Hard start

Alrighty, I've looked around and I don't think I've found anything similar (or actually a solution) to my problem.

About 1 or 2 month ago, my car started to have a hard time firing-up, cold or hot engine doesnt seam to affect.

It takes about 3-4 seconds with the ignition on for the engine to actually start.

That's the only problem with the car so far, it runs smoothly, acceleration hasn't changed and it doesn't idle in a wierd way.

Latelly the following has been changed:

- Spark plugs
- Spark plugs wires
- Battery
- Fuel filter
- Rear O2 sensor (going to do the front one soon, but I don't think it's related to the problem)
- Added some injector cleaner last time I gassed up

If I shut off the engine and start it a few minutes after (for exemple when I go gas up) the engine seams to struggle to get to 1000 RPM at the beggining but runs smoothly after I give it a bit of gas.

I'm guessing it could be a fuel pump related problem but I just wanted to get some opinions before actually getting the new pump and installing it (kind of on a budjet so I'm trying to avoid "useless" repairs)

Well, if you went through all of this......thanks! I hope some1 can help me out :)

I`d get the fuel pressure checked and also check the fuel pressure regualtor. Just guessing that you have no SES light showing . You also post what engine you have and mileage to help others help you

Kinda like whats wrong with my car..........

Yeah getting the fuel pressure checked was the next thing on my list...
And yep, no lights or whatsoever are ON

And yeah, I don't understand how I forgot to mention that....lol
It's a 1999 cav 2.2 OHV engine and there's about 128000 km on it

well...went to try to get the fuel pressure regulator and so far no luck in 2 car part dealers....seams like I'm going to have to go to the dealer....

Unless someone knows a good website for parts....(I'm in Canada so...autozone doesn't work for me :crying: )

I`d get the fuel pressure checked and also check the fuel pressure regualtor. Just guessing that you have no SES light showing . You also post what engine you have and mileage to help others help you

Right on target buddy, thanks :P
I ended up getting a FPR at the dealership and the guy actually gave me a discount (guess I look broke or something...lol)

Finished changing it a few minutes ago and the engine starts just fine now, thanks a lot :)

glad everything worked out for you & thanks for posting the fix

Errr, guess I said everything was fine a little too fast....lol

Took the car out twice today and at the end of the day it was still doing the same thing....

I find it kind of wierd because after installing the regulator it started normally...

Guess it could be the fuel pump or the injectors maybe....any other thoughs?

I'm gonna throw one outta left field here and wonder if your map sensor is being fidgety.

And the only reason why I threw it from left field is that the FPR runs that vacuum line to the throttle body and who the hell knows anymore... the MAP sensor, along with vacuum leaks, just suck between 2.2 and 2.4L. lol

Yeah I though about changing it too...I'd rather change all the "cheap and easy" parts rather then buying a fuel pump or new injectors....

How is it on the highway,does it waffle if you mash the gas?? get the fuel pressure checked before you start changing the "Cheap and Easy " parts. Hows the air filter? maybe she can`t breathe..........lol. wanna spend some cash go to GM and get the Good injector cleaner . 18 bucks

well, I'm doing the repairs myself and I asked around before changing parts....and it might sound wierd but I still enjoy working on my car :P lol

Anyways, the air filter was replaced about 2 month ago with a clean one and it's still clean (from the looks of it)

And besides the start, the car doesn't act wierd at all, expect maybe on idle it's a LITTLE rough, but barelly noticeable (RPM don't seam to change that much) and highway is just fine

well, I'm doing the repairs myself and I asked around before changing parts....and it might sound wierd but I still enjoy working on my car :P lol

Anyways, the air filter was replaced about 2 month ago with a clean one and it's still clean (from the looks of it)

And besides the start, the car doesn't act wierd at all, expect maybe on idle it's a LITTLE rough, but barelly noticeable (RPM don't seam to change that much) and highway is just finenot weird at all ,more power to you . if you have a Haynes manual read up on checking the injectors and see if that helps

To all of you who gave your suggestions and help, thanks! I finally got it fixed, did it myself, it was the Fuel Pressure Regulator. Went and snagged a used one, installed it myself, and car works beautifully again! I never thought it would be that because mine was brand new jsut over a year ago and is still shiny and not rusted.......oh well, things break! Just wanted to post to let anyone with similar problems know, check that, it was the last thing I thought it would be.

All righty....new development!...sadly enough I doubt it's for the best. Yesterday the car started to make a whirring comming from the underneath the back of the car...thus...I'm guessing my fuel pump is officially dying on me... unless it's something else, anybody? lol

the pump will hum for about 2 seconds prior to start up, got any friends with a pressure tester?

sorry, I forgot to mention it was while I was driving, and it's constant. And nop...I don't know anybody with a pressure tester...guess I'm going to have to get one...

mybe the whirring you hear is a wheel bearing gonig bad

How is it on the highway,does it waffle if you mash the gas??

Muff, can you tell me what waffle sounds like? I'm seriously curious.

I wanna know what the communist breakfast says to me and I wanna make sure my car doesn't follow in their footsteps. lol

Seriously, haha I never heard that before!

mybe the whirring you hear is a wheel bearing gonig bad

Nop, because it does it while I'm not moving. I really sounds like my computer fan but much louder, you can hear it very clearly from the inside. I might change my fuel filter because I got it changed recently and the noise started a bit after....u never know I guess...

