Car hard to start in morning

qwertyjjj · Post by **qwertyjjj** » 31 Jul 2020, 14:40

It's summer so not cold related.
The car turns over but doesn't start. I turn the ignition off then immediately try again and it starts.
Sounds more like an oil filter issue than spark plugs?

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 31 Jul 2020, 14:56

Turn key on, wait 10 seconds, then try to start. Does that make a difference?

Georgeandkira · Post by **Georgeandkira** » 31 Jul 2020, 15:16

+1 on RHP's suggestion.
Perhaps "a clogged fuel filter issue" is what qwertyjjj meant to type?

qwertyjjj · Post by **qwertyjjj** » 03 Aug 2020, 05:16

RickHaleParker wrote: 31 Jul 2020, 14:56 Turn key on, wait 10 seconds, then try to start. Does that make a difference?

Yes that helps. So it's not priming well, needs a new fuel filter?

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 03 Aug 2020, 09:40

qwertyjjj wrote: 03 Aug 2020, 05:16 Yes that helps. So it's not priming well, needs a new fuel filter?

If the fuel filter is clogged it will run doggy when you need power. Put your foot through the firewall. Does it get up and go?

Fuel pressure bleeding off.
1. It could be a fuel line or fuel rail with a slow leak.
2. A leaky fuel pressure regulator bleeding fuel back to the tank.
3. Leaking fuel injectors.

Waiting 10 seconds gives the fuel pressure it time to pump to what it should be before you got in the car.

Puff of black smoke when you start it up?

qwertyjjj · Post by **qwertyjjj** » 04 Aug 2020, 17:12

No smoke, acceleration seems fine though difficult to judge if it lost gradually.
Sounds a bit rough at 2k rpm but nothing terrible.
I did run it quite low on fuel recently trying to find a petrol station.
Average fuel usage seems about normal as calculated by the computer averaging.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 04 Aug 2020, 20:29

qwertyjjj wrote: 04 Aug 2020, 17:12 No smoke, acceleration seems fine though difficult to judge if it lost gradually.

Look for leaking fuel from the tank to the engine.

A puff of smoke when you started up would of been a give away for leaking injectors. But the absent of a puff of smoke is inconclusive.

If the car has over 200K miles a set of remanufactured flow matched injectors would most likely pay for themselves in fuel saved.