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2000 Buick Regal didn't start during winter but starts when it got warm out???

chicagochuck

chicagochuck

New member
I have a 2000 Buick regal supercharged 184,000 miles. Last winter in November it would not start, I sprayed intake cleaner into throttle and it started right away. It did this on two diff occasions. I continued to drive it regularly for a few weeks.

It then started to do this again and this time it would not start even when spraying intake cleaner into throttle. I checked fuel pump pressure, changed relay etc and all checked out fine.

It sat on the street for a few weeks and randomly started when i tried and i put it in my backyard ( it was probably a warmer day). Well it set over the rest of the winter until about March and it has started normally ever since, i go out a start it a couple times a week.

I want to start driving it again but don't want to go through this once it gets cold again. I read a few things online and I was going to change the crank sensor, but like I said it has been starting every-time.... If it was the crank would it start now? Could it have been bad gas?
 


sounds like maybe the crank sensor is shot. or the crank/cam sensors to icm harness.

time to check for spark while cranking it too.
 
So if the crank sensor is bad it will not have any spark even if its starting regularly now? also when I was driving it everyday, stopped at red light, I could hear and feel the engine surging, and the rpm gauge, it was subtle but the rpm gauge would move a little. Does that point to the crank sensor possibility even more?

Maybe I should just change it, I know its some work involved but, I rather now then when its 30 degrees outside.. But you know what, If I am remembering correctly one of the days, over the winter, that it would not start I had a friend crank the car while I removed the plug wires from the coil and it had spark....

As far as the icm harness would I just try to visually inspect the wires to see if any are damaged?
 
Two things I would look for..

Since it's kinda warm, start it and tap your finger on the maf. Any odd behavior when you tap it?
Two .. if it stalls or won't start, test for spark. This can be done with a cheap HF spark tester https://www.harborfreight.com/in-line-spark-checker-for-non-recessed-plugs-69014.html

Figure out which of the two you are missing and we can guide you better. Right now..it's more of you saying "hey it won't start" and we aren't 100% on which way to guide you.

Crank sensor could do it, but usually it'll start the car no matter. Usually. Low fuel pressure could do it, so could no spark. Once I had a loose ICM connector.. even that could do it.
 


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