Difficulty starting the first time

Lately, when I go to start the Riv after it's been sitting overnight it doesn't like to start so easily. I always used to be able to turn the key over for a half a second or so and let off and it'd start like a charm. Now I hold it over for about two seconds and it starts to catch then stops. Then I hold it over more and it starts and then runs fine.

It only seems to occur after the car has been sitting overnight or for a long time. When I come back to the car after school it fires right up like it should, it's just the first start of the day that it seems to struggle with. It reminds me of a time a year and a half ago when I turned the key and the Riv didn't want to catch. That particular incident it wouldn't start even after I held it over for 5-10 seconds. Oddly enough, I gave it a break and tried again a few moments later and it started fine.

Can anyone tell me the cause of this? It's beginning to concern me that one day the Riv will just plain not start and I can't have that happen. Is either the starter or alternator going out?

Could be many things. How fresh is your fuel filter? Maybe its a little clogged so it takes a while to get fuel to the motor?

Could be a coil/wires/spark plugs going bad so youre not getting enough spark , could be the starter but thats kinda rare.

Could be a battery going. How old is your battery? It could also be that youre battery is not charging enough because of the alternator. You could always take the alternator/batter to an auto parts store and have them checked out.

im going with Fuel pressure regulator....

seen it do that on two cars and that was the perp!

I have no idea, the only items that have been changed since I have been driving (powertrain wise) it was the oil filter and the fuel line. What's crappy, sometimes it feels like it did start and like it runs for a split second and then quits until I turn over and then it stays running just fine.

Would this be something a mechanic could diagnose and tell me the particular issue? How much would a fuel filter and pressure regulator cost and what is the difficulty of replacing each?

Fuel filters are pretty cheap and idk how long because i've never done it ( i have one just haven't gotten around to it) but chicken has a write up for it , and i don't think its that hard.

I agree with the possibility of fuel pressure issue. You will have to leave it with the shop overnight so they can hook up a fuel pressure gage and check pressure on cold start.
That would be my approach. Or you can try doing youself with the correct gage and fittings.

Just asked my dad, he replaced the fuel filter when we did the fuel line which was probably about a year and a half to two years ago. Should still be good I'd think.

I would have to leave it at the shop, I'm not even going to think about trying to do that myself. I'd spill gas everywhere or make it leak...

For what its worth, I try and replace my filter every 15,000 miles or less. They are only about ten bucks at the auto parts store, more from a shop obviously.

I think the filter was replaced at 138k miles so it should still be fine then.

the FPR is right on the top drivers side of the engine under your plastic cover, its pretty eeeaassyyy.....

now try changing the fuel pessure regulator on my Lt1..... its under the firewall overhang and behind the intake manifold lol

I don't suppose it's something I could just pop out and put a new on in? Does it need to have special programming or the fuel line need to be drained of gas or something? How much is that little bugger going to run me?

There not expensive for most cars... like 50$ at most....

as far as draining, leave the car off for a day or so, so its all depressurized. Then there should be a schrader valve on the line and you can releive anymore pressure with that.... then unhook it and just make sure you got a couple wads of rags under for the little bit that might still....

but its pretty general.... no tuning if you get a OE one....

It does sound like it's fuel pressure-related. Do this test: after sitting a day, turn the key on for 10 secs, so the fuel pump kicks on. Then try to start. If it starts up quickly, you know it's fuel pressure.

The regulator is probably cheap. Very easy to replace. You do have to relieve pressure at the schrader valve on the front rail, but it's easy to do. You don't need to remove the rail, just the engine cover.

There is the off chance that it's a leaking injector. In this case, you'll need to remove the rail and replace or rebuild the injectors. Hopefully this is not the case.

AA wrote:

There is the off chance that it's a leaking injector. In this case, you'll need to remove the rail and replace or rebuild the injectors. Hopefully this is not the case.

or atleast the o rings.... and you could always get a set of used injectors as a cheaper route

but try the fuel pressure trick.... thats how I used to start my v6 bird with bad regulator....

I would turn the key over til the pump stopped then start it....

FWIW In every fuel injected car I drive I turn the key to ON for 3 seconds or so before cranking, and I always get instant starts.

deekster_caddy wrote:

FWIW In every fuel injected car I drive I turn the key to ON for 3 seconds or so before cranking, and I always get instant starts.

but not all of us have the patience to wait those extra 3 seconds

I used to be able to just stick the key in, turn it over and blam - it would start beautifully. I always had the best starting car even when we had the GTP still running. It just sucks that it isn't as good anymore. Not to mention how stupid it makes me feel when I turn it over and let go and then it doesn't catch so I have to crank it over again. I feel like someone in an old Ford or something just cranking away for a bit.

I wasn't implying you have to live with it, I only asked that you try it as a test, so that we can diagnose what the problem is.

So what you have is fuel pressure bleed-down while the engine is off. I suspect it means a little wear in the fuel pump seals, or the FPregulator. I wouldn't worry about it unless you are after a performance build and WOT FP becomes an issue.

Yep, turning it to on and then starting it did the trick. Turned over like nothing the first time. I'll try and start it again another day like normal and see if it still has difficulty as the control. And this would mean my FPR is going out?

It means you do not have maintained pressure in the rail after a period of time. It could be the FPR, or it could be an injector or some other leak elsewhere on the rail. Look closely for any fuel seepage. See what the FPR costs. It's so little, I can't imagine it'd be that much.

vendetta wrote:

deekster_caddy wrote:

FWIW In every fuel injected car I drive I turn the key to ON for 3 seconds or so before cranking, and I always get instant starts.

but not all of us have the patience to wait those extra 3 seconds

AND

THATS WHAT SHE SAID

Where would the fuel be leaking from? I don't smell any gas (And I really smelled it when the fuel line had even that tiny hole in it). Nothing leaks on the driveway or anything either.

It may not be leaking out of the engine. If the fuel pump or FPR has leak-down, it leaks back into the tank. If it's an injector, it leaks into the intake passage and you'd probably puff some smoke or stumble on startup since one cylinder would be very rich.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's a 12 year old car...

If the fuel pump dies, then you can worry about it. If you are going for a performance buildup, then you can do something about it when you put in a new pump or fuel rails. Otherwise it's not worth chasing.

When it goes bad the car will not start thought won't it?