happen again. Does that oil theory still hold, or is something else causing this? I usually have the oil changed at Pep Boys or Firestone, I am not sure what kind of oil they use. Also, I have never done a tune up before.

P.S. nismo, what kind of wheels and ground effect kit does your car have?

 

AmericanRacing Pinzetti and the kit is the Stillen kit with IonicDynamics rears.

Wild guess on your starting problem- is your exhaust clogged?

 

Do you mean the cat. converter? The problem is, it will be fine tomorrow, and the next day, until I leave it sitting for several days, then it seems to happen again.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nismo


AmericanRacing Pinzetti and the kit is the Stillen kit with IonicDynamics rears.

Wild guess on your starting problem- is your exhaust clogged? [/QUOTE

 

White smoke usually means your burning water in your engine. I think it might be like a head gasket. How many miles do you have on that engine? If there's any blue to that smoke, that could indicate burning oil. If you're burning oil, you will probably smell burned oil. It smells kinda like that smell right after you drive your car after an oil change or if you know an old car that leaks so much oil that you smell it each time you drive. I've never smelled it on a maxima after an oil change, but I usually smell it from the residual oil burn off on toyotas after driving it right after changing oil. The maxima doesn't have the smell cause the oil filter and pan is below the engine and it doesn't burn off, it just drips off.

 

That mention of water reminded me that while the car was sitting last time it was in out in the rain - could water from rain have gotten in the engine somehow? Then again, when I drive it in rain it is fine. It has 43,000 miles (approx.). It did not smell like burning oil, actually it did not have much smell at all - maybe it was water. It pretty much filled up the driveway around the car with smoke, keep in mind this is before the engine started running, just whenever the starter was cranked more smoke came out of the exhaust pipe.

 

Not water from the rain. Plenty of cars sit in the rain just fine. I'm talking about radiator fluid. HOw's your radiator fluid level? HAs it gone down at all? Don't open while it's hot. It might spew out. It should be totally full as you open your radiator cap when it's cold. If it's not, then you might be burning some of it which is where the white smoke comes from. I hope some other mechanics chime in.

 

Can I look in the overflow container instead of inside the radiator? The coolant in the overflow is a little lower than the full mark, maybe 3/4 inch or so.

 

I wish some other guys could chime in, but I suspect a head gasket. Are there any ASE mechanics on this forum?