grudum

So I go out to get some starbucks this morning and the fuggin car wont start. It powers up all the accessories, and turns/cranks strong but doesnt give any signs of sputtering. Every other day, even last night it started with barely turning the key...like 1 or 2 cranks of the motor and it ussually fires up perfectly.

Why would it decide not to work today? I dont think I hear the fuel pump priming it anymore cause I dont hear anything now, so that might be it, but how can I check for sure while its in my driveway w/o towing it to the dealer.

I'm also thinkin it could be the ignition thing w/ the key chip...might have gone bad. is there anyway to check that?

I'm really trying to avoid the tow to the dealer at all costs any help is appreciated.

So far I've ruled out the battery starter and fuses.

thanks

Jarred@Z1

iTrader: (4)

do you have another key? try that. If that doesnt help could be your crank sensor or throttle body any number of things you might want to see if you could get a scanner and check codes.

stealthz

iTrader: (34)

how have you ruled out the battery? (just because you have a good voltage to the starter doesn't mean you have good cca's) is it the original battery? has the battery been hooked up and tested?

your alarm/ immobilizer could also be another key factor, when it doesn't decide to start on the first or second try use the key fob and lock the car again and than unlock it, than try again to start it... see if that helps

this link might help you....
https://my350z.com/forum/maintenance...dnt-start.html

grudum

I dont have another key unfortunately. I'm going to try to get over to the dealer tomorrow to have them test the key I have..if they can even do that?

The battery is about a year old. I havent had any issues with it at all...its held its charge and the car has always fired right up. I havent hooked it up to a tester though...I will do this tomorrow.

I did try to jump start the car today and it had a wierd effect. With standard jumping proceedures the Z turned over slower and kinda chugged vs w/o the jumper cables. Seemed to have the opposite effect of what jumping a car should do. We then took the cables off and it cranked at normal speed. Can anyone explain this?

I have the battery disconnected now to try to reset the ECU...other than that I'm all ears.

stealthz

iTrader: (34)

there's a list of z's that have a recall on the crank angle sensor you might want to look into that... Has your car ever shut off on you randomly? how many miles are on your car? do you have an after market stereo or alarm hooked up to your car? and I assume you have no CEL? when that car gets started does it feel like it has full power or is it kinda sluggish? and if its your fuel sending unit or throttle body or clutch engagement switch you might not ever see a check engine light, but there could still be a code if your lucky and even then there's still not always a code... sorry for all the questions just more details helps....

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

You should be able to hear the fuel pump prime - if you can't start there.

However, the fuel pump prime is controlled by the ECU and it won't necesarrily prime each time you turn the key to the "ON" position.

After the car has sat for a bit turn the key to the "ON" position and listen. If you can't hear the fuel pump you can check the fuse to the fuel pump, or even pound on the fuel pump housing area a bit with a hammer and see if it turns on after that.

THE ROADSTER

iTrader: (3)

Check the fuse for the fuel pump. It happened to me once and the fuse for the fuel pump blew.

grudum

The car has run at optimal performance...no sluggsish anything, never randomly shut off, has a smooth idle, as of last night there were no CEL's thrown to indicate an issue.

I'm not hearing anything out of the fuel pump. I turn the key to "on" and the gauges come alive, but i dont hear anything else...silence...maybe a slight "tick" but nothing weezing or anything that sounds like its doin anything.

Is the fule pump fuse in the lil fuse box in the battery compartment or another location? Where is the fuel pump located to tap it with the hammer? is it on the outside of the tank?

I took the intake off and felt inside the throttlebody just after trying to start it, and it was wet, (and dirty-will clean soon )

I just tried jumping it again and this time it turned over at a normal speed, so I might have had a bad connection earlier....still didnt start though.

I locked and unlocked the doors several times with no luck. Still stumped. I'll look into that recall.

Thanks for the input so far...its still a mystery.

oh ya..car has 96K miles, 6 speed. Has run flawlessly for years until this morning...even yesterday. I'm guessing something electrical decided to take a schit cause it ran perfect yesterday.

stealthz

iTrader: (34)

are you using a factory battery? and have you actually got to drive your car at all since you've gotten it started or have you just let it idle? with that many miles I would check ignition coils as a possible factor? have your sparks plugs been replaced? was there any oil inside the spark plug chamber? did you wash your engine bay recently...

grudum

hmm...

