1998 rs eclipse hard to start and rough to idle

[chrisrauh]

I need some help please, I have a 1998 eclipse rs with a all stock motor. My problem is after a while sitting the car will start up fine but after a few days of driving she starts hard. Like ill have to hold down the gas pedal before it will start then it will idle rough and sometime dies. Also the water temperature will read hot even to the car is not over heating, I know the temperature Senor is bad but would that ### the hard starting and rough idle?

 

[PlanZero]

Absolutely. You can buy a new sensor for $20 and install it in ten minutes with a 19mm combo wrench. I had the same problem. Just make sure you wrap the new sensor in Teflon tape and drain the coolant to below the sensor level!

 

[Lazyboy]

If the engine coolant temp sensor is bad, the ecu will not know what temp the motor actually is and it will add or subtract the wrong amount of fuel.