Meeting people as a mechanic.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I guess that greatly depends on the starter type.

This does nothing other than transfer power...

[helosailor]

...The old policy was to push bulb grease, brake grease etc, however they changed that years ago to selling only related items. So pads with rotors, coolant with water pump. We are ranked on those sales, but it is more a metric of if we are just selling parts or actually giving advice on the full job.

You best not let your WITTDTJR numbers drop!

[petyweestraw]

I loathe Nissan. Did the timing chain on a 98 altima and my hands looked like they spent the day with the cenobites. Half of the damned motor has to come apart, there is no room to work and every freaking edge on that motor is razor sharp.

I've also worked on Maxima's, 300zx's, frontiers, and sentra's. All of them have the same "get the shoe horn and it will fit, fuck the mechanic" traits.

Lol I offered to help change out turbos on a 300z once. Figured it couldn't be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong. He knew shit about cars. Ive never worked on a Z car. So yeah , I ended up basically pulling the motor out to get to them. All for 100 bucks. Took me all freakin day.


After that day I made it a point to physically look at a car I've never dealt.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

[Gasser64]

Does the security light flash or stay lit when the car is in the "on" position?

Its the red light up by the vin number, right? When the key is off, or completely out of the switch, the red light is blinking. Then when you turn the key to the "On" position, the little red light goes off. And it remains off, even while trying to start the engine.

[LaserSVT]

I guess that greatly depends on the starter type.

This does nothing other than transfer power...

It seems you are actively tying to be obtuse. We are discussing a Nissan. I do not believe they had an outboard solenoid since they changed their name from Datsun.
Yes that style you listed uses (in some older cases) a starter that throws the bendix out when it spools. Being as it had no bearing at all on the topic at hand its operation did not need to be explained.
Now I know you are not dim witted so I will assume you were just bored and wanted to troll a little?

[LaserSVT]

Lol I offered to help change out turbos on a 300z once. Figured it couldn't be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong. He knew shit about cars. Ive never worked on a Z car. So yeah , I ended up basically pulling the motor out to get to them. All for 100 bucks. Took me all freakin day.


After that day I made it a point to physically look at a car I've never dealt.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

I was curious the other day as to what it flagged to change O2s on my car since the dealer said they charged the last owner over $2000. The engine must be removed from the vehicle to replace the upstream sensors.
35k timing belt changes, 20k spark plug changes, 60k engine removals for O2s, 50k DRC changes (thousand dollar each shocks), 35k control arm changes...... the RS6 is one maintenance pig!

Its the red light up by the vin number, right? When the key is off, or completely out of the switch, the red light is blinking. Then when you turn the key to the "On" position, the little red light goes off. And it remains off, even while trying to start the engine.

Thats one of them. There should be a key shapped light or "THEFT" light in the cluster that illuminates and then turns off.

At any rate I would start with checking the fuse box. Check every fuse as there are a couple micro 10 amp fuses that will inhibit starting.
Also check that you are getting voltage at the starter solenoid signal wire when the key is being turned. This will require a second person for obvious reasons. If no voltage is there then there is a fuse or relay or wire problem. If there is voltage there the solenoid is bad and you need a new starter.

[JC316]

Lol I offered to help change out turbos on a 300z once. Figured it couldn't be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong. He knew shit about cars. Ive never worked on a Z car. So yeah , I ended up basically pulling the motor out to get to them. All for 100 bucks. Took me all freakin day.


After that day I made it a point to physically look at a car I've never dealt.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Tapatalk

Once upon a time, I was a shy, nice kid that never hurled a tool and barely cussed. Then I started selling cars and a 300zx was the first one. Needed fuel injectors.... Blood was shed, tools were hurled, I cussed like a drunken sailor and I wished harm upon the designer of that motor.

[Gasser64]

Thats one of them. There should be a key shapped light or "THEFT" light in the cluster that illuminates and then turns off.

At any rate I would start with checking the fuse box. Check every fuse as there are a couple micro 10 amp fuses that will inhibit starting. Also check that you are getting voltage at the starter solenoid signal wire when the key is being turned. This will require a second person for obvious reasons. If no voltage is there then there is a fuse or relay or wire problem. If there is voltage there the solenoid is bad and you need a new starter.

Ok but wouldn't the solenoid have have been noticed by the employees who tested the starter? I took it to autozone and then oreillys and had the starter checked. Both places said that the starter was fine. I even asked them if it was kicking out, and they both said yes.

My problem is, I never even get that far. When I turn the key, absolutely nothing happens. The starter doesn't even try to start working. It does nothing at all. Its like you're turning the key, with no battery in the car. Just to be clear.

And even with the battery in and out of the car several times over the course of 3 days, the computer had this code when I scanned it. P1111. Granted that article is for an '05 and I'm dealing with an '03, but I don't think that matters. Not 100% sure though.

http://engine-codes.com/p1111_2005_nissan_altima_sedan.html

[LaserSVT]

Forgot you had the starter tested. So yeah, blown fuse, plug unplugged, bad relay. Look for these things.

[Gasser64]

Forgot you had the starter tested. So yeah, blown fuse, plug unplugged, bad relay. Look for these things.

