'98 Hard-start/won't-start with no CEL

[sbagdon]

Have a '98 Prizm that started experiencing hard-start about 2 weeks ago, seemed especially bad on heavy-humidity days. It went away, then this morning it wouldn't start at all. No CEL.

For hard-start, the factory manual says check for coolant-temp-sensor out-of-spec, if that's the case the pcm doesn't know the car is cold and won't richen. Also check the crank sensor. Yet that covers cold start, so there's spark and fuel, just not the right amount for when cold.

Yet now it won't start. Presuming if the fuel-pump went, a code would trip. Same for efi, coil pack, etc. Factory manual is at one location and the car another, when they all meet will start going through the no-start with the OBD-II reader.

Thoughts, pre OBD-II? Thanks!

[sbagdon]

No-start turned out to be the starter. It would take more-ane-more clicks to get it to engage. Replaced the starter, and hasn't no-started since. Still trying to see if the hard-start condition continues.