Oldsmobile Aurora Hard Starting- Belt routing

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1997 Olds Aurora 4.0 l v8. Replaced ECT Sensor. Hi there,Just found this site looking on the net for a solution to my problem. Having Long Crank Problems. In the mornings, when cold (+5 deg Celsius or lower) engine cranks and fires intermittently. Once it has been cranked for about 30 seconds on and off, it sputters for about 5 seconds, and then takes off and runs great till it gets cold again.

Doesn't seem to be a fuel pressure problem, as running the pump 5 or 6 times prior to starting makes no difference. No-one seems to have any idea whats going on. ECT sensor working fine while being watched on a scan tool.

Answer: This may very well be a fuel pressure problem. These pumps tend to build pressure slowly in the cold when they are failing. Need to put a fuel pressure gauge on to see if pressure is low at first try, then starts building up to the point where it finally starts.

Another possibility is a leaking fuel pressure regulator. This would cause a rich condition, hard start, and rough running until it clears out. But this would also cause a hard start when the engine is hot and has sat for an hour or so. Pull the vacuum hose of regulator and smell for gas. This is all assuming that the spark plugs are in good shape, and it does not burn coolant or oil.

1998 Olds Aurora. Question: I want to by pass the air conditioner-when replacing the serpentine belt. What size would I buy in order to by pass this?

Answer: It is not recommended to bypass any of the pulleys or components on the vehicle. I'm going to assume you have a bad or noisy air conditioning compressor is the reason you want to bypass it. If you choose to bypass, you would need an exact measurement of how long the belt would need to be in order to not use that associated pulley.

You could run a string around the pulleys (the same way the belt goes) and then measure how long it is. You can find the proper size belt then at a auto parts store and install it. Since the Aurora was never made without A/C, it is not as simple as getting a belt for the car without A/C. Remember, you do this at your own risk. Damage and other problems can occur due to using shorter serpentine belts and/or bypassing components.