Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

After car is driven and engine warm, shut off for 10 mins or more, the car is turning over a long time before starting but it does start. Switching from 1st to 2nd gear it feels as though it is dying, like it isn't getting any gas and no power at all to go forward. Push in the clutch and rev the engine and there is nothing for about 10 seconds, feels like it isn't getting gas. Then all of a sudden it will "get gas" and takes off like nothing is wrong and may or may not do it again that day. This doesn't happen every time and when I have had my mechanic for a drive, it did
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The biggest challenge with your symptoms is they are intermittent. Intermittent symptoms are often difficult to duplicate and we can’t diagnose something that is working. The biggest challenge here is recreating the symptoms. While attempting to recreate the symptoms, I would have a scanner connected and recording all the data. If the problem arises, it will be recorded and I would most likely be able to see what happened in the scan data.

It is good you are taking notice of the conditions that the symptoms cause. This information will be valuable for a technician to pinpoint the problem. As for what the problem could be, it could be many things. The fuel pump could be binding and not delivering enough fuel, the TPS (throttle position sensor) may be glitching or a crank or camshaft sensor maybe sending false information. Camshaft and crankshaft sensors are common failures on Civics. So these two sensors would be suspect, as well as the wiring harnesses that feed them. Poor electrical connections are notorious for symptoms such as these.

The long story short is someone will need to catch the culprit sensor in action, which is the biggest challenge with intermittent problems. With my own vehicles, I often wait until the failure becomes more regular to diagnose them. It saves a lot of time.

I recommend the loss of power inspection to help you figure this out.

Good luck!

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

The most common reasons a Honda Civic won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter. Search our network of RepairPal Certified shops near you to speak with a technician about your issue.
The most common reason is a problem with the fuel system, such as a clogged fuel filter or faulty fuel injectors. Another possibility is an issue with the ignition system, such as spark plugs that need to be replaced. Finally, it could be a problem with the engine itself, such as low compression or a worn timing belt.
Common reasons for this to happen:

Low fuel pressure, dirty or defective fuel injectors, or broken fuel pump: The fuel pump is responsible for transferring fuel from the tank to the engine.

Leaking coolants

If your car overheats and now won`t start, the problem is almost certainly a leaking coolant hose or radiator. The engine overheating may be either the direct or indirect outcome of the coolant leak. A coolant leak might be brought on by worn hoses, a broken radiator, or loose hose clamps.

Bad Battery Symptoms

If the cranking of the engine is sluggish, like your vehicle is harder to start on cold mornings, it starts inconsistently, or there`s no sound and interior lights when you try to start, suspect a failing battery, a loose or corroded connection or electrical draw.

