Not starting

Tiny
JAY PARKER
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 NISSAN SENTRA
  • 1.6L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 213,000 MILES
A while back I stayed over at a friend's house, and when I went to leave the next day my car wouldn't start (or even crank). After a bit of testing, got it down to it being a bad starter. Got it towed home, replaced the starter. Now it cranks but won't start. I've already replaced the distributor cap, rotor, wireset, spark plugs, and battery terminals (corroded bad). Still just cranks but won't start. I used a test light, and a power probe for actual measurements, to see if there was spark in the wireset. There was not. I checked for fuel. I seem to be getting some, as the tube that it goes through to get to the spark plugs has fuel going through when I try to start it. I kept the distributor off and had someone try to start it to see if there was a spark in the distributor. There is spark inside, I can visibly see it. Yet somehow it doesn't travel to the new cap.
Thursday, September 8th, 2016 AT 3:28 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Try resetting security system if no manual look online for your car on how to do it.
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Friday, September 9th, 2016 AT 6:38 AM
Tiny
JAY PARKER
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  • 4 POSTS
The security system can prevent a spark from going to the plugs? Never heard of that but then again I've seem some pretty odd things happen in on component due to another that wouldn't be thought of. So I'll look into that.
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Friday, September 9th, 2016 AT 12:38 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Security systems are made to shut the car down which can be cutting off spark or fuel or both. Also some do not let the car turn over to start. It depends on the manufacturer how they set them up
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Friday, September 9th, 2016 AT 12:44 PM
Tiny
JAY PARKER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I'm not even sure mine actually has a security system like that. It is a 1996 Nissan Sentra GXE. I dont even have a key fob for it, nor a light on my dash for an alarm. I dont think it even has the immobilizer system in it. But after a bit more testing, I learned it DOES have spark, me just being newish to this kind of work, I didnt test it right the first time. So back to square one. Gonna look into seeing if my fuel pump is messed up. Do you know how to test that?
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Friday, September 9th, 2016 AT 5:23 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Yes see link https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 4:51 AM
Tiny
JAY PARKER
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Okay, now I wanted to google some first but I'm not finding anything on it. When I did my spark test again, the spark that bounced to my tester was yellow (at the end of my wire), and from what I've found, it should be brighter. But I can't find anything or anywhere that actually tells me what could be wrong or can weaken my spark at the end of the wire, when it is white hot in the distributor itself.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 12:21 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Check fuses and items in pic like the relay that is shown. Then scan for codes.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016 AT 4:18 PM

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