I am looking to buy a 2000 Vette that I found out about in a corvette forum. I did a search for the owner's posts and I found this one reffering to the car he is trying to sell me.
"Every 3-4 time I start the car I get hesitation while the car is turning over. Sometime I have to step on the gas to get it started. Nothing major it does start just annoys me. Anything I can do to prevent this from happening? Any suggestions?"
Some forum members suggested that it could be the starter. The car is a 2000 model with only 27K miles so I doubt that to be the case. Anyways I emailed him about this and asked if this was fixed and if so if he had receipts to prove it. This was his response to me:
"I took it to get it looked at and there is nothing wrong. My mechanic (certified GM) told me this happens when you put regular gas in the car. Though the manual will say you can put regular, you should always stick to premium. Premium will optimize the car's performance and you won't get hesitation. Like I said to you, the car has no mechanical problems at all. You started the car with me and drove it."
Does anyone know if this is indeed true. Can using regular gas as opposed to premium really cause starting issues. When I was there the car started fine but I just want to be sure.
Sounds fishy to me, stepping on the gas to start a fuel injected car does nothing to help it start unless it was throttle position. I've used regular in my 2004 and saw no difference in the starting. What does Paul say, (C4C5)?
The grade of fuel you use has nothing what so ever to do with the way a car starts....the C5 cars have been known for fuel pump problems..and at 27,000 miles it is not unusual to have to replace the pump....I would look to buy a
350Z or at least something other than a vette...you already have problems and you have not yet even purchased the car..be warned!!!!!!!!!!!!!! problems like you describe have a history of never going away....walk away from this one NOW !!!!!!!
He's a Corvette tech head that hangs out in a number of Corvette forums as C4C5specialist, thought you may have run onto him. Would he agree with me is another story because we don't agree all the time, but that's the way some problems go. I'm old school and he's new, and understands the electronics better than I ever will.
Is there any pattern of occurrence? Hot engine, cold engine, how long between shutdown to start attempt, parking angle, other screwball things? I can recall a starter on a '79 Pontiac that would hesitate after the first couple of revs of a warm engine and then speed up and start the engine. It failed within 6 months. Extended cranking may also point to a dry fuel rail or low fuel pressure--what happens at WOT in 4th at 85 or 5th at 120? Or, something similar if it's an auto? Oh yeah, what's battery voltage doing while all this fun is happening?
I think it's hard to blame regular fuel for this problem but offer the following story if you want to embrace the octane rating idea.
Back in the '50s, Mobil Oil Company (then, Standard of NY) used to sponsor an annual gas mileage contest out of L.A. Current model year cars, about 1500 miles R.T., mileage measured in "ton miles per gallon"
-- gave Caddy & Packard a big advantage over Chevvy, Ford & Nash.
Contestants could gas up with either "Ethyl" or "regular." Most car makers chose to use "regular" to emphasize economy. One year, I recall that one of the biggies (Lincoln, Packard or Cadillac) chose to use Premium, "not because we needed it but because it would give us quicker starting." It's also possible that winter premium, aimed for very cold climates like Alaska or northern Canada might have some quick-start additives. Probably not in the lower-48 in April though.
About once a year, I run a half-tank of regular through the L-98 and think I feel some mid-throttle combustion roughness--feels "lean." It seems to say, "don't do any WOT with this fuel." Tail end of the tank gets a shot of injector cleaner then it's back to premium. I've never had extended cranking or cranking hesitation with regular in the C4.
Right now, West Coast fuel is so variable from tank to tank--seasonal changes, special blend changes for Katrina, ethanol, no-ethanol, MTBE, no-MTBE, wide variations in feed stocks w/aromatic additives, etc. that it would be hard to judge anything--just thankful to have a steady supply of any go-juice. Commuting in the C4 uses about a tank a week and I sometimes notice what I think are tank-to-tank changes in premium--odds are that its climate change differences with an ancient design of ECM and fuel injection. It's harder to judge possible fuel variations in the C5 since I don't drive it as often and it gets filled up at two or three week intervals.
Right now the C5 is the weekend fun car and I don't want to be forced into taking it easy on the pedal. When the initial fun wears off, I might try a 1/2 tank of regular.
Pete, get a grip man! Ed wants to buy a Vette and you tell him to buy a
350Z. *Shaking head in disbelief* I thought that you had turned a new leaf and had left behind your dumb-ass comments, but you have proven once again that a leopard can't change its spots. Do you think for a second that you may have over-reacted? *LOL*
Ed, Pete is conditionally correct when he says "The grade of fuel you use has nothing what so ever to do with the way a car starts". That is correct for the Vette you are looking at, but not for all cars. I would insist on telling thevendor that you would like to discuss the issue with his "certified GM mechanic". If he balk's, I'd walk. If he puts you in touch with the mechanic and his mechanic sticks to the gas-grade nonsense, challenge him on it. If the vendor and/or his mechanic appear to be b.s.ing you, find another low mileage 2000. There are lots of good ones out there and they're guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Thank you all for your response and tips. This really blows, the car is the color I want - Blue Metallic and Manual. I guess I will keep on looking!!! I will find something soon enough.
One last thought. If the car has had a cat back and an "X" pipe added the less restriction will allow it to crank a bit longer before it fires. Never bothered my '98 and cut out the motorboat burble and the slight popping when letting off the accelerator.
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