Hey guys. Im in dying need of help. My car has been parked in my garage for about 2-3 weeks now. I guess what first started it was i had a remote start installed that was improperly installed which i think caused something to short?

Drove the car home then went to start it up and leave and it would crank and backfire through the intake and sometimes the exhaust but would not turn over. So far ive checked almost all relays, fuses, ingition harness, battery, starter, and coils. Basically what I've come down to is that everything is working except the coils wont spark. I tested 3 of them by seeing if they would arm from a screwdriver to the engine block and did get anything. The weird thing is that the coil harnesses are getting the proper voltage.

The only thing i havent checked is the ECU. Ive replaced both crankshaft position sensors, the camshaft position sensor, a new ingition harness, removed the remote start, reset ecu, and replaced the Condenser. Also did voltage checks on all starter wires. Is it possible that when the remote start was activated it fire the second ignition and it worked the last time I got it started to drive home and when I went to start it again it couldnt handle it?

Is it possible to only fry a part of the ecu? I can still pull codes and reset it. Everything works in the car, lights, stereo, a/c, etc. Only other weird thing is it gets alot of gas when its cranking but that may just be me thinking its a lot becuase it not firing.

Can anyone throw out some recommendations or suggestions on what to do? Im going to order another ECU to test and if that does the trick. If not im going to either part it out or take it to the Nissan Stealership.

Thanks everyone,

Sean

 

if the coil harnesses are getting the right voltage but nothing from the coils, you need coils.

 

Is it possible all 6 coils died at once? Just seems like a very strange thing to happen where all 6 coils die at once. Are the 5th gen coils the same as the 4th? I have two 5th gens sitting in my drive way i could steal some from

Would the ECU be dead if i can still pull codes? And if the coils were shot would it throw a code?

Is there anyway I could test the coil itself without having to replace them?

 

bump any other ideas?

 

might have fried the computer or faulty crank sensor wiring. best bet is to pick up a used ecu, swap it in and if it dont work take it back. i know a place that sells them refurbished with a 1 yr warranty for 295.00 if interested.

 

If you are getting backfires, then it's getting spark. It sounds like the timing is way off. That's my best guess.

 

did you try put starting it? dunno if thats a good idea though...if im ever in orlando im might stop by if you need to try an ECU but mines auto so it will be a little shakey. what did nissan say?

 

If you could stop by that would be awesome. Let me know if your willing to ill toss you gas money for your trouble. I havent taken it to nissan yet and id rather fix it as much as a can before I let them me.

As for the car backfiring, i cant imagine why the coils wouldnt arc when i tested them.

 

did you try grounding the starter

 

Simple test..

Spark plug tester. Crank the car see if you have spark on each cylinder. If you do then you know its not a coil pack problem, harness problem and maybe not even a ecu related issuse.

As the car is running, run a small bottle of propane gas through the intake. If the car smoothes out you have a gas related problem.

If thats the case I would throw a scanner on the car drive it around the block if possible see if you can get any pending codes. If something comes up as a misfire on a spec cylinder, I would test that injector. If you smell a lot of gas its probably an injector. I would also check the fuel pressure regulator. Try to unplug the vac hose while the car is running see if you notice a change. It should run richer.

Do you have a mevi? I would open the top cover and check on those butterfly bolts.

It sucks that our cars ignition timing is mainly done by the ecu and also its friends called the crank and cam sensors. Anything can be possible. A bad gap in the flywheel or cam gears can set timing off and worse the car won't run. Let me know.

 

These tests would be great if the car would run. But its not moving at the moment. I will try the spark plug testing tho.

No I didnt. What would this do and why would I need to do it. I didnt even think of this.

 

i might be able to do it friday or thursday sometime. i dont have class friday and one class thrusday. let me know.

 

You rock! Let me get my work schedule for thurs and fri. I dont have class friday and I get out at 1:30 on thursday. Ill get back to you for sure. Would you mind PMing me you phone #?

 

sometimes our cars have a bad grounding problem, throw a few grounds from the battery to the starter bolts and our tranny bolts and see if that helps. i had the same problem and a couple of my boys, mostly after a tranny or clutch job and it worked.

 

Here you go, check out the grounding thread-

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=452286

 

Will check the starter grounds this weekend. Nishfish being the awesome guy he is, is going to come up friday and let me try out his ECU.