Hard to start, why?

[zimmerDN]

This is a 98 Dodge avenger. It has recently had a full tune up which consisted the replacement of spark plugs/wires, rotor and distributor cap. Flushed radiator fluid. New battery.

However in the cold mornings this car has a hard time starting. It would have to crank for 8-10 secs before it would start.

Why? What could be causing it?

 

[dwendt44]

Try this:
Ture key on, but don't start for 5 seconds.
Then ture key to start.
If that works, it means you fuel rails aren't holding pressure. They bleed down over time.
This works good on older, high mileage cars(F.I.).

 

[caprice_2nv]

Test fuel pressure, sometimes if a fuel pump is failing, the car will lose pressure after sitting a certain amount of time and be hard to start.

 

[alreadygone]

Haven't ever thought of 8 to 10 seconds as a long start period.

Bob

 

[cowsareholy]

i have the same problem the check valve or whatever that holds the pressure in the rail is not working so what i do is i turn the key on and off a few times to get pressure then start, after that it starts right up. if i dont cycle the key like that it takes a few seconds to start

 

[sifan]

Cold oil also makes startup harder.

 

[psudaytona]

Cold in general makes cars unhappy, at least mine. In summer my VERY high miles Daytona will start right up with as little as a slight turn of the key. But in winter I have to firmly hit it and it takes about 3 secs to start. Not bad for a car of this year but still a bit dragged out compared to warm temps.

FP60 and LC20 seemed to have helped my cold weather problems for the most part, especially the LC20. It has made the engine very quick to come to life even when temps hit the teens.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

I do the key trick in my 2001 Civic. Even in extreme cold, it turns over 3 times only and then fires right up. Just turning the key, it may take 6-8 revolutions. I guess it works for me.

 

[caprice_2nv]

That type of thing is a lot of times indicating a problem that may get worse such as a weak fuel pump. 8-10 seconds a WAY long start time, it shouldn't take anywhere near that long. My carbed 307 loses some fuel pressure after sitting more than about 15 hours and will take about 3 seconds to start but even that seems too much to me.

 

[zimmerDN]

How hard is it to check the fuel pressure on a car?

What do I need, how much would it cost and what do I have to do? I think I want to check this on the Avenger and my own car.

My car is under warranty and there is a TSB for the year my car was made with a bad fuel pump and the dealership won't do anything about it even after I complained.

 

[SHOZ]

Have you changed the fuel filter?

 

[zimmerDN]

No I haven't changed the fuel pump on both cars. Why do you ask? I wouldn't have to check the fuel pump pressure if the pumps are new? Right?

 

[SHOZ]

The filter not the pump.

 

[JHZR2]

Is this genuinely cold weather only, or is that just when you notice it, becaue youre interested in getting started and its cold out???

does the engine have a distributorless ignition???

The reason why I ask is that it seems to me that distributorless ignition cars take more cranks to start than distributor-equipped vehicles, and I dont know why.

for example - hot start... my saab and BMW(both distributorless) take 4 cranks each, my truck and the integra fire first cylinder, every time. I think it has something to do with the computers indexing themselves, though I may be wrong...

JMH

 

[zimmerDN]

How hard is it to check the fuel pump pressure? how much equipment do I have to purchase ($$$)? I want to do the check on both cars because I have had problems with my new Mazda3 too with starting. The dealership won't do anything about it though even after I mentioned there is a TSB about fuel pump failure.

 

[Quickbeam]

Generally speaking:

1) Rest pressure is only associated with preventing hot start issues. All fuel systems will lose rest pressure when sitting overnight.

2) Unless the car has a tacho-relay (and most domestic cars don't) it will not run the fuel pump until the engine is cranked. Thus there will be no priming when the key is turned to on. All this is because of the mandate full pumps can't run if the engine is stopped ie; in case of a collision.

3) Cold starting in most engines of that vintage rely on a cold start injector and thermal time switch. If you have one that's the first place to look.