I've been noticing this since the summer. My max would for no reason have a fit. I would crank it once like always, but it would take about ten seconds for it to turn over (the crank would be fast and hard), and when it turns over, the car sputters a bit but stays on. Regardless of whether it is hot or cold outside or perfect weather. Then for about a month from when it occurs, the car starts like a champ everytime. I've changed the fuel filter, clean the throttle body, pour Redline fuel injector cleaner a couple of times over the course of six months, I always use Chevron with Techron or Shell V-power (always premium) , cleaned the air filter, and even changed the oil to 5w30 Mobile 1 full synthetic (I was using AMSOIL before but didn't have time to order and wait for it to come in). I have a PCV valve from Autozone though. Should I get the OEM one from Nissan? I'm running out of ideas on this. This problem hasn't embarrassed me yet in public, but I'm trying to take care of it before it does. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Now that I remember, this problem started occurring a good while after I changed my spark plugs this past summer, say maybe 3 to 4 weeks after (NGK coppers), but I don't have problems with idle or symptoms associated with needing a tune up.

 

I'm guessing theres no CEL?

 

Sorry about that. There is no CEL. I checked the codes before and nothing is there.

 

starter . . .

 

I've replaced the starter 3 years ago. But this from happens so far apart. It never happens more than once in a two week period. 90% of the time, the car always starts one the first crank with no problems at all. The problem cranking sounds like when your gas tank is almost empty and you let your max sit for like 4 to 5 hours, but the cranking is about twice as long 10 to 12 seconds when this infrequent incident happens.

 

MDeezy, when you had your starter problem. Was it occurring all the time?

 

Well I would say it was more so in the mourning after the car has sat all night. The greese would have time to get cold and dry. After the first looong time of cranking in the morning, it wasnt that bad the rest of the day. When I go to crank later, it would take 2-3 cranks and go, instead of the 4-6 like in the mourning.

 

I just had something else to add, but I'm not sure it's related. When I'm at a quarter tank sometimes I smell strong gas fumes. The smell is especially strong from the outside, say after I park it; you can also smell the gas fumes slightly inside the car when the AC is on when it occurs. This doesn't happen all the time and is rare also. Could this gas smell and the occasional cranking issue be symptoms of a fuel pump needing to be replaced?

 

Have u tried seeing if theres a correlation between how hard it is to start and how much gas you have left in the tank. For me it seems like it takes longer to start when im nearly empty.

 

I thought that was the case before, but then I once had this starting issue when I was at about half a tank. I didn't think that is problem could be from the starter, but I have also been hearing a whirring noise on morning startups for about 9 months now, like the starter needs regreasing. I never had any problems with starting but that occasional problem, so I didn't delve into it since I thought it was no biggie and didn't have time to investigate it fully.

 

try check your starter switch! my mom's 95SE would be hard to start. sometimes it won't even crank (electrical obviously). however, when it did crank it would have such a hard time and i'd have to pump the gas in order to get it to start finally. after the switch was replaced it started right away even in freezing temps! it felt like a new car again and it had nothing to do with the battery, maf, iac, throttle body, injectors/fuel system. if it's not making good contact, the starter isn't getting enough power.

 

Where would that siwtch be located?

 

I think I'll just go ahead and replace the coolant temp sensor. In the instructions on how to do so, it mentions draining the coolant. Is it just the coolant in the reservoir or all the coolant? What would be the best way to do this?

 

i don't ever remember draining coolant from the system. i just unscrewed the old on off and put the new one on. however, some coolant did leak out. didn't do anything. if you find that you have to turn the key harder and harder to make contact then it's the switch that's definately going bad. it's located in the steering column. good luck.

 

where is the starter switch

 

you probably just missed my earlier post. i had a mechanic replace it. i think it's in the steering column where the key goes in.

 

Well, I had the coolant temp sensor replaced by Nick at MechTech auto. I bit the bullet and got a mechanic to do it since I didn't have free time to fool with it. Took him less than 5 minutes! Now, I wish I did it. I remember replacing the ignition switch two years ago. Prior to it being replaced, I did have to turn the key harder or jiggle it. So I know that area is okay. Hopefully, the culprit was the coolant temp sensor. I had the starter tested at Autozone this morning and it was good.

 

My car has never had a problem starting. Then last night, I tried to start it, and it just cranks and cranks without turning over. I pulled 2 codes, 0101(camshaft position sensor) and 0504(Automatic Transmission Control Unit Signal to ECU). Do you guys think its just the CPS? What else might it be that would throw those codes? Oh yeah, its a 98 GLE. My baby's parked at a friends house, I need help quick!

 

bump bump.

 

I would change the CPS first. That might be setting off the Auto Transmission Control unit signal. That ATC unit signal is pretty rare. I don't recall seeing any posts about it on the org, but the CPS is definitely a major factor in your problem.

 

Its your fuel pump. I had the EXACT symptoms as you are currently experiencing. However after a few years, it began to occur more and more. Finally it would happen every moring after the car had been sitting over night as the fuel pump would not build up the pressure prior to start up. My starter, plugs, fuel filter were new and I had a clean TB and IACV. So I borrowed a fuel pressure gauge and tested the fuel pressure. I would not build up prior to starting and would slowly build as it cranked before just barely starting and sputtering. Anyways, I replaced the fuel pump and now it starts like a champ every time for the past 9 months.

Good Luck.

 

Def check ur fuel pressure before replacing fuel pump. I had a starting problem with my 92 and i tried everything. plugs, cleaned tb and iacv, collent temp sensor, tps, maf, starter.ectt. found out i had about 25 psi fuel pressure when it should be around 35. replaced the fuel pump and still expereinced a hard start. Seems to be the one trickey problem with 3ed and 4th gens and it could be a thousands of different things. welll check ur fuel pressure then work from there

 

You know, that was really the very first thing I thought of but wasn't quite sure. Well, if it happens again, I know what route to take. How would I test the fuel pressure? Just saw the how to; I think I'll leave that to the mechanic. Where did you by your fuel pump from?

 

Is Bosch a good brand to go with, and where did you get your O-ring?

 

2 minutes and a new CPS solved my problem. Woohoo!!

 

Glad to hear that your problem is solved. I'll go get my fuel pressure checked just to make sure that I'm in the clear. I'm starting to park further away from busy areas where this problem might embarrass me if it's still there.

 

The kit I used attached to the top of the fuel filter. It was a piece with a nipple on it that a gauge attaches to. It took like 5 minutes to check, although the gauge and gauge fitting kit was like $40, but I just borrowed it from a friend. I got an oem fuel pump from everythingnissan.com for $200... It was only $20 more than the cheap napa ones. Acutually, like a dumb @ss, I went the cheap route with the napa and STILL got some sh!tty fuel pressue. So, I returned it and spent the extra $20 for the nissan which worked like a charm.

 

Don't really know too much about the bosch... hell, the oem could even be bosch. I got the O ring from everythingnissan.com too... you definately want to replace that!

 

Turned out to be my coolant temp sensor. I haven't had the problem ever since it was replaced about 2 months ago.