Hello Gentlemen,

Paul here in Beaver Dam Wisconsin. The car < Jenny 2> is a 1991 model year 745 turbo with automatic transmission and 202,000 mi. on the odometer. I am the second owner and have put on the last 120,000 mi.. The car has developed a chronic trait - frequent long cranking to start - the last 12 months or so, ever since I cleaned up around the gas tank access port with a wire brush and spray-bottle decreaser last summer. The motor never had this problem before that. For what it is worth , the O-ring on the gas tank access port is also probably defective, because gas vapors could be smelled from that area since the rust and crud that was probably sealing the port got cleaned up back then. I put window caulk around that port a couple of weeks ago. The car does not smell as gassy since then.

The chronic problem is frequent long cranking to start when the motor is warm. When the motor is cold, starts are often almost instantaneous. But after the car has been driven even only a short while or after it is been sitting in the hot sun for a while, I often have to crank for 10 seconds, often several times over, to get the motor to fire up. Then, the motor wants to idle at a very low speed, apparently about 500 RPM. Sometimes the motor succeeds in doing that, but the motor usually stalls out trying, so whenever the long-cranking situation is occurring, I have to be ready with a real deft touch on the gas pedal to try to keep the idle RPMs up around 1000 RPM or so.

Last summer, when this behavior started, I ran the various tests that I read about at this website, and also in response to a couple of posts back then, to be sure that both fuel pumps were working and that the fuel regulator was doing its job and that that cylindrical - shaped idle valve was also freed up. I don't remember all the details now, but everything checked out back then. I have also tried different fuel brands over the past 12 months are so with little or no apparent effect on this frequent long-cranking and low idle issue. Several bottles of fuel systems cleaner have also gone through that tank the last year or so, including the Chevron product. I have been running Regular from the local Fleet Farm last couple of months. I realize that 87 octane should be way low for this motor, but there is no knocking going on - I have been listening for that - and I also have the impression that the motor appreciates getting fed pure gas instead of gas cut with 10% or more ethanol.

Is there a way to get a computer readout to identify the source of the frequent long cranking to start when the motor is warm? Or does anyone have an idea that I can pursue here. This car continues to be practical, safe and a pleasure to drive. Thank you all.