No Crank Issue [SOLVED - bad starter]

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HollywoodJackson
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:35 pm
Car: 2004 Infiniti G35
1990 Nissan 240SX Hatchback
1990 Nissan 240SX Coupe
Location: Hollywood, CA
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Happy New Year Q45 Gang!

Over the past few months, I'd hop in the Q, turn the ignition, nothing. Then a second later turn the key again and the car fired right up. I had a feeling the starter was going bad. But figured I'd wait to handle it on another day.

I think that day has come. Yesterday, I pull into a parking lot, and notice black smoke coming from below and up by the passenger side mirror. I also heard a slight clunking noise. I get out and take a look, no more smoke or noise. I park, kill the engine, and do some shopping. I come back out to the car, and it won't turn over.

Thinking it was a faulty alternator (black smoke and clunking) i went and got one from the junkyard and swapped it. I also noticed, the metal frame piece That holds the alternator, the whole that the small bolt goes into and then threads into the the alternator itself, is broken. That frame piece looks like it attaches to the belt tensioner housing or the block. I'm going to have to replace That. Fun. Afyer putting everything back together, I tried to start the car. Still nothing. So now I should test the battery and try replacing the solenoid after testing the battery? Does Autozone sell a decent solenoid?

Alk the best,
~HollywoodJackson~


HollywoodJackson
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:35 pm
Car: 2004 Infiniti G35
1990 Nissan 240SX Hatchback
1990 Nissan 240SX Coupe
Location: Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Post

Also, when I use the remote to lock the doors, the horn blows as usual one time. But it sounds weak. I recall ot doing that before when something is wrong. Pressing the horn in the steering wheel and ot still blows strong.

SolarReaper
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:58 pm
Car: 2000 Q45
Location: Indiana

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Same issue with my car. Its been doing that since I got it about a year ago. Sometimes I have to turn the key 5 or 6 times before it'll start up. I should probably replace the starter before it leaves me stranded lol. I've got a 2000

HollywoodJackson
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:35 pm
Car: 2004 Infiniti G35
1990 Nissan 240SX Hatchback
1990 Nissan 240SX Coupe
Location: Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Post

The issue for me has been resolved. I guess over the past several weeks, the starter had been shorting out slightly. Well, Saturday the insulation must have completely failed while driving in a parking lot.

The brief clunking I heard, was the starter engaging, followed by a cloud of black smoke for a few seconds while the positive line and what I guess is the key swith line to the starter fried the post and solenoid.

The FSM has 3 steps for removing the starter.
1 Disconnect positive battery cable.
2 Remove the top nut and bottom bolt from the starter.
3 Remove starter from the bottom of the engine bay.

This is major bs as they left out about 10 other steps!

I also had to...
A. Move the fan shrowd.
B. Move the alternator.
C. Assemble approximatley 17" of extensions while snaking it thru a hole near the engine mount from the front. A hole I would have never knew was there without getting lucky and seeing it in a1 minute youtube video.
D. Loosen both engine mounts.
E. Jack the engine up 1-2 inches to clear the mounts and frame at the same time with the alternator.

I wasted a day and a half with the FSM trying to do this job.After learning about that hole, I had the starter off inn 90 minutes. Has anyone else performed this job on an '02 Q? I'll make a write up with detailed sketches. But you can't pay me to get back under there anytimesoon to video that nightmare pf a job.

LMAO

Thanks to EdBwoy as always coming in clutch with the tip to get at the top nut from tge front of the car!

All the best,
~HollywoodJackson~

EdBwoy
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Location: Indiana, USA
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Glad you got it done man!

HollywoodJackson wrote:
Fri Jan 25, 2019 8:57 pm
...But you can't pay me to get back under there anytimesoon to video that nightmare pf a job.
...
I haven't done it on the car yet, but I can relate. Working on modern cars, you get to learn that there are some tasks that you can either see or touch; never both at the same time. I have become very good at seeing with my hands.
All the cuts and scars will bear witness.

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Q451990
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Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2002 8:21 am
Car: 1990 Q45 - 118K, 2022 Toyota 4 Runner, 2004 Frontier M/T - 108K, 2012 Xterra (Mom's), 2023 Rogue (Inlaws)
Location: Columbia, SC
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Congratulations on getting it done! The FSM can leave some important steps out sometimes.

Not related, but as for bitching about engineers and designs - I finally did my first oil change on our 4Runner this weekend (the first two were "free" at the dealership). Talk about a gem... special wrench to get the oil filter housing off for the cartridge filter, two o-rings for the filter housing, and two covers to access the drain plug and oil filter. One which is attached with plastic clips that must take some sort of special tool that I don't have to properly remove. It's definitely solidly built, like it's designed for offroading or something. :D

It would probably hurt resale value, but I'd be all in for a discounted plastic clad one with a "GGKH" (Grocery Getter Kid Hauler) trim level. If it wouldn't have been so pride obliterating, we should have just gotten a mini van. :facepalm: :facepalm:

HollywoodJackson
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:35 pm
Car: 2004 Infiniti G35
1990 Nissan 240SX Hatchback
1990 Nissan 240SX Coupe
Location: Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Post

Q451990 wrote:
Sun Jan 27, 2019 8:09 pm
Congratulations on getting it done! The FSM can leave some important steps out sometimes.
Thanks! Now that I've gotten over how tough a job it was as far as doing it for the first time, I admit... It's well designed. Knowing where that hole is just above the and beside the engine mount, helped a lot. The starter has a long ridge on it, that prevents you from being able to touch the top nut from the side. But that ridge guides the socket right to the nut once you push the socket to it with a few extensions. The nut even fit snug in the socket, so it wouldn't fall out. Now I can do this job in under 2 hours.

When I get a chance, I will do a write up with pics that will help someone else down the line that may have to change their F50 starter.

All the best,
~HollywoodJackson~


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