I was driving down the street, hit a bump, it immediately died. I checked the fuel pump relay, actually replaced with a new one. That was not it. I am not getting any sound from the fuel pump at all when I turn on the key. How can I check to see if the fuel pump is bad? :screwy:
Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Before you check any further for fuel pull a sparkplug boot out and check for spark then put the wire back on the sparkplug. Obviosly checking for spark after finding you have fuel could start a fire.

Loosen a fuel line and turn the ignition on to see if fuel pumps.

If you don't have fuel pressure you can check to dee if the fuelpump has power to it bt renoving the back seat and access panel.

I am getting spark. I checked that first thing. I suspected the fuel pump when I noticed no noise coming from the pump when I turned on the key. I then checked the relay and voltage going to the pump and there is juice going to the pump, I will pull off the fuel line to see if it is pumping. If not, does that mean the pump is bad for sure?

Check the ground circuit also. If the fuel pump has power and ground it is bad. Walbro fuel pumps are better quality and cost less. Noticable fuel pump noise is often a sign that it is about to fail.

I was driving down the street, hit a bump, it immediately died. I checked the fuel pump relay, actually replaced with a new one. That was not it. I am not getting any sound from the fuel pump at all when I turn on the key. How can I check to see if the fuel pump is bad? :screwy:
Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Ok Ready ? Remove distributor cap and Distributor Rotor. There is a black Plastic cap covering the crank sensor ( It's Part of the Distributor ) After the Cap and Rotor is off wiggle the round plastic cap loose , when you get it off if oil comes out , thats your problem, DISTRIBUTOR. If it's dry , let me know I'll see what else i can think of. But thats the First thing that came to my mind when i read your post and it's something i have seen happen.

GL..

Ok Ready ? Remove distributor cap and Distributor Rotor. There is a black Plastic cap covering the crank sensor ( It's Part of the Distributor ) After the Cap and Rotor is off wiggle the round plastic cap loose , when you get it off if oil comes out , thats your problem, DISTRIBUTOR. If it's dry , let me know I'll see what else i can think of. But thats the First thing that came to my mind when i read your post and it's something i have seen happen.

GL..

So, I looked at the Distributor and sure enough, there is oil behind the plastic cover. Also, the o-rings (both) seem stretched out and don't want to fit back in place. Question: Should I replace this Distributor with a NEW one or is REBUILT ok???

Thanks for the help.

Before you buy a distributor try washing the oil out with brake kleen or carb spray and see if your engine starts. The part in your distributor that is affected by oil is the cam possition sensor. More KA24de engines than not have some oil in the distributor. The cam position sensor is used to referance and initiat spark. By far the most common reason that KA24de engines quit running is due to oil in the distributor. You wrote that you have spark. Crankshaft position sensors are found on the front side of the bellhousing beginning with 1995 models. The only purpose of the crankshaft position sensor is to allow the ECM to diagnose miss-fire. If you choose to purchase a distributor, buy a new one on Ebay. New distributors actually cost less and are more reliable than lifetime warranty rebuilt distributors. Properly functioning PCV systems keep crankcase pressure lower than the air pressure inside the distributor most of the time that the engine is running. There is nothing but an o-ring to keep oil out of the distributor. Crankcase pressure greater than the distributor or outside air pressure is what causes the oil to leak into the distributor. Does your fuelpump pump fuel during the first two seconds after you turn the ignition to the run position?

