Starting Hesitation
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 578
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From: Sugar Land, Tx
Starting Hesitation What could be causing my car hesitating to start when the engine is completely cooled off?
When the engine is warm theres no problem starting its just when the engine is cooled off.
The battery and alternator are both new.
When the engine is warm theres no problem starting its just when the engine is cooled off.
The battery and alternator are both new.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,399
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
What do you mean by hesitating? Turning over a little slower before catching on cold mornings? Mine does that. Make sure your new battery is at least a 690 CCA and voltage is good while running.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 578
Likes: 0
From: Sugar Land, Tx
Yes the voltage is about 14 when i turn the car on. And ya what i mean by hesitation is ya it takes a longer than usual to start. And its not a very strong start if that helps.
Could be a bad battery, carbon build-up, oil. Could be a number of things.
If you aren't running 5W30, that could contribute. If your battery is over 3 years old, it might be time for a new one. Even though your voltage shows normal, the capacity (ability to put out amps) of the battery could be diminished.
If you aren't running 5W30, that could contribute. If your battery is over 3 years old, it might be time for a new one. Even though your voltage shows normal, the capacity (ability to put out amps) of the battery could be diminished.
Mine does something similar. In the morning on the first cold start up, it fires right up. When I get out of school the car is cooled off but sometimes takes longer to start.
Warm starts are just fine.
Warm starts are just fine.
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You may see some improvement with the 5W30. GM calls for it when temps get below 0 degrees - which probably isn't an issue in Texas. (Otherwise 10W30 is fine on the engine.) But the tolerances on the LS1 are tight and you might see an improvement from the increased viscosity. If you do see temps below 0, the 10W30 can lead to more engine wear when its cold.
I've never tried it on my Firebird, but I did have major problems starting a smaller engine on 10W30 in really cold weather. I moved to 5W30 and it made a very big difference for cold starts.
There are lots of other systems that play a key in cold starts, but the oil would be an easy place to start.
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still acts/looks new. You may see some improvement with the 5W30. GM calls for it when temps get below 0 degrees - which probably isn't an issue in Texas. (Otherwise 10W30 is fine on the engine.) But the tolerances on the LS1 are tight and you might see an improvement from the increased viscosity. If you do see temps below 0, the 10W30 can lead to more engine wear when its cold.
I've never tried it on my Firebird, but I did have major problems starting a smaller engine on 10W30 in really cold weather. I moved to 5W30 and it made a very big difference for cold starts.
There are lots of other systems that play a key in cold starts, but the oil would be an easy place to start.
I've never tried it on my Firebird, but I did have major problems starting a smaller engine on 10W30 in really cold weather. I moved to 5W30 and it made a very big difference for cold starts.
There are lots of other systems that play a key in cold starts, but the oil would be an easy place to start.
My car has an ACDelco freedom maintenance free battery in it with no date code on it anywhere I can see. Looks OEM, but surely it can't have lasted 10 years...? I don't know. Starts the car every time though even in some of the deep freezes we've had so I guess it's fine, however old it may be.
As long as the engine is over 0 degrees F, you are fine. If the oil temperature drops below that, the car is in a bad place for engine wear with 10W30. (There's a page in the owners manual, which shows the operating ranges.)
