Problems starting

**mbrownin** · 02-08-2006, 04:28 AM

OK, this is starting to really annoy me. My 2000 SS randomly refuses to start.
Not battery or starter related. Car turns over just fine, but acts like it's not getting fuel. Co-worker mentioned in might be vapor lock. Seems to always happen when the engine's cold. Typical scenario: Engage starter, then release, assuming car will start. Release too early, car doesn't start. Then, when trying again, car won't start at all. However, it refused to start this morning first time right off the bat.

Any ideas?

**adham** · 02-09-2006, 12:08 PM

mine did the same thing in this morning
i did not roll or anything
it just clicked once
i replaced my starter relay and the ignition relay that are located in the fuse box
it works fine now but im waiting till tommorrow morning to see ig it will happen again

**redline** · 02-09-2006, 12:44 PM

find out how much fuel pressure your car is suposed to have. Usualy its between 45 and 55 psi. then gauge it and see if it has a low reading.try banging on the bottom of the tank with a rubber mallet when it dosent want to start. If it starts it might have a bad pump.Also check the relay it could be getting stuck. Thats the only thing i can think of.good luck.

**mbrownin** · 02-09-2006, 04:23 PM

Thanks for the input guys.

2002 z28 · 02-09-2006, 05:11 PM

Hey, does the security light stay on. It could be a lock cylinder problem because these cars have a chip in the key and with high mileage the wires in the lock cylinder tend to break causing an intermittent no start. Just guessing may not be your problem.

**mbrownin** · 03-12-2006, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by adham

mine did the same thing in this morning
i did not roll or anything
it just clicked once
i replaced my starter relay and the ignition relay that are located in the fuse box
it works fine now but im waiting till tommorrow morning to see ig it will happen again

I think this is where the problem was for me as well. I didn't replace them, but I swapped the ignition & starter relays. Friend of mine says the relay itself might be fine, but that the electrical contacts may have had some corrosion on them, and me swapping them helped clean them off a little. Anyway, haven't had the problem since the swap.

**02z28ls1** · 03-12-2006, 01:29 PM

If it's doi ng this when it's cold it's not going to be vapor lock. That requires heat to vaporize the fuel (get it,vapor). Agreed you need to check what's happening when this happens,it could be a number of things failing or getting marginal. Crank sensor,fuel pump are possibilities that come to mind.