# Immediately After Replacing My Fuel Injectors, Problems Starting Car. Ideas? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 1, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656 "2017-03-01T17:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jason.wise125](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@Jason.wise125](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jason.wise125)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/1 "2017-03-01T17:45:55Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![pete\_peters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/46a35a/32.png) [@pete\_peters](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pete_peters)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/2 "2017-03-01T19:39:31Z")
Sounds like fuel pump went South on you. Check fuel pressure. Spec is 41-47 PSI key on, engine off. ---
**Author:** ![Jason.wise125](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@Jason.wise125](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jason.wise125)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/3 "2017-03-01T19:53:03Z")
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 😛 ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/4 "2017-03-01T20:07:25Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![OldcarsRbest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/oldcarsrbest/32/4812_2.png) [@OldcarsRbest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/OldcarsRbest)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/5 "2017-03-01T20:12:53Z")
Try turning your key to ‘on’, not start, for 5 seconds, then turn off, then turn to start. Let us know how that does. ---
**Author:** ![Jason.wise125](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@Jason.wise125](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jason.wise125)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/6 "2017-03-01T23:47:21Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/immediately-after-replacing-my-fuel-injectors-problems-starting-car-ideas/100656/7 "2017-03-02T00:07:35Z")
“key on” = ignition in the on position, number 2 position, engine not running