Hard Starting problems

I have the EXACT same problem listed below on my car pls any suggestions?

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have a '97 SE with 115k miles that is having startin problems. A few weeks ago it was cranking and cranking but not starting. It would only do this occasionally; not all the time. Before that time, it would start immediately.

Finally got in one day and I turned the key and it did nothing. The starter was dead. Had that replaced and the mechanic who replaced it said the first time he tried starting it with the new starter it didn't catch either, so there's something else going on. But he couldn't repeat it to try and isolate the problems. It started everytime.

So now, over a week after the new starter, I've had no problems.... until this morning where it didn't start until the third try. I'm trying not to crank it for more than 2 - 3 seconds as I probably burned out the old starter by turning it for too long.

The mechanic told me you need electrical, spark and fuel to start a car. My electrical is fine, so that leaves spark and fuel. But since the car only has problems starting *sometimes*, taking it in for a diagnoses may do no good because it might not do it for them.

So my question is: if the problem is spark or fuel, what should I do to

try and fix this? I know very little about engines, so I'm flying blind here. Should I just replace the spark plugs to see if that helps, or does "spark" refer to more than just plugs? And how could I check on whether it's getting fuel or not?

Need some help. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks

I AM A NISSAN TECHNICIAN .MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD STARTER .THESE CARS ARE VERY SENSITIVE.I HAVE SEEN AFTERMARKET STARTERS IN THESE CARS.A BAD STARTER IN THIS MAXIMA COULD MAKE HARD TO START.I AM NOT TO FOND OF THESE AFTERMARKET STARTER,THIS IS FROM EXPERIENCE.YES NISSAN STATERS ARE MORE MONEY BUT WORTH IT.ALSO CHECK FOR ANY CODES STORED IN COMPUTER.ONE MORE THING TO CHECK IS FOR START SIGNAL FUSE IN FUSE BOX. GOOD LUCK

I have a 95 maxima that had a problem some what like that, but it wasn't the starter which I had first thought because when I turned the key it wouldn't start I would have to turn it and hold it in place so it could start. My problem was that my ignition switch went bad. I had to replace it and get a new switch with new key since then I never had any problem with it turning over. Look into the ingnition switch that might be your problem.