Old Nissan Micra not starting

trigger_mike

wazza wrote:

being a H reg does it have a carburrator and not fuel injection? if it does then it could be the choke. with a cold engine/cold weather the choke makes the fuel mixture rich to make it start up easier. if the choke is not working then sometimes it takes a while to start it up.

This could well be right, take the air filter off and give the carb a bit of a clean with some carb cleaner from your local motor factors, might be a bit gummed up with oil and cr*p and won't do any harm.

wazza

if you are mechaically minded/able then get someone to try to start the car while you using a rag cover part of the air filter housing intake pipe. reducing the amount of air going in will richen the fuel mixture. sometimes work

Rebob

Go to the library and borrow a copy of the Haynes manual for the car. Well worth looking at and contains trouble shooting sections.

Teerah

Hi Badgergal,

I have a '97 reg micra and I find it a little temperamental at times, usually in cold weather. I was told various things about spark plugs etc before too but despite having things replaced it will still refuse to start on occasions. Mind you, my dad or hubby can usually get it going for me on these occasions, I am too worried about flooding the engine to keep at it for too long. As I say its a bit random and doesnt happen very often but just when I think its not going to happen again, it does! Think I read somewhere that it can be a fault with these cars

Badgergal

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes it does have an automatic choke so I guess that could be the problem too. Will try the thing with the rag etc next time, and also give it a clean. It almost did it this morning but managed to get it going after the 3rd attempt... Haven't replaced anything yet as need to check what is included in the price of service next month, think spark plugs might be.

I do have a old Haynes "Workshop" manual for that model bought off ebay but it is rather technical, I will take a look though.

The car also "lurches" a bit on very cold mornings when you drive off, it kind of "bunny hops" as you pull away from junctions etc so it looks as though a learner is driving it, is this just the cold?

CharleneUK

I had a Micra, a 1995 and it had a throttle body problem, and wouldn't start, or when it did, it would cut out half way through the blimming journey!!