Starter is failing...

[mrsmithGrider]

I have a 2003 G35 and on Monday I have noticed that it is getting harder and harder to start the car. I have an After market alarm that also allows me to start the car. I find it easier for the car to start for me to do this way. Yesterday even with the remote it was hard for me to start the car. I took it Auto zone and they tested the battary, alternator and starter and found the starter to be the cause. I order a starter from them and was wondering how hard is it to install a new starter....

[loystock]

It seems a bit early for the starter to fail. Most likely, you have a 'sticky' starter due to gunk build up on the motor side and dried up mechanical side (pinion and planetary gears). If you are electro-mechanically inclined, you can dis-assemble the starter (put alignment marks for ease of re-assembly) and refurbish it.Clean the front-end (gears) with carb cleaner, let it dry and then lubricate with White Lithium grease. For the motor side, use contact cleaner to clean the rotor, stator etc. Re-assemble and check for operation - start solenoid first and then the actual starter. You can use the car battery and jumper cables. Remember, the starter frame serves as the Ground (-, return side). For the starter test, make sure it is secured as it can 'jump' during testing.

That's what I did on both starters for the I30s - so far, so good. No problem so far with the M and the Qs.

So if you were able to refurbish the starter, you saved some money. BTW, the starter you bought form AZ is probably refurbished. For as long as you don't install it, you can return it to them.

Below is the link for Starter Removal Installation (EC-19) and Starter Dis-Assembly (EC-20). You may need a breaker bar to loosen the starter mounting bolts.

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/G35/Sedan/2003/sc.pdf

[redbaronk]

It could be the starter depending on how frequently the car is started and shut down each day. I was in an occupation that involved a lot of traveling, so on each day I'd be turning my car on and off like 6 times... That wore out the starter on my old car till it died.

Do u turn on ur car a lot?

[mrsmithGrider]

@loystock....I thought 100k miles was very premature. My family has a 1993 Infiniti Q45 with 205k miles on it and has never replaced the starter and thanks for your info ill take a look at the PDF and see if thats something i can do.
@redbaronk.. no i usually only go to work and to the gym each day and thats about it..

[mrsmithGrider]

Is there a video or DIY for a starter replacement? I searched but couldnt find anything.

[mrsmithGrider]

Got it fixed....Had a coworker that had a lift replace the starter for me. Works fine now.

[mrsmithGrider]

SOOO back to sqaure one.... Let me rewind..when my mechanic took the old starter off he said it looked good and tested it and said it work fine(This was after he installed the remanufactored stater on my car). And didnt know why the guys at the autozone tested my car and said it was the starter. Fast forward when he connected everything back I started the and it barely wanted to start but after i attempted to start it the second time it fired right up and i cut it off and tried it again and it started right up.....two days later it started doing what the old starter was doing which is..taking at least four tries to start the car. This is very annoying and some times embarressing. IF its not the alternator or battery or starter...what can be causing this?? Just for infiniti or nissan to take a look at it its 90 bucks which I already spent money for the new starter and for it to be replaced so im really getting frustrated at this point. Help please!

[telcoman]

SOOO back to sqaure one.... Let me rewind..when my mechanic took the old starter off he said it looked good and tested it and said it work fine(This was after he installed the remanufactored stater on my car). And didnt know why the guys at the autozone tested my car and said it was the starter. Fast forward when he connected everything back I started the and it barely wanted to start but after i attempted to start it the second time it fired right up and i cut it off and tried it again and it started right up.....two days later it started doing what the old starter was doing which is..taking at least four tries to start the car. This is very annoying and some times embarressing. IF its not the alternator or battery or starter...what can be causing this?? Just for infiniti or nissan to take a look at it its 90 bucks which I already spent money for the new starter and for it to be replaced so im really getting frustrated at this point. Help please!

How did autozone test your battery?
How old is the battery?

A cheap and simple test is to use a battery hydrometer and take specific gravity readings of each of the 6 cells

About $10.00



If all the cells are about 1.260 indicating a full charge, then perhaps it is a bad ground cable or connection?

The starting circuit is both simple and complex as you'll see in reading the pdf attached in an above post.
Battery to ground as the starter draws a huge amout of current while cranking the engine. Weak cells or a poor ground is going to cause a substantial voltage drop preventing the starter from receiving 12 volts to crank the engine.

The dealer is expensive but they will find the problem in short order and guarantee their work.
The next choice would be an automotive shop that rebuilds alternators and starters.
If you go with a rebuilt one it is always better to have a shop rebuild your original one.
Thats what I did with the starter in my 1988 Mazda 929 when the starter failed at 190k miles

Good luck

Telcoman

[mrsmithGrider]

I bought the battery four months ago and they tested with some sort of machine...I dont know the name of the machine..they tested the battery, starter, and alternator and showed low voltage coming from the starter. Which leads me to think that for some reason by the time the battery send juice to the starter its not the full 12 volts needed to start the car fully up. Which is why it takes three tries or more to start it. When my mechanic took the old starter off it worked perfectly so it wasnt the starter I guess it was the power lost coming from the battery.

