Car Wont' Start. Has Been Running Fine.

[KrazyKong]

I tried starting my car this afternoon, and it fired up, then immediately shut off. Thinking oh that's weird, I tried again... same result. Ended up draining the battery, then tried jumper leads. Same result. Cranks and fires up, then dies immediately.

I can hear the fuel pump priming when I turn the ignition, so I'm pretty sure the fuel pump is working. But it's acting like there's no fuel, or it's being cut somehow. The car has been running fine lately and I've never had an issue like this when it won't start. I'm on the Gold Coast right now and we've had quite a bit of rain lately. Thurs/Fri I had two return trips up to Brisbane and back in steady rain. Is it possible I have water somewhere where it shouldn't be? If so, where should I start looking first. I've checked the fuses inside the cabin, and eyeballed the ones in the engine bay and boot. I also have my coil cover off at the moment, so hope that hasn't been a contributing factor in all of this.

I have a Nissan Consult cable and hooked it up. I only have the free/lite version of Consultz, but it said there were no error codes. Not sure if I'm getting a proper reading though as I can't start the car obviously.

I'm totally stumped right now. It fires up each time, then dies straight away. Help.

Edited January 29, 2012 by KrazyKong

[mad082]

small chance you have water somewhere it shouldn't be. won't have much to do with having the coil cover off. there is the chance that the fuel pump isn't operating properly, so it is priming, but not supplying enough fuel. it may also be the AFM. try unplugging the AFM and trying to start it. from memory the car won't idle with the AFM unplugged, but you can keep the car running by using the throttle. if you unplug the AFM and it does the same thing, then try plugging it back in and start the car and see if you can keep the car running with the throttle.

[DVS JEZ]

take the fuel line off in the engine bay and check if there is sufficient fuel flow coming out, if there is put it back together and try crimping the return line to bump up the pressure to the rail, see if it starts then.

otherwise do the basics, check fuses etc, check for spark and injector pulse

[KrazyKong]

small chance you have water somewhere it shouldn't be. won't have much to do with having the coil cover off. there is the chance that the fuel pump isn't operating properly, so it is priming, but not supplying enough fuel. it may also be the AFM. try unplugging the AFM and trying to start it. from memory the car won't idle with the AFM unplugged, but you can keep the car running by using the throttle. if you unplug the AFM and it does the same thing, then try plugging it back in and start the car and see if you can keep the car running with the throttle.

This was the first thing I did this morning. Unplugged the AFM and the car started up first try!! It seemed to run fine just idling, but as soon as I gave it some gas it would splutter and gurgle and the induction noise didn't sound so good. Obviously a sympton of having no AFM.

I shut the car off, plugged the AFM back in and it did it's no start thing again. Sooooo then, does that mean my AFM is stuffed, or should I take it all out and get some contact cleaner spray or WD40/RP7 and spray the connector, and the sensor itself?

[KrazyKong]

Did some searching and found info on what to use to clean the AFM. I had some contact cleaner from Jaycar and sprayed the connectors and the AFM sensor thing in the direction air flows. Sadly it made no difference. The car would still immediately stop as soon as I connected the AFM.

I saw the 4 screws attaching the connector to the AFM unit. I unscrewed these and tried to pull it out. I got it out, but then realized I'd made a big mistake. I broke the solder on all 3 pins inside.

So after some more googling, I found a writeup on how to take the AFM unit apart. Finally I got it apart and re-soldered the 3 pins nicely. I then touched up all the other solder points in the hopes maybe I had a dry joint somewhere. Sadly again, the same result, the car would not start with AFM plugged in, or would die if I plugged the AFM while running (not sure if this is a good thing, or sure fire way to fry the AFM and ECU?).

Then I thought maybe I had a corroded connector on the AFM loom. So took the connector apart and it was looking nearly brand new inside.

I don't have another AFM I can chuck in this thing to see if that's the cause of things. Could it be that the AFM is fine and there's another problem that's making it seem the AFM is dead?

Is there any info on measuring the voltages on the 3 wires in the AFM loom? I havn't been able to find anything yet, but then again maybe if I did I wouldn't know what is a correct reading or not, though I do have a proper multimeter.

And lastly, can I drive this thing with no AFM connected? or will it do damage. I'm sure the fuel mileage will be shocking, but I don't have much choice at the moment or any other transport.

[DVS JEZ]

With no afm the car will not rev above 2500 rpm. Have u checked all cooler piping etc?

