2000 Saturn SL1 FINICKY WHEN STARTING

2000 SATURN SL1
80,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • AUTOMATIC
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CLARITYBURKE
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  • 3 POSTS
My saturn wants to die when I start it unless I step on the gas. After revving for a few minutes the car finally starts, and a big cloud of white smoke comes out. If I try to start it throughout the day after driving for awhile it starts up fine, but it always gives me trouble starting if the car isn't "warmed up". I live in southern Cali. so I doubt this is a weather related problem.
Feb 18, 2010 at 11:47 PM
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MATHIASO
  • CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
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Hello clarityburke

Check the coolant level and report to me.
I want to make sure coolant is not leaking pass the head gasket and causing hard starting problem.
Feb 19, 2010 at 1:14 AM
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CLARITYBURKE
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My coolant is not leaking. I recently had the water pump replaced to solve a coolant leak issue. Notably, when the coolant was leaking I never had any starting issues.
Feb 22, 2010 at 5:15 PM
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CLARITYBURKE
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Yesterday when I put the car in reverse it died, in addition to all the initial starting problems I mentioned previously. This has never happened before, and I'm worried thing are getting worse.
Feb 22, 2010 at 5:19 PM
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MATHIASO
  • CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 1,209 POSTS
Hello clarityburke

The problem may be "NO FUEL, NO SPARK or NO COMPRESSION"
Let start with the "no fuel" condition.
Remove the air inlet tube from the throttle body, push the throttle open and spray a small amount of aerosol starting fluid into the engine. Crank the engine. IF it has spark and compression but NO FUEL, it will start and run a few seconds before dying. If it does NOT start, it probably a NO SPARK problem.
report to me what you find.report to me if there is engine light.
Feb 22, 2010 at 11:22 PM
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