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Car dies a couple seconds after start up

02-06 
6K views 47 replies 9 participants last post by  Prerna Tiwari 
#1 ·
Fixed one problem now i ran into another ����*♂ when i start my car it turns on fine but tweaks out at first then it idles around 1000 rpm for a couple seconds then it slowly drops until the car turns off. When im driving it seems fine but if i come up to a stop i have to give it gas or else the engine turns off. And the check engine light is not turning on. What could this mean?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8OI1HMWyc

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#10 ·
this is a very common replacement item for me

i generally just replace them both, using oem parts
when the same symptoms start

eventually they will throw a code
but by then, in my case, i cant get the car to start

Factory shop manuals have the location and procedure
[located on site]
you tube has loads of vids
even think their are some" how to's" posted on site
 
#14 ·
Possibly. For whatever reason the cam and crank sensors take a while to show up on Nissans. The cam sensor is located next to the coolant inlet on the drivers side of the head, right on top with a green clip. The crank sensor is honestly a real bitch. Its way down in the back and you have to get it from the top by reaching over the intake manifold. Im 6'5" with long arms and it was still difficult for me to reach. All you need is a 1/4" 10mm socket for these.

But starting up fine and dying after starting leaves me suspicious about the real issue. Usually these sensors cause a crank no start or hard start problem. Your issue could be something like a throttle body being caked up around the throttle plate. This will not usually throw a code. Hard to say really. The original vid posted is no longer available. After it dies is it easy to start up again?
 
#16 ·
Possibly. For whatever reason the cam and crank sensors take a while to show up on Nissans. The cam sensor is located next to the coolant inlet on the drivers side of the head, right on top with a green clip. The crank sensor is honestly a real bitch. Its way down in the back near the firewalland you have to get it from the top by reaching over the intake manifold. Im 6'5" with long arms and it was still difficult for me to reach. All you need is a 1/4" 10mm socket for these.

But starting up fine and dying after starting leaves me suspicious about the real issue. Usually these sensors cause a crank no start or hard start problem. Your issue could be something like a throttle body being caked up around the throttle plate. This will not usually throw a code. Hard to say really. The original vid posted is no longer available. After it dies is it easy to start up again?
true
however usually, they will have thrown a code by the time they don't start
just before they go[totally] they can exhibit these kind of symptoms
imo

but if crank sensor, it will eventually not start

tb symptoms exactly
not dirty but bad

but i would leave that till last
till codes are thrown
imo
 
#18 ·
The car does turn on easily after it dies. When i took it to a shop the mechanic cleaned the throttle body but told me my intake filter was soaked in water. (I had been driving a couple days earlier when it was raining hard). He said that’s probably why the car isn’t running right because the car isn’t getting enough air because of the filter. I went home removed the filter and I still had the same problem.

Are you guys saying I should buy a crank sensor and replace it? Or leave that till last and see what else it could be


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#19 ·
Lol well that is a key piece of information that you left out my man. The water likely damaged the mass air flow sensor. It just doesnt sound like a crank sensor to me even tho they do go bad often.
 
#25 ·
(I have not read this thread yet)


The MAF can in fact be messed up, or maybe should say not accurate, and not throw a code.
 
#29 ·
I am mentioning this just so it is mentioned. It is not likely the problem. But someone with this problem could definitely end up seeing this thread searching their problem.


Your symptom could be something odd like the coolant temp sensor. If a car is fine in cold start but then has problems once it warms up it worth checking the temp sensor.


I am not saying it is your problem.
Just throwing out there that if a car won't run right once warmed up it can be because the temp sensor is faulty. ECU keeps running in warm up parameters even though temp is already up.


From what you have posted I don't initially suspect this.
Throwing it out there anyway.
 
#31 ·
I think sometimes you can see the mass air flow on some cheap $100 scanners. Its always in lb/min which you will probly have to convert to g/sec to match the given specs. I dont know the specs but I can probly look it up at work. And yeah after posting I was thinking that the cel should come on for anything related to maf.

It started happening as soon as you went through a big puddle? How soaked was the filter? Im assuming we are talking about a cold air intake?
 
#32 ·
It is a cold air intake and the filter was pretty wet

it didn’t happen instantly. the rpms did kind of shake for a little bit when i accelerated in the rain. But the engine started dying like a day later


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#33 ·
i regret we couldn't get the wet maf across before you bought the crank sensor

as you see, going by simple discussion,
can lead to misleading conclusions

and while throwing parts at a car is a poor way of going about fixing it

most who ask this kind of question don't have the diagnostic tools to diagnose it themselves

and in actuality over 13 years
there are some pretty simple descriptions that alert us to common problems

for instance a clean car, suddenly won't go over 2500 rpm
locked in limp mode

most of us would scream MAF failure on reflex
lol

yours seems a bit more involved

def clean the maf with MAF cleaner and don't touch the sensor wire with your fingers
[leaves oil on the wire]

get a dongle and a car app
i use torque pro
useful for pulling codes and tracking vital components
screenshot_1502478377524 by Barry Belgard, on Flickr

btw
this is the reason dry airfilters may be better for our cars than oiled cotton ones.
if that oil on the filter is too much, oil may reach the maf and cause voltage fluctuations
 
#34 ·
Dont worry about me buying the sensor . It was my fault for not adding enough detail.

Probably was going to need a new sensor anyway, i dont think it was ever replaced.

Im going to try to clean the MAF sensor and see what happens


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#36 · (Edited)
#37 ·
Hey guys i fixed it! It was the MAF sensor.

I cleaned it but its still didn’t work so i ran some tests to see if it was bad and it was bad.

So I bought a new sensor and the car runs good now!

Thanks for all your guys help!


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#38 ·
Lol good! Be lucky it was only the maf that got damaged. Would hate to see rings seize or a rod bend with alot of water being sucked in.
 
#44 ·
Has anyone ever lost their engine to a true cold air intake?
Yes.

Does that happen very often?
No.

Could it happen to you?
Sure.

Is it likely?
Probably not, but it's obviously possible.

Do "people" think XXRs are junk?
Yes.

Did you break one?
Yes.

Was it your fault or the wheels fault?
Yours.
But for hitting a curb and not for buying XXRs.


If you drive thru huge puddles will it be your fault?
Yes

How likely are you to drive thru huge puddles?
???????????

Will you ever suck water into a short ram?
:lmao: if so.....it won't be the only problem :lmao:
And definitely your fault :lmao:



I personally would never cut a 2j CAI.
I also don't live in Seattle or Florida or anywhere I would have large concern of water high enough to cover the end of that pipe.
 
#46 ·
I think im just going to leave the intake the way it is and just put something to cover the cone filter

Thanks for all the information though


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#47 ·
The difference in power between a sri and cia is like 3hp. In my experience Cai yealds slightly more tq while a sri yields better top end. Again its like MAYBE 3whp. Thats all there is to it. Could even cut the cai to behind the battery or get a water shield.
 
#48 ·
Good! When the fuel injection system or fuel pumps are leaking, your car may turn on but immediately stall. This happens because the combustion process is not working correctly, as fuel won’t reach the combustion chamber so the spark can ignite it along with air.

When this happens, your car may sometimes not last more than a few seconds after starting, and that can be a bother. To check that this is the issue, you’ll need first to take a look at the fuel line that goes from the gas tank to the engine. This line should be in a pristine state.
 
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