philosophy on why my car hasn't been starting... critics welcome - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

S13squirrel · 04-16-2005, 01:13 PM

Okay so my car has been occasionally not starting, but I was able to push-start the car. Once running, the car is fine. So I just replaced the starter this morning, and it didn't change anything. What seems to happen every time is that the engine will turn over and seem to fire for about one second, and then it dies. After this, the engine does not fire at all. It won't start again until the next day or so. So my buddy and I checked the plugs, all four wires are giving good spark. The only thing is that some of the wires seemed to give off a dimmer, more yellow spark (we did the old trick of putting a screwdriver into the plug wire, while putting the screwdriver shaft near some grounded metal, and check for a spark while trying to start the car). Then we checked the plugs, they were fine other than being a bit wet with gasoline moisture. And we took off the distributor cap and rotor and scraped the deposits off of both. The car still did not start after all this, so we push-started it just fine, and the car has been running fine ever since.

So here is what I think:
1- spark was weak, maybe due to cap and rotor deposits
2- starter turned engine fine, but then it could not fire well enough to run on its own, so it stalled
3- after engine dies, and while turning starter a second time, there is leftover fuel in the cylinders
4- weak spark cannot overcome wet spark plugs, engine does not start
5- engine starts fine when plugs have had a chance to dry
6- engine push starts because momentum of the car keeps the engine turning long enough for the cylinders to fire
7 when the car does start, there is a puff of smoke for a second, presumably burning off the fuel that had the engine flooded

Criticisms and contributions are welcome, as of now I plan to get a new rotor.

NismoDan · 04-16-2005, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S13squirrel

So here is what I think:
1- spark was weak, maybe due to cap and rotor deposits

Have you tried a new cap and rotor?

S13squirrel · 04-16-2005, 05:45 PM

the cap is fine, all of the carbon deposits have been scraped off, but I want to replace the rotor. I was thinking of just replacing all of the plugs and wires while I was at it. The car didn't start again today after I did all this work, so I am annoyed. When it does start up, it is much cleaner and more crisp than before. but my question is still this: Other than the starter system, what would cause my car to start and then immediately die, and then not start at all, yet the car runs perfectly fine once I get it in gear and moving? It seems to be a fuel system thing, from what i can tell of the wet plugs. Leaky fuel injector, perhaps?

F3600 · 04-17-2005, 07:45 AM

You know i have the same problem with my engine .. if someone could give some help that would be good.

*crioten* · 04-17-2005, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S13squirrel

It won't start again until the next day or so.

just from that statement, for some reason i think you may have a bum ecu, bad ecu connection, or something along that line...

like the ecu takes a day to reset itself with out power... but i could be wayyy off lol

04-16-2005, 01:13 PM	#1
S13squirrel Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 21 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	philosophy on why my car hasn't been starting... critics welcome Okay so my car has been occasionally not starting, but I was able to push-start the car. Once running, the car is fine. So I just replaced the starter this morning, and it didn't change anything. What seems to happen every time is that the engine will turn over and seem to fire for about one second, and then it dies. After this, the engine does not fire at all. It won't start again until the next day or so. So my buddy and I checked the plugs, all four wires are giving good spark. The only thing is that some of the wires seemed to give off a dimmer, more yellow spark (we did the old trick of putting a screwdriver into the plug wire, while putting the screwdriver shaft near some grounded metal, and check for a spark while trying to start the car). Then we checked the plugs, they were fine other than being a bit wet with gasoline moisture. And we took off the distributor cap and rotor and scraped the deposits off of both. The car still did not start after all this, so we push-started it just fine, and the car has been running fine ever since. So here is what I think: 1- spark was weak, maybe due to cap and rotor deposits 2- starter turned engine fine, but then it could not fire well enough to run on its own, so it stalled 3- after engine dies, and while turning starter a second time, there is leftover fuel in the cylinders 4- weak spark cannot overcome wet spark plugs, engine does not start 5- engine starts fine when plugs have had a chance to dry 6- engine push starts because momentum of the car keeps the engine turning long enough for the cylinders to fire 7 when the car does start, there is a puff of smoke for a second, presumably burning off the fuel that had the engine flooded Criticisms and contributions are welcome, as of now I plan to get a new rotor.

04-16-2005, 05:45 PM	#3
S13squirrel Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Kentucky Posts: 21 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	the cap is fine, all of the carbon deposits have been scraped off, but I want to replace the rotor. I was thinking of just replacing all of the plugs and wires while I was at it. The car didn't start again today after I did all this work, so I am annoyed. When it does start up, it is much cleaner and more crisp than before. but my question is still this: Other than the starter system, what would cause my car to start and then immediately die, and then not start at all, yet the car runs perfectly fine once I get it in gear and moving? It seems to be a fuel system thing, from what i can tell of the wet plugs. Leaky fuel injector, perhaps?

04-17-2005, 07:45 AM	#4
F3600 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 364 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	You know i have the same problem with my engine .. if someone could give some help that would be good.