ok... so I've been having this problem for a while but I can't for the life of me remember when it started.

Some days (most days) when I go to start my car it simply turns over for a good 30-60 seconds (depending on the strength of the battery) until the battery dies... and SOMEtimes it starts first go!

I usually just end up hooking it up to the parents car and and jump starting it.

It always starts eventually. Sometimes it may take 1 second, sometimes 10 seconds, and sometimes, like yesterday, about 4 minutes I ran the battery flat 6 bloody times with it hooked up to the parents car until it eventually fired up.

The thing that perplexes me is that, when it does eventually start, it fires up beautifully. Immediate start with no missing or "struggling" to start. Just BROOM!

This is what I've tried/tested so far...
- Pulled a lead off during starting. Getting a VERY (ouch) strong spark
- Pulled a plug out... dry as a bone... odd..?
- Tried spraying a bit of Aerostart into the intake... sometimes works (maybe) and sometimes doesn't...
- Tied turning the key onto ON to allow the fuel to prime (I can hear the fuel pump prime in the boot) before starting. Tried doing this numerous times.
- Tried locking and unlocking the car in case it's the immobilizer. Nothing.

So yeh... I'm at my wits end...

Seems to be not getting fuel... and then immediately gets fuel! Almost like a time-delay fuel immobilizer (wtf?!)

I'm sure someone out there has had problems like this before. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Sam.

Last edited by MoNGooSE on Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi Sam,

There are a few things to check,

Fuel presure and Flow,
Injector Pulse,
coolant temp sender,

Try a few of these things and see how it goes

The other thing is you should also note what car it is, and what motor, auto/manual, and other information so to tell us what you have

Have you changed the injectors yet?

Sorry mate. Figured that was obvious.

EF 6cyl auto.

How do I go about checking these?

may check the fuel pump 2, may be intermittent as what happened with my brothers au. would prime fine but under load would die and not work.

Car is NOT down on power. Plenty of power and runs like a dream once it's started.

Also, it has a new fuel filter...

Tips or instructions on how to test the aforementioned possible problems would be handy.

How olds the battery? Could it be that a dead cell would cause similar problems.

Brand spanker. Tests fine. Re-itterated by the fact that it does the exact same thing when hooked up to the parents car via HD jump leads.

could it be the BCM module playing up????

cheers bear

This only just recently occurred to me. I have a spare that I'll try before anything else...

Hi mate, Below is some information for you in regards to fuel Pressure and flow, I hope this helps you and sorry for the delay in getting back to you

Scotty

Fuel Pressure

Engine Idling with vacuum hose connected...................................... 225 to 250 kPa
Diagnostic Connector fuel pump terminal jumpered to ground............ 300 kPa
Maximum Pressure Drop............................................................... 10% in Ten Seconds.

Fuel Pressure Regulator
The Fuel Pressure Regulator is located at the rear of the fuel rail.

Fuel Pump
The Fuel Pump is located within the fuel tank.
Fuel Pump Delivery..........240cc in 10 Seconds

UPDATE

Took the car to Bruce Heinrich yesterday and left it overnight so he could do all the basic tests such as fuel pressure, injector pulse, spark.

Found that the car wasn't getting fuel OR spark for the majority of the time it was trying to start.

He tried a new crank angle sensor with no luck.

Next he tried a Smartlock bypass (left the key in the ON position for 45 minutes without starting it) ... After coming back 45 minutes later the car started on the first crank...

I know others have mentioned that it could be BCM/Smartlock. So you reckon this explains my symptoms???

What would be the best course of action? I'm thinking of putting one of these in: http://www.shiftkits.com.au/index.php?m ... ducts_id=4

Opinions? Thoughts?

Last edited by MoNGooSE on Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

think u mean this
http://www.shiftkits.com.au/index.php?m ... ducts_id=4

my ef does the same thing when cold, cranks for 20-30 seconds, then every start after that is fine

mm... except mine cranks for a lot longer than 30 seconds sometimes. Most of the time it'll crank until the battery goes flat.