So I went out to start my car this morning and it wouldn't fire on the first go round of turning the key...and I held it a long time, but struggled to life the second attempt. It did the same thing at lunch today, would NOT start on first crank attempt but would struggle to life on second. So figuring it was a priming issue, after work I turned the key on and off twice to double prime the system. Started normally with out a struggle. I did notice that the pump is quite noisy on the first prime and sounds almost as if its pumping dry, so noisy i can hear it buzz outside the car with the window down.

Sign of pump failure?

 

You sould do a early morning pressure test. It could be the regulator. But you are most likely right.

 

That is what my dad just suggested, i'm not sure if i have a pressure tester in the tool box, but ill have a look anyways. It would make sense if the fuel was bleeding off pressure as it sat. Ill start there, if thats it could save me 100 bucks lol.

 

It sure seems the pump is a much more likely failure point on these 4th Gens from what I've read -- have many here had a regulator failure on their 4th Gen?

 

Thats true, def true, that pumps are more common, but all the pumps ive seen go out before have had issues turning on in the first place, and cause drivability issues up until they flat ouy quit, neither of which do I have. Pressure test tonight, then I will kno for sure.

 

I know I'm a day late and a dollar short, but are we talking about a fuel pump here? I have the same issue. Generally the third time is the charm for me to cold start my 95 Camaro (3.4) though if I am lucky it'll start on the second attempt.

 

No 100 percent yet on what I am dealing with, i removed the fuel line after the car had sat or as you put it from a "cold start", and there was just about zero pressure in the fuel rail or the lines leading up to it, but when I then turned the key on the pump seemed to push plenty of fuel out the disconnected line. I have a fuel pressure regulator on order, and I have a feeling that will solve my problem, once its here and in ill let ya know the results, maybe you are having the same issue, and an fpr valve would save money and a headache for both of us.

 

it may be the one way valve in the pump is failing or the fuel pressure regulator or the pump may work at low pressure but once it has to work it fails. have you done a fuel pressure test on it yet. 4th Gen LT1 F-body Tech Articles

 

I feel like if the pump was failing under heavy load that I would notice a stumble at full tilt...and I don't the car runs beautifully all the way to the red consistently. Thats why I would like to start with the FPR, because it seems logical. The one way valve in the pump is a definate possibility though, and if the fpr doesn't fix my issues I will be tackling the fuel pump this fall i guess.

 

i went through three adjustable fpr's to get a good one. they would stick open so when it was running the pressure was like 27 and as soon as i shut it off the pressure would drop to 0 really fast. if i clamped the return (small) line the pressure would stay high. i dont really recommend this as you can damage the plastic lines fairly easily. i doubled over some cardboard on the line and used some flat vise grips to clamp it.