One rough start - I wonder why?!

[Ludichris]

So I took my girlfriend and her kids to an indoor water park about 120 miles from her place. My '05 has been running and driving better and better the more I do to it, and I'm getting good fuel economy. We loaded up our luggage, got the kids settled in, we're about to take off....and....it starts really hard, then when it did finally start, it acted like the engine was about to die. It's that sound and behavior an engine makes just before it backfires, not running smoothly, kind of sputtering, etc. So I turned it off, waited a few seconds, and turned it over again...same thing. We stopped a couple times along the way and it didn't do it again, the rest of the trip went without a hitch, but it still had me nervous. I've only owned the car for about 1200 miles now, still learning it.

Any idea what could have caused that? I know it could be any number of things, and it only happened once (okay, twice in a row, about 15 seconds apart), but anyone have any ideas? It was really strange, no check engine light or anything.

[brownbrentm]

Mine does that on occasion too, seems to do it the most when I am really really low on gas, but I just keep driving it. I do have a vacuum line issue somewhere, so I do have Check engine light on, not sure if the two are related. I took it to a shop but they couldnt find the leak or other issue either, so who knows?

[yonkerse]

I have run into this a couple times with my car as well. It usually happens when I try starting it and I don't hold the key long enough for the car to start. When this happens, it seems like I get the systems timing off a bit, and when trying to restart it takes an extra crank or two to start. Once started, it slightly sputters then smooths right out.

[RJolly87]

My initial thought, keep an eye on the fuel pressure regulator. Obvious signs of failure are an obvious fuel odor in the vacuum lines.

Not saying this is the issue, just initial thought.

[00Beast]

That was my first guess, a leaking FPR. They have been known to violently explode the upper plenum upon starting if a leaky FPR gets fuel to be sucked into the manifold. It's the button thing on the fuel rail that has a black vacuum line going to it. Pull the line and smell it, if it smells like fuel, call your dealer (have VIN # handy). There was a recall on them, and if it hasn't been fixed you can get it done free of charge under the recall.

[vogie01]

FPR or MAF. I would clean the MAF when you get home, and check out the FPR to see if it is leaking at all.

[kstills]

That used to happen to my CTS every once in a while, even when it was brand new.

Like was said, usually happened if I didn't let it crank long enough to turn over, then it was a bitch to actually get it to start.

It was a once in a half year occurance, though, so I just chalked it up to a confused computer somewhere.

[Ludichris]

That was my first guess, a leaking FPR. They have been known to violently explode the upper plenum upon starting if a leaky FPR gets fuel to be sucked into the manifold. It's the button thing on the fuel rail that has a black vacuum line going to it. Pull the line and smell it, if it smells like fuel, call your dealer (have VIN # handy). There was a recall on them, and if it hasn't been fixed you can get it done free of charge under the recall.

I have heard about this, and know somebody that experienced the explosion on their Bonneville first hand, but I thought I read somewhere that they are no longer honoring the recall or something like that, like if you haven't gotten it done by now then it's too late. Anybody know anything about that?

[Ludichris]

Update: I just called Pontiac. They ran my VIN, and my particular car isn't covered by that recall. So let's hope it's not that. Okay? Okay. I'll check it out though. Is that an easy fix? Is it expensive? Also, might that have anything to do with my evap code P0455?

[00Beast]

That sucks, I forgot your car is an 05. The recall was made in like '02.

It still very well could be. A new one is like $70 and just takes a pair of snap-ring pliers to replace, along with a pair of pliers to grab it and pull it out with.

[Ludichris]

Hm. Yeah, it definitely still could be that, but it seems that if they were paying a bunch of mechanics nationwide to do a bunch of free labor in 2002, by 2005 they would have figured out the issue and resolved it. Then again, even if they did and used a different part, there isn't anything that says that part can't go bad also.

[00Beast]

Right, they go bad over time. The recall was because brand new cars were nuking the UIM at random.

[nos4blood70]

FWIW, it happens to my car once in a very rare while, usually when the engine is half warmed up and I don't hold the key in the start position for long enough. She'll sputter for a bit at like 400-500 RPM and then die. Unless I catch it quick enough and prod the gas a little.

[yonkerse]

FWIW, it happens to my car once in a very rare while, usually when the engine is half warmed up and I don't hold the key in the start position for long enough. She'll sputter for a bit at like 400-500 RPM and then die. Unless I catch it quick enough and prod the gas a little.

Exact thing here!

[SSEiMan01]

Mine will once in a while start hot, and run at about 5/600 RPM for a few seconds then raise it up. I've seen this on A LOT of 3800 cars.

[fritcr]

+ 1 on mine too.
Actually, so does all the cars we own except the truck. All have either 3800 or 3400 in the van. It does this too. Drives me nuts. The Grand Prix is just terriable about this and no one can find anything wrong with it. It keeps getting worse and worse. It is my daughters car. Does this when it is warm and left off for about 10 min then go out to start it and it will lope and sputter for a few seconds before it gets going. Anyone know why. No gas in the FPR vac line.
Rob

[redzmonte]

Mine also does this sputter for a min randomly on starts... I have been meaning to put a Fuel pressure gauge on there and test it.

S