Dayton Daily News

Wheels: John writes, “I have a question about my 1969 Pontiac GTO. After I start it and go to the gas station, when I try and restart, there is a hesitation while cranking. It always starts, but I don’t like the hesitation.

After talking to GTO owners at car shows, their cars also do it. My car has the original Quadrajet carburetor on it with 71,000 miles. I’ve heard it could be the battery not being big enough, bad starter, carburetor problems or vapor lock. I have a new battery and shield to protect the starter from the manifold. I do use cheap gas since it doesn’t knock while driving, but I’m going to use better gas from now on. I was told the heads were changed, so I don’t need leaded gas. Thank you for your time and keep up the good work.”

Halderman : This question takes me back because it involves a vehicle that is “before computers (BC).” There are several reasons for the slight starter hesitation when the engine is hot, including:

1. The ignition timing is too far advanced. This is a common problem and could be due to stuck mechanical advance weights underneath the rotor in the distributor. If this is the situation, I would suggest that you see a professional service technician because the distributor has to be removed and disassembled to properly correct this fault.

2. While it is good that you installed a new battery and a starter heat shield, corroded or high-resistance battery cables could be the cause of the problem. Considering that the vehicle is more than 30 years old and likely to have the original cables, replacing both battery cables with high-quality replacements would be a wise move.

3. The use of regular-grade gasoline could have an effect on the starting, especially when the engine is hot. Try a tank of 91+ octane gasoline to see if this takes care of the problem.

Wheels : Vittal writes, “I change my own oil and take used oil to Auto Zone for disposal. Can I simply put the old oil filter in the trash?

Halderman : If you change the oil and filter yourself, there is the issue of properly disposing of the old oil and filter, which must be done according to very exact procedures. For example, the oil filter must be hot drained for 24 hours before disposing of it, and the oil drained must be sent for recycling or proper disposal.

Hot draining is when the filter is placed in a container and allowed to drain. The oil from the filter should be taken for recycling, and after hot draining, the filter can be disposed of in regular trash.