Motor turns over but won't crank

MARRIEDTOSHITDOG

MEMBER
NISSAN SENTRA

HELP! My daughter has a 1995 Nissan Sentra GXE with 120,000 miles on it. We moved it from the front of the house to the driveway before leaving for a 1 week vacation. When we returned the motor would turn over but it will not start. We had it towed to a repair shop and they aren't sure what is wrong. There are some metal shaving in the oil pan. There was a little but of oil on one of the spark plugs. There IS spark. We were told it may have "jumped time" or the timing chain may have broken. Prior to this the car ran fine. There were no strange noises when it was moved from the front of the house to the driveway prior to it sitting for a week. Any ideas! HELP!

5 Replies

BRUCE HUNT

MECHANIC
3,754 POSTS

How much metal shavings were in the oil. Did the garage scan the computer?

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Saturday, January 6th, 2007 AT 3:13 PM

MARRIEDTOSHITDOG

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3 POSTS

We were told "a few". Nothing significant. Not sure if they checked the computer. The check engine light was not on prior to this nor is it on when we try to start the car. Someone said it could be some sort of tension or retention guides (or something like that?) That could have broken? Something to do with the timming chain but not as bad as the timing chain breaking?

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Saturday, January 6th, 2007 AT 3:32 PM

RASMATAZ

MECHANIC
75,992 POSTS

It probably jumped timing-due to the tensioner being loose and the chainguide being ruin by the chain hitting it.

Remove the distributor cap have someone be cranking it while observing the rotor spining without lacking, No spin means either a damage distributor drive or a jumping or not tracking accordingly.

You mentioned got spark, how about fuel- when ignition is turn On-do you hear the fuel pump running for a few seconds.

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Sunday, January 7th, 2007 AT 12:42 AM

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