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I have a 90 bluebird motor in my b13 and it died on me a couple weeks ago, I want to get it running again, but don't know where to start and am low on $$$.
Any advice would be greatly appriciated!
I recently replaced the radiator, alternator, and cleaned the AAC valve. It was dropping too low idol after pressing in the clutch, then one day it actually died and won't start again. It will try and turn over but nothing, fuel pump works fine, and everything looks ok. It does sound like it's about to start sometimes, but doesn't and every 3rd or fourth try to start it, sounds like it is trying really hard, risistance in the engine somewhere. I don't really want to pull it apart to check the timing chain, or chains, but I will if I have to. Checked all the turbo lines and intercooler piping for leaks, and it all looks good.
What should I check next? It won't clutch start either, I tried and it just stopped it dead.
Could be a low battery charge or a worn out ignition.
After the engine stops "trying" to turn over, does it make a click sound? If so, the battery is dead.
If the battery isn't dead the ignition may be worn.
If the ignition is worn out the key will be very loose and have trouble making good contact with the ignition switch. Try this:
While you turn the key to START, push the key into the ignition (as far as it will go), then, if there's still nothing, pry the key (up, down, front, back, diagonally) until you hear a click. Once you hear a click, hold the key in that position and wait for the starter to engage, it may take longer than you expect.
Try it several times, and re-clutch each time.
My ignition has well over 200k miles and has the most trouble cold starting in cold weather.
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Lots of b13 parts FS
check my latest threads
ALSO make sure your alternator wires are hooked up properly. check that your spark plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, ignitor chip, and ignition coil are plugged in and making good contact (i.e. no corrosion, no obviously broken wires, loose plugs).
It may be a dumb question, but when you pop-started the car, was your key in the ignition and turned to the ON position?
yea it was turned to on. the battery is good, the subs still hit good. checked all electrical stuff.
if the engine won't start when you pop the clutch, its either getting no spark or no fuel.
all the stuff I mentioned earlier and which you say you've checked covers the spark half of the equation.
to check for fuel you can pull the fuel rail and see if the injectors fire when you crank the ignition. make sure feed and return lines aren't mixed up at the tank.
were you driving it when the engine died? was it making weird noises before or did it just have a rough idle? please describe what happened in more detail. i'm just not understanding your situation.
Last edited by Lemniscate; 01-05-2011 at 01:00 AM.
thanks For your help! it was driving just fine low idol almost too low after driving, it would kind of bog out, but would fix itself after dropping really low, like down to 50 nearly dead, than come back to normal. one day driving it dropped so low it stalled, and hasn't started since.
It was not making any strange noises or anything before it died, and the only time the idol dropped like that is when I pressed in the clutch. The only thing I changed recently was fixed a vacum leak in the intake manifold, and took it in for an oil change (the day before it died for the oil), I don't know what they could have done, but it died the next morning. I have checked the AAC valve, the fuel pump (under the back seats, walbro255), and checked to see if I get a spark, by pulling plug caps and placing by ground, and all seems well. The only things that stand out is a small amount of oil in the area around the spark plugs, but I am pretty sure the gasket is ok. Pullys move fine when it cranks, and it sounds like it is almost going to start, then right when is sounds like its going to start, it stops, and sounds like its out of gas, but the pump comes on when I turn key to "on." Ignition seems fine. I just don't know..... Sorry for lack of technical info. Thanks for your help so far!
This car has been so much work, but I am really reluctant to get rid of it. I would think by now there is nothing left to fix. Engine swap about a year ago, new lines hoses, needs a power stearing pump hose, but everything else should be perfect.
As far as I can tell it is...
This morning I went out to give it a shot, and it just makes the starter clicking sound, won't even try to turn over now. System still bumps, so it's not a power issue. I have a feeling I need to check timing chain.
This morning I went out to give it a shot, and it just makes the starter clicking sound, won't even try to turn over now. System still bumps, so it's not a power issue. I have a feeling I need to check timing chain.
The starter takes quite a bit of juice to crank the engine. My friend's system, for example, would still bump even when his battery charge was too low to crank.
If the timing chain was broken you'd probably hear a horrible slapping sound when you cranked the engine.
I would try to jump-start the car (see if it will turn over) before tearing things apart. If the starter works with the jumpers hooked up, you'll know its a low battery charge and not a busted timing chain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dextersdarkside
Pullys move fine when it cranks, and it sounds like it is almost going to start, then right when is sounds like its going to start, it stops, and sounds like its out of gas, but the pump comes on when I turn key to "on."
So the ignition is good, the fuel pump is priming, the engine is (or was) turning over, but still no start?
have you:
checked injector harness plugs? (one two-wire harness connector is very close to the oil filter and may come loose or damaged during an oil change)
pulled the fuel rail to make sure the injectors are firing?
made sure the fuel feed and return lines weren't swapped by accident?
changed the fuel filter lately?
Last edited by Lemniscate; 01-05-2011 at 02:25 PM.
I just removed and cleaned out the AAC valve which is right by the oil filter, and made sure everything was plugged in over there. They shouldn't have touched the fuel lines during an oil change would they? It drove for a few hours after the change....
I'll look up how to pull the rail and check injectors. Check the fuel filter.
Jumping does nothing. Same click from starter...
