Hesitant in starting

LMRED1280

MEMBER
1998 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
140,000 MILES

Car listed above is a 1997 sometimes hesitates to start. It's beginning to take even longer periods before I now have to pump the gas a few times and it actually stays running. It's driven 6 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour (depending upon traffic) and sometimes at 80 MPH due to the excessive traffic. (Just to get a better understanding of the vehicle's handling.) I appreciate any suggestions.

3 Replies

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

Hi,

This could be a few different things. However, my first suspect is fuel pressure is dropping off too much. Try this little trick and let me know if it changes how it starts.

1) Turn the key from off to the run position (engine off) and count to 5.
2) Turn the key off and repeat step 1, three more times.
3) on the last cycling of the switch, see if it starts normally.

If it does, then I need you to check fuel pressure. Here is a link that shows how it's done:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator

Let me know the results before performing the pressure test. Also, if this doesn't change things, pay attention to see if there is any smoke from the exhaust when it does start and let me know when the vehicle was last tuned-up.

Take care,

Joe

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Sunday, December 5th, 2021 AT 4:44 PM

LISA WALKER

MEMBER
6 POSTS

I'm old school & my 92 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme is my 1st computerized car. My fuel pressure was checked & is great, I had a new fuel filter put in. I added injector cleaner to a tank of gas thinking if I had an old car like my 79 Datsun, it would be fixed, instead I smelled the injector fluid until I used that tank of gas. I've got an intermittent hesitation & occasionally it stalls but cranks up easily. But the OBD-1 will not pop a code & every sensor replaced & module replaced for the electric fuel system. Plugs, wires, coils, gas at different places. The hesitation is hard to get a mechanic to fix because it's so random. Yesterday I drove all day and came home before midnight and it never hesitated or stalled 1 time! Any ideas?

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Sunday, December 12th, 2021 AT 8:03 AM

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,747 POSTS

Wow, that is a tough one simply because there are several things that can cause a hesitation, and to make it more difficult, it's random.

Okay, let's look at this from a different point of view. Is there anything you notice when it happens? For example, are there any rattling sounds or smoke from the exhaust? Is there anything you can think of that can cause it to happen?

Let me know.

Joe

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Sunday, December 12th, 2021 AT 3:43 PM