Bens71442

recently, my 97 Achieva coupe has a hard starting issue everytime the engine is started- regardless if its a cold start or hot start...

have to depress and feather gas pedal to get it to start.

NO check engine light

no performance issues once it fires except it exhibits like a its either starving for fuel or coming out of a flood enriched state... rough run when it does get going, once it does start to run and I feather the gas to a smooth idle. (This is whats got me stumped)

engine is 2.4L 4 cyL Quad 4

Fuel filter IS old I was told, but worried to change it due to rusty hard line on inlet side... but I'm getting convinced it could be just this- and hopeing it is.

Any suggestions on above fail?

billmerbach

Could be the pump is it mechanical or in the tank

Bens71442

Fuel INJ in tank. no performance issues otherwise I was worrying about fuel pump- I'll need to get it on a fuel psi gauge see what the numbers are.

billmerbach

If its injected check for a clogged injector if it was pump it wouldn't. Crank at all that was dumb of me

Bens71442

I once had a 3.1 L V6 with a bad pump- similar issue- but would run and run ok once it got going- just hard starting- rough run....

I'll throw a can of FI cleaner and hope for some improvement- but MAN I don't want to drop tank on this car its really rusty in the south end of this car I can see cans of worms everywhere if I start disturbing lines etc...

Bens71442

Wouldn't clogged injector cause rough run all time....once it get running- its fine- no power issues or rough run or rough idle at all...

This is why Im stumped on bad pump and or bad injector

its just a start up issue- need to feather gas to get it to run.

billmerbach

Let's hope for injectors that's a good place to start. I feel ya on dropping the tank I've had to do it on a van like 5 times in the cold brrrrr

billmerbach

By all means I'm no expert trust me lol but it might be clogged just a bit to not let enough fuel through on start up. Others will chime in I'm learning so most of the time my logic isn't quite right

Bens71442

I hate when a car exhibits a problem that isn't so direct.... it does eventually start- its a rough run and then smooths out and is fine- (no rough idle) no power issues.

If a clogged injector was the culpriate one would imagine a rough idle. its a rough run until it smooths out- acts like its coming out of a flooded state.....that or not enough fuel until it comes out of this condition shortly after foot tapping the throttle.

billmerbach

Bump let's help this man out I don't want to end up giving any more wrong info than I may have already done

don71

I'll take a stab at this..No experience here what so ever.

Could it be a coolant temperature sending unit? Its telling the ECM that the engine is cold all the time, thus sending too much fuel. Open loop mode or what ever that's called.

Leaky injectors.

Sure sounds like the fuel pump is working, and kinda rules out the fuel filter because the fuel is getting passed it. Anyways, sounds like a overly rich condition versus a lean one. But hey, I could be wrong.

Whats the idle like? Is it high? Maybe its an old fashioned vacuum leak. I'll stop there, as I have no idea what I'm talking about

Bens71442

I remember during my fuel systems class in college, that one of the conditions of a bad Fuel Pressure Regulator- is Long crank- to start- or Overly rich * Clear Flood condition* represented by having to feather the throttle or hold accelerator to a Clear Flood position WOT

This came to me last night at 3:30 in the morning no less.

The Visual sign of this condition- (its something you can actually diagnose on the car) Using your Eye *****..... lol

Disconnect vacuum line to top of Fuel Pressure Regulator and start engine..... you are to observe or in my case- (wait to observe) over a period of 2 minutes 30 seconds for Fuel to start shooting out the Port at the top of the Pressure regulator indicating a ruptured diagphram.

The problem with most people looking for this is that they DO NOT wait long enough- for the condition to present.... they disconnect the line.....do not see any fuel while its running or even after its shut down and has been sitting for a while.... No No No No

Wait from 2-3 miutes and I started seeing gas shooting out the Port like mad!!!!

Bee line to auto parts store- Paid REDICULOUS AMOUNT OF $50.00 for new Fuel Pressure regulator- IN-stall said part without having to remove entire fuel rail.... start engine check for leaks...... no leaks and starts like its supposed to.

My problem was never fuel pump- never fuel filter - but a bad diaphragm of the Fuel Pressure Reg....

Happy Happy!!! Joy JOY!!!! Achieva starts like it supposed to!!!

Me Fixed it and me Fixed it GOOOOOODDDDDDDDD lol

Very Happy this repair was successful for me..... My memory may be getting laaxed , but its still there!

Thanks everyone for your help in diagnoses....but I got it

Wouldn't ya know it found a you tube video on the exact problem I just fixed:

M-14

^^^^fuel pressure bleeding down, basically your pump has to refill all of the fuel lines up to the injectors, which takes time. Put a fuel pressure gauge on it & watch for it to bleed down fast or not (some even go up 5psi more after shut down).