Nissan Repair: 1996 nissan maxima, nissan maxima, exaust pipe

Question
ok where to start. for about a month my max has being acting up. im driving down the road the car would stall then it would restart with no problem at all. don't matter hot or cold would always do that. then the car died and it was sitting at the end of the road for a day i would go to start it it would start and die about 2 mins later. then i would wait another day it would start again and i got it home then it died just as i pulled in the lot. then i would crank the engine and it would turn over and act like it just was about to start but wouldnt. then i tried holding the gas pedal to the floor and sometimes it will start sometimes not. but when holding the pedal to the floor and if it does start i can keep it runing as long as i baby sit the gas pedal and not let it die. but if it does die it won't start again. and currently now it won't start at all or really even try to start. and while cranking the engine over there's alot of blue smoke coming out of the exaust pipe any help for my lil max?

Answer
Hi Chris -

Blue smoke always means that it is burning oil. However, the reason for it not starting is usually not because of the oil, unless the head gasket is blown, or the seals are leaking profusely. Have you taken a compression test?

First of all, we need to check to see if there is spark. Cars do not start either because it is not getting fuel, or not getting spark. Determining this helps the diagnosis.

Pull a plug wire, insert a screwdriver til it is firmly against the metal terminal inside the boot. Have someon crank the engine while you are holding the screwdriver about 1/4" away from any metal surface of the engine. Please do not touch any metal surface while doing this.

If there is a spark jumping while the engine is crankinig, then it is not and electrical problem, but a fuel issue.

Let me know how this goes, get back to me please -

thanks
calvin