Hi. The weather here in Boston just turned cold in the last week. Ever since,
I've had trouble starting my '96 GLE. Spits doesn't want to catch until the 2nd or 3rd ignition. After the engine is warmed up there is less of a problem starting. Things are getting progressively getting worse as it has gotten much colder the last two days. I've got close to 120k on the car, I had personally done the 60k tuneup, so I just went out and changed the plugs as they are near due. The old plugs were slightly worn, but not terrible. After I put the new plugs in, I still have the cold start problem.

Come to think of it, I'm not getting a fast idle when cold that drops to normal after the car warms up either.

I have no check engine light. Where is the best and most likely place to start troubleshooting.

Thanks,

Phil

 

Can't say that my 95 GLE starting problem is the same problem, but I did discover that in the morning, when the engine is cold, if I turn the ignition key to start, without turning all the way to crank the starter, and just wait a few seconds, it seems to start up without problems. I've wondered if by waiting to crank, but having it in the ignition/start position that I am allowing the electric fuel pump to get the fuel up to good pressure or something like that. Anyway, by just waiting about 5 seconds in the start/ignition position, and then cranking see if it makes a difference. In the past I would have many days of quick start-ups and then it would go through this semi-starting sputtering upon attempting start-up when the engine sat overnight. It seemed to be more pronounced when the weather was getting cooler at night.

 

new battery.

 

Thanks. My battery is new. The starter is new. It is not a cranking problem.

Yes it could be a rest pressure problem in the fuel system. I have to look in the manual to see if there is a check valve in the fuel pump or other thing that could cause this problem. Otherwise, I see that I should check the coolant temperature
sensor. The fact that I'm not getting a high idle that tapers to normal idle when cold leads me to believe that it might be a temperature sensor.

 

Check your fuel pump and starter signal fuse...
I replaced those 2 fuses ( I was missing the starter signal fuse and the fuel pump fuse had the wrong amperage)...
Ever since then, problem free..

 

This actually works... I've been having trouble starting me car, not just in the cold, but all the time. Mostly in the morning or after it had sat for a while.

You mentioned maybe it giving the fuel pump a chance to pressurize or whatever. Anyone else have insight as to why this works?

 

I had the problem that I would have to turn the ignition switch several times before the car would start, when starting cold. It was very annoying. I thought it was the fuel filter, changed it, no improvement. Checked the fuel pressure going into the fuel rail, no problem there, checked if the fuel drained back to the tank when off, nothing. The problem wasn't solved until I one day changed my ignition switch, which goes on the steering column. I actually changed it because I noticed I sometimes had to push the key kind of hard for the starter to turn. To my surprise, the ignition switch was also the cause of the annoying long cold starts. It cost me $30.

 

Same problem here, its fall in qc, about 5 degres C, and my car wont start proprely. Follow the crazy97's post, put MORE grounds, but my engine bucks about 3 times before starting. Sometimes it starts in less than 0.5 seconds! Right away, no bucking.

THERE'S the clue : it appends just after changed my transmission...

Gues: Starter(because I regrese it) or crackshaft position sensor on the tranny.

The thing is I dont understand the link between tranny removal after problems and cold starting...

I'll find out soon, or for the next summer, it depends.