When I checked it yesterday, it was about a drop every 5-6 seconds. Better than it was but still not good.

 

Ok, oil leak is a little better but still there. On another note though, she has a very intermittant starting issue. Generally, after she drives for 30-40 min and tries to start after 5 min or so, it acts like a fuel pump issue. Tries to start and dies tries to start and dies and then she says sometimes when it tries to start she'll give it some gas and then usually it'll catch and then run and once it's running it stays running. If she starts it and drives it just for a few minutes and shuts it off and then restarts a few minutes later it restarts okay. I'm kind of thinking fuel pump but it's not often enough to be a fuel pump. This is a very sporadic issue and I'm thinking that maybe it could be the coil or something like that. Thoughts? I might get some time with it this week to check it out. Hoping against hope it is not the fuel pump.

 

Any difference in engine starting issues and weather, such as more issues when conditions are damp or grinning?

Inspect ign coil for case cracks and arcing.

 

I asked her, but I'm going to say no because she started it up after work today, it had rained quite a a bit, without issue and then after she drove it for about 30 minutes or so on the highway and shut it off is when it wouldn't restart

 

Check ign coil.

Get a can of cold/freeze spray. When engine is hot and doesn't start spray the pickup coils in the distributor to cool them off. Spray the various sensors such as ETC.

Clean the IAC valve.

 

The coil is under the cap, correct? I have not hit the IAC yet but will if I get a chance. I might take a heat gun to the coil and see if I can replicate the issue.

 

Another piece to this puzzle is she said her gas mileage coming home today was worse than usual. I wondering if she has a bad fuel pressure reg or a stuck or sticking injector.

 

Pull the plugs and check for any that are inconsistent in color with the rest.

The distributor ign pickup coils are under the cap. Check pickup coil resistance, should be 140-180 ohm and a steady reading. Steady as opposed to continuing to increase or decrease with time as the measurement is being taken..

If you have the right tools can check fuel pressure. Need a banjo fitting and extended banjo bolt to tap into the fuel line at the can fuel filter in the engine compartment.

A bad O2 sensor can cause starting issues and decreased MPG.

 

I replaced the 02 about a year ago, not to say it hasn't gone south. I have a fuel pressure kit but I don't think it has an extended length banjo bolt. Oddly, her last tank was pretty good.

 

I couldn't check the ICV because I didn't have a replacement gasket and I knew that if i removed the throttle body the gasket would tear. I did check the cold start time sw and the terminal to terminal resistance was in range but the terminal to ground resistance was high out of spec. Will replace when I can.