Whats up everyone? I have had this problem ever since I picked up my T/A back in May. After the car has been sitting for a while or cooled down, it either takes a very long start or 2 turns of the key to turn over. It almost always turns over on the 2nd turn of the key. Sometimes it turns over on the first turn but only after it cranks for a while. I just recently replaced my plugs, wires, and optispark this past week while I put my headers on. I was hoping this would correct the problem but it didnt. I have no idea what it could be. The computer has no trouble codes and no engine light is on. Any ideas?

 

Usually long or hard starting problems are fuel related. It is usually either the fuel is draining back toward the tank out of the rails or it is dripping out the injector into the intake. The easy things to do to help find the problem involve cranking the engine over. If you put the ignition switch to KOEO for 2 seconds then off then KOEO again and do this 4 or 5 times. Then try to start the car like normal. If it hits off right away on the first try, you know the fuel is draining away from the rails and not dripping from an injector.

What you have done is prime the fuel rails by cycling power and powering up the fuel pump. Now to find the problem. We assume you don't have any visible leaks since you looked at the fuel lines from the FPR all the way back to the tank. Right The next thing to check is the vac line to the FPR. Pull it off and see if it's wet. If so, you need to replace it. But that is probably not it, cause your fuel mileage would be lousy and performance would be down due to sucking fuel directly into the intake through the vac line.

The other thing that allows fuel to run back away from the injectors is the check ball in the fuel pump. To test this however, you will need a fuel pressure gage (get one with a hose on it) and watch the fuel pressure after the car is shut off to see how fast it falls. Then prime the fuel lines like before with KOEO a few times and right before the last time you shut the key off, clamp the supply line with something like vise grips with rubber fuel line on the jaws. Have someone then cut the key off and this time watch the fuel pressure to see that it drops much more slowly than before. This would prove the check ball in the fuel pump is hanging open.

I also mentioned the problem could be an injector dripping. However, that problem would also make the mileage crappy and performance would be terrible. If it were dripping and puddling in the intake, the car should start easier by flooring the throttle and holding it there and then crank the engine. This puts the PCM in flood mode and cuts back the injectors. This problem would also show up if you pinch the fuel line as mentioned above and pressure still drops.

To find the culprit, you can remove the bolts holding the fuel rails down and lift the injectors, while attached to the rails. Lift them high enough to see the ends and if they aren't dripping, put KOEO and look for the leaky one. Since KOEO only runs the pump for a couple of seconds, you can use the fuel pump prime connector to run the pump longer. Just put 12 volts on it, located up near the PCM. It will be a Gray wire with a single tiny black connector on it. Try not to run the pump long if you use it.

Sorry for the disertation. Hope that helps you find the problem.

Dave

 

i am having this problem, the car will start if i heat the block with a 150,000btu heater and she turns over and off we go,

but if i am cranking and cranking and cranking isn't the fuel pressure elevated to like 38psi so how could fuel be going back past pump?