1992 Nissan 240SX

Reader Question: My boyfriend has a 1992 Nissan 240SX that does not start when the engine is hot. Once we turn off the car after driving, it will not turn on until after it cools off.

Also, when we start the car we will have to press the gas for 2 or 3 seconds before letting go so the car will not die. Once we turn the key on and the car starts, the idle just drops and the car dies if we do not step on the gas.

We have been trying to figure out this problem without having to pay an arm and a leg just to have someone look at it.

If you can please help us that would be great.

Regards,

Cela

Hey Cela,

You are missing one of the key ingredients to start a gasoline engine, spark, fuel, and compression.

This sounds like a lack of fuel or lack of the proper fuel pressure to the engine type of problem to me. I would want to check the fuel pressure at the engine with a manual fuel pressure gauge to see what is or is not happening.

Electric fuel pumps, which you have, can overheat and fail until they cool down again, which sounds like what you are experiencing.

You should also check to see if you have spark at each of the spark plugs, if you do not check the ignition coil and the distributor to see if you have a spark coming out of them.

The mechanic is going to have to catch this complaint in the act to properly diagnose it otherwise, they will just be guessing. These types of complaints can be a pain for the mechanic and the driver since the problem seldom happens when it is in the shop hooked up to some test equipment.

Blessings,
Austin Davis