My friend's 99 cavalier is hard to start sometimes,and sometimes it starts just fine. the car has 120,000 miles. I am not familar with these cars,is there a common cause that would be the reason for the hard starting issue? The spark plugs and fuel filter have been changed within the last 5,000 miles. what else could be the problem? Is there a way to determine if the problem is fuel or spark related? thanks for any and all help,I really need to get the car starting good before it gets colder out
forgot to mention the car has the 2.2 engine and auto tranny
Could be coil packs and/or wires.
Really, though, could be so many different things....
If it was the age-old Spark or Fuel question, most likely you'd have at least some codes to go with it.
Honestly, if it is intermittent as you describe, I'd try replacing the Crankshaft Position Sensor.
Off the top of my head, that's the first thing that comes to mind that could cause an intermittent starting issue, where it starts fine other times.
If it is faulty, or beginning to go that way, it may not always throw a code, and could cause what you've described.
Good luck.
-Ferrite
thanks for the ideas. the recall has been done. If the check engine light is not on,there wouldn't be any troubel codes in the computer would there?
How about checking the fuel pump relay.
If it is intermittant, when it does not work, the car will have to crank until it builds up oil pressure before the fuel pump is energised.
You can swap it with the A/c relay, just to try
Alont
thanks,Alont. i will have a couple minutes to look at it today, I will try switching the relays,see if that helps. it would have to be something mechanical if the check engine light isn't on,right?
how hard is it to check the feul pressure on this car? I have a fuel pressure gauge. does this car have a schreader(sp?) valve on the fuel rail,or is it more complicated than that?
