Ladydriver

Help.. last week I went out to my car (2000 Chevy Malibu) and it wouldnt start. It kept trying to, so after about the 5th time, I called for help. A friend came and gave me a jump and the car started. Next morning, the car wouldnt start again until after trying it for 3 times ..finally started. Drove it to work and after work, went to the car and it didnt start. After several trys again, the car started. took it into a garage and they couldnt find anything wrong..drove it over the weekend, and naturally was out of town and it didnt start on the first try or the second try. finally after about 6 trys it started. I took it into another mechanic, he has had it since Monday and today is Wednesday and he can not find out why I am having this problem. this morning he says it started after 2 trys and now he has had it all day and after several hours, he goes out and starts my car and it has been starting on the first try. I had a new starter put in it about 2 months ago by the same mechanic and this mechanic does all the work on the car, so the mechanic and I are just dumbstruck in why the car is doing this. Has anyone had this problem or any ideas on this? HELP!!

golfer

What do you mean it won't start ?? Doesn't turn over ? Turns over but won't fire ?

tahoe07

I had the same question...

If it turns over but won't start..kick/thump gas tank as a quick fix to get you going. I suspect your fuel pump is acting up.

Ladydriver

after several trys it starts.. yes, it is getting fire...it sounds like it wants to start and after 2 or 3 starts, it does.. I picked it up from the garage yeesterday. the mechanic said he couldnt find anything wrong with my car. It has been starting. the mechanic checked the fuel filter, fuel pump and several other things. yesterday I had several stops, got back in the car and it started. this morning it started right off. Wonder why I had this problem several days and now the mechanic coulndt find anything wrong with it. He stated he had shook some wires while under the car, and he had put the car on a machine, but no error messages, nothing. this car is now starting and Im just hoping it keeps on starting as I am headed out of town this weekend. oh well, guess I will find out.

dutch724

Try pulling the gas tank have him clean the strainer that strains fuel going into the canister before getting to the fuel pump. Read my post on the Fuel pump and solution. I had the same thing going on andI thought it was the fuel pump, but it was the strainer. I found that out by doing a flow test with the fuel pump out of the car.
Hope this helps.

Ladydriver

car started good for about a week...am now having the same problems again. After several trys at starting, it starts on about the 5th try. Will have mechanic check the fuel strainer. am seriously considering taking it in to the dealership if this mechanic cant find the problem. Any thoughts on this?

dutch724

If and when your mechanic checks your 1st fuel strainer he is not going to be able to buy that part alone. Just have run water thru it to see if the water doesn't run thru it very well. If it doesn't then have him clean it with soapy water until the water runs thru it like it should. maybe have the dealer hook it up to a machine to read the computer codes the car is putting out. Last timeI check it was$88 to have the dealer diagnose the problem. Not fix it but tell you what is going on.If they are a good dealership and they tell you there is nothing wrong with your car, then they shouldn't charge you for that.That info will tell you it is a problem in the fuel tank,because the fuel pump will never tell the car computer that there is something wrong in the gas tank.

Ladydriver

took my car back to the mechanic today as it has started having the problem again. This morning it took 4 trys before it started. Asked him to check the fuel strainer and he flatly came out and said, it's not that. so I will be taking it to the dealership next week or the following week. He seems to think its the fuel pump, so I will wait until the first of the year to take it in. It starts after several trys, so Just gonna have to work with it until I can find someone that came fix it. Thanks to all the helpful suggestions.

Ladydriver

ok...its now been a wk or two and now the car wont start today. I am taking it to the dealership tomorrow since the mechanic has now told me he cant find anything wrong with it. so why isnt it starting on the first try. hopefully when I leave work today, it will start. Oh well, I will ask the dealership tomorrow to check the strainer but when i talked to them today, first thing he said was its the fuel pump. I explained to him that a mechanic had already said its not the fuel pump, nor the starter, since I had a new one put in 2 months ago..and its not the battery Wish me luck that it doesnt cost me a bundle of money!!