Rough Starting

[cherrington17]

Every once in a while... my car doesn't want to start. It turns over, just doesn't "catch"

what could be the problem? It cranks fine, starter seems to be clicking as rapidly as ever... (what do they sound like when they are dying?) The fuel pump is certainly priming...


When it doesn't... it cranks, sputters, all power shuts off for a second, then everything kicks on and it starts. wtf causes that?!? and when i say all power is lost... i mean.. headunit shuts off, gauges shut off, headlights off...everything. for about 0.5 seconds... then it kicks on and starts right up.

When running, i have absolutely ZERO problems. Voltage is at 14.8, its a new battery (which is holding 11.5/12.0 Volts when ON, easily) no idle problems, no engine trouble... no codes.

....wtf...?

[clutch1]

Everytime I've lost power on startups it's been from a loose connection on the battery.. Pretty simple, but have you tried disconnecting/ reconnecting it? Checking the main leads for loose connections??

The engine rocks a lot when it's starting compared to normally it seems to me.. maybe a wire moves just right sometimes.

[Nate's Alero]

fusebox wire is corroded, take it off and clean it... happened to me, used to do that once....

also, clean and service battery terminals

[cherrington17]

like i said, battery is new (like a week old) connections are new, clean, and tight.


which fusebox, and how so i take them off?

[cherrington17]

Ok... fuse box line was a little corroded... thats fixed.

Started ok after that, but last night it was pretty rough again. So i have a question. I know the starter is good... but what if the lines coming out of it are salted and corroded. Wouldn't that cause bad power to come from the starter, leading to bad spark?

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

Ok... fuse box line was a little corroded... thats fixed.

Started ok after that, but last night it was pretty rough again. So i have a question. I know the starter is good... but what if the lines coming out of it are salted and corroded. Wouldn't that cause bad power to come from the starter, leading to bad spark?

um, spark is controlled via PCM, and the coilpacks... if it runs like a dream when it's running.. it's not the ignition.. you did plugs you say.. okay.. get us a video will ya please?

[cherrington17]

acdelco...iridium, i think. iirc.
also checked oil, for limg redux... and its typical dark oil. no chocolatey-ness.

I'll get a video up soon


i do remember once just after i got it, as i was driving the whole thing just shut off... no power anywhere... dead coast.. for like... 4 seconds. Then everything kicked on w/o me doing an thing, and went back to how it was driving. Possibly my pcm might be bad? I suppose it could make sense....

...i just went to try to get a video...and it started fine. I'll have to keep my camera in my car....

[wearetheromans85]

I'm having very similar problem. Today right when I was about to leave work I started the car then after being started for a sec or so the whole car just shut off. Didn't seem like a dirty fuel system kind of shutoff more like someone pulled the power plug. any other thoughts?

[cherrington17]

when it turns over like crazy, shortly after driving, i get a pretty strong smell of gas.

which leads me to believe 1 of two things. connections on the starter, not sending good power for spark (or the coil packs) OR the spark plugs....

[rustyballs_69]

Fpr?

[cherrington17]

which is where?

[rustyballs_69]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

which is where?

They are known to leak.

[cherrington17]

I didn't see there was a reply here... and i just went and looked it up.

I think i'll try replacing that first. Its cheaper, easier, and most likely the issue. (when it doesn't crank, i get a strong gas smell in the car) So new hosing and a new FPR... probably tomorrow.

[cherrington17]

Also like to add... i took the top hose off the FPR while the car was idling... and no gas came out.

But...at idle.. the engine did seem to have a slight gas smell to it...


Tomorrow i'm seeing if i can rent a fuel pressure tester.

[cherrington17]

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXg2aRLVJ-U

I got a pressure tester... and it doesn't work. LAME! I connected it to the schrader valve (gay sprayed out) turned the key to ON (leaving engine off) the pump primed... the tester needle didn't move.

So I repeated this... Needle doesn't move. So I started the car... Needle doesn't move. I press the pressure relief with the car running (should cause gas to shoot out) Nothing. LAME!!!!

[Nate's Alero]

Double Fail

[Nate's Alero]

that is EXACTLY what my alero did when my HG's were gone.. crank FART crrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaannnnnnnkkkkkkkkkkkk

and it eventually hucks and farts until it's going... then runs fine

and to prove it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhPwmj0s4AY

yes, that is my car, a week before the headgasket job..

since the HG job, NO issues WHATSOEVER

[cherrington17]

there was no "fart" i stopped cranking. (not shown in video, for reasons unknown to youtube shenanigans) I turned the key and it immediately cranked.

I can send you the legit video... youtube botched it.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

there was no "fart" i stopped cranking. (not shown in video, for reasons unknown to youtube shenanigans) I turned the key and it immediately cranked.

I can send you the legit video... youtube botched it.

yeah, but i heard it "fire" ONCE, then "crrrrannnnnk"

mine used to do that EXACT same thing.. send me the good video though, hopefully your camera is a lot better then youtube makes it out to be

natey1112@yahoo.com

i'll PM you my home phone, call me and we can discuss this further

call me around 4:30pm

[cherrington17]

http://rapidshare.com/files/334263321/CIMG0007.AVI.html

actual video.