I remember when my max used to start on the first turn of the key...now it takes about 4 seconds before it turns over....what could this mean and how can I fix it?! I'm thinking coil packs or spark plugs...any help with be appreciated!

-Lieb-

 

hmmmm, how cold the weather is? how much gas u got? and more.....

 

It's probably the ECTS.

 

any corrosion on the battery terminals? test your battery with a multimeter to make sure it is good.

 

Ects?

 

Yeah, what is ECTS. I am having the same problem as linkage23

 

When do you notice the problem (hot, cold, car sitting overnight, everytime you try to start the car, etc)?

If it only happens when the car has been sitting around for a while, then you may be losing residual fuel pressure when the car is off.

 

mine does the same thing.. but all of this maxima scientific language confuses me..
ects?
residual fuel pressure?
im stumped

 

my new starter cranks like a dream. First turn of the key it fires up, she's never done that in the past 2 years I've had her till my last starter died and I got another one under warantee.

 

ECTS = engine coolant temp sensor. When that sensor is failing, you will get hard starts. Mine did that until I replaced it. Location and how-to on this is in the faq.

For the newbies, get familiarized with the terminology and part names by reading the stickies first. Most issues have been documented in it.

 

Thanks y'all, I'm gonna run a voltage meter on the ECTS and see what I get....As for the starts its dang near everytime I turn the key....the starter was replaced last year so I'm hoping its not that! Thanks again!!!

-Lieb-

 

All of you need to learn to be a little more clear. What is the difference between turning-over and cranking?

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None.

So what do you mean by the phrase now it takes about 4 seconds before it turns over..

Do mean the car goes whirr-whirr-whirr for 4 seconds before finally "catching" i.e., the engine has fired and therefore you can release the key (disengage the starter)?

 

You said it man...exactly what I was trying to say without having to rephrase...it doesn't start until about four whirr-whirr-whirrs and starts on the fifth nearly everytime...temperatures are nothing below 45 degrees so that shoudn't be cold enough to cause problems unless its the ECTS, right?!
I'm not finding the ECTS swap inthe FAQs or stickies....where is it located?! Than ks in advance.

-Lieb-

 

Did you really look in the stickies??? Come on.....I'm looking right at the information, ECU code 0103 (hint).

 

I've got this problem, Hard starting, it used to only happen when the car was cold but it's starting to happen after it has sat for just an hour or so. However, I don't think it's the fuel pressure because sometimes I can sit there and just let it crank and crank for 5 seconds (or more if I wanted to) and the engine won't start, but as soon as I stop cranking and try again it fires up right away usually... sometimes it fires up and stays really slow like barely above 100rpm and then after a second the rpms come up to normal idle. My gut tells me that some sensor is messed up but the only code I have right now is KS 0304, I have ordered one and will put it in when it gets here. Battery is fine. It canks normally, the engine just doesn't want to fire up on the first try. I'd say 50% of the time nwhen I go to start the car in the morning I tur the key to crank the starter and nothing happens so i stop cranking after 2 or 3 seconds and when i try it again it works... I even started turning the key to ON position and letting it sit for a few seconds to get the fuel pressure up thinking it might just be residual fuel pressure loss... but same thing...

 

Yeah those sensors aren't expensive at all either...I'm gonna pick one up at NAPA tomorrow and remedy this problem! Knock on wood :| Thanks for the help and I never thought of looking in the engine diagnosis stickies....Thanks for the hint!
-Lieb-