Cranky Civic in Canada
My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the middle
of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw times before catching. I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every day last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was worried that I might begin wearing the battery down. I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it I've had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about 100 Km. My mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( sorry but I'm Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost all highway miles. I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's the original battery and alternator. Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel from the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm not sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. Also the slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere causing a vapour gap and slow starts? tia Peter H |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
Peter H wrote:
> My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the middle > of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw times > before catching. > > I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every day > last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. > > Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was > afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was worried > that I might begin wearing the battery down. > > I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it > I've had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about 100 > Km. My mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( sorry > but I'm Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost all > highway miles. I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's the > original battery and alternator. > > Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel from > the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. > > I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm not > sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. Also > the slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. > > Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere causing > a vapour gap and slow starts? > > tia > > Peter H -------------------------- Peter, Tomorrow morning, try holding the gas pedal half-way to the floor (per the Owner's manual) to determine if your engine is flooding overnight. If it starts way better, it's probable that (one) injector is sticking open and draining the fuel rail's pressure into the engine. A couple tanks of Gasohol, or a bottle of good injector cleaner might fix it. Our Odyssey did it and was a bear to start after sitting overnight. Mohawk PLUS gas fixed it right away. 'Curly' |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
Peter H wrote:
> My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the middle > of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw times > before catching. > > I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every day > last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. > > Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was > afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was worried > that I might begin wearing the battery down. > > I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it > I've had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about 100 > Km. My mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( sorry > but I'm Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost all > highway miles. I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's the > original battery and alternator. > > Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel from > the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. > > I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm not > sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. Also > the slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. > > Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere causing > a vapour gap and slow starts? > > tia > > Peter H -------------------------- Peter, Tomorrow morning, try holding the gas pedal half-way to the floor (per the Owner's manual) to determine if your engine is flooding overnight. If it starts way better, it's probable that (one) injector is sticking open and draining the fuel rail's pressure into the engine. A couple tanks of Gasohol, or a bottle of good injector cleaner might fix it. Our Odyssey did it and was a bear to start after sitting overnight. Mohawk PLUS gas fixed it right away. 'Curly' |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
"Peter H" <peterh@notreallyrogers.com> wrote in message
news:JfednR88UcQfKDLcRVn-2Q@rogers.com... > My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the middle > of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw times > before catching. > > I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every day > last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. > > Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was > afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was worried > that I might begin wearing the battery down. > > I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it I've > had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about 100 Km. My > mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( sorry but I'm > Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost all highway miles. > I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's the original battery and > alternator. > > Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel from > the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. > > I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm not > sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. Also the > slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. > > Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere causing a > vapour gap and slow starts? > > tia > > Peter H Not an expert, but... I suspect the two things are related. The symptom you have (delayed start) is often caused by loss of residual pressure in the fuel rail (the part that feeds the injectors). When the pressure restores and the ECU figures out what happened the engine starts. This is easily confirmed by connecting a fuel pressure guage to the fuel rail - it probably has the fitting already. Another common DIY test - although not definitive - is to bump the starter an instant, then try to start it. If it starts immediately, that's a pretty big yes. A common cause is the check valve for the fuel pump, but with the smell of gasoline I'd start looking for a leak. If 'Curly's' suggestion doesn't do the trick, look carefully around the surface of each injector and the ends of all the fuel hoses under the hood for damp spots after the engine has run, even for a second. If you still smell gasoline and can't find a leak, a professional might be a good investment. I had a car that had an engine fire from a leaky injector (external leak), and it was no fun. Mike |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
