Background: Car had CEL with insufficient EGR gasses. The car also became near impossible to start when it got cool out (SOCAL, <50 degrees F) and has sat for >12 hours. It turns over very strong, I can hear the fuel pump on, and CEL light comes on and goes out like it is supposed to (main relay). It sputters and then starts up, or when warm starts right up and runs great...no issues once it is running.

I am somewhat limited in space, tools, and experience so I brought it to a shop where they checked the EGR valve (working correctly) and ended up being the clogged metering ports and cleaned them similar to the posting on this site...CEL went out. But this did not resolve the cool weather starting after it has sat for a while.

I have spent the past few days searching the site and checking the possible issues and what I have gathered is possible EGR, FITV, IAC, main relay, fuel issues. My question is: can I rule out any of these issues because of how well it starts when warm and how well it runs once started. BTW, in the last 6 months has had timing belt changed, new battery, checked alternator.

Thanks for all your help.

 

Also, would a faulty distributor be a possible cause when the car is cool and not a factor after it has run or ambient temperature has increased?

 

your car needs a long highway drive, i'd say fill it up with premium and maybe some octane booster and take a nice long drive down the highway, i had almost the same problem

 

[QUOTE=jbparrothd21]My question is: can I rule out any of these issues because of how well it starts when warm and how well it runs once started.QUOTE]

I would rule out the relay and the IACV...your getting fuel when its warm and thats when relays start showing symptoms....I assume it idles fine once its warm? which would rule out the IACV.

I would start at the FITV, since it controls idle until the car is warm.

 

Thanks for the responses, I will check the FITV first...that was kind of my line of reasoning also, but I am far from an expert. I dont think the highway driving is necessary an issue just because I put about 3k highway miles on the car recently going from FL to CA and go to work every day on the highway. I do appreciate all of the help though, I will try the octane booster. If nothing else, it will give me an extra 25 horsepower right?

 

Quick update; not the FITV; I just tested that today and it is working very well. I did find a vacume port that was capped off; but the cap was shredded on the bottom, so I will replace that tonight and see if it fixed the problem tomorrow.

 

I'll yet gain throw ignition coil pack! swap with a brand new one and see if it starts right up in the cold.

 

Alright....not fixed. Wouldnt start again this morning, so it was not the vacuum issue; or atleast not the leak that I found. I will check the ignition coils today to see if that could be the issue.

 

Not the ignition coil. I ran the test from the service manual and the resistance between the A and C terminals was slightly low 0.3-0.4 ohms (manual says 0.64 - 0.78) so I believe that is not the issue? Besides it runs very well once it starts. Tomorrow I will try and run the test on the ICM

 

How do your spark plugs look?

 

Just pulled the spark plugs today...they have a bit of carbon buildup but nothing severe. All the gaps are within specs.

Also ran the service manual's test on the ICM and everything was normal. I have absolutely no clue. Any other ideas?

 

I'm having the same issue in my 4th gen, confusing as ****!

 

Maybe we can eliminate what is not causing the problem.
On my car I have checked the battery, starter, alternator, ICM, FITV, Every vacuum hose I can find, Distributor cap and rotor, spark plug wires. I dont believe it is the fuel system because of how well it runs once it starts and I can hear the pump come on when I turn on the key...that and the fact I dont have a gauge. Let me know if you have anything else. Oh and I am going to change out the plugs tomorrow just in case that was the cause.

 

I found this on the web in regards to a car that cranks but won't start, and has spark and compression, and you can hear the fuel pump prime:


Step 6 -Test fuel injector pulse and supply voltage output (test is used for most cars). This test will tell you if the computer system has operating voltage and injector trigger signal. Remove an electrical connector from a fuel injector (it doesn't matter which injector) probe both sides of the connector with a grounded test light (there are only two terminals). Have a helper turn the key to the "on" position without cranking the engine and observe the test light. The test light should illuminate one side of the connector only. Next, switch the test light lead to the positive side of the battery to test the system ground injector trigger, probe the side of the connector that did not light up, have a helper crank the engine over and observe the test light, it should blink on and off. If this test checks ok continue to next step. (note: if no injector pulse is present try disconnecting the remainder of injectors and re-test, if a fuel injector is shorted it can shut down the injector driver causing no injector pulse. If injector pulse returns plug injectors electrical connectors in one at a time until the pulse fails and replace that injector)

If this test revealed that there was no pulse but system has power the ECM is not generating a fuel injector trigger. If there is no trigger to the fuel injector it will not allow fuel to enter into the engine. Some of the most popular reasons that can cause this condition include a shorted crankshaft angle sensor, shorted camshaft position sensor or shorted ECM/PCM. (when a system trouble code scan is performed it does not always catch a crankshaft angle sensor, camshaft position sensor failure). Tip: try disconnecting all non-essential sensors, example: oxygen sensor, coolant sensor, throttle position sensor, air intake temperature sensor, mass air flow or map sensor and EGR valve pressure differential sensor. Crank the engine over, if the injector pulse returns, one of the sensors is shorted causing the system to not operate. Plug the sensors in one at a time until the injector pulse fails then replace that sensor and reassemble.

If the test reveals that the connector has no power on either side at any time the system power has been disrupted. Some of the popular reasons for this is condition is main ECM/PCM fuse, main ECM/PCM power relay and main ECM/PCM power feed wire failure. (some vehicle ECM/PCM feed wires are located near the battery and corrosion can stop the voltage feed). If all power sources check out the system ground needs to be checked, this is done by reversing the test light lead and installing it on the positive side of the battery. Now the the test light will illuminate when grounded. Use the test light to check main system grounds to the ECM/PCM, most system ground wires are black but to be sure you will need an online auto repair manual. If repairs have recently been made a system ground lead could have been left off of the engine causing the system not to power up, so double check all engine wiring harness grounds.

 

resistance in the coil pack honestly means ****. Mine tested withen factory spec and they were the issue without a doubt in my situation. I'd still try to find a good working condition coil pack and try it if you can't come up with a solution. Coil pack works funny in cold weather when they are older.

I had exact same symptoms. It started beautifully in warm weather or after it has been fired up that day, but cold start mornings, it would be hard to start, and would stall out right away if it did start. After it had been fired a few times though it worked like normal (run and start coils were not conducting as well as they should in cold weather)

I hate just swapping parts out without knowing for a fact, but thats occasionally how you have to do it if your not a Good mechanic.

 

Is there a way to check the output voltage of the ingition coil that you know? I guess I am at the point where it is the most likely part that is bad, so replacing it wouldnt be a terrible idea; especially since the shop would charge out the butt for a phantom problem.

 

yeah to swap out your coil with a new one is only about 100 bucks or so. You can ofcourse do it yourself so no labor

 

Update: I swapped out the ignition coil and didnt have any problems, at least for a little while. The car has just begun not starting again when cold and left sitting. I just did a compression test and got 150/140/140/135, so it looks good there. The problem is I cannot get it to fail when I have time to work on it so every time I go to test it, it is getting good spark, fuel, pressure and sensors are working. Next time I can get it to fail I will check the fuel pressure, spark (again, this time with a tester) and injector pulses if I can.