# Help, car wont run!!



## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

Here is what I have, 1995 Altima, auto trans. It was running fine, went to the store and would not start, turned over but no fire. Took it to a shop, said the timing chain is bad. Installed new chain, no difference. Ohm check the coil, good, ign transistor ontop of mass air flow sensor, good. Installed three new distributers, no change. Removed fuel pump and it pumps when power is applied. fuel pump relay good, fuse good, power to relay. But I have no fuel at the fuel rail and weak spark it seems.. The manual says if the ignition system isnt working it will not send power to the fuel pump.. is this true? Is the ecm bad? Please help!! I am lost.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

When you turn the key, the pump will energize for 2 seconds (give or take) and then shut it off, UNLESS a signal is received from the crank or cam sensor at which point the fuel pump is kept energized...so there's a good starting point for you.
And pull the codes...
And get a new shop...While timing chains do go bad, and other things do go wrong, if it turns out to be a crank and/or cam sensor, that just reeks of seriously rotten troubleshooting by your "shop".
Did you see the old parts they pulled out?


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Try spraying some carb cleaner into the intake manifold and see if the car will start and run on the carb cleaner. If it does, you know you have a fuel issue. If not, install a timing light and crank the engine to see if you have spark. If you do, check your spark plugs for fouling and do a compression test. Always check the basics! Spark, fuel, air, compression and timing.


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## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

I checked for power at the fuel pump.. I pulled the connector with two wires and found no power at any time.. But if you say there is an issue with the other things it may not anyway.. The crank sensor is on the back of the engine in the bell house correct? And the cam sensor is in the distributer?


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

You should have power at the fuel pump for that initial couple of seconds after you turn the key.
And as far as I know, the sensors are where you described.


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## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

Thanks for the help so far.. It still doesn't run yet.. I have read about an ignition resistor and I think I found it, but it doesn't look like what the book (haynes man.) describes. Its a little black cap under the air inlet tube in the wire harness. Two prongs perpendicular to each other. The book says the resistor should ohm out at 2.2 ohms. This thing I found starts at 3 and keeps rising... is this the resistor or am I on a wrong path?


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

If you're using a cheap ohmmeter, like a Walmart type or whatever, check the resistance of the meter leads themselves, and subtract that from the reading from the part you've got the meter on.
And it starts at 3 *OHM*s and keep rising? What happens if you swap the leads (left to right, right to left)?


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## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

I trust my meter.. Its made by fluke and have been real happy with it for years. Its the same if I change the leads around.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Ok, just checkin'. A lot of guys out there with Walmart P/O/S meters and they swear by them for some damn reason...
The reading starts at 3 ohms and drives upwards? How long does it take to start running up? And does it top out?


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## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

I haven't seen how far it will go, I figure it it should be at 2.2 at it starts at 3 and watched it go to 20+, something is wrong. Is this thing the resistor they are talking about? Where can you find them.. I haven't found a place to buy them at all, seems like an odd part. I am also thinking the computer may be faulty, not at all sending a fuel pump signal but that doesn't really explain the weak spark though.


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

Ya, sounds like a crappy connection to the resistor itself internally, 'cause that's what an ohmmeter will look like when you read a capacitor, starts low, works it's way up...to a point, then due to internal leakage, it'll likely level out.

(long drawn out explanation deleted due to brain melting...I understand it just fine, but others have epileptic fits when I throw it out there)

No idea where you can find that resistor, but might want to try Courtesy Nissan parts for starters. (Google it).


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## redright9 (Mar 14, 2011)

So, I dont have a whole lot of time to work on this car.. But last night I looked at that part again. I dont think its the resistor. On it its labeled with a 0.47 and a symbol that looks like a "u" but with another line on the left side. I did find a resistor next to the air cleaner though.. Anyone know what this is for?


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## jdg (Aug 27, 2009)

redright9 said:


> On it its labeled with a 0.47 and a symbol that looks like a "u" but with another line on the left side.


.....which is a standard method of marking capacitors, which will cause your meter to read as it does.

Do you see the links below?
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