what is the most common reason for a car having a hard time starting?

Question

Sometimes it starts right away other times I think I am going to wear my starter out. Just had all filters changed, battery cables cleaned and the battery is strong.

1999 ford xlt

Answer 1

what year/make/model car is it?

intermittent hard starting is usually an electrical problem. maybe the ignition control module is on the go. buy a chilton's manual will show you how to test that thing with a multimeter.

and do a spark test when the car isn't starting. if you're not getting any spark it could be any number of things in the ignition system. ignition module, pickup, coil. all these things you need a chiltons book and a multimeter tool,

if there's spark then you want to check your engine is getting gas and that there's enough fuel pressure

if there's no gas at all, and it's intermittent, then you might just have a bad relay, or the fuel pump is having a problem.

or probably in your case some other ignition problem like the ignition control module is simply not telling the fuel pump to turn on because something else is not working correctly.

if there's gas at the test port, and you have spark when you did the spark test, you want to make test that the fuel pressure is high enough

or just listen for the fuel pump whirring when you turn the key to the on position, right before starting. do that a few times in a row and hearing hte fuel pump each time might help if you have weak fuel pressure, and will be less hard on your starter priming the fuel lines a few times before you crank the engine.

that cuold be caused by a fuel pressure regulator or fuel pump that are dying. you need to check you're getting the recommended fuel pressure from the fuel pump and that the fuel pressure regulator is holding enough pressure for the fuel injectors to start the engine. you can also look for leaks in the fuel lines, the fuel rail, and the injectors, and it also works to use your nose.

Answer 2

on general motors cars, and some other makes as well, there is a fuel pump timer that activates when you engage your starter. These cars use an oil pressure switch to maintain the circuit to the fuel pump. If the car is involved in an accident, and the engine stalls, this shuts off the fuel pump. The timer is used so the pump will run when you engage the starter. If this relay/timer is defective, the engine won't receive fuel until the oil pressure reaches a predetermined pressure. Try this, turn on the ignition, but don't start the engine. You should hear a "whirring" sound from your gas tank. This will only last for a few (2-3) seconds. If you don't, try starting your car. If it starts after an extended period of time, its the timer circuit that is your problem.

Answer 3

#1 cause of a slow/lazy start - Fuel Pressure Regulator.

This does exactly what its name suggests - it regulates the pressure in the fuel line. When they wear out and start to fail it causes fuel pressure to drop, dumping fuel back into the tank, and thus taking longer for the engine to light since it won't be getting enough fuel to start immediately - or in other words the slow start you are experiencing.

On many cars the regulator is on or near the fuel rail. If it has a rubber vacuum line on it remove it and see if any gas comes out or if you can smell gas in it. If you can, replace the regulator.

Answer 4

Try a tune up- new spark plugs and wires,you may also want to change your distributor cap,if you don't know what that is,it's the cap that is on the other end of your plug wires.(Also change your air filter it will help you get more horse power and better fuel mileage)

Answer 5

poor ignition parts...plugs and wires are often a problem --check with your friendly auto parts dude and have a chat with him (it's not a date aaand he can be helpful with free info)) learn from him and accept the name of a mechanic that can fix your car correctly___