# 1998 Altima won't start



## pooley10901 (Oct 15, 2014)

My Altima wouldn't start this morning. Cranks, but no start. It ran fine last night. Any ideas?


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Perform an ECU code readout with a portable scan tool to see if any fault codes are set which can help you diagnose your problem. Post your codes here on the forum.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

Check your basics: spark, fuel, compression!


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## pooley10901 (Oct 15, 2014)

so my car started when I got home from work, but I used the code reader anyway, as the service light was on. P1444 purger volume control valve, and P1446- vent control valve. I have a hard time filling it up, having to hold the nozzle upside down and pump slow as possible or it overflows.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

A stuck closed evaporative control system vent control valve will cause both of those codes and your hard filling symptom. The vent control valve is bolted to the back of the evaporative emission system charcoal canister, located at the driver's side, rear of your car. It's the container that holds your gas tank fumes until they can later be sucked into the engine and be burned, rather than have them vent into the atmosphere. Vent control valve issues are fairly common and Nissan has updated them once or twice over the years. When you remove the canister and unbolt the valve, turn the canister and shake it to see if tiny bits of charcoal fall out. If they don't, it's good. But, if bits do fall out, then the canister inner liner has failed and the canister will need to be replaced, along with the entire evaporative emission system needing to be cleaned out (there's a TSB from Nissan that instructs how to do it). The faulty control valve should not have caused the no start issue.


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## pooley10901 (Oct 15, 2014)

smj999smj said:


> A stuck closed evaporative control system vent control valve will cause both of those codes and your hard filling symptom. The vent control valve is bolted to the back of the evaporative emission system charcoal canister, located at the driver's side, rear of your car. It's the container that holds your gas tank fumes until they can later be sucked into the engine and be burned, rather than have them vent into the atmosphere. Vent control valve issues are fairly common and Nissan has updated them once or twice over the years. When you remove the canister and unbolt the valve, turn the canister and shake it to see if tiny bits of charcoal fall out. If they don't, it's good. But, if bits do fall out, then the canister inner liner has failed and the canister will need to be replaced, along with the entire evaporative emission system needing to be cleaned out (there's a TSB from Nissan that instructs how to do it). The faulty control valve should not have caused the no start issue.


Thanks, I'll check it out.


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