Benj

I recently had a problem with hard starting on my b16a. The problem only happens when the car is parked for long hours at a time (around 15 hours or more). The engine would just crank and crank but won't start. After around 30 mins or so of checking everything (cleaning plugs) it will finally start but the engine will stutter incredibly. Taking out the spark plug wires one by one, I find out that cylinder no. 2 is not functioning properly. Normally taking out the plugs should make the engine stutter even further, but taking out number 2 plug wire, nothing happens. After a few mins. of warming up however, cylinder number 2 is back in operation again. At first we though it might be an injector problem, so we swapped the number 1 and 2 injectors. After waiting for more than 24 hours, we tried starting the car. again it wouldn't start. After another 30 mins or so of plug cleaning, it finally starts up but stutters. the problem is cylinder 2 again. I though it might be the plugs so i changed plugs, but same scenario, cylinder number 2 again. But after around 2 mins of warming up, cylinder number 2 gets back into operation again. Someone mentioned it might be that too much fuel gets unburned in cylinder 2, thereby causing the hard starting when left for long periods of time. I have been running rich for around a year now but this problem has only started this past week. I also noticed that on some of the plugs, in the gasket and thread area, there appears to be reddish fluid. My gasoline is colored red so I'm guessing the fluid is gas (smells like gas too). But the thing is, the spark plug in cylinder number 2 is always dry. So I'm starting to run out of ideas on what could be wrong, a gasket or seal maybe? Again, this problem happens only when the car is left parked for long periods of time (around 15 hours or more). Any time less than that and the car starts up fine...

Cliff Notes:

1. Car is hard to start after being parked for 15 hours or more.
2. After cleaning plugs, etc. car starts up, but cylinder 2 is not functional. After a few mins of warmup, cylinder 2 comes to life.
3. Thought it was the injectors so swapped injector from cylinder 1 and two.
4. Same problem persists. Thought it was the plugs, swapped plugs but still the same scenario.
5. Problem could be excessive unburned fuel in cylinder. I've been running rich for around a year now but this problem has only developed in the last week.
6. Found reddish fluid in some of the spark plugs in the gasket and thread area. My gasoline is colored red so I'm assuming it's gasoline. But spark plug in cylinder 2 is always dry.
7. Could be some oil seals, gaskets, etc. Running out of ideas.
8. Problem persists only when car is parked for long hours.
NEED HELP ASAP...

Spartanic

If you were running rich a year ago then it can't be becuase of your car running too rich and even if it was then the car would still start up after a few cranks. Could also be an ignition problem since your vehicle doesn't come to life until you clean the plugs. Have you checked your cap and rotor? It could be that the cap is so corroded that it is hard to start up after it has sat for a while(cooled down) and it'll probably start up just fine after you shut off your engine because the cap contacts are still hot or warm. Maybe the no.2 contact on the cap is seriously more corroded than the others, thus preventing it from making proper contact with the rotor. The rotor could possibly even be burnt out and need to be replaced. Anyhow you should do an inspection on these parts. Hopefully this helps.

Benj

I haven't checked the cap and rotor yet. But sometimes even when the car has sat for like 12 hours or so, which is sufficient time for the cap and rotor to cool off completely, the car would start up fine. Like I said, I noticed that only when the car has been sitting around 15 hours or more that it becomes hard to start.