This has me stumped.
The car never starts on the first try. If i try again it will sometimes start. Sometimes it takes 10 trys. I can crank it over for 15 seconds and it will never start. It only starts if i crank it over for a few seconds multiple times.
I have checked multiple things and even replaced the starter 5 diffeent times. No cel at all. The thing that is weird is that if i push start it it starts no probelm.
The only thing that i could think of is the timing being off. It does have a slight miss but only at idle.

Any thoughts?

 

Maybe crank position sensor. Just od a search, quote a few threads on it. There is one at the front of the engine by the oil filter and there is one by the starter. The one near the front is probably the problem. Check the reading on it i think it should be around 400-500 ohms. The one by the starter is magnetic, sometimes pieces of metal from the flywheel clog it up, just remove it and clean the metal shavings off and see if that helps.

 

I have changed the following.
ecu
crankshaft position sensor both of them
camshaft position sensor
coil packs
maf
spark plugs
fuel filter
air filter
regrounded starter

 

i have the same problems..... Thinking it was my ground or starter... Still gotta check it out when I get a chance.

 

Check your fuel pump. Mines going out as we speak and it takes me a good 10-15 seconds to start my car. Get to your fuel pump by taking off the bottom seat of your back seat. Then take off the 3 bolts ( i believe theyre 10mm) then you should see the top of your fuel pump. Take off the connector that has 2 wires to it. Take a DMM and do a resistance check on the connector ON the fuel pump. If it reads anywhere between, .2-5.0 ohms of resistance than its fine. Any other resistance THAN that replace the fuel pump.

 

It's not the fuel pump. I can smell fuel when cranking it over multiple times.

 

same here... but i gotta hold the key in the on postion a few times until it starts is this the samething? as your problem

 

Check the fuel pressure. If you smell fuel, there may be a leak and you are losing some pressure.

 

Theres only fuel smell when cranking the car multiple times. When the car starts there is also a puff of black smoke. So the car is getting fuel.

 

Mine does the same thing. My teacher was a Nissan Tech and he said theyre is a Check Valve. Kind of like a one way valve and it keeps fuel pressure when the fuel pump stops i.e. when you turn off the car and he said it could possibly be bad becuase your car has to develop fuel pressure. I'm bringing my car into the shop tomorrow and running some Fuel Pump and fuel pressure regulator tests on it and i'll let you know what I find out.

 

Keep the key in ACC for 15 seconds and then see if it starts up faster. I know my car takes many cranks if I have less than 1/4 tank of gas due to the fuel pump not being as efficient.

 

Have tried that ^^^^^^^.
The thing that has me stumped is this. Lets say i'm cruising down the highway doing 60 mph. I shut the car off put it in nuetral and try to start the car while still rolling it turns over but doesn't start unless i try a couple more times. Now if i turn the car off again put it in nuetral then turn the key in the on position press the clutch put the car in gear and release the clutch (aka push starting) the car fires right up.
This sound like a starter problem but i have tried 5 diffrent starters some that were brand new some that came out of other cars that started fine. So i am 100% sure it's not the starter.
So what else could cause this?

 

Alright plans have changed. I couldn't get my car into the shop today becuase of some stupid job fair stuff so I won't be able to get it in till monday.

 

Your lucky someone is willing to look at your car. Every shop i have been to that i would let work on my car doesn't wat to touch the thing. I have went over everything with them and there baffled.

 

I just had one of these problems at work today that stumped me too and I work at a nissan dealer. Sounds the same anyways. Check out the 7.5amp starter signal fuse inside the vehicle. This will make for a long crank and rough idle at first like it is searching for idle. If that checks out alright then you may have a fuel pressure regulator prob or injector leak.

 

I'm getting somewhere sort of. The cel came on today thanks god. I got three codes.I reset the light already but the light hasn't came back on yet.I'm going to fix the o2's in the morning and hopefully that does the trick.

0210
Diagnostic Trouble Code 0210 points to a problem with the fuel injection system. When the engine management system is running in closed-loop mode the Engine Control Unit (the computer) makes continual adjustments to maintain the air-fuel ratio near the ideal point. To achieve this it relies on signals from many sensors including the Mass Air Flow Sensor and the Oxygen Sensors.

This malfunction is detected when the ECM finds that it cannot properly control the air/fuel mixture, and the mixture is too lean (too much air). DTC 0210 indicates this problem exists on the left bank (the front bank, cylinders 2, 4, and 6). Possible causes include ...
- Intake air leaks
- Front Oxygen Sensor
- one or more fuel injectors on the front bank
- exhaust gas leaks
- incorrect fuel pressure
- lack of fuel
- Mass Air Flow Sensor

0303
Diagnostic Trouble Code 0303 indicates a problem with the front Oxygen Sensor on the left cylinder bank. The left bank is also called the front bank. It is cylinders 2,4,6. A normal signal sweeps back and forth between 0.2 volts and 0.8 volts. This malfunction was detected when the Engine Control Module received a signal from the sensor which was a constant value of approximately 0.3 volts.

Possible causes include ...
- Harness or connectors (the sensor circuit is open or shorted).
- Defective Oxygen Sensor

0503
Diagnostic Trouble Code 0503 indicates a problem with the front Oxygen Sensor on the right cylinder bank. The right bank is also called the rear bank. It is cylinders 1,3,5. A normal signal sweeps back and forth between 0.2 volts and 0.8 volts. This malfunction was detected when the Engine Control Module received a signal from the sensor which was a constant value of approximately 0.3 volts.

Possible causes include ...
- Harness or connectors (the sensor circuit is open or shorted).
- Defective Oxygen Sensor

 

Change o2's it seems

 

Do you have to wiggle your key before it starts? If that's teh case then it's the ignition switch.

