Starting issue:twice EVERY time?
03-16-2010, 05:40 PM
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Staging Lane
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Starting issue:twice EVERY time? When I go to start my car (1998 Trans Am) in the morning, when I go to lunch, when I go home at night, literally every time, it takes it two times to start.
I've had a couple mechanics look at it and none of us can figure it out, its exactly as I say it is. The first time I turn it over I can hold it until the battery dies and it wont start. But if I turn it once, even if only for a split second, and then turn it again it fires right up no problem.
This is SO weird and it's driving me insane
. Could it possibly be a factory alarm issue? I just replaced fuel filter, spark plugs, cleaned MAF. The check engine light recently went on however, and I can't remember if it did this with the light off or not.
Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance guys.
I've had a couple mechanics look at it and none of us can figure it out, its exactly as I say it is. The first time I turn it over I can hold it until the battery dies and it wont start. But if I turn it once, even if only for a split second, and then turn it again it fires right up no problem.
This is SO weird and it's driving me insane
. Could it possibly be a factory alarm issue? I just replaced fuel filter, spark plugs, cleaned MAF. The check engine light recently went on however, and I can't remember if it did this with the light off or not. Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance guys.
03-17-2010, 07:22 AM
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is the fuel pump priming every time you turn the key forward ? Is there a crank signal everytime ? - it will not turn the fuel pump on without the crank signal. Sometimes the housing on the crannk sensor crack's causing intermittent probs. I am just brain storming right now and it is early - LOL...
03-17-2010, 04:54 PM
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Staging Lane
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thanks for the response brandon.
i was putzing around with it last night, and sometimes if I let the fuel pump kick on and sit there for about 10 seconds it will start on the first turnover.
are these things notorious for taking a bit to get the fuel pressure to the injectors, etc.?
i was putzing around with it last night, and sometimes if I let the fuel pump kick on and sit there for about 10 seconds it will start on the first turnover.
are these things notorious for taking a bit to get the fuel pressure to the injectors, etc.?
03-17-2010, 04:54 PM
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i just want to be sure I don't have some type of fueling issue. it runs fine and has a decent idle, like I said it just doesn't start well in any condition.
03-17-2010, 06:06 PM
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What you can do is put a manual fuel pressure gauge on the port from the fuel rail, get the vehicle started and run it for a few seconds and take a reading at idle and one when you snap the throttle and note the difference. Then shut the vehicle off and go do something for a half hour or hour and then come back and note the pressure. the rail should hold pressure and if it doesnt there is an anti drain back valve in the fuel pump and sometime these go bad. let me know what you find.
g/l.
g/l.
03-17-2010, 06:59 PM
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What you can do is put a manual fuel pressure gauge on the port from the fuel rail, get the vehicle started and run it for a few seconds and take a reading at idle and one when you snap the throttle and note the difference. Then shut the vehicle off and go do something for a half hour or hour and then come back and note the pressure. the rail should hold pressure and if it doesnt there is an anti drain back valve in the fuel pump and sometime these go bad. let me know what you find.
g/l.
g/l.
That's what I was trying to get at. If the check in the pump is bad, then priming it two or three times should still make it start like normal (at least that was the case for me). But even with a new pump the pressure will drop some in 30 minutes. Get a fuel pressure gauge and watch it, if it doesn't get up to at least 55 psi when you prime it you might have a probllem and if it drops more than 5 psi in a few minutes after turning it off you may have a problem.
