Hard Starting

[stinknlinknls8]

I,m sure this subject has been discussed here before, but work has me so busy I have no time to search. My 01 ls8 is having a hard time starting, when I turn the key it just cranks, I try this a few more times and it still does it, finally it starts. It does not do this everytime I go to start it but when it does i,m usually around other people and its embarrassing. What should I look for? could it be the battery? Thanks to all !!

 

[PM80]

Go to autozone they will check out your battery and alt for free and you can see if that is the problem or check that off your list. That is the first place i would start.

 

[beaups]

if it cranks good it shouldn't be the battery. if it only happens after sitting for a while, others have found the culprit to be a leaky fuel injector.....

 

[2001LS8Sport]

if it cranks good it shouldn't be the battery. if it only happens after sitting for a while, others have found the culprit to be a leaky fuel injector.....

That is EXACTLY what I found on mine. I actually went to the effort of rigging up a pressure guage and manifold that would allow me to isolate the fuel rail from the rest of the system. It was obvious. One other thing to try is to cycle the key on and off without cranking the engine two or three times before you try and start it. The fuel pump has a check valve in it that's supposed to keep fuel in the lines when it isn't running. If that has gone bad, you can get similar symptoms. If it starts easily after doing this, that's where I would concentrate my efforts.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

Here's the link to my original posts.

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=8727&highlight=fuel+injector

 

[emailguy20732]

Sounds like what's happening to my '01 V8. What's the best (and easiest) way to check the fuel injectors myself?

 

[MikeRhyner]

I had the same problem in my 01V8. I just bit the bullet and changed all 8, wanted the problem gone for good.

Was afraid I would change the culprit one week and have another start leaking the next.

Got mine from rockauto

 

[Osaín]

I feel your pain. Definitely a fuel injector problem. I had to go to 3 different dealers before they found the problem. They kept telling me to "prime" the fuel pump before starting it. Basically I was accused of starting the car too quickly. Idiots.

 

[LincolnDriver]

I agree with the above posts, but, you may want to try something easier first.
What I had was not a starting issue, but an issue relating to fuel injectors in general.
I noticed a problem on a long highway trip, where my car would not maintain an even speed while on cruise control,.... up, down, up, down...it was driving me crazy. I put in some fuel injector cleaner at a gas station, and after about 250 miles, the surging disappeared.....smooth as glass.
As soon as I got home, I also put in a new fuel filter.
In other words, make sure your injectors are clean, and your fuel delivery lines are unobstructed.
Just a thought.

 

[2001LS8Sport]

I agree with the above posts, but, you may want to try something easier first.
What I had was not a starting issue, but an issue relating to fuel injectors in general.
I noticed a problem on a long highway trip, where my car would not maintain an even speed while on cruise control,.... up, down, up, down...it was driving me crazy. I put in some fuel injector cleaner at a gas station, and after about 250 miles, the surging disappeared.....smooth as glass.
As soon as I got home, I also put in a new fuel filter.
In other words, make sure your injectors are clean, and your fuel delivery lines are unobstructed.
Just a thought.

That is a good suggeston. I tried that first with BG fuel injection cleaner...which has been and still is the best you can buy. But it didn't help mine...which I expected. The old pintle style injectors could really benefit from that, but it's rare these late designs have those problems. Sure worth a try though before you start tearing into it. But don't just arbitrarily replace the injectors. Rig you up a test device and diagnose it properly. If nothing else, you can pull the fuel rail and leave the injectors in it and the fuel line connected and pressurize the rail and watch for a leak. DO NOT crank the engine! Just cycle the key. The problem with that is the injector may only leak at a certain temp, so you need to try and do it when the engine is at that temp. Mine would only leak warm...so I had to tear it apart hot and test it. And the faulty injector only leaked a couple of drops...but that was enough to show me what one it was. Also, you can pull the plugs after it fails to start right off. Pull the plugs and see what one is fuel soaked. That will help pinpoint it too.