For a while I would start the car and I would get a very rough idle (car would shake around alot) and then even out after a few seconds. The problem persisted for a few months and began to get worse. Now I am at the point where the car will turn over, but not start unless I work at it for a while. Once the car is up and running it is fine and if I turn it off and turn it back on a few minutes later it will start. One thing I recently began to notice is the position I park the car in seems to effect the cars ability to start. For instance, if the front of the car is pointing down on an incline it has a real hard time starting. I also seem to be losing coolant over time and I am pretty sure it is not the radiator since I put a new one in a few months back, I might not of tightened the lower radiator hose clamp enough.

Here is what I have done to the car over the past few months in an attempt to remedy the situation.

-First I thought I got a bum tank of gas, so I bought the bottle of dry gas or whatever for a quick fix.
-Then I ran some fuel injector cleaner through.
-I took off the air intake and cleaned off the choke.
-I replaced spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap + rotor.
-I checked the ground wires I could find.
-Then I dropped the cash for a new distributor, put it in, but same problem.
-I checked the fuel filter and the car is getting fuel, because I can smell it.
-The fuel injectors are fine.

My next move is to replace the temperature sensor, because I read that this can cause rough starts. Can anyone tell me why the temp. sensor may not be working? If it turns out my coolant isn't coming from lower radiator hose any idea where else it could be coming from? If anyone has had a similar problem and found a remedy or know of something else I should try please let me know. I've been working at this car for the last couple of months and it is getting really frustrating.

Please don't use acronyms when describing car parts, because I am not that knowledgeable about the different car part names. I'm just good with tools.

 

You might want to test the ECT before repalcing it.




Pull off the vacum line to the Fuel Pressure Regulator; aka FPR and check for raw gas in it, that would mean a leaky diaphram.

When you start the engine, turn on the key and wait for the Check Engine Light;aka CEL to shut off. Then crank the engine, this allows the fuel pump to build full pressure letting injectors to spray a better pattern.