Back in the fall, when it would get cold in the mornings, I sometimes had difficulty starting my car. 98 stock LS1 85K mi. It sputtered a bit when I first cranked, like it wanted to fire right up, but then cranked a while as if not getting spark or fuel. My typical solution has been to let off the key, hit again and give it some throttle to get it to fire right up. From there, it always runs fine, and it never does it unless it was real cold out.

The other day, I had to sit the car outside a few hours, and it's been pretty cold here. Probably 10F that day. When I got back in the car to start it, it cranked longer than it has ever before. It fired right up when I went to take it out (50F in the building). Hours later cold, crank crank crank. I'll say I was on the starter for a full 5 seconds before it fired.

The issue seemed mostly to go away when I ran a bottle of techron through it in the fall. That was the last tank of gas the car got and hasn't been driven since.

I don't drive it that much when it's cold out so that part isn't a big deal. But the fact that it does this tells me somethings not right.

Anybody have similar experiences or wanna guess what it might be?

 

A properly operating C5 will crank fire and run almost immediately in any cold weather.

You most likely have an internal fuel leak. Better defined as:
1. Fuel system anti siphon check valve leak by,, resulting in ZERO fuel pressure in the morning when you go to crank and run your engine. Try this: Cycle the IGNITION SWITCH on,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Off,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, On,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, OFF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, On,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Off and On and then see if it cranks and starts immediately..

If it does,,,,,, you are loosing fuel when the car sets of an extended period of time..

Could be a leaking (dripping) fuel injector OR a leaking fuel line check valve.

Recommendation: Run some more fuel system cleaners.... AND,,,,, install a fuel rail fuel pressure gage and see what the pressures are during different cranking times and conditions.. Hopefully the fuel system cleaners will resolve the problems that cause the fuel pressure loss resulting in cold start prolong crank issues.

BC

BC

 

Hey, Thanks Bill. I'll give that a shot. As luck would have it, we've got our snow storm coming tonight and my fuel gauge is at home so I'll have to wait till a clear cold day after tomorrow to check it out. (I leave my car at work). I'll sit it outside with the gauge on all day and see what happens.