starting my corolla

[TOcorolla]

hey yall ,Just yesterday i was having a hard time starting my corolla. nothing 's out of the usual. i started the engine, and it would crank for a good 4-5seconds. the engine started after, and it was running fine. has anyone experienced that on their 2004 corolla s?

[Flashmn]

i started the engine, and it would crank for a good 4-5seconds

Doesnt seem that bad.... I've cranked the full 45secs few times.

[TOcorolla]

but it's brand new....well...almost a year old..is that normal?

[AlphaMale]

Yes, you'll be fine. Some Hondas in winter take several seconds to crank.

[Elizle]

Mine will start sometimes and just die, my carb is a piece of shizzle. But I got an 88 with a 4a-f so yeah.

[03corollace]

TOcorolla, check out my posting in Edmunds:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/Web...@.ef0a161/1455

[Flashmn]

Mine will start sometimes and just die, my carb is a piece of shizzle. But I got an 88 with a 4a-f so yeah.

Press the gas once to the floor, then crank... should be fine and if you got a block heater, use it during winter.

but it's brand new....well...almost a year old..is that normal?

and I bet you're the type that barely touches the key and expects the car to start right away... yes its normal.

[Voodoo.Priest]

The cold has this effect on cars. In the summer my 86 Corolla starts up just fine but in the winter it takes up to 15 seconds.

[CraigW]

One thing that I read was to turn the key to on for 5-10 seconds before activating the start position. To allow the fuel pressure to build up before cranking.

CW

[03corollace]

TOcorolla and I are talking about brand new 2003/2004 Corolla.

[freakenidiot]

i press on the gas once or twice before turning the key to bring my 88 corolla fx back from the dead and that brings it back in about 2-3 seconds. i dont know if its really bad for the car though.

[Flashmn]

press on the gas once or twice before turning the key to bring my 88 corolla fx back from the dead and that brings it back in about 2-3 seconds

Carbed right? Pumping the pedal on a carb car will spray fuel from the acceleration pump. On an efi, just turn the key, do not press the gas once, you might disengage the automatic choke.

[JasonH]

My 2005 Corolla LE with 250 miles starts pretty hard sometimes. Several seconds is not uncommon, which is longer than any fuel injected car I've ever owned (92 Camry, 04 Camry, 99 Accord, 87 Bonneville, 89 Sable, 92 Grand Marquis).

I'm not too worried about it at the moment, although I will put some gas treatment in it on the fillup as water in the tank was always the cause when I lived in Wisconsin over the winters there. I was thinking it wouldn't have gotten a chance to get condensation being so new but if its gone through humid Houston (as all Gulf State Toyota cars have) it doesn't seem too far fetched to get a bit of water in the tank.

Jason

[Flashmn]

I will put some gas treatment in it on the fillup as water in the tank was always the cause when I lived in Wisconsin over the winters there.

Not a problem in fuel injected vehicles...

[JasonH]

Originally posted by Flashmn
Not a problem in fuel injected vehicles...

The cars that this fixed (it was night and day, and never returned) were a sequentially fuel injected 1987 Bonneville (somewhat ahead of the curve back in 1987), the 1989 3.8L SFI (at least MPI) Mercury Sable, and the 1992 Camry (2.2 is at least MPI right?).

Something about the -30°F temperatures in Wisconsin seem to cause condensation in the fuel tank a lot. In one year the fuel line actually froze because of this in the Sable. This cause no starts as long as you crank it. A propane heater in the garage and some a water removing gas treatment (e.g. http://www.stp.com/fuel_water.html) was all it took to avoid the problem for the next 3 years until the apparently started itself on fire and was totalled. ( assumed it was the Ford ignition switch issue)

Jason