Hey guys, my 01 SS has 63,000 mi on it. I drive it about 50 or so a week. It is maintained meticulously by me. All fluids, plugs, wires, etc have been changed. Recently, my car wont start on the first try. It will take a few cranks to get it going. Afterwards, it runs flawlessly. It doesn't do it all the time. Today for instance, it fired up first try after work. I went to an appt and it took me about 6 long cranks to get it started. There are no check lights on. Any ideas on whats going on?

 

This happened to me a little while ago, Check your ignition relay its under ur hood on the d/side in the fuse box replace it with a new one.... Let me know how it goes!

 

Sounds like what happened to my '91, it was the starter...might wanna check that out too

 

Turn the key and let the fuel pump prime a few times without trying to crank it; try turning it all the way over the third time. May be the fuel pump. Good luck man!

 

Fuel pump. Listen for the priming noise each time you try to start the car. If it doesn't make the sound then it's probably you're pump, although it wouldn't hurt to check the relay and wiring. If it's priming, then do a pressure check and see if it's starting to go kaput...

 

Thanks guys, i replaced the fuel filter before I checked back on here. Still the same results. I'm guessing its the pump too. I will check the relays in the am. Thanks for all of the advice.

 

my 98 did that & i cant remember but it might be a cam sensor or crank sensor........

 

This is possible that one of the sensor above are out and it has to find TDC using just the other sensor witch would make it have to crank longer.

 

eh, if it's running spectacular after it starts then i don't believe it's the crank or cam sensor. and if either were bad he would have thrown an engine code. my vote is also on either the fuel relay or the fuel pump. so following the others advice is a spectacular idea.. good luck to you and keep up the good work!!

 

Crank and cam sensor changed on my car just 3 days ago, No SES Light or code came up on scanner.

^^ You are right though, those 2 sensors cause a car to stall and not really a hard start

I 'd suggest doing fuel pressure test at the rail, check the fuel pump relay, pump it self.

Check the battery terminals, loose connections to starter and ignition system to see if you have perfect spark.

 

thats just it...........once it started it ran fine.

it just had a hard time starting but once it did it was fine.........

 

cam sensor... i know for a fact those are symptoms of failing cam sensor.

 

well then i stand corrected on saying it'll throw a code. my bad lol

 

So far the problem ranges from a bad starter all the way to the fuel pump. . . . . . Nice. . . .

This is kinda of a hard question for online. Run through the usual, fuel pressure standing and running all connection from the battery on.

Good luck

 

Just going to add another vote for the fuel pump..

My brother's 98' TA was doing the same thing. He replaced the pump (after ruling out many other possibilities) and the problem was fixed. His symptoms were long cranking on first start,started as a sometimes problem and then ended up an all the time problem on first starts.

Good Luck!

 

If the motors turning over but wont fire up then I'd bet the starter is good .My vote is for a relay or fuel pump.

 

I have the same problem, Mine is throwing a CAM SENSOR code and has a hard time cranking, and once it hits WOT at high RPMs it also falls on its face also. we know for the fact that fuel system is fine and the only code the computer is kicking is the CAM SENSOR, it has been cleared more than once and comes back. You should have a code if that was the problem, but then again stranger things have happend with cars,

Here is a vidio of the hard start with the bad cam sensor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sNwD0stKYM

And once in a while it fires right up just like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hkzs...eature=related


Also the cam sensor wont prevent it from running, Proof of this is the fact that a LS2 wiring harness was used on this engine and the cam and crank sensors were in the wrong place, engine still fired and ran. Once this problem was fixed however it still threw the cam sensor code. so that is probably what the issue is.

 

If either of those sensors are out of wack the car will usually code. A cam sensor being bad will usually not keep the motor from starting. It uses to crank sensor to figure out the cams position which is why it takes longer to start. I'm not saying that this is the problem... I'd guess fuel pump myself. Cycle the key 3 times and let the pump prime the rails good and tight. Turn the motor over after the third cycle and see if it bumps off any easier. If it does your fuel pump is on it's way out.

*edit - I just noticed this thread was a month old

 

random but my car has a bad camshaft position sensor that signaled about 3 months ago with an ses light and it has problems starting. they key trick will however the car still starts fine once the engine has a warm start.

from what i have read the sensor wont trigger a code on a stock cam motor, but on a camm'd car like mine it will trigger a code