Before you buy a distributor try washing the oil out with brake kleen or carb spray and see if your engine starts. The part in your distributor that is affected by oil is the cam possition sensor. More KA24de engines than not have some oil in the distributor. The cam position sensor is used to referance and initiat spark. By far the most common reason that KA24de engines quit running is due to oil in the distributor. You wrote that you have spark. Crankshaft position sensors are found on the front side of the bellhousing beginning with 1995 models. The only purpose of the crankshaft position sensor is to allow the ECM to diagnose miss-fire. If you choose to purchase a distributor, buy a new one on Ebay. New distributors actually cost less and are more reliable than lifetime warranty rebuilt distributors. Properly functioning PCV systems keep crankcase pressure lower than the air pressure inside the distributor most of the time that the engine is running. There is nothing but an o-ring to keep oil out of the distributor. Crankcase pressure greater than the distributor or outside air pressure is what causes the oil to leak into the distributor. Does your fuelpump pump fuel during the first two seconds after you turn the ignition to the run position?

I have not checked the pump yet. I will tomorrow am. Are you saying that the CPS is possibly bad?

Yes you need a Distributor. Oil is now passing through into the distributor and soaking the crank/cam sensor , witch will cause a no start. So yes get New.. Gl..

Yes you need a Distributor. Oil is now passing through into the distributor and soaking the crank/cam sensor , witch will cause a no start. So yes get New.. Gl..

Thanks

I am saying that in your case if you have spark, the oil may not be affecting your distributor yet.

I am also saying that if your PCV system is restricted, a new distributor with a new o-ring will still allow oil to leak inside.

Sounds to me that you were on the right track diagnosing fuel supply. Can you hear the fuelpump if you listen at the tank with the filler cap removed? You should hear the pump run for two seconds when the ignition is turned to run.

There are several previos posts saying that oil drained from the distributor when they removed the cap and that their engine starts after washing oil from the distributor. The oil in the distributor issue is so common that it is also safe to say, if a 1993 Altima has not had the distributor replaced yet time is running out before it will cause the engine to stop running.

Washing the oil out and starting the engine would be more on the line of testing rather than a fix.

Ok, I will clean the Distributor out and see if it will start. I checked for noise at the fuel tank neck but an not hearing any now. It used to make a very obvious noise when starting the car but now there is no noise. maybe there are a couple of things going on here. Fuel system and Distributor. Any ideas?

Thanks.

Your fuel problem is the reason the engine died and won't restart rather than your distributor. You say the engine has spark.

So, I've checked and changed the pump relay. I am not getting any noise from the pump. How else would I test the pump? And what else would cause this. Should the Distributor be cleaned up or changed? I am not real sure where to go now.

You won't spend any money guessing at which part to buy if you follow the diagnostic steps in the repair manual. There is a fuel pump fuse in the fuse panel under the drivers side dash panel. The fuel pump fuse is the third from the top in the right hand row of fuses. If the fuse is blown, replace it and see if it blows again. Remove the fuel pump relay again and check for voltage to the relay. If you use a wire to connect the two slotts that are closest together where the relay plugs into the panel, power will be connected to the wire going to the fuel pump when the ignition switch is turned to the run position. If you still can't hear the pump or see any fuel pumping from an open fuel line, take the back seat out so you can check for power to the fuel pump connector plug. If you have power at the connector and your pump isn't pumping, Haynes Repair Manual for 1993 Altimas says replace your fuel pump. AutoZone and other parts supply stores should have a fuel pump made by Walbro that is better than and costs less than a Nissan fuel pump. Clean the oil out of your distributor and put the cap back on. Oil in the distributor will not cause the fuel pump not to pump. Finding oil inside of Altima distributors is almost as common as finding oil on a shelf wherever auto parts are sold! I have never noticed hearing my fuel pump run. I know that when I hear a fuel pump in GM and Ford vehicles it is time to replace it. I suspect the same is true of our Nissans.