"Peter H" <peterh@notreallyrogers.com> wrote in message
news:JfednR88UcQfKDLcRVn-2Q@rogers.com... > My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the middle > of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw times > before catching. > > I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every day > last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. > > Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was > afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was worried > that I might begin wearing the battery down. > > I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it I've > had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about 100 Km. My > mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( sorry but I'm > Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost all highway miles. > I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's the original battery and > alternator. > > Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel from > the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. > > I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm not > sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. Also the > slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. > > Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere causing a > vapour gap and slow starts? > > tia > > Peter H Not an expert, but... I suspect the two things are related. The symptom you have (delayed start) is often caused by loss of residual pressure in the fuel rail (the part that feeds the injectors). When the pressure restores and the ECU figures out what happened the engine starts. This is easily confirmed by connecting a fuel pressure guage to the fuel rail - it probably has the fitting already. Another common DIY test - although not definitive - is to bump the starter an instant, then try to start it. If it starts immediately, that's a pretty big yes. A common cause is the check valve for the fuel pump, but with the smell of gasoline I'd start looking for a leak. If 'Curly's' suggestion doesn't do the trick, look carefully around the surface of each injector and the ends of all the fuel hoses under the hood for damp spots after the engine has run, even for a second. If you still smell gasoline and can't find a leak, a professional might be a good investment. I had a car that had an engine fire from a leaky injector (external leak), and it was no fun. Mike |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
motsco_ _ wrote:
> Peter H wrote: > >> My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the >> middle of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw >> times before catching. >> >> I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every >> day last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. >> >> Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was >> afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was >> worried that I might begin wearing the battery down. >> >> I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it >> I've had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about >> 100 Km. My mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( >> sorry but I'm Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost >> all highway miles. I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's >> the original battery and alternator. >> >> Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel >> from the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. >> >> I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm >> not sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. >> Also the slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. >> >> Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere >> causing a vapour gap and slow starts? >> >> tia >> >> Peter H > > -------------------------- > Peter, > > Tomorrow morning, try holding the gas pedal half-way to the floor (per > the Owner's manual) to determine if your engine is flooding overnight. > If it starts way better, it's probable that (one) injector is sticking > open and draining the fuel rail's pressure into the engine. > > A couple tanks of Gasohol, or a bottle of good injector cleaner might > fix it. > > Our Odyssey did it and was a bear to start after sitting overnight. > Mohawk PLUS gas fixed it right away. > > 'Curly' > Thanks Curly. I picked up some injector cleaner and it seemed to make a big difference. Peter H |
Re: Cranky Civic in Canada
motsco_ _ wrote:
> Peter H wrote: > >> My 2001 civic has always been a wee bit slow to fire. Even in the >> middle of the summer if it has sat all night it would turn over a raw >> times before catching. >> >> I bought the vehicle used about this time last year. It fired every >> day last winter without a problem. A couple of cranks and bang. >> >> Now it's starting to take more than that. In fact this morning I was >> afraid it wasn't going to catch. It was to the point where I was >> worried that I might begin wearing the battery down. >> >> I don't have the full history on the vehicle, but since I've owned it >> I've had the oil changed regularly and did the big tune-up at about >> 100 Km. My mileage is quite constant at about 13.5 Kms per Litre. ( >> sorry but I'm Canadian). The car runs well and I'm putting on almost >> all highway miles. I have 110,000 kms on it and I believe that it's >> the original battery and alternator. >> >> Lately, for unknown reasons to me, I get the odd whiff of raw fuel >> from the vehicle, but my mileage hasn't changed. >> >> I would normally just change out the battery at this stage, but I'm >> not sure that that is the problem. It cranks fine and at good speed. >> Also the slow firing has been habitual, just getting worse. >> >> Any ideas from the experts. Could there be a fuel leak somewhere >> causing a vapour gap and slow starts? >> >> tia >> >> Peter H > > -------------------------- > Peter, > > Tomorrow morning, try holding the gas pedal half-way to the floor (per > the Owner's manual) to determine if your engine is flooding overnight. > If it starts way better, it's probable that (one) injector is sticking > open and draining the fuel rail's pressure into the engine. > > A couple tanks of Gasohol, or a bottle of good injector cleaner might > fix it. > > Our Odyssey did it and was a bear to start after sitting overnight. > Mohawk PLUS gas fixed it right away. > > 'Curly' > Thanks Curly. I picked up some injector cleaner and it seemed to make a big difference. Peter H |
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