Hi Everyone: Just bought a 32K orig miles Country Squire, car is a dream to drive. However, each time I start the car (even if the engine is warm), it takes about 5-6 seconds of cranking for the engine to start to turn, then it will catch and turn over. Would this be the starter needed to be replaced, or something else? It cranks just fine - the engine just doesn't turn over for about 6 seconds. Thanks. Ryan
Well, I had that problem with my truck, and replaced the starter, things were smooth sailing after that.
You might be able to tear it down and make it work well again, but get a good look at the starter pinion, you might want to replace the whole starter anyway. 5-6 seconds each time sounds like hell on the starter pinion.
If you pull your starter you may want to check your flywheel ring gear to make sure all the teeth are o/k. You will have to turn the engine over by hand to inspect all the teeth on the flywheel. Scott
This is probably going to sound weird, but it might be worth a shot. When you're turning the ignition switch to start it, try making sure you're going all the way until it won't go anymore. In other words, twist it with a bit more strength than normal to make sure it goes all the way against its stop. Probably won't change a bit, but as I say, it's so simple, it merits trying.
With that said I'm wondering if the ignition switch is good or adjusted properly. $15 at any parts store. It's worth checking it out. Just remove the plastic cover on the bottom of the steering column and you can see it. A metal rod connects to it and the mounting holes are slotted so it could be an adjustment thing.
The original post confuses me. Are you sitting there for 5-6 seconds with the engine turning over until it starts or do you turn the key and nothing happens and then suddenly 6 seconds later your engine starts?
5- 6 sec of cranking, the fail is not the starter because it crank during 5-6 sec and it start, right? firstly you should check the fire (coil, spark plug, spark plug wiring...) and the battery, fuel pressure, and air filter regards
Is this a FI engine? If so I'd supect a failed check valve in the fuel line. Check pressure in the rail after sitting and before cranking, if it's zip or low you've found the culprit. The valve might be integral with the fuel pump on this car I'm not familiar with it. Seems a fueling issue for sure.
Should be a FI 5.0, Ross. To Ryan - Are you sure it's an original 32k mile vehicle? IIRC, those odometers are only 5 digits (+ the tenths..)
I agree with the comments re: fuel pressure and possible check valve failure. Could also be a bad fuel pressure regulator. And another possibility: I had a 91 Caprice that did the same thing; there was a cut in the short piece of hose between the fuel pump outlet and the sending unit nipple. The fuel pressure would bleed off when the car was not running and it would crank for 5 - 6 seconds before starting, but exhibited no other problems. Check your fuel pressure before/during the start-up.
Do you know how fast it is supposed to crank? Does it sound like it's cranking SLOWLY, or cranking quite quickly, and it just takes 6 seconds for the engine to "grab" and fire up on its own? If slowly, then, battery, battery cables, starter; any could be the culprit. I've got a 1990 colony park (=country squire), and just fixed up a 1989 colony park for my little sister. Both started a little slowly-- though not that slowly! And both benefited from fresh battery cables noticeably. But if the starter sounds like it's spinning quickly... then yeah, fuel pressure might be it. However, when you put the key in position II (dash lights on, but haven't started the car yet), you'll hear a quiet buzz. That's the fuel pump priming the system with pressure. It's pretty quiet; I didn't know what to listen for at first until someone pointed it out to me. If you don't start in one quick motion, but instead give the pump time to prime in position II and then go on to start the car.
I had a separate issue where I would start the car, and it would stall out almost immediately. I'd restart it, and it'd be fine. Probably unrelated. THAT symptom has 2 possible causes: carbon buildup on valves absorbs fuel, so it stalls out; but on the second start, the carbon has already absorbed fuel so the next start works. Perhaps, related to taking extra time to start up? Or, if you put it too abruptly in gear, and it's idling at a slightly too-low rpm cold, you can easily stall it out by immediately shifting into reverse a second after starting up. Fixes would be waiting before shifting into gear, or adjusting the throttle position sensor to bump up the idle speed. World of difference between 500rpm and 700rpm idle. That' won't be your problem, though.
