Why the heck does my car sometimes start, sometimes not??!!? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

240sxspeedracer1 · 12-06-2001, 09:56 PM

I have a '90 240sx.  It cranks good, but sometimes it doesnt crank at all.  It has nothing to do with the battery or the alternator but this is the problem....
When i go to crank it, it doesnt even make a cranking sound(like if the battery was dead)  then I shake the car(I jerk my body forward to move the car) and then it turns on fine.  What the heck kind of problem is that?<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>?  I dont understand it at all..  So when I shake the car, I crank it and it turns on perfectly, no problems while running either...help me, somebody told me its the ignition switch...is that possible?

240sxspeedracer1 · 12-06-2001, 09:58 PM

BTW, I DONT JUMP START THE CAR, AND I DONT ROLL IT INTO A START, i JUST SHAKE THE CAR AND THEN AFTER SHAKING IT IS PERFECT.

12-06-2001, 09:58 PM

a loose connection somewhere

240sxspeedracer1 · 12-06-2001, 10:06 PM

loose connection to battery?  the two wires connecting to pos and neg are really tight on the battery.  what kind of wires besides those?

12-06-2001, 10:14 PM

i dunno..... check anything that might cause a non-starting problem... ignition system especially.

Zenki Two40 · 12-06-2001, 10:17 PM

yeah, sounds like somethin' ain't goin' through right (wiring). cuz when ur shaking it it's probably just catching on, i'm having a problem like this w/ my stereo speakers in my room right now <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> .

misnomer · 12-07-2001, 01:10 AM

Check the button and wiring under the clutch. If that switch isn't activated, nothing will happen.

KoukiS14 · 12-10-2001, 10:16 AM

Had the same problem on our 90 Stanza. . same KA24E engine. .  It turned out to be a loose wire, so sometimes we'd have to pop the hood and plug it back in. . wasn't really  an issue when we found that out. .

-Rob

NoTuchn · 12-10-2001, 10:29 AM

theres some loose wiring somewhere... check battery, alternator, ignition, starter, etc. wires.

whateverjames · 12-10-2001, 10:48 AM

yuuup. i've had that problem a lot, that white powdery stuff gets built up on the terminals, and the wires were loose. i put lithium grease on the terminals (after cleaning them) and tightened up the wires, and now it starts up every time.

alchemist · 12-10-2001, 11:00 AM

its possible that there is a dead spot on the starter.  Shaking the car decently can cause the starter to move a bit and allow it to start.  to test this theory.  do this.  obviously while in neutral.  If it doesnt start one day, dont move anthing, or shake the car......go and apply 12V directly to the starter.  If she doesnt turn, and you didnt shake the car,  that means that you most likely found the culprit, a bad starter.  

12-06-2001, 09:56 PM	#1
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 43 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have a '90 240sx.  It cranks good, but sometimes it doesnt crank at all.  It has nothing to do with the battery or the alternator but this is the problem.... When i go to crank it, it doesnt even make a cranking sound(like if the battery was dead)  then I shake the car(I jerk my body forward to move the car) and then it turns on fine.  What the heck kind of problem is that?<img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>?  I dont understand it at all..  So when I shake the car, I crank it and it turns on perfectly, no problems while running either...help me, somebody told me its the ignition switch...is that possible?

12-06-2001, 09:58 PM	#2
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 43 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	BTW, I DONT JUMP START THE CAR, AND I DONT ROLL IT INTO A START, i JUST SHAKE THE CAR AND THEN AFTER SHAKING IT IS PERFECT.

12-06-2001, 09:58 PM	#3
Guest Posts: n/a	a loose connection somewhere

12-06-2001, 10:06 PM	#4
240sxspeedracer1 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: jerzzzz Age: 43 Posts: 494 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	loose connection to battery?  the two wires connecting to pos and neg are really tight on the battery.  what kind of wires besides those?

12-06-2001, 10:14 PM	#5
Guest Posts: n/a	i dunno..... check anything that might cause a non-starting problem... ignition system especially.

12-06-2001, 10:17 PM	#6
Zenki Two40 Zilvia Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: ... Posts: 285 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	yeah, sounds like somethin' ain't goin' through right (wiring). cuz when ur shaking it it's probably just catching on, i'm having a problem like this w/ my stereo speakers in my room right now <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'> .

12-07-2001, 01:10 AM	#7
misnomer Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Nevada Posts: 2,293 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Check the button and wiring under the clutch. If that switch isn't activated, nothing will happen.

12-10-2001, 10:16 AM	#8
KoukiS14 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Indiana Age: 47 Posts: 944 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Had the same problem on our 90 Stanza. . same KA24E engine. .  It turned out to be a loose wire, so sometimes we'd have to pop the hood and plug it back in. . wasn't really  an issue when we found that out. . -Rob

12-10-2001, 10:29 AM	#9
NoTuchn Leaky Injector Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 126 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	theres some loose wiring somewhere... check battery, alternator, ignition, starter, etc. wires.

12-10-2001, 10:48 AM	#10
whateverjames Nissanaholic! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: St. Louis Age: 45 Posts: 2,263 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	yuuup. i've had that problem a lot, that white powdery stuff gets built up on the terminals, and the wires were loose. i put lithium grease on the terminals (after cleaning them) and tightened up the wires, and now it starts up every time.

12-10-2001, 11:00 AM	#11
alchemist Zilvia Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 192 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	its possible that there is a dead spot on the starter.  Shaking the car decently can cause the starter to move a bit and allow it to start.  to test this theory.  do this.  obviously while in neutral.  If it doesnt start one day, dont move anthing, or shake the car......go and apply 12V directly to the starter.  If she doesnt turn, and you didnt shake the car,  that means that you most likely found the culprit, a bad starter.