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Nissan Quest/Mercury Villager Starting & Stalling Problems

511 messages,  Last post on Jan 08, 2012 at 8:34 PM

You are in the Nissan Quest Forum.

What is this discussion about? Nissan Quest, Mercury Villager, Van

Messages Page 52 of 52

#502 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [nissanquest94] by steve_ HOST

Dec 25, 2011 (9:41 am)

Replying to: nissanquest94 (Dec 25, 2011 3:48 am)
Funny, you're responding to a post from 2008 with an ad for a product I'd never waste a dime on for my '99 Quest.
 
You must own stock in the company.
 
Steve, visiting host

#503 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [steve_] by nissanquest94

Dec 25, 2011 (12:21 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 25, 2011 9:41 am)
Well, it is Christmas Time, and I had nothing to do, and this forum sent me an email, so I just take a look at some old message and problems during cold winter times, and hoping to be able help my wonderful Nissan Quest 94 and others.
 
Besides, many posting from people with their van problem always start saying they have read all the message but not found the answer to their problem, so I just document something I know and know very well.
 
Your Nissan Quest 99 is 5 year newer than my 94, and I am very sure you may not have to buy this Engine Restorer if you sold your van before it reach my state; otherwise, if you start using Engine Restorer, just once a year, you may end up keep your van running like mine.
 
I bought mine brand new and still running every day.
 
I did not own any stock of the company, just like I post here but I did not own stock of Edmunds. The stock I bought was ALSK because it gave 20% of dividend; however, it dropped its dividend from 21.5 center per quarter to 5 cents, and now I only got 6%.
 
The good thing is that if I buy more by Dec 28, the ex-dividend date, I would be able to catch that 6% in January just in time. I personally think it is good price because it dropped from $11+ to $3+ just because the CEO wanted to keep more dividend to expand the company, nothing else changed.
 
I would buy lots of Engine Restorer if for any reason, Walmart dropped the price from $11 to $3, and the more the price drops, the more I will accumulate.
 
If you look at Corporate USA hog record high cash, they will do lots of M&A; that is Merger and Acquisition and way under priced stocks will be acquired in the near future. Just like many Americans keep lots of cash in hand, what would they buy? I bought 6 dozens of eggs every time supermarket drops the price from $3 to 99 cents, and I feel Engineer Restorer is even better to store.
 
And I stored lots of Lucas Fuel Injector Cleaner and give it out as Christmas gift to young adult to help their used cars. If you buy just one bottle, they charge you $5 to $6 for this $5.25 oz one tank use bottle, so it is about $1 per oz. However, if you buy the 32oz bottle at about $10, the cost drops a lot down to 35 cents per oz. Our Walmart, for some reason do NOT sell this 32oz bottle any more; they are good at making money. But I often go to Peg Boys to buy 128 oz for $32 dollars, the cost down to about 25 cents per oz. Unfortunatly, I never saw this big gallon Lucas in Walmart, and recently Pep Boys often sold out; I am glad I stock enough for another year to come.

#504 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [nissanquest94] by steve_ HOST

Dec 25, 2011 (1:36 pm)

Replying to: nissanquest94 (Dec 25, 2011 12:21 pm)
I had a new '82 Tercel that I drove for 17 years and I never put any junk in it either. You don't need to waste money on dubious additives to be able to drive them forever. Since '82, I'm on my 4th car - for two people. Still have two of them.

#505 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [steve_] by nissanquest94

Dec 25, 2011 (2:36 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 25, 2011 1:36 pm)
So, what did you do to maintain your car? to last for this long?
 
My Nissan Quest 94 years after I bought new started leaking engine oil and Nissan Dealer want over $1,000 to replace a gasket or some sort. They said the part is very cheap but the labor was very expensive and advised me to leave my van there for a week.
 
Well, what they told violate two of my principles dealing with auto mechanics:
 
1. If it is too hard to service and take lots of labor, it often means the car is FINE! Why? If you are auto engineer, you would design "frequently serviced parts" to be easy access and replace. If auto mechanics want to "remove lots of your auto parts", it means either the mechanics LIE wants to rob you or knows little about your car. e.g. Toyota mechanics may not be familiar with Nissan and may take much much longer to just replace your Nissan and cost you double or triple labor, or even more.
 
2. If auto mechanics want your to leave the car in their garage for extensive time, it often means they do not know how to do and need time to try and error. Sometimes, they want you to feel the job is big and pay more than needed.
 
Well, I fixed the problem by pouring into my engine crankcase a can of "stop engine oil leak", just a few dollars.
 
Of course, I agree that you do not need to waste money take Tylenol if you do not catch cold; however, if you do, I may save money. On the other hand, you may never catch cold like myself because I know how to prevent it from happening.

#506 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [nissanquest94] by steve_ HOST

Dec 25, 2011 (3:20 pm)

Replying to: nissanquest94 (Dec 25, 2011 2:36 pm)
Nothing special. I change the oil around 7,500 miles, like the manual says, but I've pushed that off a few times, once out to 14,000 miles. The Tercel lived outside in Anchorage all 17 years and it really got ignored. Just sold it because we moved and downsized to one car. It only stranded me one time. Never been stranded in the van.
 