[telcoman]

I bought the battery four months ago and they tested with some sort of machine...I dont know the name of the machine..they tested the battery, starter, and alternator and showed low voltage coming from the starter. Which leads me to think that for some reason by the time the battery send juice to the starter its not the full 12 volts needed to start the car fully up. Which is why it takes three tries or more to start it. When my mechanic took the old starter off it worked perfectly so it wasnt the starter I guess it was the power lost coming from the battery.

What was the cca rating of the replacement battery?
What was the date code on the replacement battery?
Batteries that were deeply discharged can sometimes never be brought up to a full charge.
If you read the pdf in the above post you need a battery with at least a 550 cca rating. I'd go with one with a higher cca rating as long as it fits. Just because the battery was replaced 4 months ago doesn't mean its not the cause of your problem. The only way to determine if all the cells are accepting a full charge is to take specific gravity readings.

Telcoman

[loystock]

As in my earlier post, it's too early for the starter to fail. The interlock/starter relay may also be failing. There is also a possibility your remote starter is contributing to the issue. Make sure your battery connections are clean and tight as well as the connection to the starter. Check the connector as well as cable for any corrosion, clean as required. In some cases, corroded cables need to be replaced.

A hydrometer is nice to have to measure SG (specific gravity) which determines the battery charge level. But a voltmeter can be used to check battery condition. A fully charged battery must have 12.6 VDC or more (corresponding to 1.265 SG). At 12.4 VDC, SG is @ 1.225 or 75% charge. At 12.2 VDC, SG is @ 1.190 or 50% charge. A voltage less than 12 VDC indicates a discharged battery.

[mrsmithGrider]

I took it in to Nissan (Closet by my home and work) and they ran every test known to man on the car including checking the electrical grounds. They said it isnt the battery, starter or anything like that. No codes came up on the computer and they are 90 percent sure that its the fuel pump. They said they had issues with other nissan vehicles that had problems starting with no codes coming up and replaced the fuel pump and problem solved. My point is this.... isnt it too soon for the fuel pump to go? They waived the diagnostic fee and i took my car with me until more research is done on this...its getting very frustrating. They said its hard to pin point because no codes are coming up and the car passed all the preliminary checks. Is this a common problem with the fuel pump failing and causing starting issues??

[telcoman]

I took it in to Nissan (Closet by my home and work) and they ran every test known to man on the car including checking the electrical grounds. They said it isnt the battery, starter or anything like that. No codes came up on the computer and they are 90 percent sure that its the fuel pump. They said they had issues with other nissan vehicles that had problems starting with no codes coming up and replaced the fuel pump and problem solved. My point is this.... isnt it too soon for the fuel pump to go? They waived the diagnostic fee and i took my car with me until more research is done on this...its getting very frustrating. They said its hard to pin point because no codes are coming up and the car passed all the preliminary checks. Is this a common problem with the fuel pump failing and causing starting issues??

A fully charged battery will result in the starter cranking the engine. A failing fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter will result in the starter cranking the engine but the engine failing to start.
You also need spark from the coil packs.

I think you made a mistake by taking your vehicle to Nissan. I would expect a fully qualified and certified Infiniti technician would be able to pinpoint the problem within an hour.
Your thread inspired me to check my battery as it was coming up on 5 years old. Five of my cells were fully charged. The sixth cell was reading between the green zone and white indicating the single cell was no longer accepting a full charge. I replaced the battery a couple of days ago.

No codes came up on the computer and they are 90 percent sure that its the fuel pump. the fuel pump failing and causing starting issues??

90% sure is not acceptable at least not to me.

Either it is the fuel pump or it isn't. Your vehicle should still be cranking normally with a good battery and starter.

Was a fuel pressure test performed?

If they replace the fuel pump and you still have a problem are they going to give you a refund?

Take it to a Infiniti dealer and bite the bullet. I've had my share of A$$holes working on my vehicles over the years and no longer trust any of them touching my G

Just my $.02

Good luck

Telcoman

[chris01919]

6 times a day to start a car is really nothing. Starters are meant to last quite awhile so if the problem is, in fact, the starter, chances are that it was defective...or had just been used a lottttt.

[tollboothwilley]

I bet its your car alarm/remote starter. Weak signal from the key transponder...thats my guess.

[kmckis1029]

if the battery is good and the starter is good, then that points to what ever is between them...

+1
check your remote start first and foremost
check relays
check wire connections