I am trying to think what could cause this... in the morning when the enigne is cold, and it has been 30-40 outside... the Olds take a little while to get started.... it isn't abnormally long or anything.. but a solid 4 seconds (mississippi's)... hard to say how long it is... other then it really shoudln't take that long....

it got a full tune up when I bought it.... new plugs/wires, has a coil pack so there is no distrubutor, all new fluid and filters... and I recently replaced the O2 sensor....

When the engine is warm, it starts up alot more easy... still not as quick as it did over the summer.... it is SFI (the 3800 Series I in 1985 was first for distrubutor-less ignition and SFI on a production car :) )

it has 124.5k on it.. and it is 15 years old.... but I still think it shouldn't take as long to start as it does... I use Mobil DrieClean 5W-30... what it says to use on the oil cap.... maybe the injectors are dirty, adn I should run some cleaner in the tank.. I dunno.... any help?

Type of plugs????

Seems like everywhere I go Fords (V6's), and GM (alot of the time) cars have problems w/ aftermarket plugs

May not even be related but, about a yr into ownership of a 3.8 Ford we had a big problem of getting it started around the time it take you and random stallings here and there.........dealership kept the car for weeks before they claim it was just a spark plug wire.....hehe....and the dealer spent at least 2 grand trying to figure that out.

well, they are very different enignes.... to sum it up, the Ford 3.8 is junk and the GM 3800 is said to b one of the best V6's ever made :)

the wires are Xact, plus are AC Delco..... I don't remember if they are the platinium.... I think they are regular plugs.... they were replaced.... last January someitme, and that was about 6 or 7k miles ago....

One of the reasons I started the OldsmobileForums.com web site was to keep the things all-Cadillac around here. Try checking out the forums over there - it's not very busy, but you'll get an answer. If more people utilized that site, it would be a great resource for Oldsmobile owners and enthusiasts.

I went there.... and signed up..... but there is hardly any people there....

... I just figured that somebody may have any advance... an engine is an engine....

You said you replaced the filters, but did that include the fuel filter?

yes...

not origanally though.... the lines were rusted bad, so I had to take it to a shop, they had it over night, put line repair kits on it, and the new fuel filter (that I had bought to do it myself)... that made a big difference.. ran smoother, and more power... started easier too....

it is only when it is on a fresh cold start.... I don't know what it could be though...

Could be some moisture weakening the fuel mixture? Try some gas-line antifreeze. Is fuel getting to the injectors? Weak fuel pump?

if you get brave enough check the compression at the cold temps your haveing the problem ....perhaps the rings are worn and witht he alumium piston shunk down to its dead cold size maybe your not getting enough compression.....

also might find a way to check your cranking speed , ive had hard start cold issues on other GM cars where the starter isnt spinning the engine fast enough , ususly solved with a new starter or a real battery that produces the real advertised cold cranking amps .....

The ford 3.8 is more closely realted to that buick 3.8 than you would think ....you might say ford stole the idea ...search the internet , youll find the articles.....The reason for the Fords 3.8 being such junk is the head castings , there as cheap as you can get and crack if you even look at em wrong ......well not really , just very prone to cracking when the engine gets overheated , thell run many miles as long as you dont cook em....When i worked at the junkyard some years ago we had welll over 20 ford cars with the 3.8 , not a single one was running due to the cracked heads , all had stright bodys but had blown engines which is what put them there.....

unplug the vacuum line from the fuel pressure regulator, if fuel comes out of the vacuum line the diaphragm in the regulator is ruptured and needs to be replaced (the regulator that is). Just fixed a firebird with a 3800 with the same problem.