The most common reason cars don`t start is a dead or faulty battery. Even though most cars run on gasoline, they all require electrical power to function. The starter that cranks your engine to start requires an electrical signal to fire. If something`s wrong with your battery, your car engine won`t turn over.
Either you don`t have enough petrol, or you don`t have enough power in your vehicle. There are several causes for your car to lose power significantly while accelerating. The most typical causes of a car not accelerating while driving include a faulty sensor, contaminated fuel or air filters, or a faulty timing belt.
Common causes of why a car feels sluggish when accelerating include dirty mass air flow sensor (MAF), faulty spark plugs, defective throttle position sensor, clogged catalytic converter, faulty oxygen sensor, clogged air filter, and fuel system malfunctioning.
The most common reasons a Honda Civic engine stalling are the fuel system, the air intake system, or the ignition system. Search our network of RepairPal Certified shops near you to speak with a technician about your issue.
The most common reasons why a car is hard to start when warm are due to a defective crankshaft or camshaft position sensor. It could also be caused by a clogged air filter, faulty battery connection, vapor lock, or a bad ground connection.
If you find that you`ve got a car running hot but not overheating there might be a few reasons: Clogged or damaged radiator. Low coolant level. Damaged water pump or thermostat.
A car that takes longer to start is usually due to poor starter connections, a defective starter, charging problems, or a bad battery. In more specific cases, the problem may also be the spark plugs, fuel pressure, or car computer.
Hard start symptoms and starter failure may NOT be caused by the starter, but could actually be caused by the crankshaft position sensor. If your vehicle is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, the crankshaft sensor may be at fault.
A car that feels dragging may be due to worn tires, low tire pressure, or a problem with the brakes. A clogged fuel filter, dirty air filter, or oxygen sensor can also cause a car to feel dragging. Fuel injectors, spark plugs, and the catalytic converter can also cause a car to feel dragging.
If you press or let up on the pedal, there will be a delay before the engine responds. This is because of the time it takes the throttle motor to activate the throttle opening. Throttle response should be nearly immediate and not delayed. Gas pedal delay is a safety defect because it can cause accidents in emergencies.
When a throttle body is not functioning correctly, you`ll usually notice a distinctly poor or very low idle. If the problem is really severe, you might even begin stalling when coming to a stop or when the throttle is quickly pressed.
Why does my car not accelerate when I push the gas? A car not accelerating properly can be caused by a number of things. It could be due to the throttle body, gas tank, spark plugs, or the ECU. It could also be because you have a dirty air filter or a clogged fuel filter.
This hesitation while accelerating can be the result of a number of issues, including something like a clogged fuel filter or even a broken fuel pump. Sometimes, something could also be wrong with the transmission.
The main cause of engine stall at high temperature is rapid fuel boiling by increasing fuel temperature. This causes a lot of vapor. Such vapor flows into the fuel pump which leading to decrease the pump load and the current consumption of the fuel pump continuously. This ultimately results in engine stall.
The car will stall if the valve is too clogged or when it finally fails. If, while holding the accelerator pedal down, a small amount of pressure keeps the car running at a stop, the idle control valve may require attention. In most late model cars, this problem will usually trigger the Check Engine light.
There are three major causes for a stalled engine: A lack of fuel, a lack of air flow and improper ignition. Running out of fuel is one of the most common causes of engine stalling, but dirty fuel injectors or a plugged fuel filter can also be the culprit.
If the engine stalls while idling or driving, the engine may be running out of fuel or not receiving enough fuel pressure to keep it running. The most likely cause of this kind of stalling would be a fuel pump that is not spinning fast enough or is intermittently cutting out.
Faulty spark plugs can cause the car to exhibit starting troubles. Worn out plugs does not produce sufficient sparks, which is needed for starting the engine. This results in the engine to stall and fail to start quickly.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time
ANSWER : The biggest challenge with your symptoms is they are intermittent. Intermittent symptoms are often difficult to duplicate and we can’t diagnose something that is working. The biggest challenge here is recreating the symptoms. While attempting to recreate the symptoms, I would have a scanner connected and recording all the data. If the problem arises, it will be recorded and I would most likely be able to see what happened in the scan data.

It is good you are taking notice of the conditions that the symptoms cause. This information will be valuable for a technician to pinpoint the problem. As for what the problem could be, it could be many things. The fuel pump could be binding and not delivering enough fuel, the TPS (throttle position sensor) may be glitching or a crank or camshaft sensor maybe sending false information. Camshaft and crankshaft sensors are common failures on Civics. So these two sensors would be suspect, as well as the wiring harnesses that feed them. Poor electrical connections are notorious for symptoms such as these.

The long story short is someone will need to catch the culprit sensor in action, which is the biggest challenge with intermittent problems. With my own vehicles, I often wait until the failure becomes more regular to diagnose them. It saves a lot of time.

I recommend the loss of power inspection to help you figure this out.

Good luck!

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

Ok car starts and runs fine normal idle but once it gets up to warming temp it’s like it starts to bog and dies.
ANSWER : With the randomness of the codes you are pulling, it is hard to determine what they have in common. When diagnosing mechanical errors like this, keep it simple. Due to the loss of power and stalling issue, I would like you to look at the one component that may have a huge effect over all of theses parts.

The ELD is a unit which measures the amount of power coming from the battery. It allows the alternator to adjust the field, and the amount of power generated by it. If you are experiencing issues with the ELD, which allows the battery and alternator to behave incorrectly, the other electrical components in the vehicle will not work. You may have more than one issue that is all coming to a head at once.

