Started - Crappy Idle - Died - Won't start

[Katapl]

I started my car and it initially idled like crap (this happens a lot. it's probably one of a few dirty idle-start related valves). I decided to let the car go on it's own and see if it could correct the idle. It normally dips from 1100 rpms to 600'ish rpms and back and forth for a few seconds. Well, it didn't, and it died instead of raising the idle back up. I tried restarting it, and all it did was crank. I could smell fresh fuel from the exhaust. I tried starting it with the throttle open at that point, and it wouldn't fire at all. I cranked it a bit more, couldn't smell as much fuel, but still no luck.

My alternator has been on it's deathbed for a while now. Do you guys think it finally died? It's really kinda cold out, so I'd rather not go through a whole checklist of troubleshooting. I'm just looking for advice and possibilities at the moment.

[jml062088]

wow sounds exactly what mine is doing, running very rich...try taking the spark plugs out, if they are black like mine were just clean them off cause mine were brand new i just used brake clean and a rag, then check your oil cause you might have gas in it like i did, well still do 3 oil changes later in the same week HA im going crazy but after you clean the plugs and change the oil you should start. but it will run like poop and the motor shakes like crazy, at least thats what mine is doing, i did have two codes, o2 and maf but i got a new o2 and i haven't gotten the new maf yet thats around 500.00 at the Nissan dealer around the way, the techs over there have no idea what there doing when it came to my car, lame. but once you get it started i drove her around my neighborhood and my little sis was watching me drive down the street, when i got back she was like you had huge blue flames coming out the exhaust!!! i wish i got pics of that lol. other then the maf and o2 sen im thinking it can be stuck valves or valve, my timing and compression is good says the dealer... but if i find out anything else ill let ya know... how are your vacuume lines? check that too thats what im going to do tomorrow, pull the intake man and redo all the vacuume lines and take out the egr valve... hopefullf that will help out ill let ya know though...

[Katapl]

Well, I have a CA18DET swap. When it ran, it was running perfect. Like I mentioned, it only had a crap idle until it warmed up a bit. Then when any load was put on the alternator (i.e. electric fan + headlights) it started bogging down the engine when it idled. That's why I'm wondering if my alternator finally gave way. I can't imagine how it was running so nicely a day ago, and today won't even fire up.

[ghx407]

Does the car still crank when you try to start it?

Start by checking your alternator belt, alternator and battery. If the alternator wasn't operating properly, the car's electrical systems probably ran the last miles on battery power alone and drained it, causing the battery to have little or no energy to crank the car when you try to start it.

[Katapl]

It currently cranks perfectly, but it just wont fire now.

[ghx407]

Hmm. I just assumed the car wasn't cranking in my previous post.

Well if the car still cranks, but doesn't start, it could a million things. Time to man up and do some troubleshooting.

[Katapl]

I had the alternator tested at AutoZone, and apparently, it tested out good. I find it hard to believe, and I still think it's not putting out enough for the accessories it has to keep up.

Anyway, before I put the alternator back on, I checked for spark, and it was there! So I put the alternator back on, put everything back together, hit the key, and nothing. I checked for spark, once again, and it wasn't getting any. Why am I not getting spark with the alternator back on?

Also, immediately after you stop cranking the car (i.e. let go of the key), it almost sounds like it's arcing from somewhere towards the back passenger side of the engine bay.

Any more help is appreciated. I'm almost ready to kill myself here.

[richcoosa19]

From what I have been able to understand it sounds like you have a bad fusible link possibly. Have you checked all of your fuses and such also? Also have you checked for any corrosion on the cables going to the battery, starter and alternator? It sounds like the alternator is somehow killing the ignition system. I would normally say bad coil, but you said it was getting spark before you hooked up the alternator again. Are you sure you have the alternator hooked up right and didn't accidently switch the two cables that go on the back of it?

[Katapl]

There was no way to switch the cables that went on the back of this alternator. They were all different. I haven't checked fuses yet, but I'm likely to do that tonight. The battery cables, terminals etc are only 4 days old.