Muff, can you tell me what waffle sounds like? I'm seriously curious.

I wanna know what the communist breakfast says to me and I wanna make sure my car doesn't follow in their footsteps. lol

Seriously, haha I never heard that before!look it up in the DICTIONARY it`s not just about your gut/breakfast

Well, I changed the gas filter today and....no change :( However while I was down there I realized that there was a tubbing that wasn't connected to anything that seamed to be comming from the gas pump...I'm guessing it's an air entry for vaccum (or I'm totally wrong, just taking a shot at it) because there's no other disconnected tubbing anywhere.

AAnnndd the whirring noise started about 5-10 seconds after the engine was started...however it doesn't do it everytime...sometimes I just won't whir while some other time it'll do it.

Also, for some wierd reason, after I'm done realiving fuel pressure to work on the fuel system the engine starts just fine....it's after it's being "used" or that pressure has been built back or something that it seams to have a hard time to start.

This is really starting to confuse me.....lol

Next step I guess I can try to change the MAP sensor...is it hard to remove the throttle body on a 99 2.2 OHV? (I have the Haynes manual but it seams somewhat long....just trying to plan enough time to do it)

Thanks a lot to all of U who actually take the time to read this :P

Sorry I get hungry, haha

Well, the car starts like a new one now, finally

I did two things at the same time so I'm not quite sure which one did the trick

1 - I replaced the o-rings of my injectors (I they we're still the stock ones) and speaking of which, I tested them from resistance and they all gave me either 2.6 or 2.7 and the Haynes manual said that they should be between 1.3 and 2.4 if I remember correctly....does this mean my injectors are dying? :uhoh:

2 - Replaced the MAP sensor (got one on ebay for 50$ isnted of 110$ at NAPA, god I love ebay :P)

Sadly enough the car still makes a wierd whirring noise in the back of the car a few minutes after it's driving.....so.....beats me, guess the fuel pump has an issue or something....

You know, I wonder if maybe you should run some fuel system cleaner through your car. And with how my luck has been, I wonder if it's a small grounding issue. But idk. I swear I heard something about the higher resistance, and I'll try to figure out what it was.

You know, I wonder if maybe you should run some fuel system cleaner through your car. And with how my luck has been, I wonder if it's a small grounding issue. But idk. I swear I heard something about the higher resistance, and I'll try to figure out what it was.
By that did you mean fuel injector cleaner? Because I already did about 1000 km ago.

No, I was actually thinking of something like shops use like BG's fuel system cleaner. Dealerships even have it. I have never seen it used, but it's supposed to be "better" than the stuff we can get at the store.

I only thought of that because I wonder if something's clogged in there, from the fuel filter to the injectors. I've seen stuff like this in my car, but who knows, my Cavi and I make things interesting with how things get fixed, lol

Well, the car starts like a new one now, finally

I did two things at the same time so I'm not quite sure which one did the trick

1 - I replaced the o-rings of my injectors (I they we're still the stock ones) and speaking of which, I tested them from resistance and they all gave me either 2.6 or 2.7 and the Haynes manual said that they should be between 1.3 and 2.4 if I remember correctly....does this mean my injectors are dying? :uhoh:

2 - Replaced the MAP sensor (got one on ebay for 50$ isnted of 110$ at NAPA, god I love ebay :P)

Sadly enough the car still makes a wierd whirring noise in the back of the car a few minutes after it's driving.....so.....beats me, guess the fuel pump has an issue or something....

HHHeeerre we go again......car is still doing the same thing...I guess it's temperature related because when it's cold, it starts just fine but it does the same thing that it used to be if I drive it for a bit and let it sit for about 2 hours....BUT somehow the whirring noise SEAMED to have stopped......beats me....

Hey, what about the ECT or the IAT? Did you take a look at them yet? Both I feel have a tendancy to be headache starters when the engine gets warm, if there's a problem around.

I swapped the IAT today with a new one and I got different resistance readings from the old IAT. And according to autozone, my ECT is fine.

This whole starting issue is really starting to bug the crap out of me...when I'm done changing a sensor or a part it starts just fine then a few hours after it starts doing the same damn thing...:banghead::banghead:
any idea if incorrectly gapped spark plugs could cause this? I'm pretty sure I gapped em right at 0.050 inches with a wire gauge...

It's getting really anoying since the car starts fine sometimes and other times it doesnt...

O and recently I was able 2 smell gas inside the car but only when I'm driving....

(changed IAT, MAP, FPR, Spark plugs+wires and injector o-rings)

alright, it seams that the engine takes time to start only when it's warm now, seams to fire just fine when it's cold.

Drive it a bit, until the engine warms up, then check the ignition coils. They should be warm, not hot. One might be bad.

I'm not sure if you can hear the fuel pump from the inside.

Trust me, I can hear the pump loud and clear inside the car :P AAaannd also the car started AGAIN to do a hard start no matter the temperature, cold or hot. The only time it starts fine is if I shut it for a few minutes (around 2 minutes or so) past 10 it has a hard time starting. I was told the check valve inside the fuel pump went bad...guess the fuel isn't staying in the fuel lines maybe, no clue...