Started missing, now won't start <sigh>

1681 Views 14 Replies 5 Participants Last post by TroppoZ, Oct 14, 2002

G

Discussion Starter · Oct 8, 2002

I posted this in the B13 section, and although I got some reads, I got no responses. Before I take that personally

, I'll try posting over here and see if I do any better:

Situation: '91 Ga16de Automatic w/230k mi. Started missing occasionally ~week ago. I did a basic tune up (all I've ever had to do to this car), and then drove it ~35 miles (freeway). It started missing pretty bad by the time I got where I was going (after starting and running great for the first 25 miles). Time to go home, and it started, but died immediately. On the next few restarts, I could keep it going by "pumping" it (yes, I know there is no pump). Now it will not start.

Now, I have done no diags yet, but I'm not a ECU/EFI kinda guy, and thought I'd give someone the opportunity to be brilliant

. Failing that, point me in the right direction. I plan on starting with any ECU fault readouts I can get, thinking its probably the fuel system.

Thanks in advance,
Randy

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Centurion

· #2 · Oct 8, 2002

If you have 230K miles a "basic" tune tune is not good enough. With that amount of mileage you need to replace at the least: plugs, wires, cap, rotor, pcv, fuel filter, air filter, oxygen sensor, and I'm sure i've left a few things out.

javierb14

· #3 · Oct 8, 2002

check igniter/coil

G

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 9, 2002

Thanks to you both. I have replaced plugs, PCV, and all filters, but didn't know about the rest. I will pull my Chiltons and go through a "Major" tune up.

The thing has run so well, for so long, with so little maint., that I have fallen asleep on it...........duh, of course it needs all that stuff.

Thanks much and I will be back if I still have problems after doing all the stuff I should have done first

SRV1

· #5 · Oct 10, 2002

TroppoZ said:
Thanks to you both. I have replaced plugs, PCV, and all filters, but didn't know about the rest. I will pull my Chiltons and go through a "Major" tune up.

The thing has run so well, for so long, with so little maint., that I have fallen asleep on it...........duh, of course it needs all that stuff.

Thanks much and I will be back if I still have problems after doing all the stuff I should have done first

Tell me what your idea of a basic tune up is. I want to know what parts you put in. their is different versions of "tune up" believe it or not. some people lack certain things when doing a tune up. i will go from there when i know exactly what you put in.

G

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 10, 2002

Thanks for your interest, SRV1. Basically as I said: Plugs, PCV, Air and Fuel filters. I've verified timing and valve clearances several times, but neither has ever needed any adjustment. What I'm short on is what to do with EFI and ECU controlled ignition. For expample, O2 sensor was mentioned as a "must replace". OK. Anything else that is a normal "consumable" on these? Distr. cap has not been replaced, that one makes sense to me. The wires are in good condition, and I don't think that fits my symptoms, anyway, but any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Sherb

· #7 · Oct 10, 2002 (Edited)

If you keep "pumping" and then eventually the car dies and it won't start, it sounds like you're flooding the engine. As they said, plug wires (30k), distributor cap and rotor(60k?). How do you know the wires are good, did you do an ohm test? Or do they just look clean, hehe. Also verify the firing order of the plug wires (1 - 2 - 4 - 3 , I believe).

UnderDog

· #8 · Oct 10, 2002

You can flood the engine on a fuel injected car? Maybe if the engine is running and one cylinder isn't firing it will unwittingly inject fuel into the dead cylinder and flood it but not the rest of them, and they won't inject at all with the ignition off. That just sounds funny to me. Any OEM GA16 distributor will fire in the order the car was made to fire in, since it's mechanically designed to do that. If it ever fired out of order the thing wouldn't run at all. If a cylinder misses or doesn't fire it can either be the plug itself or traced back all the way to the distributor. Rotor electrodes making weak contact with the plug wire electrodes, something like that. I dunno. Shit happens. It can all be fixed either way you look at it.

Sherb

· #9 · Oct 10, 2002

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, no or weak spark...

UnderDog

· #10 · Oct 10, 2002

Gotcha.. I used to work with a ******* dude and I was pumping the accelerator in a car and he saw me doing it and he's like, STOP, YOU GONNA FLOOD IT! I'm like, haha, it's FI dummy.

SRV1

· #11 · Oct 11, 2002

TroppoZ said:
Thanks for your interest, SRV1. Basically as I said: Plugs, PCV, Air and Fuel filters. I've verified timing and valve clearances several times, but neither has ever needed any adjustment. What I'm short on is what to do with EFI and ECU controlled ignition. For expample, O2 sensor was mentioned as a "must replace". OK. Anything else that is a normal "consumable" on these? Distr. cap has not been replaced, that one makes sense to me. The wires are in good condition, and I don't think that fits my symptoms, anyway, but any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

the cap and rotor hasnt been replaced? no wires? how do you know the wires are good? how do you know the cap is good? of any tune up with a distributor, you should always replace the cap and rotor and wires if necessary. do this, spray the wires down when the car is running. if it starts missing even more, the replace the wires. also give it gas to see if it skips like a kid with a rope.

replace the cap and rotor and then do the "wet down" test to the wires and go from there. i cant accurately diagnose your problem if you havent changed the most common parts of a tune up(e.g. cap and rotor).

just to let you know, this is my idea of a tune up and should be for everyone. Fuel filter, air filter, PCV, plugs, cap, rotor, wires(if needed),bottle of fuel injector cleaner(recommend Chevron Techron), check timing(only would recommend that on higher mileage Nissans due to chain stretch) and CLEAN THOTTLE PLATE! i dont think anyone does that. you want your car to idle smoother? clean the bore of the thottle body and you will notice a difference. Also, for the newer Nissan equipped with the wire MAF(the resistor looking type, not like the old 3.0 wire ones), take a cottom swab and rubbing alcohol gently to the wire(s) and clean off the dirt and grime. that my friend is a "tune up".

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G

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 11, 2002

SRV1 said:
replace the cap and rotor and then do the "wet down" test to the wires and go from there. i cant accurately diagnose your problem if you havent changed the most common parts of a tune up(e.g. cap and rotor).

just to let you know, this is my idea of a tune up and should be for everyone. Fuel filter, air filter, PCV, plugs, cap, rotor, wires(if needed),bottle of fuel injector cleaner(recommend Chevron Techron), check timing(only would recommend that on higher mileage Nissans due to chain stretch) and CLEAN THOTTLE PLATE! i dont think anyone does that. you want your car to idle smoother? clean the bore of the thottle body and you will notice a difference. Also, for the newer Nissan equipped with the wire MAF(the resistor looking type, not like the old 3.0 wire ones), take a cottom swab and rubbing alcohol gently to the wire(s) and clean off the dirt and grime. that my friend is a "tune up".

OK, I stand fully admonished!! Since all of this needs to be done, anyway, I will start here this weekend before going to the more detailed (and costly) stuff.

I'll be back............

G

Discussion Starter · #13 · Oct 14, 2002

Thanks to all. Seems I have a dead Fuel pump, so much for a cheap way out..................

Thanks, again

Centurion

· #14 · Oct 14, 2002

How would you like a FREE way out? There is a recall campaign for the '91-'93 Sentra/Altimas where they replace the fuel pumps for free.

G

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 14, 2002

Tell me more, tell me more! Free is a GOOD thing. Do I contact my local dealer?

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