last night i checked the fluids and everything was fine i drive every day, i get in this morning turn the key, she catches on but immediately dies!

did that 3 times, the 4th i apply some gas and the car starts.

when it died it died completely but the battery stayed on

and just after it started i opened the door and stepped outside, the whole garage smelled like gasoline or badly and not fully burnt gasoline.

i had the car for just over 2 months and once a month so far i had a bad start she would seem like she was barely catching on dropping rpm stwice then regaining the proper cold engine rpm

i have a 97 gxe fully loaded with sunroof heated seats and ABS breaks 207,000 km and one CEL 0902 rear oxygen heater o2 sensor and no other mechanical problems

could this be the dreaded engine wire harness where the ground wire is loose or something ?

 

sounds like the starter. You'll smell gas after numerous cranks but no fire.

Try testing the starter first and go from there.

 

bad starters dont cause the car to start up immediately and then die (if i understood your "catches on immediately" comment right). have you done the basic tuneup stuff? I have the rear 02 for sale if you want it. rough idle? hear a hissing noise when it finally does keep alive? first thing you should do is check the plugs, check the PCV, clean your Mass Air Flow sensor with the proper cleaner Make ure your aif filter isnt clogged and chane your fuel filter. All routine maintenance stuff. If that stuff has no effect then look into larger/more expensive problems.

 

air filter wouldnt be the cause, no matter how clogged it is.

a vacuum leak could be the cause. If it starts up immeidately then dies, then it could not be the starter but when you dont know what the problem is, its good to eliminate problems one by one.

 

ok the catches on immediately means this to be percise: i crank the key, the car revs to 1500 rpm approx and it does not hold it it it immediately drops to 0 and car is not on except the battery

later that day comiong home wrong work everything was fine

i have a new air filter only like 4 k on i put in fuel injector cleaner like 4 k ago no problems no weird noises from the engine rpm holds dead steady when its running at ANY condition no oil leaks no hissing noise when its running

this happened for the first time but s i said last two months once in a while she would have a weird start like cant keep rpm but then recoveres to stay on properly after like 3 seconds

i really think its the grounding issue

 

This has happened twice to me, and both times, i had previously started the car, and only run it for 5-10 seconds - just to move it out of the garage - and then the next start it had a problem staying running. i was told by Nissan that if the car doesn't go thru a full emissions cycle, then this can happen. They suggested that you never run the car for a "short" ( <15 seconds) period of time.

While this doesn't make a lot of sense, it may be the truth. Was this the case for you previous "start-cycle" of the car ?

 

nope, i NEVER start my car for 15 seconds then kill it, i always run it for a few minutes before actually driving it to get the oil circulating

i really have no clue as to what is causing this. this happened only once so far and when i applied some gas it caught on and started, so i am hoping its something like bad gas or some dirt clogs somewhere and i pushed it thru when i applied the gas pedal

 

Sounds like your car was "flooded" (gas-smell), and the correct procedure is to keep the throttle down, to open the throttle-plate to force more air through the intake, and clear the flooding.

 

i have no clue what this means

 

Make all the connections are plugged in all the way. MAF, TBS, IACV..etc.

 

andrei, you never specified what kind of transmission you have? Regardless, never crank your car for more than 15 seconds at a time, and let it rest 2 minutes between 15 sec cranks, otherwise you will be damaging your starter and possibly even your flywheel or flexplate. andrei, you dont get any check engine lights? I am still trying to conclusively understand what your problem is, you seem sure that the problem is in the wiring harness ground, but from what you have described I disagree. You would not be able to go home from work "just fine" if your engine harness ground was loose.

How long does it take for the car to turn over when starting? Any strange noises, squeeling etc.? When it does turn over, rpms go up to 1500 and drop?You say you have this problem in the morning but it goes away later in the day? As I am not able to physically touch the car, please elaborate in painstaking detail.

 

Are you sure you got all the codes? If the O2 code isn't always displayed then it was probably due to flooding the engine while trying to start the car. The cam sensor will give you these symptoms as it it dying. There's really no way to check it other than it throwing a code. Eventually it will fail to start at all and the sensor will need to be replaced. The sensor is on the front of the engine on the timing chain cover, 2 bolts and an electical connector. You should clear the codes and then check for codes after another incident.

