To all the 3rd gen gurus, the car is in mint condition, 159K mi, except this one problem. The engine will start only after 10+ cranks. The starter is fine, battery is charged. Moving a gear shifter up and down sometimes known to help. The problem is getting worse in cold weather. Once the engine is running, there is no check engine light. Also, the engine tends to just cut off all of a sudden. Any ideas? Thanks

 

it might be a rusty distributor rotor

 

yeah, checking the distributor is a good idea.

 

Check the leads from your inhibitor switch. Maybe they are shorting or the switch is shot. Only explanation for wiggling the shifter making any difference.

 

I'd rule out the distributor because the engine runs very smoothly (once started). Sorry for a dumb Q but what is an inhibitor switch and where is it located?

Again, the car is more difficult to start in cold (rainy) weather...

 

most cars have a switch that requires the shifter to be in park or neutral in an automatic in order to start. sometimes it wears out, or something, and say the car won't start in park, but will in neutral, etc.

 

Need more opinions. Bump to the top

 

My brother had same problem.. he changed the distributer and spark plug wires and it runs great now.

 

Makes no sense. If the distributor was bad there had to be other symptoms like rough idle.

 

who's car is this?

 

I agree. Check this first. Without confirming this, I see no point in guessing further.

 

They also have a problem with that switch on auto 2k maximas. I know this from experience from when I had my 2k.

 

That't called the inhibitor switch. See my previous post

 

ok inhibitor switch. Where is it located on 3rd gen, and how to diagnose it?

IGOR911: bish lol

 

Fuel pump is failing!
I'll bet there is no fuel pressure in the system with the car off.
Not too uncommon of an occurence

 

you are a moron, next time u warn me i will u

 

my max did the same thing and it was cuz my coil was goin out may not be the same thing for yours but it is worth lookin into.

 

The failing fuel pump: is it possible to check the pressure on your own? How much is new fuel pump?

 

Yah, AZ should be willing to "rent" you a fuel pressure tester.
just not sure how to connect it.

 

I may sound dumb here, but do you think it is possible to test by simply squeezing the fuel line?

 

nope......

 

what is the location of the fuel pump and where to buy one for less $$?

 

The fuel pump is bolted to the top of the fuel tank. It can be accessed by removing your rear seat. By a Walbro and save yourself some $$. Google it; I don't remember the address.

 

Thanks guys.