Outshine2
Member
- Joined
- June 3, 2003
- Messages
- 19
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Orange County, CA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 99 Sport
Hey all, I'll try to keep this short as possible 
I recently got back from a 2000 mile road trip in my 99 Sport... Well about 500 miles in to the trip (in the middle of the night and the middle of freakin nowhere) my check engine light came on and stayed constant. Freaked out until I found out it's just the emmission controll system. Even with the light on it ran fine and had good power, just idled strangely. Well, after being on a few hundred miles the check engine light went back off till we were on our way back again, about 500 more miles later. By the time I got home the light had gone off and has stayed off since then (over a week).
But ever since a few days after getting back it's having trouble starting. Takes alot of cranking to finally get it going. Once it starts it idles very well and has OK power, but a little weak. Seems like it has more trouble starting when it's cold, if it's already running I can shut it off and it will start right back up.
If I put the key to the on position I do hear the fuel pump pressurize the lines. If I turn the key on, off, on it doesn't help (read that might indicate another problem). The engine has nearly 60K on it now, and has run very well until the trip. I can't help but believe that the check engine light I got and the problem starting are related...
I am thinking I could have gotten some bad fuel at one of the little podunk stations along the interstate on the trip, which triggered my check engine light and caused it to idle poorly. Then, once bad fuel got used the light went back off but maybe my fuel filter is still clogged up? Then, if it sits for a while the debris in the line and filter settle which makes it hard to start?
That's just my idea... I've read on other posts that you need a special tool to remove the fuel filter, but most of those posts were pertaining to earlier gen X's... do I need this tool for a '99?
Ok, so I didn't make it so short... help!
I recently got back from a 2000 mile road trip in my 99 Sport... Well about 500 miles in to the trip (in the middle of the night and the middle of freakin nowhere) my check engine light came on and stayed constant. Freaked out until I found out it's just the emmission controll system. Even with the light on it ran fine and had good power, just idled strangely. Well, after being on a few hundred miles the check engine light went back off till we were on our way back again, about 500 more miles later. By the time I got home the light had gone off and has stayed off since then (over a week).
But ever since a few days after getting back it's having trouble starting. Takes alot of cranking to finally get it going. Once it starts it idles very well and has OK power, but a little weak. Seems like it has more trouble starting when it's cold, if it's already running I can shut it off and it will start right back up.
If I put the key to the on position I do hear the fuel pump pressurize the lines. If I turn the key on, off, on it doesn't help (read that might indicate another problem). The engine has nearly 60K on it now, and has run very well until the trip. I can't help but believe that the check engine light I got and the problem starting are related...
I am thinking I could have gotten some bad fuel at one of the little podunk stations along the interstate on the trip, which triggered my check engine light and caused it to idle poorly. Then, once bad fuel got used the light went back off but maybe my fuel filter is still clogged up? Then, if it sits for a while the debris in the line and filter settle which makes it hard to start?
That's just my idea... I've read on other posts that you need a special tool to remove the fuel filter, but most of those posts were pertaining to earlier gen X's... do I need this tool for a '99?
Ok, so I didn't make it so short... help!
