1988 Buick Regal Limited Engine Hesitation

1988regal · 05-04-2005, 07:19 PM

hello
I have been for about 2 weeks had engine hesitation probelms. I only happens on the FIRST START of the day whatever kind of weather( early morning it is cool here and afternoon pretty warm.)

whenever I start it any other time of the day it starts like a charm.
I dont know if it has to to with the fact when i first start the car I havent started the car in at least 5-6 hours. So it has been sitting there for a while.

the other day my mother in law suggested this oil stuff called Marvels Mystery oil and we put some in the gas tank and motor oil and it worked fine and it seems to really improved the car the way it runs and feels when I drive. It feels like new.
but today it did it again. For one day (tuesday)it didnt hesitate when I started it.And we thought it was solved.

I really hope it isnt anything serious because i have already put 600+ dollars in the car in the last month. fixing the wheels they were all bent, the struts it would shake terribly when I would go over 35-40 mph and the brake pads needed to be replaced.

I really hope that it is not the starter. I am no mechanic by any means but my wife's father had a bad starter on his Chevy Van and it would on every start screech and not start. this sounds more like its just having probelms turining over.
I called a mechanic today and asked if they had any idea what it could be and they thought most likely that it could be the fuel injectors. and that would dianostic it for $70

i just hope they dont find something major and it cost a million dollars

I am hesitant to put anymore money in the car because I dont want it to break down tomorrow especially after all the money i have put into it in the last month. To me its like nickel and diming me to death. But my wife doesnt want to just get a new car now because it runs great except for the engine hesitation of course and I havent taken the best care of it and kept it up.
now all of a sudden all these probelms have been happening.

does anyone have any suggestions to my probelm ?
does anyone have any idea what it could be?

thanx

Jon

**heidigirl** · 05-04-2005, 08:16 PM

it MIGHT be a dying fuel pump, but it could be any number of other things just as easily. typically, the problem will be a sensor of some sort. when the car is running, does the check engine light remain lit. if not, spring for that $70.00 diagnostic and come back to the board. unless you need major surgery, somebody can give you advise on the repair.

1988regal · 05-04-2005, 08:28 PM

well it has a service engine light i dont think it has a light that says check engine but it is the same function. no lights stay on some of the lights like low coolant , service engine soon flicker on when I start the car but they DO NOT stay on. I read in the owners manual that the lights flicker on but turn off just so you know the bulbs are working.

we probably will get the dianostic.

are fuel pumps expensive?

my wifes father who knows about cars said it might be
something in the starter that is going i forget what he said. my mom said that starters take a while to go and that the car wil be ok until the starter goes kerplunk.

not sure if that is true with all cars.

thanx