2002 Malibu- Hard to start

I have a 2002 Malibu with the 3.1L V6. Sometimes it is very hard to start. This typically happens when it is cold. Since it has started having this problem I had a new battery put in it and it made no difference. The starter will turn the engine but it won't "catch" the first try - it sometimes takes two or three tries to get it going. It almost acts like there is either no fuel or spark. Has anyone faced this, and if so were you able to fix it? What did you do?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Hows the fuel Pressure and do you here to gas pump turn on

Hows the fuel Pressure and do you here to gas pump turn on

I just tried to check the fuel pressure but can't get my pressure gauge on the Schrader valve on the fuel rail because of the power steering pump. I'm using a NAPA gauge I bought around 3 years ago. It looks like the brass collar on the end that goes on the rail is too long to allow the gauge to line up with the valve so I can screw it on. Is there a brand or some sort of an adapter that will let me get in there without taking the power steering pump off?

next time the car fails to start try this...
remove the black cap from the fuel pressure checkpoint that you are referring to.
turn over motor and depress the valve in the rail...if fuel spurts out then there was sufficient presure to start the car.
if no fuel sprays then there is possibly a problem with the check-valve in the pump.
i had same prob and fortunately under warranty

hope this helps
good luck

next time the car fails to start try this...
remove the black cap from the fuel pressure checkpoint that you are referring to.
turn over motor and depress the valve in the rail...if fuel spurts out then there was sufficient presure to start the car.
if no fuel sprays then there is possibly a problem with the check-valve in the pump.
i had same prob and fortunately under warranty

hope this helps
good luck



just because some fuel squirts out doesnt mean its enough to start the car, thats what fuel pressure gauges are for. Also if no or little fuel is present, the injectors can be leaking too. Once again...fuel pressure gauge will tell if your loosing pressure after the fuel pump primes

You have to push the power steering line towards the firewall to get the gauge on. Its a pain in the ass but it works. I've done it a 100 times.

hi i have a 2002 malibu and i got it about 7months ago and it was running fine i turned it off and tried to start it wouldnt start.there was fuel spark etc working and it turnd over..i got it towd home a hour later it started and it ran fine for 3months or so till one day it acted like it wasnt getting enough juice like the battery was dying or something the lights and everything was fine and bright but it was having a hard time trying to start..i let it set for a day and i went out side and crack it over and it didnt want to start at first then it did so i decided to let it run for a few min' to see what would happend can anyone help me..

having the same problem with an '01. i tried a big tune up, fuel system clean,and replaced the ignition control module lastnight. it STILL wont start right. sometimes it will fire right up though its wild. it also shuts off while driving from time to time. im starting to think it might be the ignition switch since the fuel pressure regulator is working fine

I'm having this same thing happen to my 98 malibu 3.1 v6 with about 165000 miles . Takes a minute to get it started. I even had to change the starter I think from turning it over so many times trying to get it to start. Do you think it could be the fly wheel? I also had a major tune up done when they changed my head, and upper intake gaskets out. Which I thought might help but it came back and still wouldn't start right away. I have to turn it over two, three times or keep it turned till it starts. I was thinking it could be the flywheel.

added later
almost forgot I just had to bore out my ignition that locked up on me. I also think this problem help lead to this. There were issues in the past with this ignition so its days were numbered but this didn't help.

souds like you either have a problem with your fuel pump ( pressure ) or u got a problem with your MASS, IAT, CTS or MAP all of those will cause the same thing, next time it does that to u try dissconnecting you MASS and drive it, if it runs fine and dosent stall, you got a bad MASS but if it still doet the same thing you have a problem with something other than that.