I hope someone can help me.

I just left my car at a local restaraunt cuz my 97 max wouldnt start

It has been running just fine till i left the restaraunt, or at least tried to.

It turns over and just almost barely wants to start but just doesnt, as if it just isnt getting any fuel.

The only thing my novice mechanical self could theorize is that either the fuel filter is clogged, the injectors are clogged, or the fuel pump gave out

Could any of these be the cause, or is it something totally differnt.

Its saturday night and there is nowhere to have it towed to, so i left it overnight in hopes of finding a simple solution and fixing it myself tomorrow.

Can anyone help me out?

 

floor the gas paddle and try starting. If it starts then the problem is the cold weather and what you need to do is increase the cold intake RPM's. There is an adjustment screw by the throttle body to do that (real easy.) If that doesn't help, then you need to change your water temp. sensor, (real easy to do as well and the part is only like $30.)

hope it helped
gil

 

I mis-typed. I meant cold idle RPM's, (not cold intake RPM's.)

 

Could be the camshaft position sensor...Mine did the same thing (act like it wasn't getting fuel) but when I floored it and cranked it still wouldn't start and then I could smell it flood. After more cranking, the check engine light came on. So I ran the codes (see FAQ post) and it came up with camshaft position sensor and knock code sensor. I put in a new camshaft position sensor, and it fired right up, and the check engine light went off (after reseting it) and did not reappear. I have had no problems since. It is easy to install--it is an $80 part, but it cured my starting problems. Hope this helps. Aaron

 

Thanks alot guys!

Tomorrow morning im going to try and see if its a fuel delivery problem by spraying some "carb start" down the TB.

If it starts I think i can narrow it down to a fuel delivery problem right?

If it still doesnt start, well then i guess it would have to be some electrical problem like aclough suggested.

Ill read the FAQ and try and figure out how to read the codes.

BTW, i did floor it and it did the same thing and wouldnt start.

I purchased a fuel filter tonight since it was cheap and i dont guess it would do any harm puttin in a new filter anyway.

Ill let yall know tomorrow. Gosh i hope i can get this thing running.

 

Im so dissapointed

I spent forever tracking down a knock sensor today cuz i was getting the code. Finally found one and had hell getting the old one off.

Finally installed it, of course, still didnt start.

Removed the fuel filter and cranked the engine and no fuel came out. I replaced filter and bought a fuel pump.

That was a very fast job, bout 10 minutes to remove and another 10 to install.

To my dismay, the car STILL didnt start but i did get a MAF sensor code. Why? I have no idea, everything is plugged back in place, but that wouldnt keep the car from starting.

It still didnt start

I spent the whole day trying to get this thing running and spent over $300 doing so.

Tomorrow morning im getting it towed to Nissan and pray that it wont cost me another arm and leg.

 

I have a similar problem, I was actually wiring my vi's relay and it accidentally touch the positive terminal of the battery and killed the car. We've tested the fuel and it was fine but there was only spark in 2 of the cyclinders. Well I decide to get a new ecu (96 since I was planning on getting a chip) since one possibllity was a fried ecu. Even after the ecu it is still not starting, but I do get spark in all the cyclinders. We sprayed starter fluid into the throttle body too and it only start for a split second and dies.

 

Can you hear the fuel pump running when you are trying to start it? If you can't hear it pump (I can hear mine in the car, but you can listen at the gas cap to hear it better), then it might be the relay for the fuel pump. Just something to check.

 

Jamier2,
Where were you a couple days ago

Through all my searches online i could not find anything other than what i had already mentioned.

I wish i would have found info on the Fuel Pump Relay but i didnt. And since the search feature here isnt accessible, i dont know if i might have found info about it here

After the $57 tow and diagnostic check at Nissan, i paid $190 for a $20 Fuel Pump Relay today

I am soo dissapointed in myself for not thinking about the relay (this is my first problem ever with a relay)

Total of about $500 just for a friggin relay switch
Can you feel the love

On the positive side, i replaced a Knock Sensor which is a good thing, a Fuel Filter, and i now have an extra Fuel Pump.

Im not sure whether to hang on to it or put it on EBAY, lol.

 

where is the relay on these cars?

 

No problem man, I did the same thing on a POS Grand Prix once. Live and learn, I guess.

 

Anyone know where the relay is?
Is ut under the hood with all those other fuses/relay thingys?

Anyway, my buddy is suppose to fax me a schematic of my car so ill eventually find out.

 

I'd pull my friggin hair out if i want bald!

I was about to go to the store when the friggin car WONT ****ING START AGAIN!!!!

It drove fine home from the dealer and i didnt drive it since then. Now, the same ****!

I called the dealer back and explained and he says that he'll send the wrecker over and "if its something they overlooked, then there will be no charge"

My luck theyll tell me it was something else and ill have to pay out my *** again.

Oh Lord, why me?

What do you guys think? Could it be a short somewhere thats blowing the Fuel Pump Relay (assuming thats the problem)?

 

If you can't hear the fuel pump running with the key in the "on" position right before you try to start, then I'd guess that something is shorting out the relay. Someone smarter than me could probaby tell you which wires to check on the fuel pump harness for the short (i.e. the 12v+ wire should show no continuity when the car is off, if it does show continuity then there is a short somewhere in that wire)

Like I said, I can't say how to check this for sure, but I'm sure someone on the org could tell you - or have a better idea.

Plus, you can hope for the best - that you just got a bad relay.

 

Bad news
Just got off the phone with NISSAN and its just as I feared.

Im told the ECU is shorting the Relay. I dont know if theyre just desperate and cant find anything else to blame the short on or if theyre telling me the truth.

Ive never dealt with NISSAN before, but i dont seem to have any other recourse.

This is NOT making me happy at all, ill have to ask them about their previous work but i doubt ill get any credit for that. The ECU with installation will cost me $982.00!!!

Any ideas?

 

umm the ecu is shorting hte relay? WTF


anyways, why not buy a aftermarket ecu and install yourself. it is less then 500. or get one from www.car-part.com

same year and tranny

 

Kevlo,
I just got the car home (thank God!)
The mechanic told me that when the ECU gets hot, it ceases to work, or engage the Relay (Somthing like that).

He says that he is able to manually engage the relay thru the ECU (i guess) though.

I am able to get a used ECU for $125.00 but am having a hard time getting the correct one.

How close do they have to be, there seems to be so many? My ECU has a nubmer A18(which most have) but then after A18-F56 EOP.

Other ECU's have had nubmers like A18-J05, etc,
etc, etc.

Thru Carpart.com theyve got sooo many ECU's and list them by year of production too.

It was kinda hard getting out, but i got it by just removing the 4 philips screws holding it in.

Still searching.

 

i think, since you got SE, find one that is a 97 SE and ur tranny. that one should work. call local junkyards too. or if u know anyone that has a car like urz. u can ask to barrow the ecu for a day and see if hte prob happens again