Sentra Needs Help!!!!

nismatic · Jun 10th, 2002, 04:36 PM

any help appriciated:
well here the story, i have a 94 nissan sentra SE. i was taking my nephew to school early morning. i didn't give the car much time to warm up. i drove about 2/4th's a mile down the road. stopped at a stop sign. started driving smoothly shifting at normal Rpm's. the car has been raced alot. not latley though, and just the day before had an oil change. so i started to go and i was in 3rd gear. i down shifted to second floored it. didn't even come close to redline. when the i heard a pop in the engine compartment. it didn't sound loud but it sound like a backfire from the engine. right after that the engine shut off. i tryed to start it back up but the engine just cranked. everytime i tryed cranking it, it sound like a grinding noise comming from somewhere in the engine compartment just as soon as the car was about to fire up. the grinding noise sounded like it was preventing the car from starting. and it still does this. i did a self diagnosis check on the ECU and it showed me that there were no malfuntions. if anyone has some idea's as to what may be wrong. it would be greatly appriciated. thanks mike, palmdale, ca

sentra94xe · Jun 10th, 2002, 05:00 PM

Sorry to hear about your situation. From your post, it sounds like you might have popped a rocker. Check your spark plugs, look for any breaks on the tips. If ok, you might want to pull the cover and check out the rockers. Also, see if the chain is on properly. Don't hesitate to ask for some local help. Being from Cali you should be able to find some nice board members to help you dig into the engine (hint hint

). Best of luck on the diagnosis, hope it works out. Let us know what you find out.

Black200SXSER · Jun 10th, 2002, 05:08 PM

It's tough to diagnose over the internet..it could be any number of things.what Joe said is a good start...I wouldnt keep tryin gto start it though. I would try to locate some peeps in your area that know what they are doing...

nismatic · Jun 10th, 2002, 06:31 PM

i took off the cover, check the chain. it's on nice and snug, the rockers seemed to be intact perfectly i might add. i didn't check the plugs but they were recently changed aout 5,000 miles ago. even if the plugs went, do you think they would all go out, on all four cylinders at one time? because a car can run off of three cylinders hell even two, im not sure about one cylinder, i never tried that and i also tryed changing the plug wires, thinking maybe the wires wen't bad and maybe that's what happend. and still nothing.

sentra94xe · Jun 10th, 2002, 06:35 PM

It appears that you have done a good job of assessing the situation, unfortunately to no avail. What I would do now, and I'm sure Brad agrees, is to try and contact some locals to help. Maybe start a new thread in the SW Forum? Worth a shot... use those around you to assist (just as you have posted here). Do check those plugs though...

Subculture · Jun 11th, 2002, 02:36 PM

When you try to start your motor, does the engine turn over at all?
Or do you you just get a grinding noise when you turn over the key?

nismatic · Jun 11th, 2002, 04:58 PM

when i try to start the car, the motor cranks about 5 or 6 times and then a grinding noise. and after the grinding noise it cranks again about 5 or 6 times then just as the car is about to start up the grinding noise comes back into play. and it keeps reapeating it no matter how many time a try to start the car over. thank for all your help guys, see the thing is the car is going to be fixed. no matter what, That's my baby!!! (first car). but i wanted to know if anyone else out there has had the same problem and maybe they could give me a solution as to what it may be. to save me some $$$ in my pocket. instead of having to take it to a mechanic. but thanks alot to everyone who has giving me some insite as to what the problem may be.
thanks, mike

Subculture · Jun 12th, 2002, 01:58 AM

Quote:

when i try to start the car, the motor cranks about 5 or 6 times and then a grinding noise. and after the grinding noise it cranks again about 5 or 6 times then just as the car is about to start up the grinding noise comes back into play.

Hmmm, try this.
Remove you valve cover and diconnect the ignition coil from the distributor.
Then while you watch, have some one hold the ignition so you can observe the valve train while the motor is turning over.

I bet you problem is there.

nismatic · Jun 12th, 2002, 11:20 AM

we tryed that already, me and my dad. he though that the spark was faint. he couldn't tell if the spark was good enough or not. now my new question is this. would this be an ignition problem or a problem with my distributer. my dad said i should change the electronic ignition. but i have no clue where it is. thanks sub

Subculture · Jun 12th, 2002, 12:07 PM

I think you misunderstood me.
I wasn't suggesting that you check the ignition, I meant check the valve train while the motor was being turned over.

nismatic · Jun 12th, 2002, 12:12 PM

ill check that as soon as i get the chance. thanks for for all your help

Dec 30th, 2002, 11:03 AM

check your flywheel sounds like you been getting on it hard so it probaly broke may just be missing a few teeth on it. also check your starter housing out. Could also be you pressure plate.