Cold temp. starting issue

Howdy.
 
Now that the fall is coming and temps are down under 10 in the mornings(Southern Ontario), i''ve begun having some issues with the blazer starting.  It''s only in the mornings... afternoon when i come home from work it fires right up but colder mornings it struggles.  It''s trying to catch...it turns over just wont'' fire.  Takes a couple long tries holding the key forward.
 
99 Zr2.  Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil done in May.  Tested fuel pressure many times, most recently about 3 weeks ago... 62 psi with key in run(and i hear the pump start up).  Lots of gas in the tank.  Battery reads 14 while driving although i do think i may have a charging system issue developing as when i run the rear defogger or a/c and am at idle it will fluctuate up and down a bit...not enough to dim the lights but it does dip under 14 at idle with extra accessories running.
 
What should I check?  I know a battery can be okay to run, but not be good to start when it''s on it''s way out... is that the most likely culprit?

I would go out and start it before its light out, with somebody helping.  See if you can see sparks.  I''ve had wires go bad in just a few months.  Heat from surrounding engine parts can thin the plastic, or in some cases melt, and you get a wire short.  Also possible the new cap or rotor isn''t sealing well or has a crack.
 
The symptons you describe are too typical of moisture on the engine electrical components in the morning.
 
I have just started combatting the same issue.  It''s been getting worse over the past year, and now wont start when it rains.  Wires all had "burn" marks from trying to start the car when damp.  (Any wire touching another showed a burn spot) We''ll see how it goes after replacing the worn ignition parts and the next rain or morning start.  Every morning, my car looks like it has been rained on with the morning dew dripping off it.

I''ll have to check that out.  I swapped the ignition stuff in the spring because as soon as it warmed up enough i had moisture related problems...although then it wasn''t starting, it was misfires while driving.
 
I have blue taylor wires so it wont'' be hard to find burn marks if there are any.

Okay update:  Yesterday it happened in the middle of the afternoon, 26 deg out and sunny...no moisture anywhere.  I think i''ve ruled out that.  It has to be ignition related though.  Either i have a faulty part that''s been replaced or perhaps the distributor?  How can I test the distributor?  Anything else i''m missing?

Update: it got random for a while... some mornings seemed fine and others bad...although it''s been warmer around here for a bit.  The last couple days have been brutal... -5 in the morning and yesterday it took 8 tries to get it to fire.  Seems to have juice... just won''t fire.   I tested the fuel pressure again today and it''s fine, 60psi and holds.
 
As a review, fuel filter, plugs, wires, cap, rotor and coil replaced in april.
 
Could it be injectors?  Going to run some cleaner through it tonight..it''s been a long time since i did that.
 
I''d appreciate some other ideas.

have you tried a block warmer??   or even keeping the battery on a charger overnight??  kinda like what you would do to a diesel engine,,,

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2002XTREME

have you tried a block warmer??   or even keeping the battery on a charger overnight??  kinda like what you would do to a diesel engine,,,

 
No i haven''t...but until the past two days the temps haven''t been below freezing. This was happening when it was as high as 8degrees.
 
I plan to have the battery tested for cold cranking...assuming tha''ts a test that can be done?
 
 

the sticker on the battery may even say what the cold cranking is...I always get the highest cold cranking battery i can get for my cars.. The last battery i bought for my van was from sears i cost me nearly 180.00 but $ was no object at the time i hadda job back then LOL..its a new style battery they rec came out with..if you live near a sears store check them out..  I havent driven my van in roughly 3 or 4 weeks, i have elec start on it thru my alarm, i hit the button it started right up with no hesitation
 
   Heres the link for the battery  http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02850034000P?mv=cf&vName=Automotive&cName=Batteries+%26+Chargers
 
   its the platinum battery

Sure sounds like a fuel pump to me. Have you had the opportunity to check fuel pressure while it was acting up? Like when it''s cranking and not firing...that would be the ideal time to check fuel pressure.

Also another thing to remember, in temps that cold what oil do u have in the eng?  Try putting an additive in the oil like marvel mystery oil or slick 50 or z-max to help with cold start friction... I dont feel it could be anything esle but the temps that are causing most of these problems your listing... Ive been in Canada personally when it was 70 deg below 0 , ive seen what it takes to start a car in that weather..Good luk and maybe its time to move to a warmer climate, and get cheaper gas..  LOL

just a goofy thought-with a scan tool what is the temperature that the temperature senson is sending to the computer at start up?  If that were messed up and reporting wrong then the computer would richen or lean out the initial fuel mixture thus....causing an issue.  Just a thought and one that won''t(hopefully) cost much, if anything-depending on the availability of a scan tool.  JP

quote:

ORIGINAL: Peru Motors

just a goofy thought-with a scan tool what is the temperature that the temperature senson is sending to the computer at start up?  If that were messed up and reporting wrong then the computer would richen or lean out the initial fuel mixture thus....causing an issue.  Just a thought and one that won''''t(hopefully) cost much, if anything-depending on the availability of a scan tool.  JP

 
You mean the intake air temp sensor?  That might be possible to do(get access to a scanner).
 
