Got my first maxima, but has an issue starting HELP!!!

[MoeLarry]

Just picked up my first Maxima for a pretty good deal becasue it has a starting issue. Hopefully an easy fix...

When i turn the car over half the time it has an issue starting. When the problem occurs the car just turns over then stops repedidly turnturnturn stop turnturnturn stop and if i floor the gas it seems to help it start and sometimes it wont even turn over. i just hold the clutch and turn the key 20 times or so and it starts turning over again then if im lucky putters up to a rough start. But then an hour later i try and it could just turn over no problem and its running... The way i see it so far is that it turns over to fast to be battery, lots of power there, possibly the ignition, the part key goes in??? Ive been searching the archives but havent got to many solid answers, seems to be a popular problem though.

Thank you very much for any help! I need to get back and forth from work with it like this so i need it fixed soon.

Oh and the car is a 1995 maxima SE
Modified by MoeLarry at 9:32 PM 2/4/2008

[MaximA32]

I would check all of your coils and make sure they're getting proper spark. IThe spark should be a bright white color. If it is an orange color then that coil isn't firing properly and needs replaced.

Welcome! Enjoy your stay.

[NISTECH]

Sounds to me like your getting way to much fuel in the cylinders and its hydrolocking. When you do finally get it to start do you see a huge cloud of smoke out the back?

I cant remember if it was the 95 max that had an updated starter or not. But if it is the one I am thinking of , the problem was the starter wasnt turning the engine fast enough on cold starts and the fuel was washing down the cylinders therefore not allowing compression to build up properly.

[MoeLarry]

Yeah, thats what its like, i get a pretty decent puff of black smoke, which deffanitly means gas.. i was thinking leaky injectors but like i said sometimes it fires up no problem, and the starter sounds to be turning it fast, but maybe just a little to slow and if the car doesnt fire right away the system just keeps injecting fuel?

OH and i dont but do these cars of replacable solenoids or is it a starter solenoid combo? Because when the car does nothing when i turn the key i dont even hear the soleniod click Im thinking its the solenoid but i just dont get why it would flood so fast? AH i hope i can figure this out without goin to the dealer... just one of those problems that can be so many things..

[NISTECH]

The system will continue to pump fuel in as long as the key is in the start postion but it decides when to pump the fuel in based on cam and crank sensor readings. In other words it only pump fuel into the cyl when it is on its intake stroke. If the fuel stays in a liquid state like it usually does cold it will not all exit the cyl on the exhuast stroke. it will very slowly build up. If you hold the throttle down you are allowing more air into the system which helps up the pressure in the cycle to exhaust the fluid. Try turning up you idle air screw see if this helps. You may still have a leaking injector but try the screw first.

[driftingmy240sx]

being in a cold weather state i have seen this problem and it usually turns out to be a faulty starter. i would start with repalcing the starter which is an easy repair for the do-it-yourselfer. i have also seen where someone had a ish-load of keys on one rign cause the ignition cylinder/switch to wear funny causing a poor contact in the switch, but from the info provided i would put money on the starter wearing out.

if after replacing the start the problem still exists i recommend checking your base idle speed for possible adjustment.

[MoeLarry]

Thanks for the replys.. I think i got it now starters gone, i jumped it, and the ignition is making a bad connection..