You won't spend any money guessing at which part to buy if you follow the diagnostic steps in the repair manual. There is a fuel pump fuse in the fuse panel under the drivers side dash panel. The fuel pump fuse is the third from the top in the right hand row of fuses. If the fuse is blown, replace it and see if it blows again. Remove the fuel pump relay again and check for voltage to the relay. If you use a wire to connect the two slotts that are closest together where the relay plugs into the panel, power will be connected to the wire going to the fuel pump when the ignition switch is turned to the run position. If you still can't hear the pump or see any fuel pumping from an open fuel line, take the back seat out so you can check for power to the fuel pump connector plug. If you have power at the connector and your pump isn't pumping, Haynes Repair Manual for 1993 Altimas says replace your fuel pump. AutoZone and other parts supply stores should have a fuel pump made by Walbro that is better than and costs less than a Nissan fuel pump. Clean the oil out of your distributor and put the cap back on. Oil in the distributor will not cause the fuel pump not to pump. Finding oil inside of Altima distributors is almost as common as finding oil on a shelf wherever auto parts are sold! I have never noticed hearing my fuel pump run. I know that when I hear a fuel pump in GM and Ford vehicles it is time to replace it. I suspect the same is true of our Nissans.

I have the same manual and the fuel pump fuse is good. The next thing I checked was voltage to the pump and there is. I will clean the distributor , put it back together and see if it will start. If it does, should I replace the Distributor? And if it doesn't start, I will pull the fuel line, see if it is pumping fuel and if it isn't I will replace the pump, right?

No don't replace the distributor. Fix what you know is wrong first. It would be extreeeeeeemly unlikely that you have two problems that are preventing your engine from running. If you followed the trouble shooting proccess up to checking for and found voltage at the harness connector, what stopped you from proceeding to the next step which is replace the fuel pump??

You say you have spark.

The cam position sensor inside the distributor is where that spark begins.

The fuel injectors work from the very same CPS signal.

Engines with bad distributors do not make spark or open fuel injectors.

The fuel pump is a totally separate system that is not effected by any amount of oil in the distributor.

what stopped you from proceeding to the next step which is replace the fuel pump??

Actually, I was following the trouble shooting in the manual and also checking on this site at the same time. My delays came from seeing all about the oil in the Distributors on these things. I have always worked on GM cars and have never heard of oil in the distributor and it had me puzzled. This is my daughters car and I don't want to spend and my daughter doesn't have the money to just randomly replace parts on this car so I am trying to be as precise on this as possible, if you can understand why. I really do appreciate the help.

Clean Distributor first, check for fuel next. If car starts after cleaning distributor, replace distributor, if not check pump, possiblly replace.

Thanks.

You are welcome and I am happy to help. Seems to me that we are thinking from opposite directions with the same goals in mind. Are you either left handed or an engineer? lol. If any of us were able to afford to guess and buy parts, Im pretty sure we would be driving something other than an Altima!

Engines need fuel supplied to the injectors first in order to start. Once there is fuel, the distributor is where spark to the sparkplugs and pulses to open injectors begins.

If you replace your fuel pump and it delivers fuel to the injectors and your engine starts, you should drive the car and then I will explain to you what I know about distributors and why oil leaks into them.

Check this pump if you want to save money and have a pump that lasts longer than Nissan replacement.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290030678563

How did we go from finding oil in the distributor, to fuel pump? Oil in the Distributor on early Model Altima is a Common failure for No Start conditions. Did you clean the Distributor and put it back together and try to start it? don't worry about the O-Rings at this moment, Just clean it with some air and put it back together and see what happens. If nothing we can go back on the fuel pump theory. But fuel pump on altima's almost never go!! Distributors should not have oil in them , If spark is to be conducted , and it has a cap on it to contain it and protect it , Why is oil common like on a parts store shelf? If it was normal , then spark would be drown all the time , makes no sense

How did we go from finding oil in the distributor, to fuel pump? Oil in the Distributor on early Model Altima is a Common failure for No Start conditions. Did you clean the Distributor and put it back together and try to start it? don't worry about the O-Rings at this moment, Just clean it with some air and put it back together and see what happens. If nothing we can go back on the fuel pump theory. But fuel pump on altima's almost never go!! Distributors should not have oil in them , If spark is to be conducted , and it has a cap on it to contain it and protect it , Why is oil common like on a parts store shelf? If it was normal , then spark would be drown all the time , makes no sense

I have not cleaned it yet. I have been busy with other stuff. I will try to clean it tomorrow and see if it starts. Thanks.

