# 98 Altima Won't Start



## timf212 (Mar 8, 2012)

Hey guys, I am new to Altima's and would really appreciate any advice you can give me. I am ready to pull my hair out with this car!! I am working on my friend's 98 altima. It has about 190,000 miles...and it will crank but not start. I tested the camshaft sensor and it checked bad (plus there was oil going down the center of the distributor) so I changed the distrbutor, plugs, and wires...I now have spark (verified with my ignition tester) but it still will not start. I disconnected the fuel line prior to the rail and when I turn the ignition switch to the "on" position gas pours out...I know the fuel pump is good (plus the spark plugs all have a gas smell after trying to crank it...so I know the injectors are more than likely working). I then thought maybe the timing chain jumped a tooth. I pulled off the valve cover and verified per other posts on this forum that when the crankshaft pulley is turned to TDC intake and exhaust camshafts on cylinder 1 are in the TDC position).

When it has been sitting overnight, I can crank it and it will sputter for a second...but then after that it will not act like it even wants to start (presumably because the cylinders are flooded at that point). I do not know about any check engine codes because the car sat for almost a year and the battery was completely dead prior to me working on it. I did pour fresh gas in the tank and put in some fuel stabil due to how long it had been sitting. According to my friend when it died about a year ago he was driving down the road and it just suddenly cut out with no warning. After that it hasn't been started since.

Any ideas??


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## Kraut-n-Rice (Jan 10, 2007)

About all I can think of is , did you make sure the plug wires are in the correct order ?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Do a fuel injector leakdown test and also confirm proper fuel pressure. If that passes, remove the fuel pump fuse and spark plugs and crank to clear out the cylinders. Perform a compression test; if it is low, add about a teaspoon of engine oil to each cylinder to perform a "wet" compression test. If the compression does not increase, you may have a mechanical issue and I would do a cylinder leakdown test. If compression does increase to proper range, clean the spark plugs and reassemble. With the fuel pump fuse still removed, attempt to start the engine. If it sounds like it is attempting to "fire," stop and install the fuel pump fuse. Start the engine.


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