As for the fuel pump, yes i put the guage on yesterday morning while it was acting up and had 60psi.
 
Last night swapped the 2 week old battery from my 5.7L Z28 into the Blazer and this morning it fired on the first try... it laboured for a split second but nothing like it usually does.  This battery has 630 cca instead of the 600 my other one had.  It was 2 degrees above zero here so cold enough to be in the range where it''s been acting up.  I''m going to wait a couple mornings to see if this was a fluke because i''ve had fluky days where it''s worked before.
 
Fingers crossed :)

how old is the 600 C/A battery to the 630 C/A one??  I`m still goin with the temp of the weather your having being the battery the culprit,,, Not enuff juice to spark it right...

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2002XTREME

how old is the 600 C/A battery to the 630 C/A one??  I`m still goin with the temp of the weather your having being the battery the culprit,,, Not enuff juice to spark it right...

 
I dont'' know actually.  I bought the blazer in april and this is the same battery that was in there(600).   The 630 is 2 weeks old.
 
I hope this is it...i''ll post up in a couple days after a few more cold morning starts :)

if its the battery from 1999 get a new one without hesitation...I have a battery in my elcamino that i bought quite a few years ago... Its no good now from just sitting but it had 1000 CCA to it,,, My el had a 454 with 600hp in it and it started the thing like it was butter on heated knife..

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2002XTREME

if its the battery from 1999 get a new one without hesitation...I have a battery in my elcamino that i bought quite a few years ago... Its no good now from just sitting but it had 1000 CCA to it,,, My el had a 454 with 600hp in it and it started the thing like it was butter on heated knife..

 
I have no idea how old it is :(

if your able to to see on the side of it somewhere, they sometimes stamp a date into the casing of the battery..or it may be on the sticker that should be on top of the battery with the name

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2002XTREME

if your able to to see on the side of it somewhere, they sometimes stamp a date into the casing of the battery..or it may be on the sticker that should be on top of the battery with the name

 
Cool thanks for the help.  The battery is out of the truck now so i can check it for a date.

Update: I dont'' think the battery is the issue.  It started fine all weekend but it was up around 12 degress... this morning it was 4 and had dipped below zero through the night and it stumbled starting...took me three tries to get it to fire.  It''s supposed to be a cold week here so i''ll know for sure in the next couple days but i think my search continues.
 
I did an oil change and added some fuel injector cleaner over the weekend as well.

i have a very similar problem with my 98 blazer. i put a charger on it and it cranked right up. so i put my new optima battery out of my chevelle and it didnt help much. still takes a few tries in the morning to start.mine might be  a fuel pump problem. i have checked fuel pressure numerous times. pressure is over 60 except when it sits for a day or overnight. then i always have a pressure problem and struggles to make it to 55psi. but once it starts(and runs perfect) then drive it for a bit and pressure is great the rest of the day. i have done a full tuneup including a fuel filter and am down to the pump now . not unless its wiring . hard to tell at this point.ive ran injector cleaner numerous times through the fuel system and doesnt seem to help. mine however is not affected by temp..just how long it sits.

Well i''ve ruled out the battery.  It was right around zero this morning and it took about 4 tries to get it to fire :(    I''m thinking of trying  my old wires again, maybe start over with the ignition parts..i don''t know.

Update:  a mechanic buddy of mine suggested to change the dist. cap again because they''re crap and known to allow moisture in(like my last one) so i tried that... cheap part so i didnt'' mind.  No change.

But, in my search for the hold ect sensor i found that i do indeed have a block heater !   So..the next cold night i''m plugging her in to see what if any change that brings.  Of course now it''s supposed to be warm for the next week so it might be a while before i get my next update.

Do all the trucks or maybe zr2''s come with the block heater?  The cord was hidden pretty good..this is the first time i have seen it.

Update: Haven''t had a cold enough day yet so i haven''t plugged in... but my mechanic buddy told me this...  "Also there is a cam retard that needs to be adjusted by grinding the distributor hold down and setting with a scanner. Common on high mile 4.3''s to be out as much as 18 deg".   He also mentioned something about slack in the timing chain...
 
Does this sound plausible?  Given that I have a ''backfire''ish sounding noise just before i get the thing to fire makes me think timing could be related to this problem...
 

Well, that is a new one...  Slack in the timing chain is one thing, but you would have to have a hell of a lot of wear in the distributor to get it out 18 degrees...

quote:

ORIGINAL: swartlkk

Well, that is a new one...  Slack in the timing chain is one thing, but you would have to have a hell of a lot of wear in the distributor to get it out 18 degrees...

 
Yeah i agree.  I trust my friend, although a statement like that could mean he has only seen one out that much.  I do have 287000kms on the clock... he said he''ll scan it for me friday so we''ll see where we''re at.
 
This morning it was 12 deg here and the truck fired up first time.  It''s definitely temp related...and not moisture related.