Weak Cold Start
Weak Cold Start It's hard to describe, but my Trans Am has a weak cold start. As in when I start it after a day or two of sitting, it'll groan to life rather than roar (like you'd see from any cold start video on YouTube.) In the past 6 months, it has had the plugs, wires, battery, and alternator replaced. The car does have About 200k on it, so I wouldn't be surprised if any other parts are fouled, but I can't think of anything else to take care of concerning ignition. Any suggestions? Thanks!
I typed my reply before I asked. When you say it groans to life; the engine turning over slow when you crank it OR it cranks fine but the RPMS don't kick up after it starts. If it's the first one read my reply below.
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It could be a bad ground or a cable that's corroded internally.
To check for both those things you need to do a voltage drop test while the car is being started.
Set your meter to voltage and put one lead on the negative terminal on the battery and the other on the engine(cylinder head or block preferably) and start the engine. It should show maybe .50 at the very most. If it shows more than that there is a bad ground somewhere.
To voltage drop the positive side go from the positive battery terminal to the starter and see what the difference is.
----------------------------------
It could be a bad ground or a cable that's corroded internally.
To check for both those things you need to do a voltage drop test while the car is being started.
Set your meter to voltage and put one lead on the negative terminal on the battery and the other on the engine(cylinder head or block preferably) and start the engine. It should show maybe .50 at the very most. If it shows more than that there is a bad ground somewhere.
To voltage drop the positive side go from the positive battery terminal to the starter and see what the difference is.
It's the latter, the engine cranks just fine. Starting to think it might be the fuel pump. It wouldn't surprise me if it started going out considering the ludicrous amount of mileage on the car. Still using the OEM pump, to my knowledge.
I typed my reply before I asked. When you say it groans to life; the engine turning over slow when you crank it OR it cranks fine but the RPMS don't kick up after it starts. If it's the first one read my reply below.
----------------------------------
It could be a bad ground or a cable that's corroded internally.
To check for both those things you need to do a voltage drop test while the car is being started.
Set your meter to voltage and put one lead on the negative terminal on the battery and the other on the engine(cylinder head or block preferably) and start the engine. It should show maybe .50 at the very most. If it shows more than that there is a bad ground somewhere.
To voltage drop the positive side go from the positive battery terminal to the starter and see what the difference is.
----------------------------------
It could be a bad ground or a cable that's corroded internally.
To check for both those things you need to do a voltage drop test while the car is being started.
Set your meter to voltage and put one lead on the negative terminal on the battery and the other on the engine(cylinder head or block preferably) and start the engine. It should show maybe .50 at the very most. If it shows more than that there is a bad ground somewhere.
To voltage drop the positive side go from the positive battery terminal to the starter and see what the difference is.
