Turns over but doesn't start. its been a particularly cold winter, and it wasnt driven much for 3 months, but was started regularly. sometimes it would take a few tries but would eventually start. now it wont start at all. thinking possibly the fuel pump, but as far as i can tell that seems to be working ok. ill admit i dont know a lot about cars but i cant afford to take it in, and would rather do the work myself anyways.

There may be moisture in the transmission fluid that is causing ice to block the valves. When the transmission is hot, change the fuid

Identical cold start issue on my Astra IE 1996 F series after the engine got rebored - after months the new oil pump was found to be faulty & clogged-up & replaced by the spares supplier - the car then ran perfectly after this. I was told the blockage created a backpressure & the computer was stopped it starting.

16 years later - 10 yrs after the last service covering just 8600km (last 2 yrs car hardly started) has identical cold issues again. It can be driven around & wont take long cold start in our warm coastal winters. The good mechanic seems to be giving up trying to fix my old car but refuses to believe its a low oil pressure issue saying that just makes the oil warning symbol light up & doesn't affect a car starting. I want to check if the engine warning light works on starting showing the low oil pressure sensor is working. But his now busy searching for a Astra specific temperature sensor.

How to Start a Car in Freezing Cold Winter Weather

www.wikihow.com > ... > Cars > Car Maintenance and Repair

wikiHowFreezing cold weather can take a toll on car batteries. ... It's much more difficult to start a cold car with a mostly-empty tank, so do yourself a favor and gas up ...

Why is it so hard to start a car in the winter? - HowStuffWorks

auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/.../start-car-in-winter.htm

To start a car in winter, your engine has to work extra hard. Learn the top 3 reasons your car is hard to start in cold winter weather.

Debunking 5 Cold-Weather Car Myths - Popular Mechanics

Hello My Fixya Friend, Such things happen in winter seasons. Still if you have any doubts just visit the link I provide to you. They will guide you properly that what has happen to your car, and they will give you the solution for the same. Best Manuals

sounds like a fuel pump problem

pull off your starter and have it tested at your local auto parts store while cold... you may have a weak solenoid or some corrosion on the starter ring gear shaft.

Not an unusual problem.....

Most important- tune-up! Make sure your plugs, distributor cap and rotor (if so equipped), air and fuel filter are OK and have been changed (at minimum) according to your owner's guide.

If your vehicle cranks over slow when cold-starting, consider a new battery. In cold weather, batteries lose efficiency, and older batteries lose more power than new ones.

Next... Gas - the fuel in cold weather states has a formula change in winter months to lower emissions- sometimes going to the next higher grade of fuel (example: from regular to mid-grade) helps.

If you have a garage, keeping the vehicle inside makes a huge difference with cold weather starting.

Keep your fuel tank full. Running the tank down and leaving it near empty most of the time allows condensation, which will result in getting water in your fuel, leading to hard starts and poor performance, and the increased risk of "rusting through" which will cause a leaky fuel tank.

When is the last time you had a tune-up on your truck? During the cold winter months, if the battery does not have a proper level of cranking amps it is sometimes hard for the engine to turnover in the cold. You may need a tune-up or battery replaced.

nothing special,they have to start to leak sometime

Check for spark. Also listen for the fuel pump to kick on or spray starting fluid in the throttle body to see if it starts. If the fuel pump isn't kicking on then its your fuel pump and its located in the tank