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Cadillac Repair/cadillac sts 1997 hard to start in the moring

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Expert: - 8/27/2010


Question
if i let the car sit for more then 6 hours i cant start it the first time it needs a min of 2 to 3 times to start the car, my mechanic tells me its maybe the gas filter but he not sure soo you guys know nothing comes cheap on a Cadillac should i change it or is it something else that makes not run on the first turn please help me i just put a lot of money into her and i cant risk to pay something that wont fix it

Answer
Hello,


Sounds like a guess on your mechanic's part
I find it a little hard to believe that the problem is a gas filter and sounds more like a fuel pump in the tank losing its prime.

Of course I cannot guaranty that is the problem without being at the car physically to perform pressure tests.

Let's put it this way, a plugged fuel filter will cause hesitation, it will cause many things, but it won't control losing its prime and that is exactly the symptom you are giving me with car not firing up cold.

There should be constant pressure with the ignition on and yet you don't have this or the engine would start cold.

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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