Blazer '03 cranks, hesitates, then starts & runs?
 

I have a 2003 Blazer 2 door 4WD with auto trans and only 84.7k miles. When I turn the key to start it, the engine spins a few seconds and then hesitates. Then it continues to crank at full speed and usually starts and runs successfully. It has a battery that shows 12.6 volts with ignition on, engine not running. It shows 13.73 volts with engine idling. Is this hesitation an indication of a weak battery? Or is it a starter that has a bad spot on the commutator? Bad ignition switch? Or some other problem? It has a new air and fuel filter, PCV valve, and good gas in the tank. Yes, I know none of those maintenance items would cause a hesitation! I have not done a tune up. I just bought it with 82k miles on the odometer. Only once have I had a difficult time starting the engine which I related to wet weather conditions. Any ideas on what could cause this problem?

just a idea check you fuel pressure and do a leak down test may be a bad fuel pressure reglator

well if you only have 82k on the odometer and its about 10 years old...i would say that its time to do a tune up. i just did my 98 and got everything from rockauto.com. rule number one when shopping from rockauto, get a 5% coupon code. just google one and you will find one. easy way to save a few more pennies.

as far as the hesitation goes, its probably nothing. my work blazer has pretty much a new starter on it, new this year, and it sorta does the same thing. and the batter is less than a year old. it could just be where the motor is in the cycle. if there is one cylinder at the bottom of the intake stroke, then it might just be the pressure from the compression stroke. hard to say until something starts to give you more of a problem.

I have a new dist. rotor to put in today. I know that plugs and s/p wires are a good idea. I checked for codes and none showing.

This Sat. morning, I called the Sam's Garage radio show and asked Lil' Sam about this Blazer hesitation. Big Sam Memmolo was in Myrtle Beach at a car show. His answer was: check and clean all battery and alternator cables. Check them for voltage drop. Check all grounds. Do a load test on the battery. Check ignition switch. Listen to Sam's Garage 900am to 1100 am Eastern on I Heart Radio if he is not on a local station. He has a Chevy HD diesel dually and likes GM. Even though he is a big diesel fan, he does like and know Chevy gas engines well.

I may be confusing people on the description of this problem. I realized that when I tried to describe it to Lil Sam on the radio. Here it is: when you try to start the engine--whether cold or hot, no difference-- with only one turn of the ign. key, the engines spins rapidly then slows down to a 'ruh, ruh, ruh' and then speeds up again to a normal speed and cranks as it should. All that drama on one turn of the key. It hesitates or bogs down in the middle of the cranking. Doesn't matter if the engine is warm or cold. What do you think it is?