Hard to start becomes wont start
12-10-2008, 09:48 PM
#1
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Location: CA
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Hard to start becomes wont start
1997 Mustang GT.
symptoms.
ON cold cold days like 40F and below I have to gas the car to keep it from dying after I start it or it die. I always thought this was a fuel pressure issue from the cold.
Today I start it up and feather the gas like always. wait 8 seconds. gas it real good up to 4K and let off. Dies. I start it up and it just wont start. It almost starts but then doesn't. I know the battery it good.
water in my gas? Need injector cleaners? ideas?
Only a problem when its colder then 45F
symptoms.
ON cold cold days like 40F and below I have to gas the car to keep it from dying after I start it or it die. I always thought this was a fuel pressure issue from the cold.
Today I start it up and feather the gas like always. wait 8 seconds. gas it real good up to 4K and let off. Dies. I start it up and it just wont start. It almost starts but then doesn't. I know the battery it good.
water in my gas? Need injector cleaners? ideas?
Only a problem when its colder then 45F
12-10-2008, 10:58 PM
#3
5th Gear Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
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12-11-2008, 11:05 AM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 98
Try this-cycle the key on and off about 5 times without cranking the car, giving it 2 seconds in the on position. Try cranking it then. If it starts up normal, its probably the check valve in the fuel pump.
Also right after it dies, go to the shrader valve at the fuel rail and see if you have pressure.
Also right after it dies, go to the shrader valve at the fuel rail and see if you have pressure.
12-11-2008, 06:33 PM
#6
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UPDATE!!!
OK today , did the turn on key for 2 seconds and repeat 3 -4 times. It fired up and i had to gas it but it was on!
so i sat there holding it at 2K rpms for about 30 seconds. Then I reved it up once and eased it back down to 1.5K then went i let off that gas it just died.
I repeated this entire process and then eased off the gas as slow as i could and it still died. 30 seconds should have been enough time
I am now thinking this is an IAC problem. Any ideas what to look for?
so i sat there holding it at 2K rpms for about 30 seconds. Then I reved it up once and eased it back down to 1.5K then went i let off that gas it just died.
I repeated this entire process and then eased off the gas as slow as i could and it still died. 30 seconds should have been enough time
I am now thinking this is an IAC problem. Any ideas what to look for?
Last edited by SXGT; 12-11-2008 at 07:04 PM.
12-11-2008, 09:16 PM
#9
I had pretty much the same thing happen two winters ago. You could either try to clean the IAC valve or buy a new one. New, they should range from 60-100 dollars, but I think they are closer to 60-80 bucks. Some will say that cleaning the IAC valve might help, but it's not a real long term solution.
Do you have a hand held tuner?
Do you have a hand held tuner?
12-16-2008, 02:46 AM
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: CA
Posts: 3,023
UPDATE!
started the car. Drove around town to the grocery store with out needing to idle. Sitting in parking lot I was thinking that its should be warmed up and idle.
NOPE it died
On drive back home I let it sit and it WAS FINALLY ABLE to idle and not die.
The next day or so I went to it and it was not cold out. Fired up and stayed idle afte just 10 seconds.
Why would temperature affect this?
started the car. Drove around town to the grocery store with out needing to idle. Sitting in parking lot I was thinking that its should be warmed up and idle.
NOPE it died
On drive back home I let it sit and it WAS FINALLY ABLE to idle and not die.
The next day or so I went to it and it was not cold out. Fired up and stayed idle afte just 10 seconds.
Why would temperature affect this?