Starting problem

1988 Pontiac 6000 2.5L 124,150 miles. Yesterday when I went to start it, the car turned over funny and it took two tries to start. Once it was started, it missed and sputtered for a minute until I gave it some gas. Then it was okay. It had no problem starting and going back home. It did this about eight months ago too. That time it took probably 10 tries and it really ran horrible that morning. Since this isn't the first time this problem has happened, it probably isn't a fluke. Any ideas? Thanks.

-Current problems- A/C doesn't work Speaker cuts in and out Cruise doesn't work Seat belts are wore out Won't start in sub-zero temperatures Makes a slight grindy noise when you start it in the cold for a moment (I heard an Oldsmobile next to my car at school do the same exact thing with the same engine) Tires are wore out Stalls sometimes when you push on the gas, does it more often in the cold but it has done it in the heat before. (Someone I talked to once owned an Oldsmobile with the same engine and had the same problem - Oldsmobile could never figure out the problem either.) Small transmission fluid leak On occasion (once every month or two) the catalytic converter will throw off its smell (this will have to be worked on if it starts doing this more frequently) A rattling noise from the rear Needs struts Water leaks when it rains heavy and rushes in when you go to a car wash TPS is probably bad (although it has been idling normally again lately) I wish the turning radius could be a little better The car's probably on its 4th or 5th muffler It seems like every time I drive the car, it drives different each time

-On the bright side- It's got relatively few miles for its age. The body's in pretty good shape. Most of the ones I see are covered in rust. Most of the problems with the car are just accessories or else problems that are typical of an old vehicle. It still has the responsiveness to swerve and miss a trash can that falls right in front of me. (Like it did on Friday. Stopping was not an option.) I've heard these cars are built like a tank when it comes to accidents and the car handles well in the winter weather.

Reply to
Travis King
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When was the last time the fuel filter was changed?

Lee

Reply to
Lee C. Carpenter

Reply to
Travis King

The car's been driven 4000 miles since then.

Reply to
Travis King

Rey

Reply to
Reynaud

That's not it then.

Reply to
Lee C. Carpenter

Tell me about it. I don't plan on keeping the car for a long time. The problem is that I have to have money first. I got the car from my Mom at

121,600 miles. (Before the Pontiac, she had an '86 Celebrity with the 2.5 and got rid of it when the head was in need of replacement. Someone took it for $50 and from what I heard, the car's still running today. Of course, I assume it has a new head.) I knew its history of problems. My brother originally bought it for $2800 8 or 9 years ago. Supposedly an old lady had owned it and her husband passed away. It at the time had around 60,000 miles. When he bought it, it had a very bad starting problem, which turned out to take three expensive things to fix it - one of which was the fuel pump. At only 60,000 miles? My dad had a reliable Caravan that never needed one, and it had a starting problem, so he replaced the fuel pump to find out that it was the fuel pressure regulator. It had around 220,000 miles at the time. The engine ran out of oil 6000 miles later because it developed a major oil leak, and my brother needed to borrow it and ran it out of oil because he's not very responsible to check the oil. (By the way, I checked my tranny the other day and it's getting a little low, so I'll have to add some more fluid tomorrow.)

The problems that my car already had when I got it: A/C Won't start in sub-zero temperatures (I remember when I had to go out and start it for Mom when she worked) Tires worn (although not as bad as they are now) Stalling Water leaks One less muffler replaced (I had to do it once a few months after I got the car, luckily the old one had a life-time warranty) Brake pads wore out - made a loud screech even when driving and not braking Oil leak (valve cover gasket)

NEW PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED SINCE I GOT THE CAR (SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN FIXED) I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR TWO YEARS. (Yeah I know, no shouting... lol) Starting problem here and there Speaker cutting in and out The grindy noise when the engine runs when you first start it in the cold Tranny fluid leak Struts Noise from the rear TPS One more muffler (FIXED for free) Entire rear brake job (FIXED - both wheel cylinders were leaking and the mechanic said I was lucky that I never lost my brakes completely - cost: $300) Tranny would not go sometimes when you put it into drive (FIXED - needed fluid change) Rotors (FIXED - wore out when we replaced the brake pads) Calipers (FIXED - locking up) Oxygen sensor (FIXED - almost had to pull over when the engine lost all of its power and flooring it made no difference in the RPM - SES came on) Antifreeze leak (FIXED - the leak was small at the time) Oil leak - twice (FIXED - blew the valve cover gasket twice, finally had to use silicone to fix it) Seat belts wore out

Reply to
Travis King

The car just did it again today. It didn't want to start. It turned over fine, but it wouldn't start. Then the next time I tried, it turned over funny again. On the third try, it started. It stalled twice yesterday and when someone turned going up a hill yesterday, I had to floor it to get any kind of acceleration or else I could have crawled at 15MPH to 20MPH and the other cars around me were still having no problems accelerating better than mine. (And I bet they didn't need to floor it.) (This is nothing new, however because the engine is lacking.) The 98hp is lacking. I'd like to get a different vehicle that you don't have to floor it to make it up a hill without sluggish acceleration, but of course I've got to have money first.

Reply to
Travis King

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