Stumped!! Non Fbody car problem - help!
Stumped!! Non Fbody car problem - help! Ok, so in addition to having 3 sports cars, i also keep an old 97 saturn SL1. 215,000miles+ and the only repairs i have had to do is a belt tensioner and a wheel bearing. Oh and dash lights, but those haven't worked in 80k miles and i haven't really bothered with them. :p
Well due to the fact i have more cars than i really need (dont tell the fiancee), i let the car sit for about 6 months. Only now it has picked up a quick that it never had before. Now the car won't start the first time you try to crank it. But it will start on the 2nd attempt. This is pretty much how it goes every time you try to start the car now.
My thought is a fueling issue, i have tried to turn the key forward to "prime" the car a few times before trying to start and it doesnt seem to make a difference. Not like i can hear the fuel pump like in the other cars either.
So, i ask you all what should i look at in order to solve this problem. I am looking to sell this car soon along with my Z28 and i don't want to sell anyone a car with problems.
Thanks!
Well due to the fact i have more cars than i really need (dont tell the fiancee), i let the car sit for about 6 months. Only now it has picked up a quick that it never had before. Now the car won't start the first time you try to crank it. But it will start on the 2nd attempt. This is pretty much how it goes every time you try to start the car now.
My thought is a fueling issue, i have tried to turn the key forward to "prime" the car a few times before trying to start and it doesnt seem to make a difference. Not like i can hear the fuel pump like in the other cars either.
So, i ask you all what should i look at in order to solve this problem. I am looking to sell this car soon along with my Z28 and i don't want to sell anyone a car with problems.
Thanks!
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 42
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Ok, so in addition to having 3 sports cars, i also keep an old 97 saturn SL1. 215,000miles+ and the only repairs i have had to do is a belt tensioner and a wheel bearing. Oh and dash lights, but those haven't worked in 80k miles and i haven't really bothered with them. :p
Well due to the fact i have more cars than i really need (dont tell the fiancee), i let the car sit for about 6 months. Only now it has picked up a quick that it never had before. Now the car won't start the first time you try to crank it. But it will start on the 2nd attempt. This is pretty much how it goes every time you try to start the car now.
My thought is a fueling issue, i have tried to turn the key forward to "prime" the car a few times before trying to start and it doesnt seem to make a difference. Not like i can hear the fuel pump like in the other cars either.
So, i ask you all what should i look at in order to solve this problem. I am looking to sell this car soon along with my Z28 and i don't want to sell anyone a car with problems.
Thanks!
Well due to the fact i have more cars than i really need (dont tell the fiancee), i let the car sit for about 6 months. Only now it has picked up a quick that it never had before. Now the car won't start the first time you try to crank it. But it will start on the 2nd attempt. This is pretty much how it goes every time you try to start the car now.
My thought is a fueling issue, i have tried to turn the key forward to "prime" the car a few times before trying to start and it doesnt seem to make a difference. Not like i can hear the fuel pump like in the other cars either.
So, i ask you all what should i look at in order to solve this problem. I am looking to sell this car soon along with my Z28 and i don't want to sell anyone a car with problems.
Thanks!
Chris
Homer gave some good advice. To add to that, generally if you try the "prime" test by keying the ignition a few times the car should fire right up if it is a fuel pump issue so I don't think that is your problem.
Fuel pressure regulator is likely. Failing cam sensor can also give you a long crank (I'm assuming no codes stored?). If your coolant temp sensor is pegged to its max -40 degrees you will definitely have a long crank.
Does the car stumble or run rough for a few seconds after it finally does start? This would be a good indication of a faulty fuel pressure regulator or coolant temp sensor.
Lastly, check for spark next time you go to start it. It may be something as simple as an ignition relay not working initially if those cars have them. Or more likely a bad crank sensor but usually (not always) those fail all at once based on what I've seen.
Fuel pressure regulator is likely. Failing cam sensor can also give you a long crank (I'm assuming no codes stored?). If your coolant temp sensor is pegged to its max -40 degrees you will definitely have a long crank.
Does the car stumble or run rough for a few seconds after it finally does start? This would be a good indication of a faulty fuel pressure regulator or coolant temp sensor.
Lastly, check for spark next time you go to start it. It may be something as simple as an ignition relay not working initially if those cars have them. Or more likely a bad crank sensor but usually (not always) those fail all at once based on what I've seen.
Last edited by lt1pwr1; Feb 1, 2012 at 10:54 AM.
Good point you bring up about the coolant temp sensor as my buddy managed to break it one day (used to be his car) and it would not start that well when it was broken. $6 at O'reilys solved that.
Come to think of it... my buddy was driving it while i worked on installing his SRT4's bigger turbo the other day. Which is the reason it actually got driven again. He said that one morning when it was actually cold here it started under the conditions i mentioned above involving two cranks. But that after running for 10 seconds or so it just died. It started back up but he found it strange.
I don't feel that its the crank sensor at this point and hope it isnt as its a PITA to reach on this car if i remember correctly.
I will look into the fueling diagnostics tonight. Again, thanks for the help.
Come to think of it... my buddy was driving it while i worked on installing his SRT4's bigger turbo the other day. Which is the reason it actually got driven again. He said that one morning when it was actually cold here it started under the conditions i mentioned above involving two cranks. But that after running for 10 seconds or so it just died. It started back up but he found it strange.
I don't feel that its the crank sensor at this point and hope it isnt as its a PITA to reach on this car if i remember correctly.
I will look into the fueling diagnostics tonight. Again, thanks for the help.