You can test the ELD with a multimeter, but any electrical testing can be dangerous, and we recommend you proceed with caution. If you’re not comfortable with this repair, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to your home to diagnose the stalling issue firsthand and help you make the necessary repairs.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

Why doesn’t car start after running out of gas girlfriend ran gas out of car now won’t start plenty of gas in tank doesn’t sound l
ANSWER : Fuel pumps rely on liquid gasoline for cooling. Consequently, it is recommended to keep the fuel tank at least 1/4 full to prevent the fuel pump from overheating. If the pump is run to the point of being dry, the seal on the impeller can overheat and get damaged. Even if the pump subsequently runs, as you report your does, it cannot develop enough suction to pick up fuel due to the seal damage. That is possibly what has happened in your case but it should be confirmed prior to replacing the fuel pump. In your circumstance the recommended service is fuel pump replacement but if you request that, the responding certified mechanic will do enough tests to confirm that there is no other possible explanation for the failure. There is a quick and direct way to determine if the problem is lack of fuel. Procure a can of "starter fluid" from any department store. Using the material cautiously (it is highly flammable; keep away from flames or sparks), introduce some of the fluid into the intake of the engine while you engage the starter motor. If the vehicle starts and runs briefly, then you know for sure the problem is fuel starvation of course almost undoubtedly caused by the pump failing. Fuel pump replacement can be accomplished in the field, right at your location, if you desire that service.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

At times my jeep will start fine and at times I have a hard time getting it to start. It seems like the wireless ignition node is
ANSWER : The recommended diagnostic to resolve this is a hard starting diagnostic. The work is performed by a certified mechanic right at your location. Among the first things the mechanic will check is whether required maintenance is up to date because old spark plugs, clogged fuel and air filters, and the like are potential causes of the hard starting you are describing. Other possible causes include a failing coolant temperature sensor, or bad connection to the sensor, problems with other sensors such as the cam and crankshaft position sensors, a defective fuel pump, and many other causes, all of which will be familiar to YourMechanic’s experts. With regard to the fuel pump, if the engine is not getting enough fuel it will be hard to start. If you request a hard starting diagnostic, YourMechanic will get this issue diagnosed and resolved for you.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

It feels like my car is about to break down, like I am very carefully carrying the engine home so it doesn’t fall out.
ANSWER : Hi there. I would typically start by checking to see if the check engine light is on and then I would scan the computer for codes. This can give some insight as to what is going on. If there are no codes then I’d monitor the signal from the sensors to make sure that they are all working fine. If those are also fine then the issue sounds like it may be a catalytic converter or a transmission problem. This vehicle has a history of transmission failures that could cause this. Also, if the catalytic converter fails it will cause the same symptoms. I usually test the converter for any signs of failure and do a back pressure test of the exhaust before getting into the transmission. If you’d like assistance in diagnosing this issue, a certified YourMechanic technician can inspect these issues with your engine hesitating and help diagnose your vehicle.

Your issues with the air conditioning unit are likely unrelated to the issues with your engine, and you will likely need your AC unit inspected in order to diagnose that issue.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

The car starts, but when I hit the gas the check engine light blinks & it feels like I don’t get much power, sometimes smell gas.
ANSWER : Hello.

A flashing Check Engine Light is an indicator that the computer has detected an issue with the vehicle’s engine management system that could potentially cause harm to the emissions system.

Continuing to drive with a flashing Check Engine Light puts emissions components, such as the catalytic converters at risk of damage. The symptoms you are experiencing can be caused by a wide variety of issues, with the fuel, ignition, or engine management systems.

As the possibilities could be many, consider getting some help from YourMechanic. One of our mobile technicians can start by diagnosing the stored trouble codes, as they will likely reveal some insight on what the issues may be.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

My polo 3 won’t start when engine is warm or exposed to the sun for a long time
ANSWER : Hi there,
The problems you are having with your vehicle, may not be easy to diagnose. Apparently, under hood temperature and ambient temperature both create the no start condition. Components can act-up with temperature change. Assuming no check engine light is on. The no start condition will have to be duplicated and inspected at the time of no start. This will help identify what is wrong. So many things can keep the vehicle from starting. I recommend having the vehicles no start condition be inspected and diagnosed by a certified technician from YourMechanic.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

Car was sometimes not starting, not even cranking when i turned the key then after a few times itd start. Now it ont start at all
ANSWER : Hi there:

Without being there to inspect your vehicle, or having information about what type of car, truck or SUV you own, it’s very hard for us to give you some advice. You might want to have a professional mobile mechanic complete a car is hard to start inspection; so they can come to your location and determine why your vehicle is having these issues.

Read Full Q/A … : Warm engine, long starting and feels like it isn’t getting gas, 10 sec, then takes off like nothing wrong. Doesn’t happen all time

Eric smoalih

I am a certified master technician with the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), and I have been working as an auto mechanic for over 15 years. I am passionate about my work, and I take great pride in helping people keep their cars running smoothly.