1998 Chevy Silverado Hard Starting Problems [7 Easy Fixes] 

1998 Chevy Silverado is just a rocking car to drive. But if you struggle to start the car after leaving it for a few hours, you will no longer enjoy the thrill of driving this rocking car. Like you, most car owners who own 1998 Chevy Silverado go through or will go through the following hard starting issues at some junctures in their life: 

• 1998 Chevy Silverado Hard To Start When Cold
• 1998 Chevy Silverado Hard To Start When Warm
• Chevy Silverado Hard To Start After Sitting  

And this guide will break down each of the Chevy Silverado starting issues to let you drive the car smoothly. So, stay in tune with us till the end. 

1998 Chevy Silverado Hard Starting Problems [7 Easy Fixes]

This chapter will disclose the common Chevy Silverado hard starting issues like hard to start when cold, hot, or after sitting. 

1998 Chevy Silverado Hard To Start When Cold

A defective fuel pump and a bad fuel pressure regulator are the culprits that cause your chevy hard to start when cold. Below, we will break down each of these reasons. 

1. A Bad Fuel Pump

A weakened or faulty fuel pump is the culprit behind the hard starting of your Chevy. When the motor is cold, the fuel will lose all its pressure. 

On top of this, a lousy fuel pump fails to supply sufficient fuel your engine needs to start the car smoothly.

A bad fuel pump can cause your car engine to crank too long. In short, the Chevy engine needs more crank to start than normal due to a problematic fuel pump. 

Now, the question that may wander around your mind is- how do I know the fuel pump is at fault? The following symptoms of a bad fuel pump will tell when you need to change it: 

• Hard starting
• The car starts stalling at high temperatures 
• The engine starts sputtering at high speed
• Engine may misfire 
• Low gas mileage 
• Your Chevy won’t start

Solution:

Before heading over to replace the fuel pump, we recommend you test the fuel pump first to determine if it’s at fault. 

In this case, start with checking the fuel pump fuses. We suggest you check the manual to locate the fuel pump fuses. Then, pull every fuse and test it visually to make sure those fuses don’t blow out. It would be best to use a multimeter and take the voltage reading of the fuses. 

Also, don’t forget to check the wire connectors leading to the fuel pump. If all of them are okay, it means the fuel pump is getting power. 

Lastly, run a fuel pressure test using a fuel pressure tester kit. Just hook up it with the Schrader valve cap and crank the engine. A healthy fuel system will give you 52-62 PSI.

If you get no pressure or are below the recommended level, understand you need to replace the fuel pump.  Alternatively, you can hire a professional mechanic if you are not mechanically inclined. 

2. Fuel Pressure Regulator Goes Bad

A fuel pressure regulator controls the fuel flow from the pump to the engine. If it gets defective or the diaphragm gets raptured, the valve that opens and closes to regulate fuel flow will get stuck.

As a result, your engine will not receive the amount of oil it needs to start the car.

Besides, the ruptured diaphragm forces the fuel to throw the vacuum line into the intake manifold. If too much gas goes to the intake, it will flood the engine and make the car very hard to start. Contaminated fuel, insufficient oil, and old age cause the fuel pressure regulator to fail. 

Solution:

Replacing the fuel pressure regulator will fix the hard starting problem. We recommend you call a professional if you are not mechanically inclined. Otherwise, you can see the below tutorial is helpful to change the bad fuel pressure regulator. 

1998 Chevy Silverado Hard To Start When Warm

You may fail to start your Chevy, especially when the engine is warm due to a bad air intake temperature sensor, a faulty crank sensor, and leaky fuel injectors. 

3. Bad Air Intake Temperature Sensor

An air intake temperature sensor monitors the temperature of air that goes into your car engine and sends that data to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module).

Then, the PCM adjusts the proper air-fuel ratio for proper combustion. For example, if an IAT sensor senses that warm air going into the engine, the car computer will send less fuel to run the engine smoothly. 

If it’s at fault, the air intake temperature sensor fails to detect the air temperature entering your car engine. As a result, the computer also fails to send the correct amount of fuel to start the engine.

