yet another starting issue thread... I'm stumped
 

My car is a 98 3.8L V6 A4. It has always needed longer cranking to start which I believe is probably due to a bad check valve in the fuel pump making it lose fuel pressure when it sits. All it ever took was prime the pump, then crank it and it would start.

Well recently the thing hasn't been wanting to start, it'll crank and crank, catch, and sputter for a couple seconds before running normally. Now it just sputters and dies. Crank it again, sputter, push the gas pedal some, and it'll shakily come to life. Now just this morning it took 5 tries to get it started :bang:

Once it is started it runs perfectly fine, WOT no problem, never skips a beat.

Plugs are new a couple months ago, wires are about a year old, no SES light... what gives? Any ideas? :confused:

This car just seems to always have a problem, fix one just to have another :bang:

so it starts easier when you hit the gas?

i would look into the IAC

IAC should give you a SES light, but some cars do not. Mine didn't give me one. So, as said above, check it out. Borrow a friends if you can to rule that out.

Dirty fuel injectors can do that too, then after its started it'll run ok. 1 full can of Sea Foam in 3/4 tank of gas might help but then you have to change the fuel filter too after the Sea Foam.

Make sure your fuel pressure is correct. Maybe it is that check valve????

That's what I'm wondering. I'll check the IAC, though I had cleaned it several months ago.

Didn't even think of the injectors, I kind of assumed if the car ran fine those couldn't be it but shows you what I know I guess.

Checking fuel pressure tomorrow morning. I've got so much going on right now, I have to get back to college this weekend, and of course the car has to do this to me right at the last minute instead of earlier during break :rolleyes: