My car doesn't wanna start during rainy day... help !

Sep 29th, 2002, 08:22 PM

Hi all !

I have a Nissan Maxima 1990.

For the last 2 weeks it doesn't wanna start specially when it's a rainy day, Maybe it's the moisture. It cranks but doesn't start for a while and during that time the engine light won't come up with the other lights when i switch the key before starting the car.
But after a while when the engine light comes on along with the other lights it starts normally.

Sometimes the engine stops even when it's running. I pull over then turn it off and then it starts back on.

I am really nowhere now, is there anyone who can gimme some suggestion. Any suggestion is highly appreciated.

Thanks
Zubero

Nostrodomas · Sep 29th, 2002, 10:53 PM

Take it to a shop and have it diagnosed.
There could be many posibilities to why this is happening.

Sep 29th, 2002, 11:03 PM

I took it to the shop ! Got it diagnosed they found nothing wrong.

It was working great that day, it was bright and sunny maybe that's why. But thy found no problem no where.

ANY REPLIES Appreciated !

Nostrodomas · Sep 29th, 2002, 11:06 PM

Well do you have any Mods on it?

infrared · Sep 29th, 2002, 11:24 PM

Take it to a nissan dealer. There are some things that only a CONSULT computer can pick up . Just dont disconnect the battery leads since this erases the faults out of the ECU's memory.

Centurion · Sep 30th, 2002, 06:40 AM

If you suspect it's a moisture issue, you can look under the hood at night when it's pitch black (and your eyes are adjusted to the darkness) and look for errant sparking (e.g., bad plug wires, etc.). Also, take a mist bottle and "water" the ignition cables, etc and see if the engine is affected.

Sep 30th, 2002, 05:28 PM

I checked the wires; My mechanic took a look at the wires it looks good he said. Doesn't have any problem with the wire.

Some ppl told me that it's the built in alarm system. Maybe that's affecting the whole system. I took the fuse off from under the hood.
But is there any cables which I can disconnect to totally disable the Alarm (Anti theft) system? Where's the cable?

Anyone with any suggestion/comment/thought?

Reples appreciated !

yeeharacing · Oct 26th, 2002, 09:26 PM

I had this same exact problem with my Cherokee.
$450 later it turns out that the $12 gas cap was the problem.

Don't ask me why, I don't know but my mechanic and I stood there and said we replaced everything but the gas cap. So we replaced the gas cap. Haven't had a problem since.

My sentra also had a similar problem that all of the sudden disappeared after I steam cleaned the engine bay. Not sure why but all I can figure is that there was some dirt or something causing a bad contact on a sensor.

Hope this helps.

Oct 27th, 2002, 08:21 PM

Thanks for yor reply YEEHA man !
I'll definitely look into that !

THANKS AGAIN !

zubero

Nov 10th, 2002, 03:29 PM

I tried that ! Changed the Gas Cap.... didn't work dude. Thanks anyway for your reply.

There's a funny noise from the engine. My mechanic said it's the Alternantor. He asked me to put in a new one. What do U ppl think?

I checked out STRAUSS Auto... they are asking for 89.99 + TAX for the alternator if I return my old one. My mechaninc would replace the thing for $35.00.

I need an opinion about the whole thing.

Any OPINION is Highly Appreciated.

Thanks again to all of U !

Zubero

rice rocket (soon) · Nov 10th, 2002, 05:52 PM

i had a similar problem with my sentra as well i thought it might have been the o2 sensor but i changed the plugs and i don't have a prob any more.

Nov 10th, 2002, 07:59 PM

Rice Rocket :

Dude I changed the plugs long time back right after the problem started. Didn't work out !

Thanks anyway man for the reply

Another thing I just noticed.... sometimes when my car hits a bump at any speed, the engine stops right away. I've to pull over to restart the engine. Don't have any clue what's going on.

Any replies appreciated,
Thanks
zubero

yeeharacing · Nov 10th, 2002, 09:47 PM

Could be a chaffed wire in the ignition system somewhere. When you hit a bump the wire contacts the chassis or something and shorts.

Nov 10th, 2002, 10:58 PM

Can you tell me what I should ask my mechanic to look at?
Where does he have to look at? Does dat mean that he has to take out a lot stuffs from the engine?

Please reply !

Thanks
zubero

P.S. Can it be a possibility that, the engine has lost oil pressure or has low oil pressure:
Do I have to replace oil pump? If that's so what am I looking at?

yeeharacing · Nov 10th, 2002, 11:15 PM

Loss of oil pressure is bad.

Do you maintain the engine regularly... Oil changes, scheduled maintenance.

My Jeep is slowly loosing oil pressure and my mechanic said that he can no longer guarantee that the engine will last much longer.

My antifreeze is rotting the block from the inside out.

My pressure is usually 30-35 idle and 40-45 highway.
It's now 10-15 idle and 40 highway.

I'm not saying your engine is as bad as my jeeps but oil pressure is something you want to be consistent.

My Jeep has a low pressure cutoff. If the oil pressure drops below 5 psi. it shuts the engine off. I've found this out while doing left turns the oil sloshes away from the pump and the gauge dips. If it is a quart low the cutoff will shut me down.

There might be something similar in the Maxima.