Well for some of you following my hard starting problems, you know I have replaced absolutely everything in the ignition, and fuel system. The car has correct fuel pressure. It has had the SES light on now for a few weeks, and I finally got around to having it scanned. From my mechanic, I got Codes 33 and 34, which is a bad map sensor, replaced that, that fixed the surging the car had at lower rpm's. The other code I had was a Code 18, which he said meant a crank signal open. I did a search, and everyone else said c18 means a faulty injector circuit, which would for sure explain my hard starting I would think. Could this be the cause of the hard starting? How can I find which injector is bad? Thanks, Luke

 

DTC 18 is an injector circuit fault. Use the lists on Shoebox's website, or in my ScanMaster writeup, not the generic ones.

First, clear the code and see if it comes back. That will tell you if it is an "active" code or a "stored" code.

You need to check the colored wire on each injector connector to make sure it is getting +12V with the key on. Then check the black ground wire to make sure there is no voltage present, and that is it not actually grounded (the PCM grounds it to fire the injector.)

If the wiring checks out OK, remove one injector connector at a time and see if it affects the way the engine idles. If you pull a good connector off a good injector, it will make the engine idle worse. If you pull the connector off the bad wire/injector, you won't feel any difference. If you find a bad injector, swap it out with another one, and see if the problem follows the injector (faulty injector) or stays on the same cylinder (faulty wiring).

 

Alright, sounds good. They cleared the codes, none have came back yet. I have driven it about 40 miles today, same hard starting, but once the car is running, it runs/drives/idles fine. I am wondering if its just running so rich, the motor has about 2000 miles on it, 355 9:5:1, hotcam kit, etc. When it does start finally it blows out carboned up exhaust badly. After a rev or 2, its gone, and everything is fine, no codes as of yet. Maybe it needs a reprogram, its on the stock tune...we will see, thanks for the help

 

well today I am gonna check each injector wire, and go from there...thanks

 

You can also check the resistance of each injector. They should be 11.8-12.6 ohms.

 

Ok, I figured out the entire problem. Could this be it? I was trying to start it at my granparents house, and my grandpa who knows very little about cars made a comment that his ignition on his old blazer was messed up somewhere between the chip in the key, and the ignition on the steering wheel. Well, I kinda blew it off, and went to start it, same old sputtering, then die. Tried it again, nothing at all. Third time, while it was sputtering, I turned the key ever so slightly forward, and BAM, fired on all 8, settled into its nice lopey idle. I was like...hmmm, just lucky that try. So I shut it off, tried the same thing the next time, while it sputtered, I turned the key forward a little, and it fired right up again. While driving, I messed with it a little out in the country, if its back a little bit, the car will not run for ****, won't idle, etc. Turn the key forward a little, and its fine. Could that chip in the key be worn, or possibly something in the steering column? Thanks for any help guys

 

Sounds more like your ignition switch is bad or out of adjustment. There is switch replacement info on my Tech Page.

 

thanks again Rob....

 

Hey guys Im having the exact same problem... except I havent replaced anything in the ignition, I replaced all injectors, checked all wiring, and Im still getting a dam DTC-18 injector circuit... the guy who reads the codes for me said he thinks it could be opti, the ignition switch is fine.... When I start it and its been sitting for a few and engine cold, I turn it over but have to give it gas to keep it running, its seems as though its only firing on 4 cylinders or so.... extremely rough, if I keep RPMS up for about a min or 2 it corrects itself and runs fine, Ive been able to recreate this problem, and while doing so I tested all the injector wiring, all was good... is there anyway to test the opti or PCM? I really need help here guys thanks!

 

Any ideas guys? Im really up a creek here w/out a paddle =/