Intermittent extended crank time before starting..

[Holden<3]

Its a 1999 VT series II SS V8 Gen III (auto). Have been having an intermittent long crank time before car starts for more than a year now and mechanic can't seem to find problem. It happens anytime hot or cold and sometime it will start normally, but that's rare. Most of the time it eventually starts. A few times its cranked and cranked with a no start at all, during these times I noticed there was no fuel pump priming noise no matter how many times i turned the key. In these cases I've had to have it towed to mechanic as just would crank but not start. Once at mechanics fired up for them
Last time I had it towed they said fuel pump probably the cause, I had changed the fuel pump about 7 years ago, so he put a new pump in... hasn't fixed the problem, although the pump seems to always be priming now, but still long cranking.
I have also recently replaced:
Spark plugs and leads, fuel filter, oil pressure switch.
Now mechanic thinks it could be bleeding off fuel pressure possibly bad fuel pressure regulator which he says is fixed on the fuel rail and he can't source that part at all!
I have owned this car for 12 years and serviced regularly and really don't want to get rid of it just yet as I had gearbox rebuilt 2 years ago which costed an arm and leg. It has 270k on the clock. Aside from this issue once started it drives very well, never misses a beat whilst driving.

 

[snortings]

Its a 1999 VT series II SS V8 Gen III (auto). Have been having an intermittent long crank time before car starts for more than a year now and mechanic can't seem to find problem. It happens anytime hot or cold and sometime it will start normally, but that's rare. Most of the time it eventually starts. A few times its cranked and cranked with a no start at all, during these times I noticed there was no fuel pump priming noise no matter how many times i turned the key. In these cases I've had to have it towed to mechanic as just would crank but not start. Once at mechanics fired up for them
Last time I had it towed they said fuel pump probably the cause, I had changed the fuel pump about 7 years ago, so he put a new pump in... hasn't fixed the problem, although the pump seems to always be priming now, but still long cranking.
I have also recently replaced:
Spark plugs and leads, fuel filter, oil pressure switch.
Now mechanic thinks it could be bleeding off fuel pressure possibly bad fuel pressure regulator which he says is fixed on the fuel rail and he can't source that part at all!
I have owned this car for 12 years and serviced regularly and really don't want to get rid of it just yet as I had gearbox rebuilt 2 years ago which costed an arm and leg. It has 270k on the clock. Aside from this issue once started it drives very well, never misses a beat whilst driving.

This sounds like exactly what is happening to my VF, except I can hear my pump priming. Holden technicians first said the timing was out, so replaced the timing chain. Now they think it's related to oil pressure, we just keep going in circles.

I swear it's something related to fuel pressure, but I gotta let the holden technicians do their thing.

 

[Holden<3]

This sounds like exactly what is happening to my VF, except I can hear my pump priming. Holden technicians first said the timing was out, so replaced the timing chain. Now they think it's related to oil pressure, we just keep going in circles.

I swear it's something related to fuel pressure, but I gotta let the holden technicians do their thing.

I took it to Holden dealer first and they came up with engine compression is bad so needs a new motor... I go to a different mechanic now and they said that diagnosis is rubbish. I don't think holden liked working on my 20 year old car tbh
I think mine is fuel pressure related also, no one can seem to find the problem

 

[Holden<3]

Well problem is fixed finally after a year of head scratching! It turned out to be the fuel pressure regulator which mechanic actually thought was fixed on the fuel rail and couldn't source the part, after looking here through the forums I discovered the regulator on my gen 3 is actually in the tank part of the fuel pump assembly! Went back to mechanic and asked him to take tank down and double check the fuel pump assembly and to his shock there it was on the assembly! Although I did waste money on a new fuel pump because the fuel pump assembly came as a full unit (pump, regulator) I am super stoked my car is starting first time, everytime with a quick turn of the key for the first time in over a year!!! Thanks to all the knowledgeable people on here and a bonus my mechanic learnt something new to

 

[losh1971]

Good outcome. As for the tank pump 200k on they can fail anyway. Good preventive maintenance to replace the pump anyway that way you won't be dropping the tank again for a long while now.

 

[Holden<3]

Good outcome. As for the tank pump 200k on they can fail anyway. Good preventive maintenance to replace the pump anyway that way you won't be dropping the tank again for a long while now.

Well I had changed the fuel pump last month but still had the long cranking before starting problem, then he thought it could be the regulator which he didn't know was it the fuel pump assembly until I told him things I read on here so I had to buy a new fuel pump assembly (which came with a fuel pump included) so I ended up buying 2 fuel pumps in the last month lol but he gave me the 1st one I put in last month to hold onto for a spare.. if only he had known about the LS1 'secret' in tank regulator would have saved some $$ Oh well, even Holden themselves and Repco told me regulator was on the rails, no one knew except the holden 'experts' on this site! Thank you justcommodore.com.au I will be forever grateful.