Where are u located? What colour sticker is on ur afm?

[KrazyKong]

It's a pink sticker AFM. I'm on the Gold Coast. As for checking all the cooler piping, I havn't as of yet check it all over thoroughly. But seeing as how I now have no AFM installed or pod etc., the intercooler and everything is all being bypassed.

[DVS JEZ]

Yes but when u plug it in it stalls. This happens when there is a cooler pipe off aswell as a faulty afm.

[jhjones]

I have the same problem with my car. After the work yesterday I started the car up and it started sounding like a rotor with lots of black smoke coming out the exhaust. 1km down the road the car stalled and I couldn't get it started till I unplugged the AFM. I got the car home then resoldered and cleaned the AFM and still doesn't start with the AFM plugged in. Currently waiting for one I bought to show up.

Yes you can drive with no AFM. I drove it again today to get to work, but 80km/h on the motorway, 2300rpm gear changes, fuel gauge dropping and soon to be fouled spark plugs isn't fun. Going to have to do the same thing tomorrow and Friday lol.

Edited February 1, 2012 by H4x

[KrazyKong]

Yeah sounds like the same thing that happened to me. Only I never experienced any black smoke, stuttering, stalling etc. Came home from a drive, parked it, then 2 days later tried to start it and it wouldn't start.

Finally got my hands on a pink label AFM to test, and sure enough my car started up first attempt. So now have to locate a pink label R33 S2 AFM at a respectible price. Been to the wreckers and the only unit I found was shot. It had already been opened once and badly glued back together. Time to make WTB AFM post I think.

[jhjones]

Yeah sounds like the same thing that happened to me. Only I never experienced any black smoke, stuttering, stalling etc. Came home from a drive, parked it, then 2 days later tried to start it and it wouldn't start.

Finally got my hands on a pink label AFM to test, and sure enough my car started up first attempt. So now have to locate a pink label R33 S2 AFM at a respectible price. Been to the wreckers and the only unit I found was shot. It had already been opened once and badly glued back together. Time to make WTB AFM post I think.

I hope it's the AFM on my car too, just got to wait for it to show up.

Btw r34, c35, wc34, a32 have the same AFM as you. Just make sure they have 22680-31U00 on the sticker.

[KrazyKong]

I've seen another pink sicker AFM with a 22680-31U05 model number on it. As I understand it, I can use either in my R22 S2 right?

[jhjones]

I've seen another pink sicker AFM with a 22680-31U05 model number on it. As I understand it, I can use either in my R22 S2 right?

That part number should only fit these. Best to check the part number on yours and buy one with the same part number on it.

[dynafit]

I tried starting my car this afternoon, and it fired up, then immediately shut off. Thinking oh that's weird, I tried again... same result. Cranks and fires up, then dies immediately.

My car does this, but only when i leave it for like 2 days without starting/driving it. When it is warm, or i drive it the day before, it starts first time every time. Same issue?

[KrazyKong]

My car does something after a few days when I don't drive it too lol. The battery goes flat

[KrazyKong]

Got my replacement AFM in the mail today. Plugged it in and the car wouldn't start. Thought oh sh*t, maybe it's not the AFM. But I knew it was so persevered with it. Ended up draining my battery and my booster pack. Finally got the car started with the replacement AFM disconnected. Then connected and it came to life with a huge burst of black smoke lol. Pretty sure the plugs at this point were shot as I had to drive the car last week with the AFM disconnected to a garage to try and solve the problem. Took the old plugs out and they were very black and sooty. Popped the newish ones in and voila the car started first time. Took it for a drive this evening and the car is happy . So a happy ending... for now! lol

[jhjones]

Got my replacement AFM in the mail today. Plugged it in and the car wouldn't start. Thought oh sh*t, maybe it's not the AFM. But I knew it was so persevered with it. Ended up draining my battery and my booster pack. Finally got the car started with the replacement AFM disconnected. Then connected and it came to life with a huge burst of black smoke lol. Pretty sure the plugs at this point were shot as I had to drive the car last week with the AFM disconnected to a garage to try and solve the problem. Took the old plugs out and they were very black and sooty. Popped the newish ones in and voila the car started first time. Took it for a drive this evening and the car is happy . So a happy ending... for now! lol

Haha I got my afm today too. Idle was fluctating a little with the new AFM so I drove the block and as soon was I floored it a cloud of black smoke shot out. The plugs were black and I'm going to replace them tomorrow.