Delayed starting
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 928
Likes: 44
Delayed starting
This will probably be an easy question for y'all to answer:
I've never had problems starting my car before (94 LT1, auto, 36K miles), but lately I have to turn the key, hold it for several seconds and pump the gas pedal for it to start...and then it smells like it's running rich.
Any ideas what's causing this and how much it would be to fix? Thanks!
I've never had problems starting my car before (94 LT1, auto, 36K miles), but lately I have to turn the key, hold it for several seconds and pump the gas pedal for it to start...and then it smells like it's running rich.
Any ideas what's causing this and how much it would be to fix? Thanks!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 770
Likes: 0
From: Madison Mississippi
It could be a number of things, lets start off by eliminatiing a few. Does it run OK once you start it? If so, I am guessing that you have a leaky fuel injector flooding the engine after it sits a while. Pumping does nothing to help you, the ECM reads the airflow, temps, 02 levels and adjusts the fuel mixture accordingly, in fact, pumping may aggrevate the start problem. It could be several factors but, tell us more about how it runs, once it starts. 
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Is the starting problem present when the engine is warm and cold??
If only when warm it's likely a leaking fuel injector.
If when warm & cold it's likely that either the fuel rail is not being primed or the prime is leaking down too quickly.
If only when warm it's likely a leaking fuel injector.
If when warm & cold it's likely that either the fuel rail is not being primed or the prime is leaking down too quickly.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 928
Likes: 44
Twice the RPMs have stayed at 1500-2000 after starting, but other than that the car drives/idles/feels like normal once it starts.
The typical sequence is turning the key, holding it for several seconds, it starts up slowly with the RPMs quite low, I give it some gas to get the RPMs up and make sure it keeps running because I get the feeling it might not keep going, then everything is normal.
Also, it happens whether the engine is warm or cold. I usually only drive it two-three times per week, and it happens at first in the garage...and then if I go somewhere and park for 15 minutes it happens again.
Hope this helps and thanks for the input.
The typical sequence is turning the key, holding it for several seconds, it starts up slowly with the RPMs quite low, I give it some gas to get the RPMs up and make sure it keeps running because I get the feeling it might not keep going, then everything is normal.
Also, it happens whether the engine is warm or cold. I usually only drive it two-three times per week, and it happens at first in the garage...and then if I go somewhere and park for 15 minutes it happens again.
Hope this helps and thanks for the input.
Last edited by Admrl94; Sep 25, 2005 at 09:30 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 928
Likes: 44
FYI. Took it in today and:
Oil change (pre-scheduled) + new fuel pressure regulator + labor = $273.
I belong to a local Corvette club that gets me a steep discount at our sponsoring dealership AND had a $10-off-service coupon. Could have been worse without those two benefits!
Oil change (pre-scheduled) + new fuel pressure regulator + labor = $273.
I belong to a local Corvette club that gets me a steep discount at our sponsoring dealership AND had a $10-off-service coupon. Could have been worse without those two benefits!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,789
Likes: 8
From: Myrtle Beach SC
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
Hate to tell you this but I did the same and it cost me $60 DIY and it was not a hard job at all.It pays to get a FSM and learn to work on your own car especially on the easy stuff and FPR(which is what I would have thought was your problem) and oil change are very easy.