01 GA GT 3.4 Hard to Start when engine is warm

[chris8105]

I have a 2001 Grand Am GT with the 3.4 in it. After the engine gets warm and you shut it off, and come back to start it back up, it is hard to start, the engine cranks over for about 4 to 5 seconds before it fires off. The car only has about 39,000 miles on it and I put a scanner on it, but came up with nothing, just wondering if anybody else has had this problem and can lead me in the right way.

[Mr. Luos]

Yup.

I have had the EXACT same problem. Mine is also a 2001. I have taken it to a dealer when it was under warrenty, and they said they couldn't find anything. Figures.

Good luck.

My car fires NO PROBLEM when cold, but under a warm start situation, it tends to start slower. I have a feeling it has something to do with the fuel pump priming, but who knows.......

[Ridenour]

I'd say it deffinately sounds like a going fuel pump. - it's easier to overheat quicker, especially after running it for a while, which hurts fuel delivery. When it's warm, it works slower and is harder for it to push it up to start the car.

[shyguy5885]

I too have the same problem on my 2000 GT. I recall reading somewhere, maybe on here a while back, that it was possible the crank or cam shaft postion sensor was bad...and then would cause the rough start when warm. That's definitely a possibility on mine since there's oil caked on it from my prior leaking LIM gaskets.

[Mr. Luos]

If a crankshaft position sensor was bad, your car wouldn't start at all.
Camshaft position sensor would cause rough running, and possibly rough starting. Although, I would think it would be rough starting anytime, not just when warm.

[bwarren84845]

My 2001 started doing this at about 40,000. Since I know it happens, I generally will press the gas peddle slightly and hold it before I start cranking and it often fires right up. Because this seems to work for me, I am not thinking its is the fuel pump or the cam sensor. Seems more like throttle position sensor or more likely a leaky fuel injector. The no start condition acts just like the car is flooded. This would explain why holding the peddle open slightly helps introduce more air into the combustion chamber to mix with the additional gas that has leaked in to a cylinder. One of these days I will connect a pressure gage to the fuel rail and monitor the pressure after turning the car off with the engine hot. The fuel pressure should stay steady for an extended period of time. The car has 50,000 on it now and I guess it has not been enough of a nuisance to correct.