Hard to start

anyone else having a problem starting the car (97) when it is warm, it starts fair (2 to 5 seconds of cranking) when it is cold, but after it is warm, it takes 7 to 12 seconds of cranking to start , by then it is flooded and is smoking black. It runs good after it clears out.

I would pull at least two of the front spark plugs and see if there is anything left of the electrodes and tips. There has to be fire to burn fuel. If they look intact and just black and wet(rich)that's okay. If they have been in a while, it would be better to put in new ones before starting any diagnostic work. An injected engine should never be that rich(black smoke is fuel smoke)or get flooded, so it sounds like a fuel management problem and it probably won't be anything you can fix yourself. Is the SES light coming on? Does it run smooth and have power?

Already installed new plugs and all 4- O2 sensors, did not help a bit
as far as the engine light, it has been on a couple of times in the last two years, the first time, i stop by the dealer and he cleared it, ( said it was nothing) a few months later it was on for a day or so, went back off before i got it back to the dealer.....the car has plenty of power and gets it the mid 20's fuel wise

Okay, if you're averaging fuel economy in the 20's it can't be that serious. Maybe the cold start mode(more fuel) is coming on even when warm. This would create the condition you're having. Your cold cranking time sounds about right. It's not as simple as turning a mixture screw or adjusting the choke linkage anymore. Someone needs to hook-up a scan tool and talk to it. Changes in ignition and injection are now done by pushing a button. Please read the "Valuable Northstar" thread and my post about Delco parts before taking it in.

Sounds like a fuel pressure regulator problem. See if there's any fuel in the vacuum line that connects to the reg.

Bill V, what part of his problem would lead you to believe the FPR is at fault?

Bill V, what part of his problem would lead you to believe the FPR is at fault?


Extended crank with black smoke when it starts with a comment that it's worse when warm. These are classic conditions that occur when the reg starts leaking fuel through the vac port.

Thanks for the input. I've never had mine go out so I don't know much about them. It seems whenever someone posts an engine running poorly, it's always the FPR's fault. That's why I asked for specifics.

It was the FPR, I changed it and it is starting prefect.
I drove around for 2 years with this problem and all it was, was a $10 part......not to good!

I quess it IS always the FPR's fault!

I recently changed my plugs and installed the Delco 41-950's as suggested but now I occasionally feel a slight miss and at times it doesn't start as it used to. It sounds as if it starts on only a few cylinders before all fire. Other than that it runs great. So, where is the FPR valve located? What does it look like? and is it only $10?
I'd appreciate an email at [email protected]