Immediately After Replacing My Fuel Injectors, Problems Starting Car. Ideas?

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Hi all,

*I am not an auto expert so apologies for lack of knowledge or terms

1997 Chevrolet Cavalier

My fuel injectors were leaking and I wound up replacing all 4 of them at a mechanic. The only symptom I had of this was smelling gasoline when my AC or Heater was turned on.

The very night when my car went home, I developed a sudden brand new random problem.

Previous to the fuel injector change - when I try to turn my car on - I just turn the key and the engine cranks for a second or two then “turns” on. Now, when I try to turn the car on, the engine just cranks like 4 or 5 seconds and then barely
barely comes on. Like, the engine doesn’t sound like it turns on, but when I stop cranking for the 4 or 5 seconds - somehow the car awkwardly / weakly comes on. If I only crank the engine for like 2 seconds, it will not turn on at all. It needs like 5 seconds to barely turn on.

However, if I try to crank the engine for 2 seconds and it doesn’t turn on, then immediately when I try to turn the engine on again, it goes on like normal. ADDITIONALLY, if I just stopped the car like 10 or 15 minutes ago and I try to turn the engine on again, it goes on like normal as well.

If I try to crank the engine for like a split second and then try to turn on the second time though, it will not work. It needs like a second or two for the first crank.

ADDITIONALLY (more additionallies), my car when I try to accelerate now sounds like its struggling to accelerate.

ADDITIONALLY, if I try to crank the car and I just tap the gas pedal, the car starts extremely extremely quickly.

This all started the night I got all 4 of my fuel injectors changed. The mechanic doesn’t seem to know why this is happening. He gave me a new fuel filter and it did not do anything to fix the situation.

Any ideas what can be happening?

2

Sounds like fuel pump went South on you. Check fuel pressure. Spec is 41-47 PSI key on, engine off.

1 Like
3

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your response! When you say “spec is 41-47 PSI key on, engine off”, does that mean that I should test fuel pressure and it should be between 41-47 psi with the key in the ignition and engine off?

Again I appreciate your response. I am pretty car illiterate unfortunately :stuck_out_tongue:

4

yes, that is exactly what Pete means.

If it sounds weak when starting, I would also recommend making sure the battery cables are clean and tight.

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5

Try turning your key to ‘on’, not start, for 5 seconds, then turn off, then turn to start. Let us know how that does.

1 Like
6

Hi OldcarsRbest,

Thanks for the response! Questions - turning the key to “on” would just be basically turning the “power” of the car on but not the engine (ie : no cranking), right?

Thanks!

7

“key on” = ignition in the on position, number 2 position, engine not running