 

Alright here is more details and further explanations 9thanx btw for answering my post)

here is the response to LOR1DA's post:
i have an AUTO transmission, i used to have two check engine codes, one for the dreaded KS 0304 and another rear oxygen heater sensor 0902 i believe it was ( this was when i bought the car) i changed the air filter which seemes as if it was never changed, put in good gas and fuel injector cleaner, castrol GTX and changed the transmission oil, reset the codes and only the 0902 remains, the KS code is gone

ok when it starts it starts beautifully, it takes like one turn over and she is on, no hesitation no multiple cranks, just one turn which takes like 1.5 seconds i duno

here is one strange noise: when i drive (NOT when idle or standing at a red light in Drive) usually from the speed ranging 10km/h to about 60 km/h i get an intermittent squeacking noise coming from what i THINK is the left side of the engine (if u r sitting inside the car). the noise is not continious but rather like as if the wheel is touching something and the faster i drive the faster the annoying noise gets, but after 60 it magically dissapears. this happens randomly on all kinds of days and at all times of the day every 4 days approximately, i dont think i ever heard this noise when backing up tho but thats maybe causei dont go that fast when backing up or its not the wheel at all

on a normal start when engine is cold it idles at exactly 1500 rpm and then heats up and idles around 550 - 600 rpm or 650 i dont remeber but it is steady not jumping

3 times in the last 2 months i had a weird start like this: i turn the car on and immediately the rpm goes from 1500 to about half that like 700 then tries to climb backk to 1500 very fast and drops to 700 and then it gets back to normal 1500 and stays that way and i drive after warming up. again without me doing anything like a wave u know up and down a few times instantly after i starts the engine

that last time when it did not start it just reached 1500 and droped dead, i did that 3 times with the same result, it died instantly, then the 4th time i gave some gas and it stayed at 1500 rpm and started

this problem happened at different times of the day, on random i see no pattern

thanx hopefully its cheap to fix this i have no money, i need to know what to fix tho

 

so can anyone help pleaseeeeeeeee ?

 

Tell us what you tried already. Making your post neat and easy to read is part of solving the problem.
ex.
http://forums.maxima.org/showpost.ph...8&postcount=34

I'd say Vacuum leak. Did you mess around with the Upper Intake manifold?

 

i didnt mess with anything, im not a mechanic if u read my post you'll know what is happening, i guess i should PM L0R1DA because he seems to be the only one who wants to help

thans fine, thanx

 

Ok andrei, lets take this step by step. I too have an auto trans, and have experienced the start-up drop-stall once or twice. In my case the PCV coupled with a dirty IACV was the culprit. PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) and IACV (idle air control valve) regulate the necessary amount of airflow required by the engine in supplement to what is necessary to sustain combustion. PCV vents negative pressure build-up in the crankcase (important), and IACV keeps your engine on when the TPS (throttle position sensor) sends the signal informing the ECM that you are at full rest (with throttle body almost completely closed). I am pretty sure your problem exists in the IACV valve being contaminated from normal wear since you are only getting stalls around startup when IACV is most needed. As for idling at 650 RPMs, the spec for automatic is 600 + or - 50, so you're good when she actually starts up. I recommend you go to your nearest Nissan dealership and ask them for a PCV valve for your vehicle, it shouldnt be more than $5. You can just as easily get an aftermarket PCV from autozone or something, but I dont recommend it, as aftermarket valves will be a bit off in fit. You can find the write-up with pics here on the .Org on how to replace it. Let me know if that smoothens it out.

As for that noise you get while driving, you'll have to describe it a bit better. If its a click-click-click on turns, its likely to be a worn CV joint. If its a click-click-clicking that gets quicker as you accelerate in a straight line and then seemingly dissappears, its likely a bent or damaged tie rod. If you have a high mileage vehicle, it is not unlikely that it could be a wheel bearing, even though you say it goes away at higher speeds (usually a bearing will only get louder with acceleration). Good luck!

