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I have a 92 GX wagon that has a problem starting when cold. To start the car I have to keep it cranking for at least 20 seconds whilst pumping the throttle. When it does try to fire you have to carefully feather the throttle to get the revs up.

Once its started I have to hold the revs up around 1500 for maybe 20 seconds. from then on it runs fine.

The car has 4 stored codes:

O2 sensor
TPS
Injector #4
coolant temp sensor

I ran a diagnostic yesterday and there were no current codes (the car was warm)

the car is jerky on light throttle so I suspect the TPS is worn. apart from that it drives great. it has only done 170k so it should be in good nick.

any ideas on what could be causing the cold start problems?

fuel injector spray not up to scratch won't come up as an error code, nor if the fuel pressure bleeds off ovenight

Out of all those codes, I'd be betting on the Coolant temp sensor. Happend to my Gen2. Not sure about the Gen 1 , but in my case there's two sensors, and the one of interest was on top of the engine (block or head I can't remember)

If it's not working properly, it's like starting an old carby car in the cold.. without the choke.

Also, I believe they have a habit of going faulty intermittently / only when cold (and that's what happend to me) , hence you won't see an error all the time.

G'day VV,

Has swapping any of those sensors/cleaning the TPS helped out at all?

I'm starting to wish that when my subi had starting issues I swapped individual sensors to find out which one was the dodgy one - but I did all the swapping out in the snow so I wasn't there to stuff around!

For those that might also be having the same issue, I shared this video with VV on bookface, to keep the info together here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLxO4ETlk9c

Cheers

Bennie

Yep, temp sensor sounds like the obvious place to start testing/replacing.

I had planned to swap the temp sensor over from my other car to test but either the fault is intermittent, or Grant was on the money.

The last few times I have tried to start it I have left the ignition on for about a minute before starting. It fires up perfectly. So it may just be a sticky IAC valve.

Did you get it sorted?

I would have said Coolant Temp Sensor and/or Ignition Relay

So I have had this problem with my EJ22 in my vortex. and via google search I found this thread

I swapped the ignition relay... no change, the coolant temp sensor ... no change, the crank angle sensor made a difference but still had an intermittent problem ... I then change the igniter and the problem has stopped (hopefully for good) I will find out for sure at 5.20 tomorrow morning when I go to work

TOONGA

And the verdict is??

Bennie

El_Freddo wrote:And the verdict is??

Bennie

My vortex thread has the conclusion to this saga.

I need a timing kit

TOONGA

Don't recall your Vortex throwing up these codes Jules?

Vincentvega, did you ever get it sorted?