Car is a 1999 Chevy Cavalier, 2.2 OHV, automatic with 193,000 miles on it. It does this every morning, and also if the car sits a little bit, even just an hour sometimes. It does it more if its warm outside too. It seems the colder it is outside, the better it starts, which is unusual. About 1 in 10 times it will fire right up with no problem. It also does it sometimes like if we go into a store and come back out to leave. It just won't be as long, like a normal turn of the motor, then it makes those quick turning type sounds like in the video, and then starts. It like the car isn't "catching". Once the car is on, it runs great with no problems, has full power when accelerating etc. I've tried a few times to put the key to the on position to prime the fuel pump (like 5 times, 10 seconds each ON cycle without actually starting the car) and this did NOT help. We also sea foamed the car, I put new spark plugs in, and has a brand new battery. The problem seems to be getting worse, and the car is more frequently doing it now.
Video compilation of various starts with the car. Please listen and see what it may be. Right now I'm guessing starter. It almost feels as if the starter is holding the engine back sometimes, but then again it just may not be enough fuel. Fuel pump seems fine. Will be changing the fuel filter soon, but I don't think that's the problem. Warmer it is outside, harder it starts. There are times when it takes a good bit to start. Like I will crank it it for a good 5-10 seconds straight, doesn't start, try it again and then hesitates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJfakCJngdc
Wow buddy that's a lot of info. Don't know where to begin here... Take it in and have it looked at.
hey bud sounds like that same problem i had but a lot worse. Lets see i have the same 2.2l in my 99 and this is what i have done changed fuel filter, spark plugs, wires, and replaced my starter (it went bad from excessive turning from where it was difficult to start) let me ask you this. Do you smell fuel when you start up the car sometimes? because my car was hard to start and it sounded like that and what i figured was it might have been my fuel pressure regulator i tried that and no dice still the same out come (maybe not for you though). Then just recently i changed out my fuel injector O rings turned out the old o rings were bad and leaked fuel into the cylinder and flooded the car. See before i changed them out i would let the car of course sit over night and the leaking fuel would evap out the motor and fire right on up. but lets say i let it sit for an hour or two i would have a rough start. So before doing a new starter i would suggest changing the fuel regulator, the air temp sensor on the intake tube, and the O rings on the injectors. I would start with the air temp sensor first thats like 12 bucks then the o rings thats about 25 from a dealer then a regulator which is like 65 dollars. and if none of that works i would suggest a crank sensor but thats just me
I have the same problem. When its warm outside or the engine is warm, its hard to start. But if its cold outside it car will fire right away. Put new plugs and wires, new iat and coolant temp s ensor. None of these helped the situation. Any other ideas? I used the code reader at work, showed no codes. Is there anything in the live data that I should look for?
This seems to be a tricky problem to find out huh. There are so many things it could be, hard to just start throwing money at it though. I'm getting fuel pump from a few people on another forum as a main cause. Like a post above, this could damage the starter over time (which I think it is). Also if I give a little gas while trying to start, to open up the throttle body, it seems to help a little bit.
Correct me if I'm wrong. But if its the fuel pump, you should be able to prime the pump by turning the key a few times and the problem should quit.
usually a fuel pump just goes bad no if ands or buts about it.like josh said prime the pump a few times and the problem should go away so i dont really think its your pump. start with the least expensive and work your way up
Yeah I tried the priming trick a few times to no avail. I will be checking the fuel pressure regulator next and see if it's bad, leaking fuel into the vacuum line. Easy to access and not too expensive.
check the wires on the starter..
my issue was the ground wire,sometimes it worked,sometimes it didnt..
http://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/99387_starter_1.jpg
the wires on my 98 had started to go and caused very similar if not exact issues as you are describing..
the wires all looked fine but were really bad inside the insulation for the wire itself...
unbolt the wires from the contacts
clip the wires back a bit (there is wire to spare) remove insulation.
install new ring terminal end on wire
re install
maybe ten minutes worth of time and an easy check for the issues.. if not a solution no harm no fould and little to no money spent if you have the terminals handy already..
i have this exact same issue, did you ever solve it?
Does it start better if you hold the throttle at WOT?
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
