Starting Problem

[chatham]

Okay, lately sometimes when I've been driving my car for a while, and then stop it, it has a really hard time starting. It seems like it doesn't get any fire. I have to let it turn over, over and over again and eventually after a really long time it'll fire up and start.

Also, it seems to be idling really low at times, almost so low that it stalls out. When I put it in neutral and haul up the e-brake, say at a red light, it idles a bit better then it would when I just have the clutch and the brake on.

Any idea what the problem could be?

I was thinking the distributor, but I wanted some other peoples ideas as well.

[i'm the girl]

Okay, lately sometimes when I've been driving my car for a while, and then stop it, it has a really hard time starting. It seems like it doesn't get any fire. I have to let it turn over, over and over again and eventually after a really long time it'll fire up and start.

Also, it seems to be idling really low at times, almost so low that it stalls out. When I put it in neutral and haul up the e-brake, say at a red light, it idles a bit better then it would when I just have the clutch and the brake on.

Any idea what the problem could be?

I was thinking the distributor, but I wanted some other peoples ideas as well.

Well as for the idling, have you turned the idle adjustment screw to bring your idle up a little more?

And your car not starting... its only sometimes after youve already been driving? or does it sometimes happen on a cold start, too? B/c anything from green acid buildup on your battery terminal to bad spark plugs could cause a car not to start... If you think its the dizzy, when's the last time the cap/ rotor were checked --

[chatham]

It actually just seems to happen after I have driven for a bit and got the car warmed up a bit. Actually, they has been some acid build up on my battery (when I got it) and still a bit now as I haven't completely gotten it off.

I just got the car a few weeks ago so I don't know when the distributor was checked. I go to school at an auto shop, I would have the equipment to do it at school if I knew what to do.

[i'm the girl]

it may also be your main relay - which is charge of running your fuel pump for those first seconds before you turn the car over - turn your key to "on" and listen for the tell tale "click" as the CEL goes on then off after 2 seconds before you start the car -- if you're not hearing that clicking, your main relay could be going bad