During start-up, the car requires more fuel. As your engine receives an incorrect amount of fuel, it’s hard to start the vehicle. 

Solution:

We suggest you check the IAT sensor before replacing it. Just open the hood and detach the electrical wire harness from the air intake temperature sensor. Make sure you turn the engine off. Now, use the multimeter and set both leads on the prong of the sensor. The multimeter should give 37K ohms at 68 degrees F or 24K at 86 degrees F. Anything above or below this range will indicate a faulty IAT sensor. 

Fortunately, it’s just a piece of cake to change the air intake temperature sensor. Just disconnect the electric wire harness and move the old sensor back and forth to remove it. Then, install the new sensor and reconnect the electric wire harness. 

4. Crankshaft Position Sensor Gets Defective

A crankshaft sensor tracks the position and rotational speed of the crankshaft. And it sends the data to the ECU (engine control unit) so that the computer can make proper adjustments based on operating conditions. 

If the crankshaft sensor gets faulty, the computer will fail to determine the position of the crankshaft in its rotation. As a result, it can’t trigger sparks and fuel injectors at once. And guess what, it will cause hard starting problems or not start at all. 

Solution:

It would be best to start with testing the crankshaft sensor to see whether it is at fault or not. If you get a negative result after inspecting the crankshaft sensor, you should replace it. 

If you are mechanically inclined, following the below video will come in handy to replace the crank sensor. Alternatively, you should call a certified mechanic to do it for you. 

5. A Leaky Fuel Injector

Chevy truck is hard to start when hot! If this is the issue you encounter, we bet the fuel injector is leaking out. If the injector leaks out, it floods the engine and causes hard starting, especially when the engine is warm.

It’s because a leaky fuel injector causes the rail pressure to drop and the fuel leaks into the manifold and floods the spark plugs. 

The fuel injectors will leak when their O-ring hardens or brittle over time. And it’s responsible for both internal and external fuel leaks, which you should treat right off the bat. 

Solution:

Begin with disconnecting the battery to avoid sparks when the injectors leak fuel externally. Then, call a professional to replace the leaky fuel injectors. Alternatively, you can watch the below tutorial if you want to do it yourself. 

Chevy Silverado Hard To Start After Sitting

A blocked fuel filter and dead battery are the culprits that make your car difficult to start after sitting. 

6. A Bad Or Clogged Fuel Filter

Chevy Silverado delayed start! If you experience this issue with your 1998 Chevy, don’t forget to check the fuel filter for a clog. A dirty or blocked fuel filter restricts the consistent fuel flow.

As a result, your engine will not get enough fuel it needs to start the engine. Either way, the fuel filter itself gets defective, which causes the hard starting problem. 

Solution:

Replacing a clogged or bad fuel filter will be an easy fix to this problem. And the best part is- it doesn’t take a lot of elbow grease to change the fuel filter. What you need to do is- just go underneath the car, drain the oil by unplugging the drain valve, and replace the filter. 

7. Low Or Dead Battery

We often overlook this issue. But the reality is- you can’t start your chevy when there is insufficient charge in the battery.

The starter motor gets power from the battery to start the car. If the battery doesn’t produce enough power for the starter motor, you can’t start your vehicle. 

Solution:

Just hook up your battery to the charger to charge it up. Or, you can replace the battery if you need to solve the hard starting issue. 

Apart from these, a bad starter, a defective ignition switch, and fouled spark plugs are also responsible for hard starting. So, don’t forget to inspect these components when you struggle to start the car engine. 

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the 1998 Chevy Silverado is fun to drive. But the enjoyment will not last long when you encounter hard starting problems.

Generally, a bad fuel pump, a bad fuel pressure regulator, and faulty air intake temperature sensors are the culprits that cause the car to hesitate to start. 

Besides, a leaky fuel injector, a defective crankshaft sensor, and a clogged air filter are some caveats that prevent the chevy from starting. 

Fortunately, we broke down each of those problems and provided the solution to fix the hard starting issues. So, follow the troubleshooting steps we mentioned and drive your Chevy smoothly like before.