Questions and Answers

Acura And Volvo Hard To Start Q. Hi Vince, I have a 1992 Acura Integra, manual transmission with 50,000 miles. At times the car will die while trying to start it. This usually happens when trying to start the car after refueling or trying to start it after it has been driven. I've changed the fuel filter but the problem still occurs. Any suggestions?

Also, I have a 1989 Volvo 740 Turbo (manual), 169,000 miles, of which I've been experiencing two different problems.

1. The car has difficulty starting after driving in hot weather conditions. This has been an intermittent problem but seems to be getting worse. After driving and turning the car off it will not start. It will start about 10-30 minutes later after the engine seems to cool down.
   
   
2. Recently, the car will not start. It will try to turn over but will not start. The fuel pump relay was replaced a year ago and when I try to start the car I feel a pulse on the relay when I try to start the car. I've been told to put an electric light tester to the fuel pump. If the light goes on it is a bad fuel pump. If no light it is a bad relay switch.

Any suggestions?
Thank you!

A. These are two entirely different cars, but they both may have the same problem. The first thing to do is to do a fuel pressure test on both of them to see if the fuel pressure drops when you shut the car off.

If it does in the Acura, then I would say there is a bad fuel pump check valve. To confirm this. Turn the key on but do not start the engine. After four or five seconds turn it off. Do this about five times then try and start the car. If it starts right off, then it is most likely the check valve. The check is part of the fuel pump so you will have to replace the whole pump.

In the Volvo, it is probably fuel leaking into the cylinders through the injectors, flooding the engine.