2001 GP SE 3.1 litre engine. not always, but at times, when I go to start it, it'll crank for 2-3 seconds and not "catch" I have to re-crank and then starts. Am I not keeping the starter engaged long enough? after start up on second crank, engine runs fine and no problems at all..no SES light on....no codes set. I run 87 octane gas.......should I bump up to 93? I know this may sound petty....I just wonder why I should have to crank the engine twice (sometimes) to have it start. Thanks.

Grand Prix's Rock:)

Get a new battery

Put two bottles of dry gas in your tank on the next fill up and one bottle on each fill up after that. Your car will start right up on the first time. Should cost no more than $1.50 per bottle. You'll be glad you did. Let us know what happens.
Jack

Herc....my battery turns it over with no problem...strong. Just periodically, it won't start up on the first crank..like it gets too much fuel and stumbles....It takes a second crank to fire up. After start up, runs fine with no probs. Like I said, no ses light or any codes set. I just wondering why I have to crank twice to start. again it only happens occasionally. 38,000 miles 3.1 litre engine 2001 GP SE.

Why don't people just believe me? Dry gas, Dry gas, Dry gas, Dry gas, Dry gas, Dry gas, Dry gas. You live way up north, right?

of course you could try a bottle or two of "Dry Gas"

I get carried away sometimes.

What does dry gas do?

It removes any water that might be in your fuel system and helps to prevent fuel line freezing.

OK Guys..added a bottle of "heet" "dry gas" to my tank tonight. Why am I paying $1.60/gallon at the pump for "wet" gas? If I had any "bad" gas, the engine performance would be bad at running mode..I.E. hesitation, stalling, which I don't have. I'll keep you updated!. Thanks

$1.60/gallon???? I'm jealous. I pay $2.00. I swear I am moving out of this rip-off state they call New York. I read a bill from the NY dept of transportation proposing a 22 cent per gallon tax increase and an increase in all tolls. Gotta get the F outa here.

come to MA!!

You can pay $1.90!!

It helps a little...

Here in maine its $1.81 a gallon

I paid $1.80 for the good stuff last weekend here in TX.

I was in New Hampshire in November. The gas was in the $1.60 range for premium but it had a funny smell to it. Whatcha puttin in that New England gas?

Corn?

my car wasn't starting of the first time either i took it and got the inject cleaned it works great now

I had my Bronco's injectors professionaly cleaned. Made a big difference. Sometimes it's better just to get new ones though. I don't know how much $ new ones are for the GP. They're less than $100 for the Bronco's V8.

Dont Move To Los Angeles!!!!

I was in the New England states in the fall of the year, and my rental Buick, with a 3800 engine, got 36 mpg. Whatever they're putting in the gas there would be OK by me. You want fooky gas + high prices, come to California.

Regards, Gary in Sandy Eggo

Hey Daverobs,
You never told us if your car is starting. You gotta keep all of us informed, it's the only way we will know if anything works. I recommended using two bottles of dry gas. You said you put one in. So????...

Hey Jvojr

One bottle of "heet" added and maybe it helped. I also filled my tank with 93 octane gas. I think I only had one (2 crank) session since? Tnanks for the advice. again, once running, the engine runs smooth and fine, no problems at all. I WILL keep the board informed if the problem comes back. jvojr....should I dump a bottle of injector cleaner in the gas tank too?......38,000 miles, or should I look at a total tune-up? I'm getting 28 miles/gallon on a v6 3.1 litre. Love my car!

Yo,maybe your fuel pressure regulator isn't holding pressure when your car sits overnight or for a period of time, letting it drain back in to the tank. Then when you go to start it, the pump has to pump fuel all the way to the injs. and then pressurize the system. Put a guage on the fuel system and see if you have a pressure loss. This is only a sugguestion, or to be a SMART ASS, try "DRY GAS". P'CHOP :rolleyes:

Injector cleaner is a scam. Doesn't really work once you get to the point you're at. You could try a couple of bottles on your next fill and then floor the shit out of it. Or, if that doesn't work, spring for a pro job. Costs about $60.00. You should be getting closer to 30 mpg with the 3.1, so fouled injectors sounds like a reasonable diagnosis. But I would use two bottles of the dry stuff next fill and one each time afterthat until May. They sell six packs in Walmart for like 5 bucks. Don't waste your money on premium gas for your engine. Saudi Arabia has enough of our money.

Hey P'Chop, you're not too far from me. I live near Kingston. Isn't there a dragstrip by you?

Hey Pork chop and jvojr. Thanks for you help and concerns. Pork chop, it fires right up when cold, and I mean cold. It was a -15 below zero the other morning and it fired right up on the first crank, so the fuel pressure regulator is not the problem. In fact, the only time it gave me a problem was on a "warm" start, like it was getting too much fuel....I'd turn it over and it would go."rrrr...sputt, sputt, and not catch...on the 2nd crank it would start and then run fine. In the last week or soo It's started right up without that problem. Thanks for all the advice...maybe I had a tank of "bad" gas.

It could be a tank of crapy gas, I think everyone has gotten some not up to par gas. If you ever get your injs. out, look at the tiny hole, It doesn't take much crap or water to block everything. I've used LUCAS inj. cleaner since 30k, got 127k now. Had the inj. out a few weeks ago, only a little crap on outside, holes clean. Inj. cleaner does work and so does DRY GAS, not the cheap stuff. You need the ISOP. alcohol in it. Make sure you change your gas filter reg.(once a year) and you should have no fuel problems. LOL P'CHOP

Hey JVOJR, There is a dirt track about a mile away, Its Albany-Saratoga Race Track they race there on Fri. nights. No dragstrips here,closest is Leabbon Valley

Where is the Valley at?

hey porkchop....is "dry gas" the actual brand name?.....I've always been told "heet" was the best. Anyways, the last week to ten days, the GP has started right up on the first try:) Thanks to all you guys reponses.

HEET is a brand name, around here we have HEET, gas line anti-freeze, or DRY GAS depends on who makes it. The good stuff has ISOPROPHYL ALCOHOL in it, it absorbs water, doesn't clean the system. LATER P"CHOP

Hey JVOJR, The dragstrip is on RT. 20 East of Albany between Albany and Pittsfield MA. There is a stock car track there also. I though you would have heard of it being so close to Alb. Your only about an hour and half from there."KEEP THE SHINEY SIDE UP": P"CHOP

I moved here two years ago from Queens. All my track time has been in Long Island(no longer open) and Englishtown, NJ. Looking forward to going up there in the spring. You know when it opens and if they have a website?

BTW. We should try to get a mini GP day going there this spring with anyone else interested. I would think we could get some of our New England compadres to go??

damn.........did it again Saturday Aft at walmart. 1st crank (about 3 seconds..dry crank, let off starter) 2nd crank, fired up. last fuel up did the dry gas treatment, but filled up with 87 octane again.......previous tank was with 93 octane (premium) and no problems. guess my baby likes the good stuff? just thought i'd let you guys know again........again, the "dry" non start first crank always happens on a warm start. maybe I should have a priest bless my Grand Prix:)

Like I said before, it's not a big issue, because it eventually starts and when running, it runs fine, and has full power.

Thanks