I have a 2003 Cavalier auto with 132,000 miles on it and have some issues lately.
Here are the symptoms all during a cold start after sitting overnight or long period of time:
- starts, idles rough, misfiring, at least that what it sounds like, for the first 5 or 10 seconds of startup
- starts, idles rough, then stalls, normally takes 5 or 10 cranks to start, one day it never started and I killed the battery, started once I jumped it.
Things I have replaced in the last 500 miles to try to fix the problem.
- fuel filter
- injectors
- plugs
- spark plug boots
- coolant temp sensor
- fuel pressure regulator
Things I have replaced at 80,000
- Fuel pump
Diagnosis
the only thing I have checked is fuel pressure, this is by turning just the key on, not starting it.
50 psi when cold
54-56 when the car is warm and been driven.
Any help would be great.
moisture in your fuel lines???? try some ISO heat. you could be buying bad gas if you are buying gas from the same place everytime
I will have to try that, I have put some in, just one can, I will try putting some more in and see what it does.
Does anyone else have any suggestions?
What kind of oil are you using?
and how rough have you driven the car wile you've owned it? like do you just drive off right after you start it?
Are you burning any oil?
hows compression?
sounds like a blown headgasket to me.
the rough idling on cold startup is because coolant is fouling the spark plug in the combustion chamber. once the engine warms and seals the leak, all seems ok
I have driven it mostly highway with the occasional putting the pedal to the metal. It does blow blue smoke out when I first start it.
How do I tell if the head gasket is blown?
Have you done a compression test yet?
Did I mention I drive a 2000 Lumina now?-----wigm-tuners.org member
No, what pressure should I be seeing? Or should they all just be within 10% or so.
Correction, its black smoke, I started it about an hour ago, it was spitting and sputtering at the same time as blowing the smoke out
I have the same problem with my 03 sedan. It started about 3 weeks ago. It will start with the ocasional rough idle/misfire for the first 5 seconds. It has not died on me...yet!
I replaced spark plugs and boots about the same time. I also notice that I have to add coolant every month because my low coolant light comes on. The car drives fine. Im concern that it might be what skwirl says, head gasket. My car only has 34k miles and its a 5 speed.
sweet03cav, we should do a compression test on the cylinders and maybe a pressure test on the coolant system. let me know if you fixed the problem. sorry if I hacked your post!
Stock '00
2200 cavy
sedan!!!!