 

 

I was referring to this "quote" Not the other one.

 

Well changing the o2's didn't help. After replacing them the cel came on again but only with 0503.

 

Leaky injector on cyl 1-3-5?

 

How can you tell if you have an injector leaking?

 

I have battled this for a year. But it comes and goes. I have also replaced the starter. It seems to happen more when it is hot/humid. It takes cranking it 3 times for her to start. Everytime I take it to mechanic, it doesn't do it. I have given-up. No CEL

 

Since you don't normally get 2 failures at the same time, could it be the EGR valve stuck open? The EGR valve should normally be closed at crank, idle and WOT.

Is the engine smooth at idle?

 

I think I know the answer to my own question. You can pull the spark plug associated with the injector that is leaking and the plug should be extremely clean, correct?

I am having this same issue thats why I posted and asked Fanaticrockford for a starter in another thread. I have a fuel gauge on my car right now and it is reading normal ~36 psi when I turn the key to the on position and it went to ~45 psi when I unplugged the FPR vacuum line and plugged it. So according to the manual my problem is not the fuel pump. Although it says I should now hook a secondary vacuum source to the FPR vacuum line and apply and remove vacuum to see if the pressure decreases as vacuum increases. How do I apply vacuum to the FPR? What do I use as a secondary source?

Sorry for hijacking this thread, but I am having the same issue as Fanaticrockford.

 

agreed ^

before you start replacing everything on your car test or replace this 1st

 

My cousins 96 has the same problem. According to him it started after a new tranny/clutch/fly wheel resurfacing was done. All I can think of is the timing ring on the flywheel was damaged. He does have similar codes including a misfire. It doesnt help he has 235k+ miles.

 

I'd upgrade and clean all your grounds before you go any further, my car does the same once in a while, upgraded all grounds with 1G and installed a few extra, removed some useseless ground brackets and it doesnt hesitate to start now what so ever. I also just put in a new starter and bat, but it was cranking quite a few times still after that.

That would also explain JSutter's cousins problem, there is a ground on the tranny that is very often neglected and not always reinstalled after a tranny swap. I havent upgraded this one yet but its on the list.

Not saying 100% this is your problem but it will rule it out, and is a damn good idea for any car escpecially an older car like ours.

 

I have the same issue on my '95 and it start a year and a half ago when I had my tranny rebuilt and a new clutch installed. I also tried the extra ground wires, but that didn't help. I ran 4ga wire from battery neg. to the starter and 4 ga. wire from the starter to the tranny case. Didn't help my situation at all. Replacing my battery cables made the problem go away for 3-4 days, but then it came right back.

 

DAMN IT!! Very lengthy pos accidentally deleted, arrrgh, then after typing it all over I found out it wasn't deleted, arrrghhhh.

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

I was one of many saved by crazy97's crazy starting problem thread after I rebuilt my tranny. However, I went absolutely overkill with the 3 ground wires I ran and still had it the tiniest bit, nothing like before, but it was still 'there' and annoyed me. So when I did the swap I tossed the ground wires in the trash. I used a 3m sanding disc for my grinder on the engine/bellhousing, than used a dremel w/wirewheel attachment all the way around the starter and starter hole on the bellhousing, I also used the dremel on every contact surface for the front cylinder head ground and the chassis ground underneath the battery tray, this was the only thing that cured it 100%, the overkill ground wire set-up was about 80% better. Since then I've removed/installed trannsmissions on two other cars and did this each time and they start like a dream. I'm putting in an auto tranny for someone tommorrow night, I'll take some pics.

 

KRRZ350

Has the link in your post changed because I am having this issue in my 96 and I would like to see what crazy97 did.

Thanks!

 

starters go bad so often because with these long crank conditions they burn out the solenoid...especially cheap aftermarket ones (been through 3 myself). I had tried it all on my 97 max...coils, grounds, ign swi., starter, battery etc.... I eventually figured out if i turn the ignition switch on (with out starting) for 5 sec and then off repeatedly for about 3-5 times it started right up! This pointed me in the direct of the fuel pressure regulator. I replaced it last week and my car is starting on one rotation every time! I guess the idea is that after sitting for a few hours the bad FPR fails to keep pressure and the fuel retreats back to the tank...hence the long starts, fuel is to far downstream. hope this helps..

 

It seems to me its your fuel pressure. Not sure what but either a leaky injector not allowing enough ignition to start or the injectors arent getting enough fuel to begin with. As you said you replaced the fuel filter so its not a clogged filter so it seem its some fuel system issue. Line has a hole? Fuel pressure regulator? good luck, tough issue to diagnose

 

For future reference, O2 sensors have nothing to do with getting a max started, or long starts.

*has none*

 

Maximas always have so many electrical problems and once you have one you are sure to have more. When replacing grounds though you have to ensure the power wire and ground are the same gauge. If they aren't then you will have more electrical problems down the road. There are so many things both mechanical and electrical going on when you start a car. Sometimes you fix one thing and the next weakest link breaks. Electrical work is my area of expertise and my car still has starting problems every few months. Invest in decent multimeter and check the connections and grounds and resistance for each component. Most of the wire in a maxima is 22 gauge I believe and it is so easy to get ripped or for a simple ground to get dirty and fail. A good project for any maxima on a weekend is to ensure every wire is covered with electrical tape and split loom. You could have all new components and a simple wiring issue makes it all fail you know? Your car is starting, its just inconsistent so its not cut wire but still could be a dirty ground making contact half the time. I think its a wiring issue, I know thats broad, but there are just so many things it could be.