starting problem

**sirenformula350** · 05-20-2008, 10:29 AM

Just 2 days ago I washed my engine and ever since The car has been having problems starting. It cranks no problem but doesn't want to start. A friend of mine told me a little "trick" which was to put the pedal to the floor which he said stops the delivery of fuel to the engine till it starts. The trick works and the car starts up when I do that but I really don't want to have to do that all the time now. The SES light also came on but i haven't had time to get check the code yet. Once I do that I'll post it but my question is if anyone has had this problem before and what this might be. Thanks for the help in advance.

**sirenformula350** · 05-20-2008, 01:15 PM

ok so the code that came up was P0118 - engine control ignition relay feedback circuit.

We cleared the code and the car starts up just fine (well for now). There is another problem though. While driving the car will occasionally buck a little and if i push the clutch in to take the car out of gear the engine rpms will go up to about 3000. It has done this once in a while before but it was never as frequent. anyone have any ideas?

**SVG210** · 05-20-2008, 01:30 PM

youre stepping on the throttle during your gear shifts?

**jigger1166** · 05-20-2008, 03:14 PM

Sounds like you got water in a connector (injector,coil,IAC,TPS,MAF,MAP). Disconnect all the connectors, check them for water, blow them dry.

**sirenformula350** · 05-20-2008, 04:56 PM

i checked for water but i guess it couldn't hurt to look again

no I'm not stepping on the throttle during shifts. The car bucks so i hit the clutch to take it out of gear and the engine revs up on its own. The engine will rev then fall below idle or at idle and rev again. It does it one to about three times before the engine settles to a normal idle. If I leave it in gear the car feels like it wants to accelerate quickly and then decelerate. Hope that makes the problem clear.

**0rion** · 05-21-2008, 12:29 AM

sounds like time to start pulling connectors, fuses, and relays. Try to dry everything out. How wet did you get the fuse box behind the drivers side headlight? I'd start there.

**sirenformula350** · 05-21-2008, 09:21 AM

actually the fuse box was bone dry. Like I said before though the bucking would occasionally happen before I cleaned the engine but it seems to be more frequent now. For this reason I really don't think the water is the reason btu I'm still going to check again to eliminate it as a possibility.

**sirenformula350** · 05-21-2008, 05:38 PM

checked for water in all relays, fuse boxes and the actual sensors and nothing. No water anywhere. I really don't want to take it in but if I don't get some ideas I might have to.

**Cutlass** · 05-21-2008, 06:09 PM

P0118 is ---> Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Circuit High Voltage.
Check that sensor and connector for problems. An incorrect coolant temp could cause fuel delivery problems and could cause a surge like you described.