My 1999 I30 cranks, but does not start

[bigbargain]

My 1999 I30 cranks, but does not start. It has 110K miles on it.

Ok, let me first apologize as this may be a long initial post. However, its because I have read A LOT about my problem and tried many things before posting. So my intro will be long, but I hope many of the obvious problems have already been checked so you won’t feel like I’m wasting anyone’s time.

Observations - What is happening?;
- If cranks strongly
- has fuel pressure (40+ on initial key turn. 38-ish while cranking. drops to 31 within a minute after I crank. I expect my fuel gauge is not super accurate)
- I have spark
- using an analog multimeter, I seem to have pulses at the #1 injector when cranking, but I don’t have anything better than a multimeter. The pulses cause very little deflection when cranking, but something is definitely causing a rhythmic deflection of less than a volt (may be just too fast to show more)
- if I spray starting fluid down the throttle body, I it “starts”, then dies (i.e. burns up the starting fluid and dies)
- the security light comes on solid red around 5 seconds after I turn the key on. (nto sure what this means, but all I’ve read says the anti-theft stops either the starter or the fuel pump, and both seem to work, so I’ve concluded I have not tripped the anti-theft.
- The fuel pump turns off after a couple seconds when I only turn the key to run or crank then stop and leave it in run position (i.e. the crank sensor seems to be ok, and the computer is sending the correct signal to the pump - I think). If I then start cranking again, the pump turns back on.
- No OBD codes

How did this problem first show itself?;
I put back brakes on it. Took if for a test drive. All was fine.

I returned, then shut it off and tried to restart it again a few minutes later. It started for a couple seconds, the died. This repeated 2 more times and each time it died quicker. It has not started since.

To me, the above suggests a fuel problem. But I have good pressure.

So far I have;
- replaced the fuel filter
- hooked up a fuel pressure gauge in a place where i can see it while cranking
- replaced the starter (burned it up - learned a lesson there. What the heck it was old. And I’ll be more careful now)
- pulled the fuel pump out and made sure if was running, wiring is ok and in tank filter and bottom of the tank look good. All seem fine.

My guess at the moment is that I’m not getting correct signals to the injectors, but have no way to check.

Thoughts? What should I check next?

[ezb57e]

Your anti-theft lamp is the clue here.
If it is on solid, the key is not recognized and the injectors are disabled.
Do you have an unregistered key that is being used somehow?
The key will need to be registered, along with any other keys you intend to use.

[bigbargain]

I've heard people talk of procedures to reset the anti-theft. Is there a way I can avoid a tow and dealer shop rate to get the anti-theft reset?

[ezb57e]

Only if you have a key that is registered.
Its turning the ignition on then off waiting 10 secs off, 2 seconds on IIRC.
If after that, you turn the key on, and the NATS lamp stays solid, the key(s) is not being recognized.
If you have more than one key make sure you bring them all to be re-registered.
If the keys wont register you may be looking at something more.

[bigbargain]

hmmm. I'm using the keys I've always used. Can it "forget" the registration. I have 2 keys and neither works. Tried the procedure suggested with each. Still thinking its registration of the keys.

[ezb57e]

The key ID is stored in the ECM.
yes, they can lose it.
I would get all your keys re-registered.

[OwnerCS]

I've got two 99 models.. One Maxima and an I30. I've come to learn "the hard way" that if you experience a problem that keeps the car from starting (or while you are running compression test) that causes you to hit the starter more than three times while the driver's door is open, you can accidentally immobilize the car. It took having the car towed to the dealer to get keys/immobilizer reset.

[loystock]

Based on the symptoms, the car is in lock down mode. The newer immobilizer in the later production 99 i30 disables ignition, not the fuel pump. You have to bring the car to dealer to have the keys re-programmed.

[ezb57e]

Older systems disable the injectors, not the ignition.
You wouldn't want to be flooding the engine while it was cranking without starting.
Newer systems wont even crank without a valid key input.