I have a 1992 Camaro RS 25th with the 8 cylinder motor. It is new to me and I am the second owner. The car has an astonishing 13,000 miles on it. Yup, an average of 650 miles a year. The car is well documneted for maintenance and it never lack attention but I imagine it has been sitting alot in the last couple of years. When I got it back in May I changed the oil & filter. It started fine and ran fine. Then it was starting hard when cold. Gas soaked the air cleaner and so I changed the two filters in the air cleaner and the CTS. Wow. Big difference. Started great when cold again and hardly more than 3 seconds of cranking. I have about 700 miles on it so far.
Yesterday, it started hard again when cold. I ran about 20 miles and turned it off. It then started hard when hot! How can that be and what is going on now? It seems to me that diagnosing two distinct opposite issues isn't going to be easy.Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Wow, sounds like a nice car.

Well, its a little hard to say without more info. What engine exactly?

What else have you checked?

The starters on these cars are notorious for having problems, causing hard starts. Usually when hot.

 

Thanks for replying. I appreciate it. The engine is the lower horse power 305 CID.
So far, I have only changed the CTS. That worked the last time this was an issue but the last time didn't have the hard start when hot either.

Apparently, the computer needs to see a minimum oil pressure level before it will start. I watched the gauge last night when I tried to start the car cold and it didn't budge off of zero when cranking. That threw the 'Check Engine Light'. I cranked it again and watched the oil presure come up to about 20 psi and the car started. The CEL stayed on so I'll have to check the code tonight. Once the car is running, it's a champ. No stalling, skipping and the idle comes down nice as it warms up. On the open road there is nothing wrong. Has power and acceleration. I go for a drive, turn the car off and it starts hard when hot.

I think I will start with a change out of the oil pressure switch or relay and check the error code. That's a start I guess.

 

When you say hard to start, do you mean it is having problems turning over or it just takes a while to fire? If its' slow to turn over, I would agree with 1911HD and the starter may be failing. If it turns over fine but just takes a while to fire, you probably have an issue with the fuel pump prime. When you turn the ignition ON, the fuel pump should turn on for 2 seconds to prime the system to 40+ psi. If it's not running when you turn the ignition on, there is a relay on the firewall next to the brake booster that may have failed or is sticking and not closing all the time. There should be two identical relays there. You can swap them to verify it's a relay issue. The fuel pump is the relay with the Orange, Red, Grey, Black/White and Green/White wires.

The priming provides enough fuel to start it. Once started, the fuel pump will get power though the oil pressure switch.

Do you have any Codes? Specifically Code 54?

 

Thanks Zig. Great Stuff!
The starts are turning over fine it just takes awhile to fire.
I followed your very logical evaluation of the starting procedure that needs to happen. Tomorrow, I will taking the car to a friends with a garage and there we can check the relays and the Code.
I'll let you know how I make out. Appreciate the help.
Cheers

 

Turn the key to prime the pump, then start. The fuel like to vaporizes in the lines.

 

Nani kore

Japanese for "What is this?"

Do you have a problem? Recommend you start a new thread.

 

SUCCESS!!! Replaced the fuel pump relay. The code also showed the same need. Car starts great now hot or cold.

Many thanks to all.