Hey, I posted this on J body forums, but if it doesnt involve clamping a fart can onto the factory exhaust they dont seem to be interested.........

I'm working on a 01 Sunfire with a 2.2, auto, 130k miles, headgasket replaced at 100k miles. It gets regular oil changes every 3k miles, but not much else unless it makes a noise, or causes a no start. I did brakes on it 8k miles ago, and a battery about 2 years ago.

The car (over the course of a few weeks) has been getting harder and harder to start. It now will not start unless given about 1/4 throttle. It smells like gas when initially started and during the first few min of running. MPG's are down, unknown hx of mpgs, other then "it's using almost twice as much gas" from the owner (17 year old girl, my mothers best friends daughter...) There is no CEL, and no stored codes. I have done no further testing. It does this on the first start of the day, or after sitting for about an hour.

I plan on replacing the spark plugs, wires, and air filter without looking at it, and testing the fuel pressure if the problem continues. I suspect that one of the injectors is leaking, but I am unsure. It runs fine after a min or less of ideling, and the owner doesnt think it's down on power. I've driven it, and it doesnt seem to miss, but it feels down on power to me. I'll post a 0-60 time if applicable, but I dont think it would help anything.


Does it sound like I'm on the right track?
Is this a common problem?
What is baseline fuel pressure for an 01 sunfire?
Are there any other vehicles that use the same injectors as a sunfire? (anything with a 2.2, correct? No sunfires in the salvage yard by me)
Thank you!
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

Check your Idle Air Controller (IAC) and clean the idle air passages on the throttle body. Had a similiar problem on a Jeep Wrangler, except for the gas smell, and cleaning the IAC and related passages fixed it. They sell a specific spray cleaner for this in most parts stores. I would start there.

Fuel pressure regulator was it! Diaphram was perfed, and would not hold ANY vacuum at all. Replaced it, the spark plugs/wires/air filter, and good to go! Fuel mileage should be improving, starting is normal again.
Thanks for the help.
~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)