Engine Starts at Low RPM and struggles sometimes... Options

[aspen]

Occasionally, even after warm starts, my car will have some trouble starting. It's not the starter, it cranks just fine, but the engine starts at a very low RPM and I have to gas the engine up so that it doesn't die again. After this, the car will run just about fine.

Today, this happened again(only about the 4th time) and I noticed that my Revs were dropping a lot faster between shifts, the device that delays rev-dropping was off.


Any thoughts?
I haven't replaced my air filter in a long time and I'll do that later on today, but I can't imagine that being the source of this strange and intermittent problem.

[Mstoochn]

low rpm start up, i assume its under 1000? would most likely be the temp sensor, if the engine thinks its warm it wont throw as much fuel on startup

[GriffGirl]

Sounds to me like it's starved for fuel or air, could be a bad fuel filter, maybe a vacuum leak, or even worn contacts on the distributor cap/rotor?

Actually bad plugs & or wires could cause this too...

[aspen]

Yeah, definitely under 1000. The other day it tried to start near 200 RPM(The 5th time this has happened).


My plugs and wires are some of the more recently replaced things on my car. I can't imagine parts like those would go bad in a year or so. I looked around the engine bay for cracks in hoses but didn't see any. I guess I'd need to do a pressure check with a PSI-meter at one of the check points while the engine is running, and then go from there depending on the results?

I doubt the fuel filter has been replaced in my car; where it is located?

Also, where is the temp sensor? That sounds like a likely candidate as well...

With the temp sensor and the distributor, how would I go about checking them?(I know the temp sensor has specific operating voltages I can probably check against...)


Thanks a bunch!

[Remy]

I would start with the fuel filter first if you've never replaced it.

94+ GT fuel filter install <<<-Clicky

[trdproven]

^ you can do that, but ive seen fuel filters not changed for 10 plus years, but i would do that.

[jimmykay]

you could go the route I just went this weekend. checking the fuel pressure by using a tester from Autozone and replace the cap and rotor since they're cheap (mine was $13.87).