No start

[RAP]

My purrfect 2000 Q will no longer start.

Awhile back I forgot to turn the headlights off (was daytime) and of course after 3-4 days the battery was deader than dead.

I hooked up the charger and wanted to speed-up the start process so I went to the boost-start feature on the charger.

The engine started but after 2-3 seconds, died. Subsequent attempts produced the same results until after awhile the engine no longer starts. The battery did take a charge and holds. Plus I had it checked by the local parts store and it was found to be good.

I have the car at some local guys nearby who are general mechs but they are not equipped with computers or much in test equipment. They do have a recent and good code checker/reader.

No codes come up.

The car ran perfect. I was going to have the valve cover gaskets and the engine hoses replaced and my local mechs are going to do that for me. So since they will need to remove all the engine stuff to do the job I figured they would probably come upon my problem. So far no joy.

They are following the FSM, (provided by me) to track the functions of the system. There is fuel and the injectors are pulsing but no fire.

I am thinking that the ECM/computer may have been damaged ? ? ?

I have started cars before with a charger attached and switched to the boost function but never this car. I never had any problems but...

The Infinity dealer is 60 miles away. I am not pressed to have the car running and want to give my guys a chance. They always find the car problems and always have work. Plus they don't stick it to you. The fairly close by Nissan dealer doesn't do Infiniti and the service manager I spoke to didn't even want to offer any suggestions. Can't say that I blame him.

Anyone ever purchased the ECM new or used ? How much? I know I can call Joe and will. Is there some place that can check and repair those ECM,s that I could send it to?

Thanks. RAP

PS. I have done extensive reading about the no start problems but didn't come across a problem like mine.

[bullittandy]

I suppose that that the charger boost caused a problem but I am always inclined to to choose a simpler solution.

That being said, itsounds like the car turns over b ut I would be inclined to replace the battery if it is a year or older. I killed two batteries by draining them and though they would charge and start the car they wouldn't last longer than a couple of days.

Would you willing able to swap the battery? Maybe a money waster but....

[maxnix]

Should be real simple to connect a decent OBD II reader to see if ECU responds to a reset.

You want to look out for another on the used market .ike http://www.car-part.com

[RAP]

I did have the battery tested/checked by the local NAPA store using their latestelectronic tester. The battery tested OK. I also have a DVOM which also indicated good.

I put the charger on and slow charged it. The battery held the charge. However I would not be adverse to installing a brand new battery but...

Since posting my query I did some net searching and found several site offering to fix, or, swap used and new. I wanted to check around here to see if there were any pitfalls buying used or having my ECU repaired ?

I'll check with the local NAPA store owner who is pretty knowledgeable about the OB 2 checkers, that he sells, and resetting the ECU.

I read the Owners manual concerning jump starting and found nothing prohibitive.

I once connected the charger reversed on my Acura and the main fuse burned when I tried to start. $ 2.25 replacement from NAPA. Thanks be to engineers who keep us from harm.

I did not connect reversed on the Infiniti though.

Thanks for the help. RAP

[qship96]

Before replacing the ECU, have you checked the relays, fuses, and fusable links? All of them?

[RAP]

Before replacing the ECU, have you checked the relays, fuses, and fusable links? All of them?

That is being done and has been. There are some ECU's listed for sale, on the net, used, and they aren't very expensive ?

BTW is replacing the ECU a simple plug and play?

I am thinking that the alternator diodes may have been damaged? By selecting the "boost" feature of the battery charger a high dosage of amps is sent into the electrical system of the car. I know that in the start process power comes from the battery first, and then from the alternator ? When I started the engine, it seems to have revved up higher than normal then it died. I also think that the engine will, or should, run on battery power until it dies out if there is no power from the alternator? Thoughts ?

RAP

[maxnix]

I shouldn't, but it will.

Was the ground from the charger on the battery or engine block?

Can the OBD II scanner see the ECU?

[RAP]

I shouldn't, but it will.

Was the ground from the charger on the battery or engine block?

Can the OBD II scanner see the ECU?

The negative lead from the charger was connected to the negative post on the battery.

I don't know if the scanner "can see" the ECU. It is supposed to read the codes stored and there are none ?

I spoke to the service manager at the nearest Infiniti dealer and he was nice and forthcoming. But not much more. He did state that connecting a boost charger to the dead battery should not do anything adverse ?

If no codes come up then it's more complicated finding a fault the service manger did say ?

I may well have to trailer the car over to them. which I am not adverse to doing but...

Thanks for the help RAP

[Kiven422]

I did have the battery tested/checked by the local NAPA store using their latest electronic tester. The battery tested OK. I also have a DVOM which also indicated good.

I recently bought a brand new battery from Kracken. The battery failed to start my car. Took it back to Krackheads and they tested the battery A O K and charged it and would not give me a replacement.

Would not start car.... Took it to another Kracken... had the battery tested, test failed battery was bad the whole shmuckin time! And they calmly replaced my brand new battery with another one.

So..... take it to another NAPA maybe?

[maxnix]

I don't know if the scanner "can see" the ECU. It is supposed to read the codes stored and there are none ?

If it can reset it, it can see the ECU. If it cannot, you may have a fubared ECU.

[RAP]

I think that my no start problem has been found ?

The mechs and I think it's the "cam angle sensor". With no help from codes stored or any other gizmos the guys did some simple checks using a "noid lite" and are fairly sure that sensor is the problem. The problem they duplicated was what happened to me at the outset. The car starts, runs for 2-3 seconds and dies. The noid lite fires one time and no more.

I agreed and ordered a new CAS from "Joe/Chris". Should be 390 bucks sent to me. Our local NAPA price is 425 plus taxes. The NAPA one is probably from the same source as the Infiniti's ?

I am curious if a CAS problem would show up if the car was hooked up to a Consult? Shouldn't there be a malfunction code displayed ?

For the unknowing, the Cam Angle Sensor acts as a distributor on the Q45. If anyone remembers what a distributor was and what it used to do? In fact it the CAS looks like a small distributor and is mechanically attaches to the end of the camshaft, at the front of the engine, left bank, through the valve cover.

The CAS on the Acura I have, is an electronic device that has no moving parts but has magnetic pick-ups.

http://www.AA1Car.com has excellent explainitions about car electronic systems.

RAP

[maxnix]

The NAPA one is probably from the same source as the Infiniti's ?

Joe is Japanese OEM. NAPA is either Chinese or rebuilt OEM.

Hope they are correct. Did they check and verify the connector and wiring before ordering new one?

[Q45tech]

CAS have a dual circuit inside as a backup. Never seen one totally fail to the point of causing a no crank situation. Easy to test just examine the two set of output pulses as starter rotates engine.

Eventually [enough miles] rust and corrosion can build up inside causing drops outs in data stream and random misfires especially at high rpms.

Follow trouble shooting proceedure in FSM...............ECU will show codes if a failure was the reason engine died the first time but failure to crank cannot show a code as ecu never got to operating condition [idle rpm].

[RAP]

At the outset of the problem the engine did start but stopped after 2-3 seconds. Granted I figured that since codes were not displayed it was because the engine did not run long enough for the system to react.

The car is now at 100 K and at the end of it's trouble free life ? ? ?

The NAPA CAS is a new one. Is a rebuilt available ? ? ? I didn't check.

In any event a new CAS is on the way and I'll soon find out if our diagnosis is correct.

RAP