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Malibu hard start

Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 155,000 MILES
I have a 1998 chevy malibu 3.1l. In the morning it will start fine. But afterwards it is very hard to start. Also I smell a rich gas smell. I recently did a tune up and changed plugs wires pcv valve fuel and air filter and oil change. Also when it warms up it has a slight rough idle and it sounds like it has a small vacuum leak but doesnt set a code.
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Monday, January 2nd, 2012 AT 4:11 AM

16 Replies

Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Check/clean MAF sensor.
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Monday, January 2nd, 2012 AT 4:19 AM
Tiny
FIXITMR
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What did old plugs look like? Dark?
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Monday, January 2nd, 2012 AT 4:20 AM
Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
I do not remember
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 AT 7:12 PM
Tiny
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Pull a plug and see what it looks like. Check fuel pressure regulator vac line for raw fuel (leaking).
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 AT 9:10 PM
Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
I checked the vacuum line and it does not have any fuel in it. Also the plugs look a little red
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 3:22 AM
Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
Also I noticed now when the car is at operating temp it has misfires and sounds like a vacuum leak
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 3:27 AM
Tiny
FIXITMR
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You could try smoke test or tube to ear to try and locate leak?
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 AT 4:24 AM
Tiny
BUDDY56
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  • 12 POSTS
Can the problem be caused by a bad intake manifold gasket? Because I am loosing coolant and I know these cars have a problem with the intake
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Friday, January 27th, 2012 AT 10:05 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
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Do you smell any antifreeze under hood? Or see any? You can do pressure test to see if it comes out around manifold.
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Saturday, January 28th, 2012 AT 4:14 AM
Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
There is coolant leaking from the lower intake I am getting it replaced on monday. The engine was burning antifreeze so do you think it would be a good idea to replace the plugs too?
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Friday, February 3rd, 2012 AT 2:21 AM
Tiny
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Might as well just to make sure you have good spark at all cylinders.
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Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 AT 7:12 PM
Tiny
BUDDY56
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  • 12 POSTS
I changed the gaskets the plugs and cleaned the maf. But it still has the hard start issue. What else should I check?
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Saturday, February 11th, 2012 AT 3:08 AM
Tiny
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If you give it gas will it start better warm? Even try holding to floor if necessary? Maybe your temp sensor is out of spec?
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Sunday, February 12th, 2012 AT 8:17 AM
Tiny
BUDDY56
  • MEMBER
  • 12 POSTS
Yes that does help sometime holding the gas pedal down works. Which temp sensor the iat or ect?
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Sunday, February 12th, 2012 AT 3:22 PM
Tiny
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Ect
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Sunday, February 12th, 2012 AT 8:00 PM
Tiny
LWADE214
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Did you ever get this hard start problem fixed? I am having similar issues with a 1998 chevy malibu 2.4l
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Sunday, June 8th, 2014 AT 11:20 AM

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