Well I checked all the fuses under the dash, and most of the fuses under the hood. But dammit if there aren't 3 missing, and I can't read the label. Its just a clear plastic label that they put under the lid of the fuse box. But over the years, it seems to have... melted? The lines and words have all run together, and can't be read. And it just so happens to be, right where the 3 fuses are missing. Of course. And of course they didn't bother to put a fuse diagram in the manual. Looked on google and I did find the one under the dash, but the fuse box diagram for under the hood, evades me. Tried this, and it doesn't seem to be on there. Unless I'm blind.

https://www.google.com/search?q=2003+altima+fuse+box&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIzeuB6dDAyAIVj5eICh1BUQfO&biw=1152&bih=565

So I just popped some fuses in there, and tried to start the car. Didn't work. But there was one of the new fuses, that got blown. Hmm...

[Tremor14]

post some pics justin!

[Gasser64]

post some pics justin!

ok. Heres some

[LaserSVT]

So getting back on track with the thread. .. ...
Anyone here that has worked at a shop knows you have people come in all the time to sell you stuff. It gets easy whos selling hot stuff and whos just trying to make a buck.
Dude comes in that stops by from time to time trying to sell useless stuff like broken impact guns or rusted chains and used rotors. Well today he pulls in and asks if we like soda. Yeah, kinda. Drink mostly water and Gatorade but the occasional soda is tasty. Says he has cases of 20oz bottles, Dr Pepper and Coke. Only wants .10 a bottle. Shit, I will take them all! Go to the truck and see they are dirty as hell and the color is off. I look at a bottle and see they all expired 3 and a half years ago! LOL Dude really tried to insist they were still good and wanted me to try one. Yeah, no. Then tells me just because HEB throws out steak after its sell by date don't mean it ain't good and he picks it out of the dumpster all the time. Just gross. Still, big difference between 1 day past and 1000 days past.

Right after he left had another gentleman in a 1999 Buick Regal that was bright orange and on 3 24" wheels and a 15" donut spare. Had 38 cans of refrigerant, all Autozone cans, $2 each. I was tempted but I had a strong suspicion they were stolen. More so when I saw all the various Autozone cheap tools still in the packages and a dozen bottles of quick detailer all in the back seat. Could have made a killing on the refrigerant but I dont mess with stolen crap and declined. He then said a dollar each. Want. Nope, dont make them less stolen.
I called our Autozone and told him to do an R134 inventory but he said they were right on count. Oh well, I aint calling all of them.

[4king]

The refrigerant is right up at the counter at most stores. I've worked LP as a etl-ap for target (security manager) and the small business LP is very frustrating. Even if I catch some one walking out with a battery I'm not allowed to call the cops

2003 Kia Rio threw 14 individual codes at me today. Owner couldn't speak a word of English. After I printed them out, he said you clear computer. Yeah no bueno partner, handed him a business card of one of my bilingual shops.

Also jinxed myself, I installed some trunk struts on a 01 chrysler concorde today. We were slow, the elderly gentleman was extremely appreciative

Yesterday diagnosed 2 separate issues. Customer with a 95 caprice had been swapping batteries every 6 months, one of my crew went to test it on the screw in bolts on out tester and couldn't get a solid connection and it tested bad. I walked over and he was demanding a new battery, duralast is crap Yada Yada Yada. Look inside the battery side post and pull out about a 2 inch strand of frayed cable from his amp wiring. Naw bro I use those gold plated side posts, uh huh suuure. Battery tested good and he again shook my hand and thankEd me many times. Had had been having alot of starting problems and this was his weekend cruiser and hr told me how embarrassing it was to have that intermittent no start

Also had a guy who had just had his son replace and alternator and battery in his old blazer their family shares. He said it hadn't been charging and it wasn't starting every time. This was right after the caprice guy so I went straight for the battery. Yeah my son had a system on it a few times, couldn't see any connection issues. Tested alternator and battery good but the battery light was on in his cluster but the voltage on the dash was good. I went under the hood and wiggled the main ground which went under the engine and attached to the block and I could see the ring under the bolt move as I wiggled it. Sure enough that was his problem, again very appreciative shook my hand and thanked me many times

No worries on my Witt score. As you can tell I'm very driven to be on the parts counter

Back to the altima, take the battery to get tested first. Sometimes they can still throw 12v but internal fault can cause them to throw little to no amperage. You wouldn't be suprised how many Internet mechanics come in telling me their battery is good because it is 12v so they want a new alternator and for me to charge their now 5 year old battery they have had to jump start ever day for the last week

Also check the crank sensor and cam sensor. Nissan was notorious for them going bad but they usually still let the car crank. Also ask to watch them test your starter, and ask them to see it being tested. I make all my customers come watch it being tested to gain their trust I'm not pushing a part. Bench testing a starter is basically just attaching a power and ground and then attaching the exciter wire to the solenoid to start it.

Also I wouldn't be suprised if you missed a ground connection to the block. Most starting or charging issues are battery or ground related. Corrosion on terminals or frayed ground cable

[Tremor14]

so wait, thats waycool jr. or whatever??