So... the Roadmaster....

[Drew Dowdell]

The Roadmaster runs great. Strong, silent and in every way what you would expect of an LT-1 powered Buick with 56,000 miles.

However....

It is very hard starting..... I have to crank it much longer than seems normal.. sometimes up to 5 seconds of cranking before she starts to catch. It starts every time... it just takes much longer to do it.

It doesn't ping. It doesn't hesitate. It doesn't miss. It pulls really strong. It runs perfectly once it's running....

Today I was at the hardware store and another Roadmaster wagon was parked next to mine..... the Ms. Bluehair behind the wheel turned the key and it fires right up.

What can I investigate?

[Croc]

The starter?

[SuperSport623]

plugs in bad shape?

[daves87rs]

ignition switch?

[Drew Dowdell]

I had already thought about the first two suggestions.... but number 3? 'splain lucy....

[toesuf94]

optispark vent tube blocked or moisture/dirt on the disk inside the optispark...you have to crank it a few times to fling the debrit of of the optical timing ring inside the optipark before a clean spark output is made. Just my observations from the 1995 that I had.

[Sixty8panther]

optispark vent tube blocked or moisture/dirt on the disk inside the optispark...you have to crank it a few times to fling the debrit of of the optical timing ring inside the optipark before a clean spark output is made. Just my observations from the 1995 that I had.

I was going to say "do the plugs/wires" but I think Toe's has the best suggestion yet.

[SuperSport623]

optispark... LT1's achilles heel

[Camino LS6]

Agreed on the optispark.

Check out an f-body forum for everything you'd ever want to know about it.

[SuperSport623]

LS1Tech.com... greatest resource evar

[daves87rs]

LS1Tech.com... greatest resource evar

Yep...

[Drew Dowdell]

:cry: :cry: You mean I have to rip the front of the engine off.... again?!

I think I'm going to start with plugs and wires first. I can do that without taking off the water pump.

Something else.... it's getting really bad gas mileage even though I am very gentle on the go pedal.

[Intrepidation]

Oxygen Sensor?

[gmpartsgirl]

My boss has 2 '96 Impala SS'. They are obsessed with they're cars. A few months ago, she started running 87 octane because of gas prices and hers had the hard start problem too. Our driveability guy told him to call her out on it, he guessed that's what she had done and told her to go back to 91 and after a tank of 91 it fixed it.

Edited May 4, 2008 by gmpartsgirl

[caddycruiser]

You know...shot in the dark...but if it's just the starting thing, did you ever check the battery cable connections? Those bolts can go to crap, and in my '95 Fleetwood LT1, I was having a weird thing where it would just crank a little too long & sound weird in the process first thing in the morning. Then eventually wouldn't start one morning. Problem? Battery cable bolts were loose and corroded. At first tightened them and was fine for a bit, then just replaced them.

Never would have thought of it, even from my fix-anything father, had my grandfather not been visiting and suggested it. I was thinking something much bigger, but thankfully it wasn't in my case.

[DBeaSSt]

I'm going suggest that you have a fuel delivery issue. Though it is unusual for the pump to go on such a low mileage car, it's certainly possible. Just last year I had to replace the fuel pump on my SS at only 77K. Is the hard start issue all the time or only when cold?

First off, change your fuel filter if you haven't already.

Try this as a troubleshooting measure. Turn the key to run but don't start, wait a few seconds, maybe 10 tops. Turn the key to off and immediately try to start the car. If it fires up right away, it's quite possible you have a fuel pump on it's way out.

The forums mentioned above are a great source, I'd also recommend http://www.impalassforum.com all 91-6 B/D cars are covered here and there is a wealth of knowledge amongst the members.