'98R/T

It's an '88 D21, it's been beat to hell and the kid that had it before me didn't do much upkeep on it.

I gave it a little tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor) and changed the fluids. Replace the belts and a few other piddly stuff. The truck runs pretty well, very smooth for being 18 years old and having 200,000 miles on it. It idles too high for my liking (around 2K rpm), but I'll mess with that later.

It's been starting/running fine for a couple of weeks now, until just a few days ago. I left work (started without a problem) and stopped at the parts store to pick up a couple things. Got back out to the truck and it wouldn't start. I'd turn the key and the dash would light up and I could hear the fuel pump kicking on, but it wouldn't try to start.

I went inside and got one of the workers to come out with a jump-pack and tried jumping it, but that wouldn't work. With the hood popped, I could hear a single *click* each time I turned the key......sounded like the solenoid for the starter engaging, but it wouldn't spin. The kid I bought it from said that the starter had been acting up, so I went back in and ordered a starter. A couple guys helped me push start it and I drove it home and parked it in the garage.

Next day I pick up the new starter, go home, and swap them out. Turn the key and it does the exact same thing. I couldn't fit another car in the garage the way it was parked, so I got out the battery charger and set it charging while I looked around for bad connections/grounds. Didn't find anything obvious. Just for the hell of it, I tried starting it again and it fired right up. I shut it off and restarted it a few times and it started each time.....drove it around for a bit then parked it for the night thinking the battery must be going south.

Last Thursday I took the battery in to Advance and had it tested....expecting it to be bad and that I'd get a new one. Battery tested good. Went home and put the battery back in the truck and it started right up. I hooked a charger on it over night just to be sure it would start in the morning......we got 7 inches of snow that night so I wanted the 4x4. It started and I drove it to work. After work I went back to Advance to have the alternator tested and it tested fine too.

I went home and checked the ignition switch, ign. switch relay, clutch interlock switch & relay, and cleaned my battery terminals/cables for good measure.

Now it seems to start about 50% of the time (100% of the time if it's on a charger). Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it starts now......but I didn't fix anything, it just started kind of working again. Now I'm worried that it's going to act up on me again and not start at a bad time and I don't know what the problem is.........alternator going bad but was able to pass a test........battery not good but managed to pass a test.......wire grounding/shorting out somewhere along the way. I just don't know.

Anybody had anything like this happen before?

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'88 Nissan 4x4 - 2" lift - beater daily driver/winter vehicle

'98 Dakota R/T - go, stop, turn goodies - toy/show/auto-x vehicle

jerryp58

How's the contact at the other end of the ground cable from the starter? How are the cables themselves?

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Jerry
2004 Frontier, King Cab, XE, 4x1, 4-cyl, 5-spd

got mud?

mine was doing that and i found it to be the ground wire where it bolts to the inner fender then bolts to the block i unbolted the intire wire and replaced with a new one that just goes from battery to engine block havent had a problem since with it starting anyway!!!!!!

'98R/T

The cables aren't cracked or anything, so I am guessing they are fine.

The ground wire......could be the problem. The kid that had it before me was big into mud bogs and everything is encrusted in mud. It might not be getting a good ground. It didn't look easy to get to and I had other things to do last night, so I didn't check it. Maybe one day after work this week......until then I'll just keep turning the key until it starts

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'88 Nissan 4x4 - 2" lift - beater daily driver/winter vehicle

'98 Dakota R/T - go, stop, turn goodies - toy/show/auto-x vehicle

*Night_Ryda*

Hi, so you don't feel left out I'm actualy having a simular problem. Here is the situation. I ran my truck completely out of gas in front of my buddy's place now she won’t start. She'll turn over, but I later checked and I'm not getting any spark. Here's what I know so you don't have to ask and or guess. Fuel pump is working correctly; I have a new battery, spark plugs, and distributor cap. I tend to think it’s either my coil, or distributor, but I'm no mechanic and these are just guesses. With any luck maybe one of you guys will know what’s up, or can at least guide me on how to check what the problem really is. thnx

darinm

I've had the same problem on and off for three years with my '89 hardbody. it was random like yours, sometimes it would do it every time for a week, then randomly stop for months. Generally in hot weather or after driving a lot it didn't want to start without a flew clicks. Finally died this weekend, all clicks and no starting, or the very occasional start, but turns over very slow. Going to check my ground connections and go from there.

pi71

my 98 quest has started doing the same thing. it will start evertime and then all of a sudden it will not start. but wait 30 minutes to an hour and it will start. what is this..??? could it be those big square looking relays near the fuse box? i cant have my vehicle doing this ...

'98R/T

Well, I've been out of town for the holidays and haven't messed with it for a few weeks......just kept turning the key until it started when I needed to drive it.

I'm sure that the problem is somewhere in the grounding, either the starter or the battery itself. I'll check that when I get a chance, or get motivated, and report back.

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'88 Nissan 4x4 - 2" lift - beater daily driver/winter vehicle

'98 Dakota R/T - go, stop, turn goodies - toy/show/auto-x vehicle

magbanua

I have this puzzling starting problem with my sentra. The battery is fully charged, the starter motor is cranking good but the engine will not fire. The ignition is working, the fuel pump is delivering enough pressure of up to 50 psi and the pressure regulator is holding the pressure at 45 psi for over and hour. The fuel injectors are working and getting the pulse voltage as indicated by the flashing of the noid light during cranking.

I changed the engine control module but still it would not start. I noted that the water temperature sensor has a resistance of 5.6 kilo ohms instead of 3000 as the upper limit. The voltage check going to this sensor is normal and within specification. Could there be other engine sensors not working that could prevent the engine from starting? Please help me and thanks in advance.

pi71

it was my starter or starter solenoid, i just replaced with a remanufactured starter and it fired right up. done. whew now im selling it. 211,000 its paid for itself. starter was 289 dollars...