There seems to be no rhyme or reason - but sometimes the car cranks right up and sometimes it takes several revolutions of the engine to start. Started about four years ago but I've never been stranded. Just replaced the spark plugs at 120K, no improvement in this issue but fuel mileage came back up where it should be, hitting about 32-33 around town and 36-37 highway. Long highway trips it will push 38-39 on the flat.

So the engine turns but doesn't fire up - So sometimes it is crank-start, or crank-crank-crank-start, then crank-start, then crank-crank-crank-crank-start, etc. Does not relate to cold start, warm start, cold weather, hot weather, good gas, cheap gas, etc.

What do you think?

 

I assume no CEL?
No loss of any fluids?

 

Correct, no check engine light and my code reader shows no codes. Once started, the car runs great and gas mileage is good. No fluid loss that is apparent, and no gas smell that might indicate a leak in the gas line to the engine. But I suppose there could be a tiny gas leak in the gas line where the gas pressure is bleeding off but the gas is evaporating before it can be detected. The reason I don't suspect that is because the condition is so random. I might go out in the morning, and it cranks right up, then drive to an errand and it slow fires up, and then on the next two errands it fires right up, and then on the last errand it is slow to fire up

To clarify, the condition is this.....I turn and hold the key in the start position, and the engine turns-turns-turns-varoom! (engine fires up). Then on the next two trips it goes "turn key-engine turns-varoom", then on the next trip it goes "turn key-engine turns-turns-turns-turns-varoom!" So the engine is turning fine.

Thanks.