On days when it is wet/humid, my '95 850 glt sometimes takes a long time to start. It will crank forever, but wont always fire right away. Sometimes it will start and sputter for a few seconds then shut off. It will always eventually start up but sometimes it takes up to 30 seconds of cranking, other times is starts right away. I replaced the dizzy cap and rotor with no differing results.

Any ideas?

 

Cap and rotor fixed it for me on the SC.

 

I assume it runs fine otherwise? Maybe misfires occaisionally under heavy load?

If not the cap and rotor, then next probable cause is plug wires; if they're the original then they're due for replacement anyway.

A way to know for sure: keep a water spray bottle handy; on the day it starts up and runs fine, pop the hood and spray the plugs wires with light mist of water. If it begins to misfire, then you found the culprit. If you're lucky you will see the spark jump from the wire to the engine! BTW: Don't recommend this if you also have problems with fuel leaks or if you really need to actually get somewhere. {:^)

 

thanks. I'll try it when I get home.

Seemes weird, after I changed the cap and rotor, the problem actually got worse.

 

Another issue could be the coil getting ready to go. It may have small hairline cracks. I would replace the plugs and the wires and then go from there.

 

I have new plugs and wires sitting in the front seat ready to go in as soon as I get home from school. Updates then.

 

So now I that I have new cap, rotor, plugs, and wires, it starts and runs every time. It runs better than it ever has!

Problem solved!

 

Glad all is good now.

 

Me too!! Its amazing what new plugs and wires will do. Glad it was not the coil.

 

Damn...I really need a tune up on the wagon...lol.

It currently has the "I'm a Cheap Bastard" plug wires.

I snaked a set of OEM Bougicords from the salvage yard that were damn near brand new.

 

it's doing the same thing again!! Not nearly as bad, but maybe 1/4 of the time when trying to start, it just cranks, sometimes it backfires a little bit like it is trying to start. It will eventually always start, but sometimes it takes almost a minute of cranking. I'm going to see if I can find a coil at the junk yard this weekend, hopefully it will fix this for good!

 

i found another coil at a junk yard and it made no difference. I can't find a trend as to when it does this, it seems completely random, just cranks but no start. I am really confused. New plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil.... What's next?????

HELP!

 

Ignitor?

 

I'll check it tonight, but I am really lost. I might try to seafoam the fuel system here soon.

 

Earlier in this thread i suggested plug wires because you said it happened when the humidity was high. I also suggested a way to "diagnose" the plug wires before you replaced them, to determine if that actually was the problem. Am assuming you did not do that?

At this point you should try to do some more diagnostic work; that's assuming the problem sticks around long enough for you to do so. Does it have spark or fuel pressure when it doesn't start? What's your procedure to finally get it going; is it repeatable? Does it always run fine once you get it started, or does it sometimes die on you while going down the road. Any and all background info would be helpful in helping us diagnose your issue.

The alternative is to shotgun parts at it until you find the "magic" one...

BTW: If it runs fine once it starts, i really don't think seafoam is going to affect your starting problem.

 

I did try spraying the wires with water in a mister bottle and there was some arcing.

Sometimes when it's having it's "problem" it kind of starts and sputters for a few seconds then stalls back out, then the next crank it might fire solidly within the first second. Once it is running it is absolutely fine.

The other parts that I put in it were extremely old and would need replacing soon anyways, so no worries there.

 

Is there a check valve somewhere in the fuel lines to keep pressure at the engine that might not be working?

 

There is one built into the fuel pump.

 

Hey Jason,

Why do suspect the ck valve? Have you ckd the fuel pressure?

Your symptoms could be caused by a sticky fuel pressure regulator (fpr) or a leaky/sticky injector too.

How many miles are on this ride? Have you tried any fuel additives to clean out the injectors?

 

I've got this same problem.
I seemed at 1st that it was related to leaving the A/C on when trying to start.
I would turn it off and it would start right up.
Well, now it is doing it even w/ the AC off on occasion.
Sometimes is does start but will run rough as hell, so I turn it off and it will usually start and run fine.
Dunno what it is yet.
Any more ideas?