2003 Pontiac Grand Am starts but acts like it doesn't want too.
Asked by china06132013 Jul 24, 2014 at 01:17 PM about the Pontiac Grand Am
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
When I go to start it, sometimes it will fire right up other times it will take a few more seconds and it will shutter and start and then I smell fuel after it starts and it seems to rap up pretty high after it gets started and when I put it into gear the motor seems to calm down. Any ideas???
3 Answers
Check intake for vacume leak,s in hose,s
My grandson had a similar problem with his 2002 grand am. I removed the oxygen sensor, cleaned it good, and it corrected the problem. You just won't believe how crudy they get. be sure the holes in the end are clean too. A wire brush will do the trick and use toot picks to make sure the holes are open. CAUTION! Do not break off a tooth pick! You will need a special tool to remove the sensor.. Auto Zone will loan you one that will fit a 3/8 drive ratchet. Unplug the wiring harness at the rear left side of the engine. when you do that you will see the sensor right above the exhaust manifold. use care not to crack it taking out and putting back.
Occasional hard starts with a fuel odor are signs of a leaking injector. With the engine off, a bad injector will allow the fuel to continue to drip into one or more cylinders creating a super-rich condition. Check all the plugs for signs of fuel. Test each injector for proper pulsing with the engine running (the 'screwdriver' test' where you use a long screwdriver like a stethoscope). Testing for a leaking injector isn't something most driveway mechanics can do, but if you can hook a fuel pressure gauge to the rail you can see if the rail holds pressure after running the engine. If not, you have a leaking injector. Just buy one: keep swapping it in and out of each cylinder until you've eliminated the pressure drop.
