Starter Problem? I thought so! Replaced twice so far... Help!!

97ka-t · 08-26-2008, 08:10 PM

1996 5spd Maxima - Long story short- the car was running just fine, starting no problem. The next day, the starter would not engage with the flywheel. The car will start as long as it is pushed a bit (as is typical with a bad starter). The flywheel is in grade A condition. The starter was replaced with an Advance Autoparts one and the same problem occured. It was then replaced with an Autozone starter, and the same problem is still present. Is it a bad ground? All wires are connected... I don't know what else to do here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Snypa · 08-26-2008, 09:16 PM

Well from reading around the org, hitting it normally helps, but your being so new, that shouldnt be the case. I say grounding issues. Lets hear what others say.

thedwyer00 · 08-26-2008, 09:49 PM

Check and make sure that you are getting power to the starter. It could be that you have a short in the power line.

*JSMax* · 08-26-2008, 09:54 PM

or that autozone starter was re-built by someone getting paid like $1/day to rebuild those. Chances are those are going to be crappy and they will keep failing on you. Suck it up and purchase a factory nissan rebuilt one.
I personally have gone through 3 autozone starters for my nissan in the past 2 years and finally swithced to a nissan dealership one. It's all good now.
good luck.

mista0406 · 08-26-2008, 09:57 PM

could be your alternator also... get that checked.

rm4628 · 08-26-2008, 10:18 PM

I would check for proper ground first and also batt. terminals.

alset2 · 08-27-2008, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97ka-t

1996 5spd Maxima - Long story short- the car was running just fine, starting no problem. The next day, the starter would not engage with the flywheel. The car will start as long as it is pushed a bit (as is typical with a bad starter). The flywheel is in grade A condition. The starter was replaced with an Advance Autoparts one and the same problem occured. It was then replaced with an Autozone starter, and the same problem is still present. Is it a bad ground? All wires are connected... I don't know what else to do here. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

so does the starter "spin" but dont turn the flywheel?
or does the starter do nothing?
by your post it sounds like the starter is engaging but not turning the flywheel,if this is the case you could have a bad spot on the flywheel. a lot of people will take the starter off and see the teeth and think the rest of the flywheel is ok...this is not always the case. with the starter off you will want to mark the flywheel and then manually turn it all the way around to confirm all the teeth are good.
usaully you will get some warning of this happening in the form of "grinding" when you start the car sometimes.
if the sarter does nothing ,the 1st thing would be to check if the switch wires(at the starter) is getting power when you turn the key to "start" position and go from there.
hope this helps

97ka-t · 08-28-2008, 10:29 AM

The ground is good. It's getting enough voltage. It's set properly with the flywheel. I just don't know what's going on with it!
Any more ideas?

shilov · 08-28-2008, 01:04 PM

What do you mean when saying "the starter would not engage with the flywheel"? Is it spinning freely without rotating the flywheel?

What actually hapends when you turn the key?

97ka-t · 08-28-2008, 07:16 PM

Yes that's what happening - when you crank it, the starter is turning but not engaging. Something with the connector at the ignition? It was running just fine before. Started without problems. Idled fine.

QNO_A32 · 08-28-2008, 07:23 PM

it might be spinning but not pushing the gear out. it is a cheap starter try another one.

97ka-t · 08-28-2008, 07:34 PM

The same thing happened with my original OEM starter. I just don't understand how that can happen with three starters, one of them being OEM. The teeth on the original OEM starter are in fine condition. No shorts in the wires, etc.

Abelman · 09-07-2008, 01:21 PM

I think I'm having the same problem - I just replaced my starter for the second time. The first time I replaced it, it gradually got worse and worse and then didn't start at all after 3-4 months. The new one is starting but doesn't sound right and seems like it's headed in the same direction as the previous one.

My mechanic tells me that he's seen this problem before with other maximas and that the transmission may need to be taken out and cleaned.

Any thoughts on this?

thanks

SE-R_Tech · 09-07-2008, 03:27 PM

You need to use an OEM starter. I can not tell you how many after market starters Ive seen fail.