My 99 when the fuel gage reads below 1/4 full, is slower to start. It turns over maybe 3 seconds. Always starts tho. add some gas and prob goes away.
what can cause this?
is there a filter screen in the tank?
can it clog up from gas varnish?
any way to clean it? carb cleaner?
anyone ever had this prob and pulled out the 'filter" what did it look like?

Thanks

 

My 4th gen does the same thing. The filter is in the engine bay.

 

yes about the engine bay filter- car runs fine at 75, and the engine bay filter is new. Is there a screen in the tank too?

 

there is a filter screen on the pickup in the tank. what causes this though I don't know. probably something with fuel pressure being slower to build when fuel level is low. not sure how that would be the case but all 4 of my 4th gens have done this, including the one with the aftermarket fuel pump and newer fuel pickup screen.

 

Wouldn't it just make sense that the fuel pump would have more trouble "pumping" fumes instead of actual liquid?

 

^^ chee-ching!

 

the fuel pump doesn't pump fumes. as long as the pickup is submerged (which it is, otherwise the car just plain wouldn't run right or run at all) it's sucking out only liquid.

it probably has to do with the fuel level in the tank vs the lowest part of the fuel system in front of the tank i.e. the fuel lines running under the car. it's like when your siphoning something you need the destination to be lower than the origin, otherwise it doesn't work. if the fuel level is low enough all the fuel probably flows back in to the tank rather than some of the fuel staying in the lines under the car. meaning that the fuel pump has to pressurize all 10 feet of fuel line running under the car and the other 4 feet of fuel line that climbs up the engine bay. rather than the fuel sitting in the fuel lines when the tank is more full, and requiring only a couple feet of fuel line to pressurize, which takes less time.

 

well, do all the 99 maximas do it?

 

I would change the FPR. I had the same problem but when I did replace mine with an OEM one, it fires up the same warm as it is cold. No more than two turnovers regardless of whether fuel is low or high. Just my 2 cents...

 

My 95 does it. The 03 hasn't as of yet.

If it bothers you that much then sure, try the FPR. I just live with it.

 

that is slower starting with low (below 1/4 tank) fuel level?

 

Mine has done it since the day I bought the car...it has never bothered me enough to do anything about it...just make sure you keep more than 1/4 a tank in your car if it really bothers you.

 

It's normal. It's suppose to be harder on the fuel pump though if you don't prime it. If I'm low on gas, I prime the lines by turning the key to the ON position and leave it there for a few seconds then crank. It starts up as if it was a full tank of gas.

 

we'll, i've heard this too. also, our cars run lean under a half a tank to preserve gas.

 

Both my 4th gens have done it also. Don't worry about it. If it bothers you, just keep the tank filled above 1/4.

 

Mine does it.

Mine won't start if I'm parked on any horizontal slope w/ near 1 gallon in the tank, been stuck a few times, learned my lesson.

Uh whut? Do you have evidence of this? How does the ECU know that the car is below 1/2 tank? Based on my findings (You can smell how my car runs, ahh the wonders of exhaust leaks) the car runs the same until I get near 2 gallons, where I think the fuel pump just isn't keeping up w/ the demand enough which is why it runs leaner.

This.

 

WTF.

a) why did you bump your own thread to ask the same question again that you already got the answer to. Yes, everyone's maxima does this. I already explained the likely cause.

b) max ride 41, our cars don't run leaner under 1/2 tank. not sure where you got that idea but it's patently false.

 

My thought is did these cars have this condition when NEW- I dont think so, or every one would have been back at the dealer complaining.

And , how about cars parked on hills where the engine is higher than the tank? those would do it (if its a fuel "flow back to the tank " problem-?
None of my other cars have this problem and you can even cut them off on a hill or boat ramp and they easily restart

Does the fuel pump assembly have any check valve that could stop working with time and age?
what else could cause this condition?

 

My 94 didn't do this, my 97 doesn't do it and my 00 doesn't do it. I drive my cars till the tank is near empty. I usually get between 16.5 and 17.5 gallons when I fill up. Maybe Nissan somehow is inconsistent with how close the gas pickup is to the bottom of the tank. As long as the gas pickup is submerged in gas, the fuel pump will suck it up and push it to the engine.

 

My car did not do it new- started around 85000 miles.
Strange - what would cause that?
Car has a new fuel flter