Last week I was gone on vacation in Hawaii. I got back on monday and was barely able to start my car. Once I did get it started I drove it around for a while without incident. Then later that day I was driving and out of nowhere my tach needle starts going crazy and moving up and down all over 0-9000 rpms. Then after feeling it somewhat hessitant or almost as if it was missfiring, I pulled off the freeway and next thing I know my car stalls out on me and I wasn't able to start it. Then after troubleshooting and checking all my electrical stuff for about a half hour it just started right up.

Today and for the last few days, I've been driving without any problems. Then tonight out of nowhere I tried to start my car and It wouldn't start. I tried bump starting it, jump starting it, and went over all of my wiring. Nothing worked. I ended up having to have my friend tow me home with a tow strap attached to his 4runner. I have a 9 month old fuel filter, 2year old battery, new ignitor, cap, coil, 6al, sparkplugs, ngk wires.

My questions are:
1. what could be wrong?
2. If it were my starter then I would hear a tick right?
3. I have 102,xxx miles on it, could it be time for a new alternator?
4. How much is a new or rebuilt one at Napa, kragen, etc.?
5. Could a bad alternater cause my tach to go crazy like that?

I start school on tues. so I need to have my car up and running again by then.
So any help would be highly appreciated.

thanks in advance.
sorry for the long post, I just didn't want to leave out any details people might of asked me later for.

 

ttt

 

I have a freind that had a similer problem. His maxima would start and run and then sometimes stall. When he tryed starting it, it wouldnt start, although it was cranking hard. I tested his fuel pump and it was good. I ended up replacing the coil. He ran fine for 2 days and then it happend again. i did a tune up and replaced the distrbuter. After that it stalled out again. I drained his gas, cleaned his fuel lines and added a can of BG 44K. some new mid grade gas. It ran fine after that. No problems after that. If you put some reguler gas, try to drain it, clean the fuel lines, put some new gas and start it up again. make sure you turn the key a couple times to the on (not starting car) to get the fuel flowing from fuel pump. Then start it. If its not starting hard then check to see if fuel is getting in. check spark also

 

what about the tach needle. What could be making it go crazy, shooting up and down randomly. Could it be loose wires?

 

Does your fuel pump prime?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 96b18c &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what about the tach needle. What could be making it go crazy, shooting up and down randomly. Could it be loose wires?</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah, loose wires is what I'd be looking for first. Power to the distributor? Tach signal from the distributor to the ECM?