I got some things to check, will be back later on..
Only other thing that has changed is I removed the AC lines, condenser has been gone for a while, but compresser is still in there so I don't have to buy new belts. (maybe putting more stress on the engine?)
Thank you again, for your time trying to help!!!
Last edited by dextersdarkside; 01-05-2011 at 06:27 PM.
I just removed and cleaned out the AAC valve which is right by the oil filter, and made sure everything was plugged in over there. They shouldn't have touched the fuel lines during an oil change would they? It drove for a few hours after the change....
I'll look up how to pull the rail and check injectors. Check the fuel filter.
Jumping does nothing. Same click from starter...
I got some things to check, will be back later on..
Only other thing that has changed is I removed the AC lines, condenser has been gone for a while, but compresser is still in there so I don't have to buy new belts. (maybe putting more stress on the engine?)
Thank you again, for your time trying to help!!!
Don't worry about the idle control. A dirty AACV may cause idle problems but it can't prevent your car's engine from starting up. The A/C compressor is nothing to worry about either so long as its not switched on.
When I mentioned the injector harness connector near the oil filter I didn't mean a 'fuel line'. What I'm referring to is an electrical power connection that hooks into the injector's wire harness (i.e. the plugs that hook into the injectors). If the connection is damaged the injectors may not open at all. This has as much to do with your engine getting fuel as the fuel pump turning on.
Your starter didn't respond to jumping?
Try it again if you didn't do it this way:
The car with full battery charge should be on and running at idle. Connect the positive then negative cables on each battery. Once hooked up, get into the fully-charged car and hold the engine at 2500 rpm to speed up the charge. After about 5 minutes get out and leave it running at idle. Get into the Sentra and turn the key to the ON position. Turn off all electrical accessories including the dome light, radio, headlights, fans, etc. Let the fuel pump prime completely before you push in the clutch and turn the key. Try it more than once and jiggle the key if you have to (as I described in my first post). If the starter still just "clicks", you either have a worn out ignition (jiggling/prying with the key will start it eventually if you have patience), a bad start signal connection, or a bad starter.
If, on the other hand, it starts, leave the jumper cables connected for another 10-15 minutes while it idles to help the alternator recharge the depleted battery.
If you can't make it run you can't diagnose your other problems.
Last edited by Lemniscate; 01-07-2011 at 05:34 PM.
It has been burried inder a foot of snow the past few days, but I tried jumping it again, and no luck, need to pull off some stuff and check it still. Also am going to check the main fuses, in the engine bay. I don't know what else. I'm going through what you have said and trying things, but it will be a day or two before it will be warm enough again. Thanks for all your help again, you have no idea how appriciated it is. :-)
It has been burried inder a foot of snow the past few days, but I tried jumping it again, and no luck, need to pull off some stuff and check it still. Also am going to check the main fuses, in the engine bay. I don't know what else. I'm going through what you have said and trying things, but it will be a day or two before it will be warm enough again. Thanks for all your help again, you have no idea how appriciated it is. :-)
You're welcome! I'm happy to help. Let me know how it goes.
Newest update.... pulled the fuel filter line to the engine and turned the key, saw a fountain of fuel, so it is not the pump or filter & the lines are good at the tank.
"to check for fuel you can pull the fuel rail and see if the injectors fire when you crank the ignition. make sure feed and return lines aren't mixed up at the tank."
How do I check to see if the injectors fire? pull the rail and see if they spray?
Then I did check the spark through the plug caps, put them by ground and they do shoot a spark. I don't have a deep socket to pull the actual plugs, and there is a tiny bit of oil on the caps when I pull them, but the oil was just changed.
The other thing I thought of was the ground wire to the alternator is just out there between the alternator housing and the fans, it is wrapped in electrical tape, but doesn't that have to be grounded? It would screw up the computer or something?
I'm going out to try to find a few screws to try and hook up the ground wire again. (6-8mm thread? I'm guessing) & try and hook it to one of the alternator housing screw holes (there are 2 open screw holes below the power on the alternator) since I can't tell where it is supposed to go, that should still be a ground?
Not sure what else to check, its low on juice from the bat, so I'll try and ground that and jump it again. Wish me luck....
Thanks again!
the ground wire to the alternator is just out there between the alternator housing and the fans, it is wrapped in electrical tape, but doesn't that have to be grounded?
Yes that ground wire needs to be hooked to the alternator. Either screw hole should do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dextersdarkside
How do I check to see if the injectors fire? pull the rail and see if they spray?
There are a few 12mm bolts that hold the fuel rail in place. Remove those and be careful not to lose the rubber spacers. Then the rail should come right out. Turn the key to crank the engine while watching the injector nozzles for spray.
... and there is a tiny bit of oil on the caps when I pull them, but the oil was just changed.
If you have oil on the spark plugs, you probably need new orings that are under the valve cover.
and if your plugs(tip) got oil on them they wont fire.
Last edited by unijabnx2000; 01-17-2011 at 04:08 PM.
Well it sounds like its trying again, after fixing the ground cable, but still won't come on all the way. Will check the injectors in the morning, and see about the o-rings, I don't have lots of tools or experience to remove valve covers, but will do some research and see if I can pull it off.
Thanks for the input!
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Let me know how it goes.
