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My car is hard to start sometimes

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talontsiboy24

10+ Year Contributor
869
3
Mar 28, 2009
60457, Illinois
Sometimes when i go start my car up it will crank over n over n over but wont turn on then i will stop for a few seconds and try again and it takes a couple cranks and turns on but takes a few seconds to get the idle where it should be this only seems to happen when the temps outside are 50f and above on coldstarts.

I know its not these parts because i just put them in:
Spark plugs have 2000 miles
Ignition wires have 2300 miles
Brand new alternator n belt just installed 1000miles
Battery Tested and putting out excellent volts.
New oem pcv valve 2300 miles

This been goin on even before i changed these parts it does it only once in a while and but most of the time it will fire right up in one crank no matter what the temp is outside.

The fuel pressure solenoid and purge control solenoid valve has been deleted can this be why my car is hard to start in warmer temps?

Also noticed my idle is lower in warmer outside temperatures then in colder can it be my mafs goin bad or this coolant temp sensor? Like today it was 70f and the idle wasnt as high as it would be in 30f.
 
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Have you checked the coolant temp sensor? If it's reading wrong it'll cause that.
 
If it cranks and cranks and cranks like you said it does sometimes, I highly doubt it's your starter.LOL I think it's passed the starter test.;)

Maybe you need to check your coolant temp sensor as they like to cause hard starting problems. Good luck!
 
1. Hmm, the hard start could be the FPR not holding fuel pressure and taking extra cranks to make the pressure needed to start.

2. As for the idle, does it idle really low at first(500-600rpm) then slowly build up? And is it worse on warm starts when the car has been sitting for like 20-30 minutes?

My car does number 2. and i'm stumped.
 
+3 on the Coolant Temp Sensor. Check the connection. Over time the wires around the thermostat housing tend to get very brittle and break. The sensor is the one towards the bottom with two wires. The one with one wire is for the temp gauge. and the one towards the top is for the A/C.

The ECU adjusts the Air/Fuel ratio depending on the temperature of the coolant. If the wire is broke, the ECU thinks it's -79 degrees(don;t quote me) and it will take forever to start.

This tread has some decent pictures.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/190667-93-talon-coolant-temp-sensor.html
 
+3 on the Coolant Temp Sensor. Check the connection. Over time the wires around the thermostat housing tend to get very brittle and break. The sensor is the one towards the bottom with two wires. The one with one wire is for the temp gauge. and the one towards the top is for the A/C.

The ECU adjusts the Air/Fuel ratio depending on the temperature of the coolant. If the wire is broke, the ECU thinks it's -79 degrees(don;t quote me) and it will take forever to start.

This tread has some decent pictures.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/190667-93-talon-coolant-temp-sensor.html

i pulled the connectors off the sensors and found them to be very dirty so i wiped them clean and put the connectors back so will see if that helped any.
 
i pulled the connectors off the sensors and found them to be very dirty so i wiped them clean and put the connectors back so will see if that helped any.

Keep us posted, not only that but the sensor itself might be causing the issue. Let' see how that goes, let us know.
 
Keep us posted, not only that but the sensor itself might be causing the issue. Let' see how that goes, let us know.

Yea cleaning the connectors did nothing still was hard to cold start the car so should i just go by a new coolant temp sensor its $17.99 at autozone or does it have to be oem? Also heard if its bad it will throw a cel but i have no cel lights on?
 
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You had your EGR system eliminated somehow, for the two lines runs to the two connections of the EGR and intake manifold.

It runs in a loop system that operates both sides of the EGR diaphram - it's a "push and pull" type of EGR valve.

There should be two connections by the throttle plate that should be closed off if the vacuum lines to the EGR and this thermal valve are missing.
 
I had that kind of problem when I first swap my new motor in my 1990 talon awd. try to mess around with the wiper relay by the battery on the firewall. I was messing with that and that solve my problem.
 
Now that the temps are down in the 30s my car fires up right away i think it starts doin this when its warmer out so should i just get a new coolant temp sensor and see what happens i mean its only $17 and i can always return it what do guys think? bwd or duralast coolant temp sensor or has to be oem?
 
