2001 Altima doesn't start suggestions??

[gwoods]

Okay, I talked one of my buddies into buying a 2001 Nissan Altima GXE LTD edition (all 2001 were). The other night it stalled and the police pushed it home for him which was nice.

Someone told him to put oil in it so he did. When he got home the motor would spin but not start.

I came over the next night and pulled to codes, two camshaft position sensor failures, EVAP and 1612 NATS! Turning the key to start it makes a clink noise but does not turn over the engine.

Battery + terminal was loose enough to turn and it tested at 10 volts so we replaced the battery after having Autozone test too and it coming back bad. We put in the 5 year $140 battery so I expect that is not the problem.
still no engine turn over just clink.

I did a little internet research and found that yeah at 150k miles the distributor/cam position sensor can fail. The sensor is in the distributor. So I ordered a brand new not rebuilt distributor and we put that on it. It still just makes a clink when you turn the key.

What do you all think could be wrong, I cleared the codes and they have not come back.

I really feel like its the NATS system but everything I have read NATS lockout will let you turn the motor over but the car will not start.

[gwoods]

Update and still seeking advice

The security light flashes appropriately when you unlock and lock the car using the fob so supposedly that means NATS is functioning.

tested voltage to starter and yes when the key is held to start it is getting voltage and is making a clunk. So supposed starter may have failed, original NISSAN unit from 2001. Replaced with Autozone remanufactured same clunk on turing key to start. Did it a few times and some smoke from starter? Let it cool for about 30 min and tried again still just the same clunk of the starter engagning the fly wheel and meeting resistance sufficent to prevent it from turning.

On Jacks the front wheels can be turned by hand with little resistance in drive or reverse and spin free in nuetral.

I am thinking to pull the plugs check for damage and try to turn to start with no plugs (no compression) to see if the motor will turn over. No water in oil or oil in water. Car did not smoke before issue started and ran perfect.

I changed the oil looked find no big chunks.

My next thought is to pull the valve cover and drop the oil pan for physical inspection of top and bottom end of the motor.

Codes were EVAP Leak, Camshaft posision sensor and 1612 NATS I would expect a misfire code if the motor came apart.

Any thoughts NICO? I'm baffled by this car.

[sx moneypit]

Have you tried turning the engine manually?

[gwoods]

By what the crank bolt?

I have not I'm afraid to I've had bad experiences trying to force an engine to turn by the crank bolt. aluminum block. Maybe I'll try I want to pull the spark plugs it doesn't have to work against compression.

Thank you for the suggestion!

[sx moneypit]

It shouldn't be too hard to turn with a 1/2 inch drive ratchet even with the plugs installed.

[gwoods]

Cool I'll give it a try

[gwoods]

Good news I could turn the motor by the crank pulley bolt, thank you for the suggestion.

Bad new it would only turn backwards and not a full revalution after turning it backward it would turn a half turn forward with the starter.

I removed the valve cover and plugs. Plugs looked okay there was some strange debris inside the top of the head?



I dropped the oil pan and found this, lots of plastic, removed oil pump pickup it was full of plastic too.



I fished the bottom of the engine and found a rod nut



I fished a magnet through the oil in the bottom of the pan and it was full of metal shavings.



Video of it turning half a turn by the starter.

[nissangirl74]

What is that?!?!?!

[gwoods]

Melted plastic,

The car was recently hit by someone making a left. Here is what I think happened. The impact from the accident forced either timing chain guides or cover into the chain which the chain ate up. The pieces of plastic then made their way around inside the motor depositing on anything fun until they bogged the crank sufficently to break #4 crank bearing and set the connecting rod free after a few miles (feet) of unconnected connecting rod the rod jammed up inside the block.

There is so much pencil sharpener like metal shavings inside the bottom end.

I'm going to call the other at fault drivers insurance company for my buddy and get them to total the car out. maybe he can buy your old 240SX in Little Rock??