That makes more sense than you know. Over the years, especially when I was much younger, 30-40 years ago... I wasted lots and lots of time and especially money on guessing and trial and error. What a waste.

Thanks.

Ok, I really appreciate all of the help so far but I got to the point today that something is either wrong with your disgnosis or my troubleshooting.

It seems that when I tested for spark at the plug, the "friend" that I had at the engine end who said he saw spark actually DID NOT. Today I started all over doing the entire troubleshooting myself. I rechecked to see if my "friend" actually saw a sperk at the plug. I hooked up my remote started and turned the engine over and sure enough, there is not spark at all.

I cleaned the distributor and evidently didn't get it clean enough. I can't get it to start at all.

I am pretty sure that I need to replace the Distributor. With what information I have so far, is this what it looks like to any of you guys?

Thanks.

Or is there something wrong with the information you reported. Yes that is why the very first question I asked you was, do you have spark? If you read frrom the beginning I wrote again and again, "if you have spark". If you don't have spark the problem is no doubt the distributor. So do you also have fuel pressure? It is easy for you to find out. Open a line and turn the key. Yes buy a new distributor! Did you have the ignition swithch turned on when you checked for spark today?

Or is there something wrong with the information you reported. Yes that is why the very first question I asked you was, do you have spark? If you read frrom the beginning I wrote again and again, "if you have spark". If you don't have spark the problem is no doubt the distributor. So do you also have fuel pressure? It is easy for you to find out. Open a line and turn the key. Yes buy a new distributor! Did you have the ignition swithch turned on when you checked for spark today?

Well, you and others also asked if I had spark and like I said before, I turned the key over and a "friend" checked for spark and said it had spark. I can't be anymore clear. Why do you ask <<Or is there something wrong with the information you reported.>> ? The only thing wrong with my reported info is that I was told that I had spark by an idiot who gave me the wrong info. If you want something done correctly, you have to do it yourself.

So, I also pulled the fuel line from just past the fuel filter, engine side, and have fuel pressure. And yes, I read, again and again and again and again where you wrote, "if you have spark". I turned the engine over to check for spark, so, yes, I had the key turned on. How else would one check for spark.

So, from what I am getting from all of this is that Nissian installs a crappy Distributor and like a group of real idiots, they put it in on it's side. How stupid can you get, So, I will install a NEW Distributor. Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction.

you were going to need a new distributor anyway , if you found oil in it, witch you did. Yes a Distributor should fix it

Thanks. Now If I can replace the Distributor, get it running and finally get rid of it once and for all. I am learning more than I wanted to know about Datsuns.

Thanks. Now If I can replace the Distributor, get it running and finally get rid of it once and for all. I am learning more than I wanted to know about Datsuns.


You mean Nissan's..:iceslolan

Well, Nissian Datsun. Same to me.

Unfortunately it is the distributor. I bought a new distributor, got things ready to remove the old one and replace it when I was in the process of making the marks on the old distributor so I could put the new one in correctly. I needed to turn the crank pulley bolt a little to bump the rotor over to line it up to mark. When I turned the pulley bolt I noticed that the rotor did not move at all. I immediately thought that there was more to this problem than the distributor alone. But, I went ahead and removed the distributor anyway, thinking that maybe the shaft on it was broken or something like that causing it not to turn. I put in the new distributor and it wouldn't turn the rotor either. So, needless to say, I pulled out the new distributor and put the old one back in.

Even though it needs a distributor, I don't think it will be worth the cost if there are internal engine problems that need fixing.

My plan now is to put everything back like it was and junk the car. How do I go about checking to see if it is the crank, cam, timing chain or whatever? I know now that it is more than the distributor.

Any more thoughts?