 

For you to state that "no one is willing to help" is not going to win many friends. i think that many people have offered advice and suggestions, and you have gotten all of that for free, so maybe you may feel that you get what you pay for, but many mechanics will try different things on your car. and some may work, and some may not- but you will pay for each "try". So, i think you will be a lot more successful if you are appreciative of the "free advice" that you are receiving.

So, one other thing to think about is the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor, or the Idle Air Control Valve ? Seems like a malfunction of either of those might cause your problem.

Or, have you purchased and read the Factory Service Manual ? It can provide valuable insights into the operation and repair of the Maxima.

Intermittant problems are often difficult to diagnose and repair...

 

I don't like to hijack other people's thread, but I am in a very similar (if not same) problem:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=506213

Any help would be great. I will be checking both threads. Thanks!

 

Thanx a lot guys for helping out out here, i am not good at changing parts in the engine, so i will leave that to the dealer. i just do the basic maintenance; air filter, fluids, breaks, fuel sustem, and tires.

When i go to the dealer should i just straight up ask them to change the PCV valve or ask to diagnose the problem first ? the computer check costs $100 and they dont even guarantee that it will find the problem, ive asked !! this doesnt seem electrical afterall...

as far as the sound, it sounds like this:

as if u were sharpening two knifes against eachother, like slice-slice-slice-slice
its not a continious sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. it starts at speed above 10km/h and gets faster the faster i drive. then around 60km/h and above it stops, from what i can tell while driving with both windows down in freezing weather its coming from the left side of the engine or the front left wheel of the car--driver side (from the inside perspective)

it happens completely randomly, all types of weather all times of day, about 1 - 2 times a week. even if i leave the car parked shut it off go shopping and then drive again it persists but then goes away, it really is random i THINK

its not a ball joint i had those go on a 97 neon, and twice on a 94 jetta and i know what thats like, but this is not it. i had that similar problem with a 91 buick regal, but i was told (never actually got around to fixing it or actually diagnossing for real cause i got rid of the car) that it could be that the break pad is not fully releasing and part of it is touching the disc. as i recall this made the wheel kinda hotter than usual, but the maxima wheels dont get hot like that so im not sure

i hope this was specific, much appretiated ;-)

 

cant help with the noise unless i hear it but please change the PCV valve yourself. It is a $4 part and a 5 minute process. easier than brakes etc. going to the dealer for that is a waste of money. as for the rest.....good luck.

 

ok i can try that, but how sure are u that it is in fact the PCV valve that is causing this problem ?

 

you cant know that that is the total source. but since you said you are going to do it may as well save yourself some change while you are at it. now if you want to test your PCV before changing it, pull it out. you should be able to blow in one direction but not in the other. cant blow in either direction or able to blow in either direction and it is no good.

 

well no, i dont wanna replace anything i dont have to

 

dont touch the pvc valve, it's your transmission, like i say, it's sliping, it's gonna start leaking sooner or later, it's fun switching an auto but i learned the real hard and expensive way dude... start saving for that tranny, trust me

 

TRANSMISSION ????

did i hear that correct ?? well im not mechanic so maybe u could break it down to me ? whats the reason of ur post ?

how is my transmission randomly not allowing my car to start or does let it start after varying my idle rpm ?????? and why is it that when i apply some gas it starts ?

hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

well i'll be!!!

on another note, i was doing some thinking (and actually read the first post again) and its not the starter, not the PCV Valve and or a grounding issue since none of those would explain the gas smell. It takes a whole ton of cranking of a sealed system to stink up a garage as you described. If you take it to them ask them to inspect the intake manifold gasket. If you want to do it yourself, i dont know of an official "test" but you can use Seafoam (this is the only time i would ever recommend this stuff). Seafoam doesnt clean, but it sure does smoke, and when applied to the running motor, you will get a good view of if and where there are any leaks up front. again this isnt the official or proper way to check it but its the first one that pops into my head right now. (i would say use some tranny fluid since it is cheaper but that will prob end up fouling ur plugs).

P.S.: i have that rear O2 sensor for sale.

