wierd problem. need help.

[Talon4ever]

ok i got this wierd problem. i have searched on the forums but have not found any exactly like mine. one day my car doesn't want to start. This is what it does. It will turn on for about a minute then start back firing like crazy and the rpms sputter. Then if you don't give it gas it dies. I had to rev it up every morning because once it got warm it would run fine. But wait, it is not constant. Sometimes like today it will not run even when it is hot. My dad said it was the coolant sensor since it only did it when it was cold. So we replaced that and it stopped. I thought it was fixed, but then about 3 weeks later it came back We know it is getting too much fuel cuz you can smell it, so it has to be something with the ignition. Then we replaced the power transistor. This fixed the problem, so we thought. About 2 1/2 weeks later it came back! I was supposed to go to the track today but the freakin car wouldn't start. I really think it is the power transistor so i am going to the junkyard to get another one. do you think the other one we got could have went bad? i really don't think both of them would be bad, would they? O yeah i replaced the coil and that was not it. I don't think it is the computer because then it wouldn't even run, would it? Sorry about the long thread, I just want to be detailed. I have been going through this for about 5 months already and ran out of ideas. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Talon4ever]

i thought i might add this but when this happens there is a loud clicking noise from the computer area and the car shoots white smoke. It is running rich so i thought the smoke would be black but this is not the case. Could it be a vacuum leak? I am running out of things. I want my car to run already.

 

[Talon4ever]

Anybody? I need my car for school tomorrow.

 

[Talon4ever]

Anybody? I need my car for school tomorrow.

 

[Coldandafraid]

you may want to check the ecu. the 1Gs have a habit of going bad.

 

[Talon4ever]

If it is the ECU then why does it clear up sometimes? Wouldn't it do this all the time? Like today, it did the same thing but I kept revving it and once it got hot it ran fine. Took it for a drive and it ran good and smooth. I don't think it will start tomorrow though. I need it for school. Thanks for the advice though.

 

[Talon4ever]

I am going to get another ECU and see if that is the problem. I was wondering if any year ECU 90-94 will work with my 93 Tsi AWD. Does it have to be a turbo one AND AWD or can it just be turbo FWD? Will any year work? Thanks, I am desperate.

 

[Kollide]

Sounds like a possible leaking head gasket. As it sits up over night the water seeps out into the cylinder and then when you start it up it burns off the water and coolant(white smoke). Once the engine heats up and the cylinder head heats up it temporarily seals the leak until the metal cools.

 

[Kollide]

Sounds like a possible leaking head gasket. As it sits up over night the water seeps out into the cylinder and then when you start it up it burns off the water and coolant(white smoke). Once the engine heats up and the cylinder head heats up it temporarily seals the leak until the metal cools.

 

[Talon4ever]

Finally fixed the problem. It turns out it was the ignition coils. I had replaced it with a used one before but I guess that one was no good either. Bought two brand new ones. $95 a piece. At least I get to drive my DSM.

 

[4g63tsiawd]

until 2 weeks go by and its broke again

 

[Talon4ever]

You're probably right. But for now I am happy that I can spank some more civics.