I'm looking for some help in diagnosing a hard starting problem with my car. It turns over fine but seems to lack fuel for starting. I have to cycle the fuel pump several times before it will fire. Once it starts, it seems to run fine. Any thoughts? Thanks

Funny you ask. Ijust had this problem. I changed everything it did not seem to help. Battery sounded a little weak on mine after cranking on it so much. So I changed it add some fuel and it started much better, like it should. I tried mass air, temp sensor.tps,coil,plugs.edis,ecu,02.Did I leave anything out? I put the parts back on when i had no change. Battery and fuel now it starts fine so I stopped working on it. Try some fuel if you do not know how much is in cell.

I suspect the pump has an anti drain back built in it and it is not closing correctly. I had a production car doing the same thing. I would have to start several times to successfully prime the system. Another thought is do you here the pump turn on when you turn on the ignition? Maybe it is not priming up at all. I had another car where the primer relay went dead

Thanks, I thought of the fuel and added some to the tank. I started right up. So I thought I had the problem solved. I then tried to start the car again but it required cycling the pump several times again. I can hear the pump cycle when the power is turned on so I assume it is working. The anti drain on the pump makes sense so I'll change the pump and see what happens.

Do the static fuel flow test to check the pump flow rate (at the fuel rail, not the pump.) Make sure you're voltage is OK (I assume so if you're able to get the car to turn over.)

I'd suggest watching rail pressure during key on, crank and idle to help diagnose

First guess is weak fuel pump having sat for a while and not fully priming. The pump may well be fine once it's up and running but you'll have to prime it a bit if this is the case. Do you have a drain pump of some sort? If so, use that to pull the fuel at the same time you prime the main pump. The further towards the rail you can "assist" the fuel to, the better your chances. I ran a pump like this for a couple of years. When the car sat for a long time I had to help it a bit but it ran fine once the pressure was built up.

I would suggest that you test the fuel flow rate of the pump also. I had a relativily new pump (>2 years) that would give enough pressure that the car would start and run but was only pumping 16 ounces in 30 seconds. The car ran, but just wouldn't accelerate worth a crap. I kept telling people my car "wouldn't go". I would enter corners quicker than other people and could hear I was getting on the gas sooner than they were only to have them pull away on the longer straights. VERY frustrating. I changed everyting I could think of to reduce rolling resistance, which was not time and money wasted, and in the end found the pump issue.

Not sure how long I had this issue (I think it was quite a while) but before the last race of the year I put in the new in the cell pump which got the flow rate where it should be and it made a huge difference. Unfortunately it rained and I only got one good dry session the last race of the weekend. I got out of the car and my dear wife said "In 30 years I've never seen you so excited" My answer "This GD car finally GOES!" I can hardly wait to embarass myself next year.

Hard starting may be giving you a hint of low fuel flow rate of a weak pump. Good luck

I vote with the masses, marginal pump...

Thanks for all the help. I'll complete the tests, but am likely to install the in cell pump in the process. Who knows, maybe it will help me move up from the rear of the pack