# 1991 Stanza Won't start - Any help please



## bwshook72 (Jan 31, 2004)

Hi everyone. I'll start by saying that I don't know much about fuel injection and not much about Nissans in general so if you can help even a little bit I would really appreciate it.

Here goes

My brother is in college and has a 1991 Nissan Stanza with a 4cyl. The car has 165,000 miles on it, but it runs great. The problem is now it won't start. A little background ... it's been cold around here, (below 20 degrees for about two weeks). He went out to start the car one afternoon after driving it in the morning, the car wouldn't start. He gave up and my father suggested that perhaps the fuel line had frozen. My brother dumped in some dry gas and gas line anti-freeze and tried to start it. It just sputtered a few times and shut down. So thinking it was still frozen he waited until the weather warmed up a bit. Well, the weather never got too warm so he got it towed home from college yesterday. Last night, my father had it in the garage and the garage temperature up above 70 degrees. The car tried to start and sputtered a few times. After he recharged the battery and went back down this morning he tried to start it and all it does is crank and it doesn't start. However it has begun to make an awful groaning sound while it cranks now. (We’ve never heard anything like this sound). Also, while cranking and after cranking you can smell gasoline, especially at the tailpipe. There is spark at every cylinder.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated. The Chilton's manual we have is basically useless, especially when it comes to troubleshooting.

Thank you


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

I would check the mass air flow sensor first by disconnecting it and then trying to start it. Also pull the fuel pump fuse and remove all of the spark plugs then turn it over for 2 periods of 15 seconds to clear out the cylinders. You may also have an issue with the coil or something else but try the other things first.

Troy


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