I buy whatever oil is on sale; usually SuperTech at Walmart and a Fram filter. Replace the air filter every 15,000 miles or so (usually a Fram there too; whatever is cheapest). I used to get Chevron gas a lot but when gas went up I went to the cheapest stuff. Keep good tires on it (I still manage to get more flats than the norm). Wash it maybe once a year.
 
Over the years, I've had a CV joint go bad, 3 fuel injectors and a sensor replaced (still not sure I trust what the mechanic did on that one), several bulbs, turn signal stalk under warranty, a windshield, two batteries, a rear hub, one set of plugs, wires and distributor, a blower resistor, and a few brakes jobs and one brake fluid flush. I've cleaned my throttle body maybe four times. Ignored the recommendation to change the timing belt at 105k. About $7,000 worth of maintenance all told. Tire were $1,665 of that. Looks like .04 a mile for maintenance.
 
There's a mechanic posting over in the Right To Repair discussion who recently said that sometimes the fastest way to fix something is to see how the factory built the car around the part and work that way. That may mean simply pulling the engine and transmission as a unit instead of going "by the book".
 
Stories are legion about how auto engineers didn't take into account maintenance needs. Forget the make/model, but on one rig, you had to jack the motor up a few inches to get enough clearance to remove one of the spark plugs. Wonderful planning.
 
Thanks for asking.

#507 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [steve_] by rockmobile

Dec 26, 2011 (8:42 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Dec 25, 2011 3:20 pm)
Off topic but seventeen years in Anchorage? wow! I watch Alaska State Troopers just to see how people live up there. I wonder how cops drive those Crown Victorias year round, although at one time I saw somebody driving an old Chevette around Juneau, amazing.

#508 of 511 Re: Flooding engine when parked nose down [rockmobile] by steve_ HOST

Dec 26, 2011 (9:59 am)

Replying to: rockmobile (Dec 26, 2011 8:42 am)
Well, it was actually 20 winters all told. Lots of beaters running around up there. Don't really need AWD or 4WD if you have decent tires and don't go up steep roads or driveways much (I mostly had FWD rigs but the best snow car was a 70ish VW SuperBeetle).
 
After a decade thawing out in Boise, we landed in the UP of MI on Lake Superior; even more remote than Alaska in some ways, but it's nice being able to hop in the Quest and get to America in a half day instead of taking three or four days just to drive down the Alcan.
 
Haven't needed them, but at least there is a Nissan dealer sort of near me.

#509 of 511 97 Villager No Spark by neoviking

Jan 08, 2012 (12:47 pm)

Ran out of gas (new vehicle to me, gauge wasn't at the bottom yet). Put gas in. Wouldn't start. Pounded gas tank. Started, ran fine for a couple of weeks, maybe a hundred miles. Stopped at a convenient store for a soda, came out, no start. Walked to an auto parts store next door, bought starter fluid, sprayed it in, engine started and ran until the starter fluid ran out.
 
Checked fuel pump switch by driver's left knee; was not popped out, but pushed it down to be sure it was properly engaged. Crank, no start.
 
Had Villager towed home, dropped tank and pulled pump. Bench tested, bad. Put in new pump, checked function: key on, gas squirted out onto the garage floor. Connected hoses, put tank back up. Still, no start. Just for grins, re-tested old pump, and it ran fine. Scary. Identified a ground in the engine compartment with a meter, pulled the coil wire, set it next to the ground, cranked engine in the dark: no spark. Pulled the connector to the distributor, turned key on, checked: one of the wires showed 12 v. Reconnected to the distributor, cranked, no start.
 
Pulled distributor cap, cranked, watched rotor turn. Replaced cap.
 
Checked all fuses and relays involved; all good.
 
Now what? I'm Desperate. I need this van for my business, not to mention that survival itself is a problem in this country without wheels. Does anyone have a clue?

#510 of 511 Your battery may be low to crank ... by nissanquest94

Jan 08, 2012 (8:10 pm)

It sounds your battery may not be good, so you had inconsistent state each and every time you start your van. In general, battery should have 12.66 volt with 6 parts each contribute 2.11 volt. When you measure and has 12 volt, it is less than 30% electricity left. Your gauge was not at bottom, meaning your did not run out of gas, so even if you added gas at the first place, the state of your van not changed.
 
The battery may have died before, and, once jumped, it needs to take a long way to recover, such as 2 full hour of high way ride without head light on (say, during day time), or get an electric charger to charge over night each weekend for 4 weekends ...etc. Or just replace a new one, or Pep Boys may charge your battery free for you with their higher power charger, faster.

#511 of 511 Btw, to check your fuel pump, just turn the key half will do ... by nissanquest94

Jan 08, 2012 (8:34 pm)

Replying to: neoviking (Jan 08, 2012 12:47 pm)
Btw, to check your fuel pump, just turn the key half will do. In other words, if your fuel line has water and frozen in winter, the fuel may not be able to flow to enable start. What you need to do is turn your key half way before start your engine, and leave it there for a few seconds, and you shall here the homing sounds, that just tells you that your fuel pump is working, no need to go through hard way to check further.
 
If your fuel line or gas tank has water, which is normal for old cars, you may get a bottle of Heet of 12 oz to put into your gas tank and anti-freeze the water and get out the water of your fuel line and gas tank.
 
My Nissan Quest 94 had problem the other day when it went down to 9 degrees, and I pour in a bottle of 12 oz iso-Heet (5 times more powerful than yellow bottle) and it runs fine right away.

Messages Page 52 of 52

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