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  • Make: Chevrolet
  • Model: Impala
  • Year: 2005
  • Engine: 3.4 L
  • Mileage: 94,000

For a while now, when I start my vehicle cold, the starter turns over just fine. However, as soon as the engine kicks on and the starter stops cranking, the engine stalls and I have to crank the starter again. Almost always, starting the car a second time causes it to start correctly.

I'm still relatively new to DIY vehicle repair, so if anyone could help me provide more information about the behavior of the vehicle and other recent repairs I've tried, I'd really appreciate it.

The car has recently had plugs and wires replaced. MAF was recently replaced. O2 Sensors replaced recently also. Other maintenance (oil, fluids, etc.) has been kept up as scheduled.

One suggestion was to run a high quality fuel system cleaner through the vehicle, I'll give that a chance when I'm doing some other maintenance work on the vehicle and see if that helps.

I am going to be replacing a leaking water pump this weekend on this car, as well as the belt - not sure if that could be related to this issue or not.

| improve this question | |
  • How many miles on your vehicle? Has a tune up ever been done on the car? – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ May 9 '14 at 0:49
  • What do you mean specifically by a tune up. – Jason Lowenthal May 9 '14 at 1:00
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    Spark plugs, wires, O2 sensors (fore and aft), clean MAF, etc. Just what you edited into your question. – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2♦ May 9 '14 at 11:06
  • It is highly unlikely the water pump and belt have anything to do with the starting issue you've reported. Have you ran any high quality fuel system cleaner through it? Or had the filters changed? – CharlieRB May 9 '14 at 19:12
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    I didn't figure on it being the water pump, but assume it helps to know all relevant information. – Jason Lowenthal May 9 '14 at 20:12
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So, after trying to tune up just about everything and replacing all potential suspect parts, it turns out that the fuel pump is dying.

| improve this answer | |
  • Well, glad you found the answer. Are you planning on changing it yourself, or are you going to take it in? – Cullub Jul 7 '16 at 19:20
  • I had a mechanic do it - but he's a super close friend of mine so I basically got it done for the cost of the parts. plus some booze :-) – Jason Lowenthal Jul 8 '16 at 15:21

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