Hard starting, but otherwise fine

RIderInTX · 10-04-2009, 09:10 AM

Luckily for me, my cars are running fine at this point but a fellow member, who is also having problems with his computer, and is having trouble accessing this site, asked me to post for him. The summary is this: His car is hard to start (just a continual cranking) more often than not, but when it does start it runs normally. Here is the email he sent me.

""Hi Bill, How are things? I'm still having trouble with the initial starting of my 05 Smart Car. I haven't used it for almost three weeks, but I would go start it once a day at various times and it would start, but not right away or too easily. Yesterday I installed another new gas filter, it started and I used it for a few minutes. This morning at around 7:30 I went out just to see if it will start and nothing. It just cranks or spins away and never fires up. Remember, when the car finally does start/ or is running, it runs as it should. There is no indication that there is something wrong at all and will continue to start for the rest of the day. I was wondering if you can post my problem on that Smart Car of America Forum/Site and maybe someone out there has some good ideas or exactly knows what is going on. I'm absolutely desperate. For the past three weeks I've been using a car that I shouldn't be using. I need my Smart back. Thanks, Arnold""

Any feedback, and I will forward on to him. I am not sure if he wants me to post his email address but if you want to email him just PM me and I will give you his email address and you can correspond directly. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Thanks,
Bill
Corpus Christi
05 Passion
06 Pulse

herbvdh · 10-04-2009, 10:48 AM

"It just cranks or spins away and never fires up. Remember, when the car finally does start/ or is running, it runs as it should."

I had something similar in the early 90's and wound up having the starter and the flywheel replaced. From what I was told the flywheel had chipped teeth basically.

RIderInTX · 10-04-2009, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herbvdh

"It just cranks or spins away and never fires up. Remember, when the car finally does start/ or is running, it runs as it should."

I had something similar in the early 90's and wound up having the starter and the flywheel replaced. From what I was told the flywheel had chipped teeth basically.

Actually I am thinking that is not the problem. When I wrote that it just spins I meant the engine spins, not just the starter. I should have been more specific. Thanks.

Leroy · 10-04-2009, 06:30 PM

Try this; remove the line to the charcoal canister and see if there is raw fuel coming out or in the canister. What could be happening is when the car first starts up the computer sends a signal to the purge valve and sucks the raw fuel out of the canister and floods the engine of fuel. Normally this only sucks the vapors out of the canister. Another way to check this is to disconnect the vacuum line to the purge valve when starting the engine when cold and see what happens. If this is the case there is a fix for it.
Or maybe you just need a tune up. The plugs need to be replaced about 24,000 miles.

Leroy
.

jetfuel · 10-04-2009, 06:45 PM

...gas or diesel?...the troubleshooting is as different as the two fuels used..

jetfuel..

RIderInTX · 10-04-2009, 08:56 PM

Leroy, thanks. I will pass the information on and I will let you know if this is it.

Jetfuel, it is a gasser.

Bill

briansmart · 10-05-2009, 10:59 AM

RiderInTX I would also check the battery. Just in case.

Thanks for the info about the spark plug change interval, Leroy. Any suggestions on plugs to use and gap size?

Leroy · 10-05-2009, 05:40 PM

Just use the smart recomended NGK plugs. There are no other spark plugs that will work. The gap is preset and no adjustment done. Run them right out of the box.

Leroy