I know of three cavaliers with the same problem. The years are 1996, 1999, and 2000. The 96 is my car. They all have a hard starting when cold problem. Its almost like it looses fuel prime on all of them. It cranks probably 3 seconds before it will finally fire up when cold. It occures as soon as 15 minutes after the car is shut off. Anyone have any ideas?

Try just passing the switch to on for 2 swconds, then start...this will give the pump time to prime the fuel system and it should fire up right away.

You call 3 seconds a starting problem? Just about every manufacture I have seen the info for says that it is normal/acceptable to take up to 10 seconds to start.

mitdr774 wrote:You call 3 seconds a starting problem?

I would. If my 1997 Cavy turns over more than three times before catching on a cold start, it's out of the ordinary.




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Mine generally starts on the 2nd or 3rd crank.

Might be a plugged filter or bad fuel pump.

# seconds is well within the acceptable limits of starting time by most manufactures.

it start in like 2-3 cranks when the car has just been run and you are restarting it within 5 mins otherwise sometimes it cranks for up to five seconds then stumbles a little bit then starts.

fuel pressure regulator. cheap easy fix might work. sure cured my hard starting.


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Pull the vacuum line off the regulator. If there is fuel there, replace the regulator. Could be a leaky injector also.

Smell the oil for gas. I had a leaky injector. I waited about 1/2-1 hour after shutting it off & pulled all the spark plugs then shined a light down in the cylinders (I have a small light w/flex head that works great for this) & found the cylinder that was wet. Hope that helps.