theprofessor Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 My son owns a 1993 Nissan 300 ZX - The car has been sitting in the driveway for 4 months as he has been out of the country. Yesterday I went out to start it and it wouldn't start. I thought it was just a dead battery so I tried jump starting it but it would not start - No noise, nothing. But the lights in the dash were working and the headlights worked as normal. Should I be looking at the starter or alternator as the next most likely problem? Also, I needed to roll it down the driveway some so I could get around it to move some wood for a new deck I'm building and I could not get it to roll? It has a manual transmission and a console mounted emergency brake. I put the car in neutral and released the E brake and the car would not move? I tried multiple times? It is like the E brake is permanently on? Has anyone seen this before or know what I can do to resolve this? Any advice would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbimm Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Try putting in a new battery. If that doesn't work then it is most likely the starter. Brakes are probably frozen from sitting. More than likely once you get a fresh battery in it and get it started you will be able to break em loose with the power of the car itself. It can be difficult to get at the starter on that car but if you can try tapping on it with a small hammer to clean the rust off of the stator.Often times that will solve the problem temp. Once you get it back up and running try to fire it up and drive it a few blocks every couple of weeks or so to avoid this problem in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulzale Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 If you don't want to buy a new battery, just remove the one from another vehicle and use it temporarily even if it doesn't fit perfectly. I have jumped vehicles with a totally dead battery, but it can take up to 15 minutes sitting with the cables hooked up (make sure the connection is good) to get enough charge to start. Not sure why this occurs, but with a near dead battery I have seen the lights work, but car not start. Tbimm has the story on the brakes and starter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keggerz Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 brakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Country Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Call Puddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Call Puddy So he can contact his oldest brother, who is a mechanic like his father? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theprofessor Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Thanks for the advice and insight. I shot some WD-40 on the drums/brakes and that broke them free. I was able to move the car with no problem. Where, exactly is the starter located on this car? My car mechanical skills end at the oil change / minor tune up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulzale Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Look underneath the car around the top of the oil pan. Should be a cylindrical object with a thick red battery cable leading to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Thanks for the advice and insight. I shot some WD-40 on the drums/brakes and that broke them free. I was able to move the car with no problem. Where, exactly is the starter located on this car? My car mechanical skills end at the oil change / minor tune up That's a RWD, so one would think it'd be bottom rear of the engine, on one side or the other. The gear has to mesh with the flywheel somewhere, so the top of the starter's almost gotta be right where the engine/transmission mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theprofessor Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 That's a RWD, so one would think it'd be bottom rear of the engine, on one side or the other. The gear has to mesh with the flywheel somewhere, so the top of the starter's almost gotta be right where the engine/transmission mate. Thanks .... googled it and Wikipedia said that it is on the passenger side next to the oil filter. It sounds like I might only be able to reach it from the underside of the car. Thanks again for your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westvirginia Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Thanks .... googled it and Wikipedia said that it is on the passenger side next to the oil filter. It sounds like I might only be able to reach it from the underside of the car. Thanks again for your time. Yes, underside only probably - very back of the engine block/front of the transmission/bellhousing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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