You've been so helpful before, please, tell me what to do!Relatives in town, watching Christmas light, X stalled in the street. Did it 3 days ago as well, I had battery checked (perfect, no rust either, looks new)
the mechanic did a did big work last weekend on timing belt, water bomb and gaskets. He suggested the solenoid needed to be replaced (heard clicking sound trying to start it)
What do you think? I read on the web,"If a starter solenoid receives insufficient power from the battery, it will fail to start the motor, and may produce a rapid clicking or clacking sound. The lack of power can be caused by a low or dead battery, by corroded or loose connections in the battery cable, or by a damaged positive (red) cable from the battery." This says basically that the selenoid is not bad when it clicks instead of starting, it is all due to the battery, which even when it shows fully charged I can replace for $60, instead of paying over $300 for new solenoid and labor. Do I trust mechanic or go to Autozone and change batteries??? X stalled at the airport when I was picking relatives, and tonight, in the COLD http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/images/smilies/kalt-big.gif when we were watching lights, I need reliable transportation!!!!!

OMG, I read XterraRed's 2000 xterra wont start and I am beginning to panic, because the mechanic just did the timing belt last weekend (he has not worked in Xterras much, which may mean AT ALL) http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/images/smilies/aufkopfhauen-big.gif
Used Nissan belt, the rest from autozone.
Please, tell me it could be something easy!!!!

If it's stalling then it shouldn't be the solenoid. In fact, on cars with a solenoid you can easily get to (say a Ford or Chevy truck) you can actually jumper the connections on the solenoid to get it to start and then drive away with a completely dead solenoid.

The fact it's stalling out (to me) means it's something else.

The only thing you mentioned that would be starter/solenoid related would be the clicking and no crank. That *could* be the solenoid but sounds more like the starter is jammed up. Sometimes smacking the starter with a solid object (not too hard don't want to dent it! lol) will get the starter unstuck and allow it to operate again. My friend had to do that with his Camaro almost every night after work for 3 weeks straight until he replaced the starter

The Solenoid is just a big relay that connects the direct battery feed to the starter. There is a chance the contacts inside have gone bad, but again that wouldn't explain the shutting off

The fact it's stalling out (to me) means it's something else.
X2,are there any codes?

Thanks for your quick responses, it is sat morn and my only chance to get it fixed without having to stay stuck at home till Tuesday :-(
I am not mechanically gifted, but everyone that looked at it suggests solenoid... (good willed handy pple and the mechanic that did the previous work, since it stalled first at his place, but started after he gave it 5 minutes)
After we got it started(1st time by itself, 2nd jump started) the only thing I noticed is that it was slow to start, as if it was thinking about it, and then brmmm. Except the 3rd time it decided not to. It is also cool, in the 30' at night, don't know if that can make it worse, but this was my other half -sooo reliable until now. And it is my only car, so I need it to work.

I don't have much more to tell you about it, newish oil filter (last oil change), new air filter, and the tech had checked it all a week ago! New belts. Just been cleaned (water pressure) all over. The only other thing that comes to mind is, a month ago it showed a service light, I took it to read the codes, and it gave a catalytic converter #. Two pple told me I could wait for that until before the next State inspection if I didn't terribly worry about the emissions and damage to environment.

[QUOTE=rjr162;357740]If it's stalling then it shouldn't be the solenoid. In fact, on cars with a solenoid you can easily get to (say a Ford or Chevy truck) you can actually jumper the connections on the solenoid to get it to start and then drive away with a completely dead solenoid.
Believe me, if I knew where that solenoid is, I would -I am totally ready to go with the hammer at anything right now!!!!