Thread: Extended cranking during cold stops (Particularly in Hot Weather)

If I let my car sit during for a day and then start it (particularly in hot weather) I have an issue with excessive cranking. Takes at least 10 seconds if not more, almost like it doesn't want to start. After its started I have no trouble starting the car back up regardless of how many times.

Also noticed the car is sometimes jerky when driving slowly through a parking lot. Watching the tachometer it does fluctuate some.

Did a Tune-Up which included Air and Fuel Filters as well as new AC Delco Iridium Plugs.

Already checked for a vacuum leak and there is none.

However will clean the MAF and Throttle Body as well as check the IAC. If none of those help check the Fuel Pressure. Appears to me the plug wires should still be good but may check that out.

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

It might be bleeding down and taking am moment to repressurize on the cold/sitting for a while starts

Had the same issue on the 2001 and it was the fuel line fitting where it connects to the fuel rail. Looked fine, but if you wiggled it you could see the fuel dribble out. Fuel line is is the one on the fuel rail closest to the firewall, the forward connection is the return line. Dorman makes a repair kit, 800-059 for 3/8" line, 800-060 for 5/16".

The fuel system stays pressurized for a quick start. If pressure bleeds off due to a leak, the fuel pump needs to rebuild the pressure before the engine will start, leading to longer crank times.

Seems like its running fine now. Couldn't find any leak as far as I could tell. My mechanic said that sometimes I just need to turn car on for a few seconds to build fuel pressure . Nothing to get too alarmed over as far as that remedies the problem with the cranking. That or the issue starts affecting my mileage and so on.

I think a lot of the problem was since the car doesn't get much heavy use. Once I started driving my car a lot more and tried that tip it seems to have dealt with the problem. I only put 2,000 on car since February and before that it sat at a car lot of a year or so. The car getting used more often and some good ol' highway driving is helping.