I'm having an issue with my '89 Hardbody Z24i. When I park it on my sloped driveway it has trouble starting. It cranks up and runs for about 2-3 seconds then it sputters to a stall. If I try to start it up again it does the same thing until I give it a little gas, then it idles just fine. If I shut it off and come back a couple of hours later it starts just fine. It only seems to do this when I park it on a sloped/hilly area overnight. It starts just fine when I park it on a flat area. I'm guessing that it's not getting enough fuel. The Haynes Shop manual says that it is either the distributor/wires or the fuel pump. It would make more sense that it's fuel related rather than electrical. I'm going to first replace the fuel filter, it might just be plugged up. Any ideas?
If your driveway is fairly steep then the problem is that the fuel is flowing back down the fuel line and into the tank. Back into your driveway the next time you park and your problem will probably go away. I don't know if there is such a thing as a fuel filter with an anti-drainback valve in it but it's worth looking into.
You might also consider the following, listed in no particular order...
Replace the fuel filter with a larger one. It's on the passenger side of the engine compartment behind the battery on the inner fender.
Replace the rubber line that goes from the steel line with a longer rubber line that makes a loop and then goes into the fuel filter. This would make a trap of sorts.
Replace your gas cap. Mine always has positive pressure on it, even if the truck has sat for days.
Turn your key to the on (not start) position for 5 seconds, turn it back to off, then on again for 5 seconds then repeat one more time. That will force the electric fuel pump to go through it's initial "prime" cycle 3 times.
Wether the truck is faced forward or backwards on a hill/slope it just won't start. I'm going to park it on the flat section of my driveway overnight and see if it does the same thing tomorrow.
It did the same thing when I tried to start it up, even when I parked it on the flat section of my driveway. I made sure to prime it my switching the key on and off 3 times before I attempted to start it. What should I look for now? This is only a recent problem because I have started it up many times since I recently bought it and have had no problems.
Did you try replacing the fuel filter yet? I'd get one from a Nissan dealership just in case it does have a anti drainback valve in it. A new fuel filter is never a waste of money.
Did you replace the gas cap? Mine always has positive pressure on the gas tank. By positive pressure I mean that when I unscrew the cap, it hisses because of the pressure release.
Since doing the prime 3 times didn't help, you might want to ask the dealer if there is a anti drainback valve in the fuel tank or elsewhere along the line. The fact that priming it 3 times doesn't help tells me that either the line is totally draining back into the tank when it sits for 8+ hours or it could be dumping the fuel out of the line. You might also want to check to see if you have a leak someplace. It could be a really slow leak that won't show on the ground. Gasoline evaporates fairly fast. Look for a clean spot near the fuel line.
When you do find the problem, please post back. Good luck!
I checked to see that my gas cap has positive pressure which it does. I will replace the fuel filter and see what happens. How do I go about changing it?
I'm not sure about the 97 model year but my 95 and my 87 both are located on the passenger side of the engine compartment behind the battery. To change it, just loosen the clamps at the top and bottom of it and pull the hoses off. If you have a hard time getting the hoses off, take a pair of pliers and grab the hose right above/below the filter body and gently turn it as if you were unscrewing it. Once it moves freely, pull the hose off. When you put the new one on, make sure that the arrow (some also are marked "flow" along with an arrow) on the new one points at the engine and not the fuel tank.
Can you hear the pump running on the first try in the morniing? If not, or if it sounds weak, clean all electrical plugs & all grounds with a good electrical cleaner.This is what mine did till the pump quit entirely. I cleaned all connectors(computer too), and it works fine now.
Check your line between the tank and the pump for leakage. It may only be a wet spot, or just a pinhole not showing a leak. You could be sucking air thru that line, and not giving you a full fuel pull. If it is dry or hard, change it.
Another thing to try is to fill your tank. If that stops your problem, then your pickup tube inside the tank is bad.
Though, when I found out that the BS platic one someone else had put on instead of a quality metal piece was leaking, I never had problems starting (due to a loss of pressure). I did have a similar problem with my volvo once....back before I ditched that heap. There was hair-line crack in the dist-cap. Now, I can't gaurantee it either way, but it might not hurt to wipe it out in the very least.
__________________
Mr. Pete
1997 Hardbody 4x4
1989 Prelude 2.0 Si
I don't know if there is such a thing as a fuel filter with an anti-drainback valve in it but it's worth looking into. 
Linear Mode
