Hello,


Having intermintent starting issues. (buick le sabre 2000)


It all began when i let the tank get low on gas. It started on a humid/moist night - believe condensation in gas.
Then filled the car up and the problems went away. That was 3 weeks ago.


However, all of a sudden when in the garage cold starts are good, but when outside to start on humid/moist nights it becomes an issue.


Sometimes it just starts up normal outside. Other time it has been like this..


-*one time* dash and inside lights came on, the fuel meter read 3/4 tank then for one second the fuel meter went down to empty and dash lights went off, then back to normal, the car never needed a key restart, engined stayed on

- i'd hold the key to get it to crank and i can't even hear it cranking, and then it just instantly starts

- it sort of starts, lights/dash all stay on , but car didn't start

- when it started it sounded like thunking




WHen the car does start, the drive is good.


most time driven since one of these starts is a days worth of two hour constant city driving. Never overheats, never stalls, no rough idle.

Edit.

"when it started it sounded like thunking" This sound happened when i let the tank get low (3weeks ago) and then yesterday after filling up gas at the station (1/2 to full).

You may not have a singular problem, but I would be investigating the starter system. Examples: starter bolts tight? If starter is a little loose, it will often thunk about, perhaps remaining in a bind and not disengaging cleanly from the flywheel. Also being slightly loose does not provide a solid ground. Starter solenoid starting to fail? Dirty electrical connections at the starter? Starter getting old and tired? This can result in heavier battery drain. Battery connections clean with a healthy battery? This includes having clean ground connections at the block.

Sounds like you need a new starter possibly.. Jack her up n check and see if its mounted secure. But more than likly its time for a new starter..
Then id start small on the fuel problem.. Could b a possible fuel pressure regulator or fuel filter... If not those which arent expensive id say fuel pump.

ever experience fuel pump relays causing a hesitation to start?

For the most part, when the relay goes bad, it goes bad....older cars had the oil pressure switch in a parallel circuit to the f/p relay, so if the relay went bad, you would have an extended crank until the oil pressure switch closed....this vehicle doesn't have that....

But you can swap it with another relay in the underhood fuse block if you like....

I would check the connections at the battery terminals, and at the starter itself...also the battery ground cable.....

times before starting was normal before that day i started with a real low tank.

just seems like it might be an unsatisfactory fuel signal to start the engine immediately. Or, for example when the engine would come on, but correct itself to stay on.

Got a good question for you on this. Do you usually let your fuel tank get below a 1/4 tank before fuel up. If so you could be damaging your fuel pump. Fuel pumps designed to be in the tank are set up so that the fuel acts as a coolant to them. Let it get low way too many times and the pump could start locking up. I would still locate right now your no start condition. Tech II has given some good advice to follow.