1996 Regal not start when it is hot

[jeffjohn]

Hi friends,

Summer is coming back again and the trouble of my 1996 Buick Regal not starting comes back too as if it doesn't like summer season. It starts all the winter season without any problems. Now it starts in the morning time without problem. It won't start up right away after you turn the car off. You have to wait for a while (it seems waiting for the car to cool down a little), and then you can start the car. Car's running very smooth.

Any advice is greatly appreicated.

BD

[maxwedge]

Basics here, check for strong spark and injector pulse during the no start.

[jeffjohn]

Thanks, maxwedge.

Can you tell why "spark" or "injector pulse" relates to not start because the engine or weather is hot?

DB

[jeffjohn]

Adding:
I say "not start", meaning no crank at all. In the hot afternoon, it needs to turn over the key several times to start the car. In the current morning or winter time, you just turn the key to "ON" once, the car fires up right away.



DB

[jonsonton]

No crank at all huh. The bushings in the starters sometimes go bad causing a short inside the starter. I'm not saying to replace it, but it's something to think about.

[jeffjohn]

Thanks for the clue, Jonsonton.

I'll keep that in mind. Here I found some similar things for Honda:
Honda won’t start after sitting in sun on a hot day - because MAIN RELAY, RPM sensor, or VAPOR LOCK.

But how on earth can one know the exact reason for won't start hot for 1996 Buick Regal?

DB

[jonsonton]

Originally Posted by jeffjohn

Thanks for the clue, Jonsonton.

I'll keep that in mind. Here I found some similar things for Honda:
Honda won’t start after sitting in sun on a hot day - because MAIN RELAY, RPM sensor, or VAPOR LOCK.

But how on earth can one know the exact reason for won't start hot for 1996 Buick Regal?

DB

Well, if it does in fact, does not click at all, one would suspect that something related to the starter would be the culprit>?, or however you spell it.

[jeffjohn]

thanks!
The culprit could be the starter. I read somewhere something that inside starter is heat-related and it doesn't hook up to flywheel when it is hot. I'll do some measurement next time when it happens. Another possible reason may be the cranksensor which has also heat-related start problem. Anyway, thanks for the helps.
DB

[hulagirl]

We replaced my crank position sensor last year. Wouldn't re-start after the engine was warm (and progressively took longer & longer to re-start) but would ALWAYS turn over. Heat related electronic failures, I believe, mainly occur with engine heat, not atmospheric heat (although it doesn't help). In fact, when mine reached the point of needing 1.5 hrs to restart, it did so in either the heat of the summer day or in the middle of the night. I would lean towards the vapor lock. I haven't heard anything about the starter - heat thing.

[jeffjohn]

Thanks!

It sounds the troubles of your car (TURN OVER) and mine (NO TRUN OVER) are different, so I may not consider to replace the crank position sensor. You save me some. I recently read a bit and come up with a idea. I'll jump battery+ and solenoid to see if the trouble is somewhere from starter to ignition swith or solenoid/starter itself when the trouble appears next time. It's strange that the trouble did not occur during whole winter time and that's why to make me think it relates to weather hot.

DB

[hulagirl]

Very good. That should isolate it for you, or at least know which side of the starter you should be looking at! You never did say whether you get a click when you turn the key. ??? Something to think on... Vapor locks are more likely in warm weather. Also, the problem I hate with electrical component breakdown, is that it can be intermittent just because it's the nature of the beast. (Did you ever bang on the gas tank to get the fuel pump to work, or rap on a relay to get it to flash?) I actually did have my symptoms briefly (no re-start maybe 3 times, and DAYS apart) then it disappeared for a good couple or 3 months. Then returned with a fury. Constant. I didn't attribute it to weather though because here in SoCal, well, there isn't much winter to speak of. Sorry I've gotten long winded. I'll wrap it up. Please keep us updated on your progress (adventure?). By the way, I'll be posting on my 89 regal here shortly if you'd like to take a poke at it.

Aloha! D

[jeffjohn]

Thanks, Aloha. It seemed no clicking or I did not hear any sound when it happened one and half year ago. (My wife is having the car now and I'll take a look when I get a chance). I was told that no re-start appeared two or three times in the past one and half months. By the way, I haven't got into fuel system yet and just in the electronic line so far. I'll post what I've got after I solve the trouble.
DB

[hulagirl]

I was just using the fuel pump & relay as a "for instance" to illustrate how electrical components act intermittently, not regarding your problem. If you dont click but you've got radio & lights, you can check the starter relay. That'd be a cheap fix. Good luck!!

D

[jeffjohn]

96 regal seems not having a Relay in the starter. I saw your post. I never read knoking sensor causes no spark in anywhere. But I guess knoking sensor hardly relates to NO SPARK if we are talking about starting a car.

[jeffjohn]

Last weekend I've got chance to try the troublesome 1996 regal. In the afternoon, I continued starting car many times and twice no start although the weather was not too hot. I expected the third no start occuring in order to check on the trouble, but it did not come back. Anyway, I openned the hood and found the things under the hood had not been too hot yet. But the covers around the steering column inside the car is really, really hot, which may affect ignition switch somehow causing no start. Well, I'll post here after i finally sovle it.