1993 Nissan Altima won't start

[Edmond]

This is a co-workers car.

It won't start and I first thought it was the battery. Popped out the battery and brought it in for testing. Auto shop was only a couple miles away and they test it for free so I figured that was the easiest and cheapest thing to eliminate.

They test it and the battery tests good. I clean off the terminals and re-install the battery. It still won't start.

When I turn the key, the lights all come on as does the door chime. Okay, it's not the battery!

I'm thinking it's the starter. The only sound I hear is the ignition clicking, no sounds from under the hood at all.

Anyone else think it's the starter? The car seems to be getting power to the accessories and all.

Anyone know where the starter is located on the car?

The car is only about 5 miles away from my house. Yeah, I work close to home! I would like to bring it home to drop the starter and bring it in to be tested rather than change it in the parking lot, though I have changed a starter in a parking lot before.

She said the starter is about 2 years old. Last time it happened, the guy came out, tapped it and it started.

Could I try that technique as well just to start it and get it home where it'd be much easier for me to fix it?

 

[Cutehumor]

try to jumpstart the car with jumper cables to make sure it's not the battery. just to rule it out. (I know you had it tested but..)
If it's clicking, usually solenoid. the tapping trick does work with a hammer.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Check the alternator too, I had an issue with my alternator on my '98 Altima and had to have it rebuilt. But it's probably the starter.

 

[mechtech2]

Battery cables have to be really clean - the insides of the connectors and the outsides of the posts have to be scraped down to shiny metal. Ant the other ends of the cables have to have a perfect connection - remove them and clean the surface and cable end - get shiny metal.
Now you can see if it is the battery or the starter, because that's all that is left. But you have to get the cables right, first.

 

[simple_gifts]

I had this problem with an 89 Ford; turns out the ground wire for the starting solenoid circuit was too rusty; this ground wire was right next to the monster cables from the battery and grounded to the sheetmetal above the radiator. Just a little model train wire in diameter. No good ground=no good current to kick in the starter.

I think I have all the terms correct.... Good luck, I would be scrutinizing rusty connections.

 

[Tosh]

Let's back up for a minute: You didn't try to jump start it first after suspecting the battery and actually took the battery out for testing, and now you're asking where the starter is located? Please close the hood before you hurt yourself. Clearly this is a case of you trying to score points with a honey at work. It's called Knight in Shining Armor Syndrome. It's a killer. Even IF you should happen to fix it, she'll still blame you for her next flat tire...

 

[Donald]

If the battery tested fine and is fully charged, then its cables or solenoid or starter. You can jump things with jumper cables and figure out where the problem is quickly.

The starter has to be around the flywheel, but am confused why you would ask. If you trace the red wire from the battery it goes to the solenoid then to the starter and the solenoid may be mounted on top of the starter.

If you hear loud clicking when turning on the key, the most likely cause is the solenoid kicking in and out. There is plenty of voltage so it clicks in, then the starter draws too much and it clicks out, over and over. Can be starter or cables. or solenoid.

 

[Edmond]

I jacked it up after work today and tapped the starter, it started right away so I took it home and dropped the starter. It was located between the engine and the firewall by the oil filter. Since I didn't have a jack with me yesterday, I couldn't jack it up to see.

Took me about 3 hours to do it. After trying every method to not take things apart to get to the bolts, I just couldn't avoid having to take things apart. Took the air filter assembly and duct out. That wasn't much work but the bolts were difficult to access in some areas.

Before that, I tried using a universal but that didn't work. Thought about running an extension all the way out and taking the tire off but I didn't want to do that, didn't want to mess with the tire. After taking the air filter/duct out, it gave me the clearance to get in there with an extension for one of the bolts and then a universal worked on the other bolt.

The starter actually bolts in from the other side and not the same side as the starter itself. I've only worked on GM starters before and those were easy, except for the Envoy starter which I changed in the parking lot of a Chinese restaurant.

And no, I have never hurt myself...

 

[Edmond]

I had the starter tested by 2 places and both places said that it's okay.

Any suggestions now?

 

[Donald]

So, after you tapped the starter, it started normally and two places said the starter is OK, is that what you are saying?

Take the starter to a starter/alt rebuild place, tell them the story and have them check it out.

Given what you have mentioned, I would go with bad starter still.

Tapping the starter would only effect the starter, not any corroded wiring.

 

[Cutehumor]

yeah, I had something wrong with a junkyard starter. I had it tested at two places and it tested fine. I put a brand new OEM starter, runs perfectly. I think these testing starters, batteries aren't a 100% guarantee