wwarnke

My car used to be hard to start when it sat for a while.

I found that the fuel regulator was leaking fuel back into the intake, and flooding it out. That helped the problem. Then I found that the injectors were leaking, and once again, flooding the engine after it sat for a while.

I had Accel injectors, so I pulled them out and put in a new/used set of stock injectors (like 5k miles). Everything was great for like 4 months. It started like new, and felt like it even ran better.

Now, just last week it got to where it was hard to start once it set for several hours. I put a fuel pressure gauge on it, and the pressure jumps up to 40 psi like normal, but it starts to bleed off rather quickly. I pulled the vaccuum line from the regulator, and no leaks there. I then pulled the injectors up out of the intake, and pressurized the system, no leaks there.

WHat else could it be? I am wondering if somehow the fuel pump is leaking fuel back to the tank and drain the fuel out of the rails, and now instead of flooding, I am not getting fuel at all or at least for 10 seconds or so until it finally starts the engine.

Any other ideas............anyone?


PLease, don't say that its the Opti or the fuel pump, those are two things that I DO NOT want to afford right now.

Thanks,

Will

slopokrodrigez

The next time you go to start it, cycle KOEO for about 5 times and then try to start it. If it starts normally then, you have proved the pump check ball is bad and the pump would have to be replaced to fix it.

You may find a check valve somewhere that you could put in line to prevent having to replace the pump.

wwarnke

Well, I thought about that and tried it, it doesn't seem to help much, if any. I have tried to rule out flooding, but checking the normal fuel leaks (leaky injectors, and leaking regulator). Also, normally, if it was flooding, holding the gas pedal to the floor while cranking it would let it start right away. But, that does not help. So, seems like not flooding, so it has to be that it is not getting fuel, right?

Since cycling the pump several time did not seem to help, does this mean that it is not a pressure problem?

Tommorrow morning before I start it, I will install a fuel pressure guage and leave it on for the ride to work and back, and see how my pressure does under WOT, cruising, and when I kill the engine.

Thanks for your help.

slopokrodrigez

One way to rule out the pump draining back is to crimp off the supply line as the engine is shut off. Watch the pressure drop. If it still drops with the line crimped, it's a dripping problem. BUT, you seemed to have ruled both problems out.

How old are the ignition components?

wwarnke

well, the car had 118k when i bought it, it now has 145k. At 120k I put plugs in it. It had MSD wires, so I assume that they aren't that old. I assume that the opti and coil are factory.

txbitt

I know you don't want to hear it, but my last opti failure started with extended cranking when engine was warm. if you are sure it is not a fuel problem opti could be going.