Hard start and backfire today
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Hard start and backfire today
I purchased my 1998 base convertible last October. It's been fun but lately it's been hard to start and sometimes backfires if you accelerate too hard after finally starting...no check engine light. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Thanks in advance!
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,308
Likes: 3,924
From: Cape Coral, Florida
Hard to start ??…cam sensor or fuel pressure issue…backfire ??…lean or rich air fuel mixture….if you don’t have a scan tool and sone diagnostic equipment head to a diagnostic shop in your area and don’t waste your money and time throwing parts at it !!
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Yes, it will turn over and catch each time the key is turned to the start position but then immediately dies. I attempted almost ten times before it started and stayed running. Immediately turned it back off and did a restart about three times and it ran each time. However this evening when I finished my shift I got in and started the car...no problem, until I pulled out of the parking lot and got on it aggressively. POW!! It backfired and died. I had to coast into an adjacent parking lot a few feet away. It would not start again until after about five attempts. I got it home and parked it. Not driving it again until I find out what's going on but like I mentioned, I have no CEL showing on the cluster.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 118
Likes: 18
From: MO.
Is the battery up and any good? Had this on my Fuel Injected Harley, it would backfire when it tried to start..The battery was weak.I put a voltmeter on it and watched it pull down to 9 volts when it was cranking then fireoff with a boom.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,386
Likes: 382
From: Virginia
St. Jude Donor '18
1) As mentioned, check battery AND the connections. Terminals need to be TIGHT and no corroded AT ALL.
2) Just because you have no CEL, doesn't mean there are not codes stored. Pull the codes, see what you can find. Then erase everything, and try to start again once you have confirmed the battery is good.
2) Just because you have no CEL, doesn't mean there are not codes stored. Pull the codes, see what you can find. Then erase everything, and try to start again once you have confirmed the battery is good.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,280
Likes: 24,570
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
Moved to C5 Tech for more discussion.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski