Hard to start, cranks forever then runs perfect

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Car has been running fine for the longest time. I come out to leave from work yesterday and the dang thing just cranks...and cranks. I pop the hood to check the fuel pump fuse, it's fine, and I listen for the fuel pump to whirr before trying to crank it. I can't hear the fuel pump but that's because I was parked by our co-gen system which has a loud fan. Anyway, after a long cranking session thing just starts all of a sudden with perfect idle. I drive home normally with no hesitation or anything when I come to stops. I come back out to start the car again like 6 hours later and it just cranks.

Any ideas? I searched and most of the posts that mirror my issues..have no replies :help

weird thing is, my dad has the same issue with his 97 suburban, weird

So far I'm looking for fuel issues
It's like I'm not getting pressure at start up
fuel pump was replaced about 1.5 years ago, only 20k miles since then prob
water in the tank?

[Balthazarr]

Car has been running fine for the longest time. I come out to leave from work yesterday and the dang thing just cranks...and cranks. I pop the hood to check the fuel pump fuse, it's fine, and I listen for the fuel pump to whirr before trying to crank it. I can't hear the fuel pump but that's because I was parked by our co-gen system which has a loud fan. Anyway, after a long cranking session thing just starts all of a sudden with perfect idle. I drive home normally with no hesitation or anything when I come to stops. I come back out to start the car again like 6 hours later and it just cranks.

Any ideas? I searched and most of the posts that mirror my issues..have no replies :help

weird thing is, my dad has the same issue with his 97 suburban, weird

So far I'm looking for fuel issues
It's like I'm not getting pressure at start up
fuel pump was replaced about 1.5 years ago, only 20k miles since then prob
water in the tank?

Water in gas wouldn't run smoothly nor force you to keep cranking without any sputtering etc.
Fuel pump is a minor possibility. I suggest listening where you should be able to hear it, not next to large industrial fan.
ck the fuel pump relay.
ck
Ck ecu

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Thanks for the reply

Yeah, I've been checking into the relay.

hope that's it.

[mmark.]

How old is the fuel filter?

m

[whitecord]

I had a problem like this and it was a leaking injector. Pull the rail leaving the injectors in the rail and turn the key on and off a few times to prime the rail. Look for a injector driping. It sounds like the pressure is bleeding down. It could also be the pump or regulator!

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Fuel filter is 3 years old at most. I have replaced it before but I just don't know the specific date. I hope it's not the pump since I've replaced that in the last 20k miles. What goes wrong with the fuel pressure regulator? Good way to test it? I know there's a fitting on the fuel rail. I'd have to get some kind of gauge connector.

I picked up a new fuel pump relay and tried that with no luck. I also haven't been able to get it to start since I came home from work on Friday

Thanks for the replies!

[RJ's325ITS]

I dont think is the FPR but it's worth looking into it.

Get a fuel press gauge, plug it to the line the goes in the front of the fuel rail. start the car and then unplug the Vac hose that goes to the FPR. your fuel press should rise and be stady. I cant remember the numbers but I think at WOT (hose unplug) you should be at 3 bar or at idle..... Please check your bentely manual.

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thanks for info on the fuel pressure testing. I have to source a gauge somewhere. Any place that rents them?

main dme relay maybe?

[fcvapor05]

fuel leak or filter.

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well it's not the fuel pump relay or the dme relay.

this sucks

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i don't see/smell any fuel leaks and with the filter it should at least start after a while. This starting problem has come out of nowhere. That's one of the weird things. I have yet to smell any gas even though i've cranked the engine like 3 mins collectively.

thanks for the replies though

[BMWALDO]

Just sharing: Mine was an airleak. Gasket between the plenum and the head eventually wore out and there was an air leak which required me to constantly crank the car before it started up. Eventually removed the plenum and put a new gasket in, but by that time I had done damage and my starter died about 2 months later. Replaced the starter and all better.

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wow that's too bad that you had to change the starter. How long did you constantly crank the starter until you replaced the plenum. I definitely don't want to have to replace the starter since that's a big PITA. Are you talking about the 6 orange gaskets between the intake manifold and head?

I don't think that's the prob I have, but I'm just curious

[NoOneBetter]

maybe crankshaft position sensor?

[crapsac]

same problem


Just sharing: Mine was an airleak. Gasket between the plenum and the head eventually wore out and there was an air leak which required me to constantly crank the car before it started up. Eventually removed the plenum and put a new gasket in, but by that time I had done damage and my starter died about 2 months later. Replaced the starter and all better.

same solution exept I thankfully haven't had to replace the starter yet.

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same problem



same solution exept I thankfully haven't had to replace the starter yet.

how did you guys test for this problem? pressurize the intake manifold? When you had the air leak, how'd the car run? Normal or bad idle or low power?

thanks

[sideshow]

maybe crankshaft position sensor?

OBD will usually throw a code for this, correct?

[sideshow]

hmm, might be the pump, crap. I got 12 volts at the white plug and no power at the black plug. Anyone know what the black plug is for? signal? thanks

[BMWALDO]

how did you guys test for this problem? pressurize the intake manifold? When you had the air leak, how'd the car run? Normal or bad idle or low power?

thanks

I just unbolted the intake plenum and removed each gasket and replaced them. Bolted it back together it was good... so I figured that fixed the problem. :dunno

[RJ's325ITS]

how did you guys test for this problem? pressurize the intake manifold? When you had the air leak, how'd the car run? Normal or bad idle or low power?

thanks

get some carb cleaner and while the car is at idle spray it over all air hoses N vacuum hoses and IF the idle changes that means you have a vacuum leak.

GL.
Rafa.

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it ended up being the crank position sensor. I used to use both the peake tool and the foot stomp method to get codes but the peake was always redundant. This time if I used the peake tool i would have saved myself $50 and a day and a half since the CPS only showed up as a fault on the peake.

thanks for the help guys