Altima hard starts in the morning
Altima hard starts in the morning
Hey Nistech, my sister's 95 altima has a hard time starting when the engine is cold. It cranks but no start. It has to start by pressing on the gas a little and trying to let it start. That usually takes 3 or 4 tries before it fires up. Any ideas?
yes this is very common on the altima all pre TBW systems. adjusting the base idle up a bit will help it start better it is lacking the proper amount of air to mix with the fuel when its cold. The real problem is it has extensive carbon build up in the intake and would be a good idea to have a intake system cleaning then reset the idle to the proper rpm. She may also have an intake gasket begining to pull in at the #4 cyl(this is also very common to the altima.
To set the base idle:1) warm car to operating temp.2) shut it off and disconnect the TPS3) start engine rev over 2000 2 or 3 times.4) allow engine to settle at idle(it may be in the 400 rpm range and be struggling to idle)5) adjust idle to 700 rpms +/- 50.6)shut car off and reconnect TPS
Recheck it the next morning to be sure it is resolved.
To set the base idle:1) warm car to operating temp.2) shut it off and disconnect the TPS3) start engine rev over 2000 2 or 3 times.4) allow engine to settle at idle(it may be in the 400 rpm range and be struggling to idle)5) adjust idle to 700 rpms +/- 50.6)shut car off and reconnect TPS
Recheck it the next morning to be sure it is resolved.
yeah I had some of the deposit issues in the intake cleared up a bit and apparently it helped out the situation a little bit before. I'm guessing there's more gunk in there than I had originally thought.
What's a better method for the intake cleaning? I usually just get a can of throttle body cleaner and just hose the sucker down, let it air out a little bit before trying to fire it up. Should I get a rod and try to physically clean the thing out or should I go so far as to disconnect the intake manifold altogether and give it as thorough a cleaning as possible?
What's a better method for the intake cleaning? I usually just get a can of throttle body cleaner and just hose the sucker down, let it air out a little bit before trying to fire it up. Should I get a rod and try to physically clean the thing out or should I go so far as to disconnect the intake manifold altogether and give it as thorough a cleaning as possible?
no there is a kit most dealers use that is pretty good if used correctly. it has basically an injector on it and it mounts in the intake boot directly in front of the throttle body. after the apperatus is hooked up and the boot is tightened down on it the car is started and allowed to run off idle for about 20 mins or so. The fuel pump fuse can be pulled if it is set up right and the car will run on the cleaner. There is another bottle that is added to the tank that runs through the injectors and cleans the back side of the valves over the use of one full tank of gas. This is by far the best method of cleaning an intake system as this cleaner continuously runs through all the places air is drawn in the intake system. this method nissan dealers use is second only to GM's top end cleaner. when done a nylon brush(tooth brush) is used to remove the excess hard build up around the throttle plate. It is very effective. The catch is its pricey over 100 bucks to have it done.