 

Sounds like your rotor backer plate to me. The backer plate could be bent and touching the rotor..."randomly." Check the clearance between your rotor and the backer plate, you can use a screwdriver (or anything) to pry it back into place.

I had this same problem...at high speeds the noise was so high pitch that it was virtually inaudible. This solved my dilemma.

 

On another note...I am having the exact same problem that you are having. My cam sensor is actually leaking a little oil and I need to replace it anyway. I will also change the PCV and report back. Please do the same if you get a chance before I do.

Thanks!

 

well referring to 2da mizzax's post about gas smell, its understandable because the car actually started and died right away, i did that liek 4 times before i applied some gas and started her for good

the gas smell is not so strong as if u r about to pass out, but i think its from starting the cold engine, allways cold engines smell a bit during the first 15 seconds or so, + the car is backed into a 2 car garage so the close quarters would definitely concentrate the smell more

on another note it seeems to be happening more often, happened 2 times in the past 2 days, it has been getting colder as well around here (below 0C)

 

ironmike_20 : whats a rotor bracker > ? where is it ? do i have to take off the wheel ?

 

andrei buy the PCV valve from the dealer, but install it yourself, we are talking about a $5 part that can be installed by loosening and re-tightening a few 10mm bolts, easy. As for your gas smell, can you tell where it is coming from, maybe your exhaust?

 

have you tried to clean your IAC Valve? Just worked on an orgers car yesterday who had similar problems (but not to the extent that you described it) and it solved his problem.

 

Hey all,
I have exact same issue. This normally happens on start up after the maxima has been sitting more that 6-8 Hours. RPMS shoot up to normal 1500 and then drop to 200-300 and attempt to come back up to normal idle of 600-700; but then the maxima dies or sometimes just dies completely on startup. My starter was justed replaced, which was a totally seperate issue, but compunded by this one. I am going to try the PVC replace and let you know. If I hit the gas pedal alittle at startup she will kick over and start.

 

Hey all,

I have been reading the different posts on this issue. I know the PVC has been referred to a lot in this remedy. My car starts up fine throughout the day. It is usually the first start after is has been sitting 6-8 hours. It is winter here about 20-30 degress Farenheit overnight. Could this be the coolant sensor? If it were the PVC wouldn't it have problems starting everytime. Just wondering

 

coolant sensor responds to heat. not cold. if ur coolant sensor is bad u will realize it when the car gets hot. your IAC Valve is prob caked over and changing the PCV wont fix it, although if it is stuck open it will cause more oil to enter the intake.

 

I thought that the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor was a sensor that detects a cold engine and then adjusts the fuel flow to provide a richer mixture and a good start when the car is cold. Thus, I think that is your problem.

If it were the Idle Air Control Valve, you would have the problem all of the time.

Again, take a look at the Maxima Repair Manual, and you'll probably agree with my diagnosis.

 

ok anyone got a pic of that PCV valve ? i just dont know what to lookand where to look in the engine bay

i will try to install it myself and cross my fingers and HOPE that solves it, this problem seems to be ocuring on a more frequent basis, everyday after the car has been standing for a while and is cold, the weather here ir around -5C daytime and -10C at night, so somehow i THINK this is temperature related, OR the valve is getting worse by the day

going to call my nissan dealer tomorrow and order that small sucker!!!

thanx

 

here's a pic of where the PCV valve is

the end of the yellow line actually points to the grommet in the valve cover, the pcv valve is the black piece just above it. to remove it take off the connecting hose and pull the PCV valve out

 

wow that was quick, some of u guys on here are really good, except for the guy who suggested that my transmission was going for some reason LOL

i looked at this in my engine and i dont have any rubber hose in that place! SIGH!! haha just kidding ;-)

its connected by two metal clamps which seem kinda hard to get off, besides my hand is BARELY squesing in between the throttle body and the intake manifold under the metal line that connects them both.

someone mentioned taking off two bolts that connect those "puley wires" that basically give u gas (sorry thats my best knowledge of engines)

i dont feel comfortable taking things apart in my engine, i might get the part from nissan and go to a local private mechanic to replace it for a smaller charge...