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

The fuel pump is located in the little compartment behind the passenger seat. if you open up that compartment you'll see a little circular square cover (not really a circle, not really a square). That panel detaches and the entire fuel pump assembly pulls straight up.

I had a buddy who got stranded because his fuel pump wouldn't turn on. We tapped it a few times and it started up like nothing had ever happened.

stealthz

iTrader: (34)

Ok if I were you I would...
1. would look up your VIN to see if it falls within the faulty crank angle sensor that nissan put out
2. Test the battery
3. hook up a scanner anyways, you still might have a code without a check engine light
4. check both sides of the fuel pump fuses for power when the car is in the on position... If your fuel pump is primed you won't hear anything... but the sending unit goes out from time to time... so test out the sending unit
5. check your coils out
6. reset the battery
7. take it to a dealer so they can inspect your key and make sure the immobilizer is reading it, and alarm is working correctly.. and so they can check your throttle body out... and maf sensor

grudum

Stealthz...looks like a good plan of attack along with checkin the fuel pump.

For your viewing pleasure here's the current state of affairs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4Xk-Zn0Q6c

After watching this....the fuel looks low, but I just put in a half tank yesterday, so that shouldnt be an issue.

tecni

iTrader: (28)

check out the crank angle sensor. Although the car should still start even if its unplugged but only after a few seconds of cranking

grudum

Morning update:

So this morning the car just clicks - indicating the battery. Wierd cause yesterday the batt seemed fine and even while jumping, the car it still didnt start. Is it possible that even w/ a jump that a car wouldn't start due to the battery?

How/Where is this thing?

KPierson

iTrader: (1)

It doesn't sound like a battery issue to me - you probably just drained the battery cranking it so many times.

The crank angle sensor is under the car towards the back of the motor. If you jack the car up and slide under it the crank angle sensor is accessible. It has a three wire plug going to it and if I remember right is the only sensor that is directly on the bottom of the motor.

guitman32

iTrader: (15)

+1 that battery sounded strong in the vids. When my 1st battery went my starter sounded tired as can be, but I didn't notice since I drove the car for a while on a low battery (without issue). Once I replaced the battery, the difference was huge (my starter sounds like yours does now)

grudum

Morning update...

I took the battery into autozone for a test and it was at full power. Max charge. So as a few of you have stated...thats not the problem. I also picked up a OBD2 tester to see if any codes are thrown. No codes. Scanned it a few times just to make sure and it was clean...so no hints there.

I also picked up this little gadget thats an "imitation spark plug" to plug into a sparkplug coil and it will arc between 2 needles if the spark is getting to the plugs...It was dark by the time I was ready to deal with this lil toy, so I'll fiddle with that tonight.

I also picked up a spray can of ether aka "starter fluid". Can someone tell me if its a bad idea to spray this into the intake to see if the car fires up for a second? I dont know how our cars respond to this type of persuasion. Will this mess up a sensor somewhere? If not what is the best way to do this? Take the filter off and spray before air sensor, or take off the whole tube and spray into the throtttlebody area?

The thought being, that if it fires up w/ this method, then i know spark is alive and fuel is the issue. Then I can dig for the fuel pump. My pop's warned that doing this can create a backfire of sorts and is kinda hard on the car, so I dont know if anyone has tried this on a modern car. Please lemme know.

I called the dealer and they cant check my key w/o the car there too...so thats out until I pony up for the tow.

I think one more night of tinkering w/ it and I will have exhausted the driveway diagnostics and may have to tow it to the stealership.

Oh ya...I didnt find a fuse labled for the fuel pump...where exactly is that lil bugger. thx

cracka350z

iTrader: (6)

mine is doing the same thing sortof...it sometimes starts but then sometimes it doesnt. ill crank it then take the key out and wait for a few....then ill try again (and again till it starts) but im getting the sluggish stuff when i drive. like it has no power. i got passed by an HHR on the freeway could all this be the Crank angle Sensor?


ps...not trying to jack the thread but im in the same boat and as far as the spraying the ether in there...i would say NO lol. old carbeurated cars maybe but not one with all the electronic crap.

grudum

Conceding failure ...allowing the dealer to take over. Will post once the dreaded phone call comes in tomorrow.







btw...i would not recommend using a tow dolly for a car that wont start...its a bich to get it on there. Never again.