2001 Infiniti G20 Starting Issues

[bokeninfiniti]

I have an '01 G20 with 160k miles. The car is not a daily driver, mainly for weekends as I take mass transit to work. The last few months the car has started acting up when I try to start it. I had the battery checked and tested and it got flying colors. Occasionally when I try to start the car, I turn the key and get nothing. The electronics power up, but the engine doesn't even roll over. The car will eventually start up after waiting and trying again and again, but I have been stranded for anywhere between 1min to 2hrs trying to start the car. When it does start, it struggles a bit, kind of like a car with a weak battery. I have noticed the same struggling with starting if I start the car, then turn it off, then try to start it again. The car did get side swiped pretty hard, causing damage to the front quarter panel, which is around when I noticed this problem, so perhaps a wire was knocked loose. But what I can't figure out what wire is loose that would cause the car not to start one moment, but will just a short while later. Any thoughts on potential sources of problems?

[RED_DET]

make sure the clamps are tight on the battery terminals. It could also be the starter going out on you as well.

[bokeninfiniti]

make sure the clamps are tight on the battery terminals. It could also be the starter going out on you as well.

The clamps on the battery terminals are tight and were cleaned of any corrossion. I thought it might be the starter too. But, my experience with bad starters has been that they lock up and won't start again without some assistance from a hammer. Could it be that this starter is in the early stages of having the gears bind?

[RED_DET]

Yes, it is a common problem on starters on SR20 equipped vehicles. Had a G20, starter acted up, wouldn't start, then sometimes it would. Replaced the starter with another used unit and within a day that starter quit working all together.

[G20pgh]

I have had this experience with both Honda's AND Nissan's. My '90 Accord sounded like it had a dying battery every time I went to crank it. Replaced the battery, but nothing changed. It eventually quit starting after about 6 months of this. Replaced the starter, instantly better! I also had a '96 200sx 1.6L, and it started to do that same thing you are describing, started sluggishly most of the time and then a week went by and it would start about every other try. Again, replaced the starter and it worked again. My suggestion is the starter, but I've never been sure of what kind of damage (if any) this will do to the motor.