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I think if you have the option of returning to the store, get one and see if it will work but as far as the

best brand I would stay with the OEM because it is made for your specific car. I know it is pricey but in

my opinion its the best solution. I had the same issue but it was not the temp sensor, it was the one of

the two solenoid that sits on top of the brake fluid reservoir. My Fuel pressure control solenoid valve

was toast. The shop that I went to did bypass it and the car did start a lot faster.
 
If the car has been driven and fully warmed up when i shut it down couldnt i remove the connector on the coolant temp sensor and hook up a multimeter to it and see if its working i mean wouldnt the sensor still be hot when i turn the car off? What should i set my multimeter to when checking it 0hms?
 
I think if you have the option of returning to the store, get one and see if it will work but as far as the

best brand I would stay with the OEM because it is made for your specific car. I know it is pricey but in

my opinion its the best solution. I had the same issue but it was not the temp sensor, it was the one of

the two solenoid that sits on top of the brake fluid reservoir. My Fuel pressure control solenoid valve

was toast. The shop that I went to did bypass it and the car did start a lot faster.

Now that its cold like 20s n 30s it fires up instantly everytime and i noticed when its colder outside it idles a bit higher then when the temperature outside is warmer?
 
Do you have an AFPR, high flow fuel pump, and/or a fuel pressure gauge? (I don't know because you still haven't filled out your vehicle info) If you do, check to see what your fuel pressure is right after you turn off your engine. If it drops to 0 instantly, its likely your AFPR. If it slowly falls down to zero, it would point towards your fuel pump or an injector stuck open.

If your running E85 cold starts are normal but can be corrected somewhat with dsmlink v3. If your running 91 oct and are seeing cold start issues its either your fuel pump, fuel injectors, or adjustable fuel pressure regulator not keeping the pressure at the rail.
Start your car then shut it off then jump out and look at your fuel pressure gauge on your afpr, if its at ZERO then something needs replaced.
-If the afpr is old sometimes the diaphram inside it won't seat and you'll lose fuel pressure that way, you can get rebuild parts for it or buy a new one. (this was my problem) Aeromotive afpr Rebuild Kit
-If the check valve inside your fuel pump goes bad you'll also lose pressure but slowly in the rail, the fuel pump will work fine though after its primed the fuel system.
-Sometimes you'll have a leaking injector and the only way I know how to troubleshoot that is to put in a new set and watch your afpr gauge and see if you lose pressure after you shut the car off.

Attach a log of your cars idling problems rolling up to a light... are you running bigger IC piping?

:dsm:

Check out this thread for more info: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/372072-cold-start-issues.html#post152221415
 
Do you have an AFPR, high flow fuel pump, and/or a fuel pressure gauge? (I don't know because you still haven't filled out your vehicle info) If you do, check to see what your fuel pressure is right after you turn off your engine. If it drops to 0 instantly, its likely your AFPR. If it slowly falls down to zero, it would point towards your fuel pump or an injector stuck open.



Check out this thread for more info: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/newbie-forum/372072-cold-start-issues.html#post152221415

no i dont have a afpr or cold starting issues its when its warm outside but my air fuel ratios are fine when crusing and at idle. im gonna test my coolant temp sensor and make sure its working properly and get back to u guys and like i said it fires right up when its cold outside but when its warm out sometimes it will have to crank n crank n crank to turn on and then my idle will take a min or less to get to its normal point.
 
no i dont have a afpr or cold starting issues its when its warm outside but my air fuel ratios are fine when crusing and at idle. im gonna test my coolant temp sensor and make sure its working properly and get back to u guys and like i said it fires right up when its cold outside but when its warm out sometimes it will have to crank n crank n crank to turn on and then my idle will take a min or less to get to its normal point.

The cold start I was talking about has to do with the engine and nothing to do with the outside temp. Cold start meaning that the engine has been off for several hours or more. But since your issue is apparently related to to the outside temp and you have no way of seeing your fuel pressure anyways, you can dissregard my post.
 
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