Thread: starting issues

have you tried cleaning the throttle body yet? @ 200,000 miles its got to be all gummed up.

and is your check engine light on? if so have it scanned, post back the codes.

thats a lot of parts to just be throwing at it.

when you look inside the tb when its on the car it looks all clean, but if you open the butterfly, all the carbon is behind the flap. you can clean it while on the car, but its a better job if its off. you can use some tb cleaner, and a tooth brush to get past the flap, and the back side of the flap, then use a rag on the tooth brush to clean it all up.


and dont mess up the screen on the out side of the tb, there is a spring clip around the out side holding it in, 2 picks will let you pop it up and out so the screen comes out.

I'm curious as to whether or not the TPS has anything to do with it? I have the very same issue and have recently cleaned both the TB and MAF. After the initial cleaning the problem stopped. Then lo and behold it started up again. Exact same problem as Sexton, only mine only does it after the intial startup and the engine is up to operating temperature. When I go down and start the engine when cold she starts right up and runs perfectly. I'll drive around for a while and then stop and shut her down. I'll go into a store or something and come back out and when I hit the key she starts, revs up to about 2,500 to 3,000 rpms, and then sputters and dies. I'll turn the key again, this time keep my foot on the gas to feather the throttle for about 3 to 5 seconds at about 1,500 rpms and slowly let off the gas and she stays running perfectly again. The car runs great after that, idles perfectly, and never dies or sputters on the road. It's only when starting a hot engine. It's got me going nuts now. I'm stumped. Also, no engine light at all to tell me somethings wrong.

Originally Posted by Sexton

That's sound a lot like what mine does but I can just start it like 2 or 3 times insted of feathering it and sometimes when it starts the idle is really inconsistent like flopping between 500 and 1500 till I put it in gear

I haven't tried starting it again a couple of times. I'll have to try that to see if it stays running on it's own. I hate these computerized cars. I don't have any knowledge when it comes to looking for bad sensors and stuff. In my case I'm pretty sure it's related somehow to a sensor cause it only happens when the car is at operating temperature. If I wait for an hour or more it starts and runs fine. Only stalls out when it's hot. I miss my 86' Olds!

Originally Posted by Sexton

thats weird my acts up the most when its hotter then normal or like in between cold and normal temperature

Well today I brought the camera with me to work to document what it has been doing. I shot a quick video as soon as I got in the car to go home when it was cold. So I drive the 7 miles home from the job, whip out the camera again, this time with the car hot. I shut it down, waited a few seconds, and then hit the starter. Wouldn't you know the friggin car wouldn't stall out! Damn it! I tried three times and she started up perfectly each time. WTH! Gonna try again tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Sexton

god i hate that, somethings wrong and you try to show someone and it doesn't happen until they are not paying attention

Yep! I was all ready to throw a nice video up and all the sudden the car works fine. Go figure!

Originally Posted by Sexton

i tried to show my uncle who is a mechanic and we sat there for almost an hour starting it and he didn't get to see it, but when i got off work later that night it wouldn't work lol

My buddy here at work had his Audi in the shop this morning so he used the GP to go to make a deposit. While he was there he stopped in the shop where his car is and had the guy throw the OBDII Reader on my car and it had no codes at all, perfectly clear. The guy said that it may be something with the Fuel Pressure Regulator. Who knows.

Its definitely the fuel pressure regulator. I had the same problem on my 02 GP GT. I had it replaced, and the problem went away.

Originally Posted by grandprix85

Its definitely the fuel pressure regulator. I had the same problem on my 02 GP GT. I had it replaced, and the problem went away.

Now thats what I've been wanting to hear! I checked and the AC/Delco brand is only $54 bucks so it's worth replacing and hopefully cure up the issue. Thanks 85!