random no start condition, plz help!

[wantz87]

hey nissan gurus!!!! i'm having a hard time with my 1990 nissan 240 stock auto single cam. 3 random times this past week it has refused to start for me. once when it was cold, once when it was warm and once when it was sitting for about 15-20 minutes. i've checked all of the fuses and the spark gaps and can't figure it out. and several times in he time between these occurences it starts no problems at all. has anyone else had this problem and figured it out? anyone know what i need to check further?the first two times it didn't start for about 10 minutes then randomly started again(warm and semi warm) the last time, today it didn't start for an hour(cold)

[jetroy240]

what do u mean by no start? Does the engine cranks but will not run or does not crank at all?

[scottydog]

If it randomly doesn't turn over (just clicks) you have a bad starter. Starters get bad spots on the rotor. Next time it won't turn over hit the starter with a hammer and try again. Then put in a new starter.

[wantz87]

sorry, m'bad. it does crank, but it doesn't catch. the first two times it happened, it sounded like it started with a slow idle, but no matter how much gas i gave it, it would just stall and die. this last time though it didn't even get that far. gawd i hope it's not the starter, my friend that rebuilds them for me for free just moved away....

[jetroy240]

well if it cranks, it means ur starter works . I would check d fuel pressure first, possible a bad fuel pump. Any codes?

[showtime33772]

a bad knock sensor would do this

[wantz87]

hey everyone, i went through the car, found out my timing was 10 degrees off... and the plugs were slightly off gap specs.... but everything else checked out fine. but then i did it again today. i figured it must not be getting fuel, pull off the hose and get a faceful of gas. change nothing and it started right up. this is really starting to get to me, i drive far distances and can't when it keeps stalling on me.....

[Airmanspecial]

you should put a pressure gage on it...you need 37 psi, but on another note...check the EGR valve....ive had a similar problem as of late, its on the back of the intake manifol youll see a diaprhram lookin dodad on top(kind of in the middle...) with vacum lines leading down...thats where it is, check to ses if you can push the valves diaphram up and have it go back down on its own, then apply suction to the top vacuum hose(if you dont have a pump...suck on it) if you get sucktion, and the valve actuates then its good

[slideways13.4]

you should put a pressure gage on it...you need 37 psi, but on another note...check the EGR valve....ive had a similar problem as of late, its on the back of the intake manifol youll see a diaprhram lookin dodad on top(kind of in the middle...) with vacum lines leading down...thats where it is, check to ses if you can push the valves diaphram up and have it go back down on its own, then apply suction to the top vacuum hose(if you dont have a pump...suck on it) if you get sucktion, and the valve actuates then its good

zerothread?id=395406&postid=4376931

(picture of the egr valve)

it doesnt sound like this is ur problem but a while back my car would start perfect no hesitation and one day al of a sudden i went to start my car and i let go of the key too fast and when i went to try and start it again the car wouldnt turn over. finnaly after a couple of times trying to start it turned over and started. then a couple of days later it wouldnt start and i had to push start it and then it would start perfect. it kept doing this so i changed the started and no more problems. i know this probably isnt ur case since ur car turns over but wont start

[bigpinktits]

This is exactly what mine is doing too. zer...start is my post.