2000 Nissan Sentra cranks but will not turn over

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Messages
460
Location
Southeast
Hey guys my 1.8l Nissan Sentra with 230k is having issues this morning. It cranks but does not turn over. You can hear it trying and I can hear the fuel pump engage but nothing! I took off the coil boots and used a spare spark plug to see if it would spark when I tested and nothing. I first tried putting a bit of pressure on the boot when the wife was cranking up the car, no spark. So I moved it over to the intake manifold to try and ground the prong and the bottom and nothing. What would you guys recommend at this point? It has about a half tank gas in there as well.

edit: I forgot to mention the cars been running fine all week and this just started this morning.
 
Last edited:
I was not able to pull the plug due to not having the spark plug socket for the socket wrench. I used a few old good plug to pull the coilpacks and test that.
 
Hmmm.... you just need fuel, air, and spark to get running. It sounds like the spark isn't there based on what you've done so far. It seems odd to get no spark everywhere since this is a coil on plug design. My guess is a bad cam or crank position sensor preventing spark and fuel. Here is how I would proceed FWIW:

1. Verify no codes present
2. Verify fuel is being injected by pulling a plug. If you have no fuel and no spark it is likely a sensor problem, and the ECM is stopping fuel injection and spark.
3. If no fuel, verify no blown fuses. (You said you can hear the fuel pump so I would say this is unlikely unless it is the injector circuit fuse)
4. Check other fuses while looking around

Here is another guide:
http://troubleshootmyvehicle.com/nissan/1.8L/how-to-test-a-no-start-condition-1

Good luck
 
That's the crazy thing the cam/crank sensors were replaced a little over a year ago. But I can still check them. How do you go about diagnosing that outside of a code? Do I just unplug the connector from the sensor then try and start the car?
 
Originally Posted By: Rtstrider
That's the crazy thing the cam/crank sensors were replaced a little over a year ago. But I can still check them. How do you go about diagnosing that outside of a code? Do I just unplug the connector from the sensor then try and start the car?


Most vehicles won't run at all without either of those sensors. When you replaced the sensors were good quality ones used?

A lot of time extended crank issues are caused by one of the sensors not working so well and the computer takes its time to figure out where both are to get the car running
 
Cranking is turning over. It cranks but doesn't fire.

Check youtube for testing sensors with a multimeter.
 
Originally Posted By: MarkM66
Cranking is turning over. It cranks but doesn't fire.

Check youtube for testing sensors with a multimeter.


Exactly.

It's hard to help anyone who would say such a thing...my attitude is: Really? You gonna title a post like that, and expect me to explain something to you, because I doubt you would understand or follow.
 
Basic test (I know it is probably beneath you):
Load test the battery?
Make sure that the starter is good?
Check with the Nissan forum crowd, see if they have similar problems and what is their solutions.
 
Yep it's turning over but is not sparking. Just tried starting it with starter fluid and nothing. So it's spark it looks like.
 
There's the spirit PHISHIN! In all seriousness it's likes starting a mower without a spark plug. You can hear it's trying to startup but that's it.
 
That's what I was thinking as well. However I cannot really afford to guess so I had it towed to the mechanics. He said he was able to get it running but it was idling really high. He turned the car off and then same thing. It would turn over but it wouldn't crank up all the way. He said the IAC and no spark sounds like it very well could be the ECM. So now I wait to hear back. Hoping for good news!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top