I've been having problems lately with the engine delaying cranking up on the key turn. it seems like there's a 2-3 second delay between me turning the key and the engine actually cranking.
has anyone had any issues with this or have any suggestions?
also not sure if it's related, but when the engine's warm it cranks for a while before starting up again, sometimes it won't start unless i hit the gas. also as the engine warms up the check engine light comes on and goes away again when it's cold.
it's an 85 gt with the v6 and about 125k miles on it. poor thing was a montana car for too long methinks. it's finally a garage queen and starting to get simple repairs done that had been ignored for forever. electrical systems are still a pretty big mystery to me though. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Well first check all of the car's main and secondary grounds which is my usually go-to check for any starting related issues - battery & chassis. Remove them & clean them up really good (I hit them with a bit of sandpaper).
On your first symptom, with a "delay" in the key being turned to the ignition being activated, sounds like an ignition switch starting to go out. You usually know when the ignition switch is starting to go out, because what will happen is you'll turn the key to start, you'll get a delay, then you'll start to hear cranking. As the symptom progresses, the car may not crank on key turn over at all. You then have to cycle the key back to off, go to start again, get the delay, but then it start. Eventually it gets so bad that you can sit for a minute or two just doing this to get the car started.
The ignition switch is located on "top" of the steering column. This means it requires you to drop it to get to it. It's a few bolts under the steering column, the whole assembly comes down, and you can access the ignition swtich. You'll also see the headlight dimmer switch, which is the smaller switch. The large rectangular switch is the ignition switch.
From the sound of your second symptom - it being hard to start when warm and needing to apply gas to start - sounds like leaking injectors or another issue with the fuel system. You can test this somewhat easily.
You need to purchase a pressure tester (Or borrow or rent one. Some places like Autozone will rent you one). You attach it on the schrader valve on the fuel rail near the thermo housing. If you look really hard under the upper intake plenum you'll see it's location. Attach the fuel pressure tester. Then cycle the key - do not start the car. You should hear the fuel pump run (whine) for a few seconds, and if you don't you may have to cycle the key over a few times. With the key still cycled over look at the gauge. It should read around 42 psi, and will read that if there is a leak. The thing to look for will be when it drops off. If it drops off immediately or within a few minutes (five or so) you have a leak. If it holds at 42 psi for 15-30 minutes (leave it and come back and read it again) then everything is good. If you don't start with 42 psi at all, then likely the fuel pump or regulator is having issues.
If you do have a 42 psi drop quickly or within about five mins max, then you do likely have a leak or small issue and then simply need to check where the problem is originating. Leaking injectors, fritzed-up regulator, or fritzed-up check valve.
Likely a bad connection some place, probably one of the large cables, either a ground or hot one. What happens is that there is high resistance at some connection, when you start to crank it can't draw enough current to turn over, then as the bad connection heats up it melts a little metal and makes a better connection and cranks. From a cold car, turn the key to start, if you have the delay, just hold the key over until it cranks, stop the engine right away and then just feel all the connections of the large wires, my bet is you will find one really hot, that would be the bad guy. Larry
Thank you so much for these tips. once I get this engine in my other car it'll be the fiero's turn. busy busy busy :/
I'll have to make sure I post updates on what I find
quote
Originally posted by Fiero84Freak:
Well first check all of the car's main and secondary grounds which is my usually go-to check for any starting related issues - battery & chassis. Remove them & clean them up really good (I hit them with a bit of sandpaper).
On your first symptom, with a "delay" in the key being turned to the ignition being activated, sounds like an ignition switch starting to go out. You usually know when the ignition switch is starting to go out, because what will happen is you'll turn the key to start, you'll get a delay, then you'll start to hear cranking. As the symptom progresses, the car may not crank on key turn over at all. You then have to cycle the key back to off, go to start again, get the delay, but then it start. Eventually it gets so bad that you can sit for a minute or two just doing this to get the car started.
The ignition switch is located on "top" of the steering column. This means it requires you to drop it to get to it. It's a few bolts under the steering column, the whole assembly comes down, and you can access the ignition swtich. You'll also see the headlight dimmer switch, which is the smaller switch. The large rectangular switch is the ignition switch.
From the sound of your second symptom - it being hard to start when warm and needing to apply gas to start - sounds like leaking injectors or another issue with the fuel system. You can test this somewhat easily.
You need to purchase a pressure tester (Or borrow or rent one. Some places like Autozone will rent you one). You attach it on the schrader valve on the fuel rail near the thermo housing. If you look really hard under the upper intake plenum you'll see it's location. Attach the fuel pressure tester. Then cycle the key - do not start the car. You should hear the fuel pump run (whine) for a few seconds, and if you don't you may have to cycle the key over a few times. With the key still cycled over look at the gauge. It should read around 42 psi, and will read that if there is a leak. The thing to look for will be when it drops off. If it drops off immediately or within a few minutes (five or so) you have a leak. If it holds at 42 psi for 15-30 minutes (leave it and come back and read it again) then everything is good. If you don't start with 42 psi at all, then likely the fuel pump or regulator is having issues.
If you do have a 42 psi drop quickly or within about five mins max, then you do likely have a leak or small issue and then simply need to check where the problem is originating. Leaking injectors, fritzed-up regulator, or fritzed-up check valve.
