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Old 05-19-2016, 10:09 PM   #1
Mykell1234
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2003 Nissan altima not starting!!!!

2003
Nissan
Altima
3.5L
195 000km (Engine was swapped, around 110 000km on engine)


''Service engine soon'' popped up on the car a few months ago and I ran the codes which ended up being the Cam Shaft Sensor. I replaced the cam shaft sensor twice, the car ran fine for a month after replacing it but the light came back on 1 month after changing it and the same symptoms occured (Car took a few seconds to start, revving low) but there were not other problems.

On cold starts, the car started fine, might have taken 1 second or 2 more than it normally should, but everything else was fine. It was when I was running arons, closing the car, starting the car several times that the car had a harder and harder time to start. But if I left it overnight, it would startup fine in the morning.

Today, after making a few stops here and there, I tried starting the car and it wouldn't start. When I turned the key, the engine sounded like it wanted to start, it started making a noise, it wasn't at the point of cranking yet, just before that. So I tried a few times, turned the key off and back on, normally that would start the car after a few seconds. But this time, I left the key turned to start itfor 5 seconds (probably longer than I should have) and the car didnt start and some white smoke came out from under my hood and a burning smell came out from it, (it kind of smelt like tar) . I stopped turning the key immediately and went to open the hood but the smoke was already gone (it smoked for about 3-5 seconds and then stopped)

The oil was low (but not empty) and the coolant was also low (but not empty). I filled up the coolant and tried boosting it. I tried giving the starter a couple of hits.It did not work. There is no clicking sound when turning the key neither from inside the car or from under the hood. All the lights and windows work in the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldq_LSXyhPM <----- This is what the car sounded like when I tried starting it before it started to smoke.
Please help!

Last edited by Mykell1234; 05-19-2016 at 10:13 PM. Reason: Wanted to add a video
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Old 05-20-2016, 05:10 AM   #2
Stealthee
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Re: 2003 Nissan altima not starting!!!!

That smoke you saw was probably electrical smoke. Start looking for burnt/melted wires around the battery and starter.
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Old 05-20-2016, 12:03 PM   #3
Mykell1234
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Re: 2003 Nissan altima not starting!!!!

Could it be a seized engine or a blown head gasket ? Just trying to eliminate the worst.
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Old 05-20-2016, 03:07 PM   #4
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Re: 2003 Nissan altima not starting!!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mykell1234 View Post
Could it be a seized engine or a blown head gasket ? Just trying to eliminate the worst.
If your engine was seized it wouldn't turn at all, rather than cranking really slowly like in the video. If the head gasket were bad, I don't see how it would cause something like this.
I'm going to agree with stealthee on this and say that your problem is electrical and the smoke is probably from melted wires or something like that.
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Old 05-20-2016, 05:40 PM   #5
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Re: 2003 Nissan altima not starting!!!!

It WAS cranking like in the video, although since the smoke came out from under the hood, nothin happens anymore. No clicking sound when turning the key, nothing ! Just the lights in the car are working, including radio and windows.
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