Car only starts cold or after sitting 20+ minutes

[TheMaverik]

Ok,

So I've got a weird problem and its got me stumped.

Car information:
1999 Eclipse RS W/ 420A and 90k miles.
Mods: Crane 14 turbo cams, Weisco Turbo Pistons, Cold Air. No turbo (bought it that way....didn't know it had turbo shit in it till I started digging around and trying to figure out why my compression numbers were low)

I was flushing the radiator the other day due to some overheat issues. I let the car sit and idle while doing this (about 20 minutes). I finished up, closed everything up and told my wife to go ahead and back her out. She put it in Reverse, let the clutch out and instantly the RPM's sky rocketed. She freaked and stalled. Went to turn the car on.....and nothing.

Could not get it to start. I had just recently installed the crank pulley (since it threw the old one at 70mph) so I said #### it, let's go return the pulley puller and I'll get a fuel pressure sensor (since I had already checked for spark).

Came back about 45 minutes later. Before testing anything, attempted to start her up, and she started, sputtered and shook....then went into normal idle.Check engine light popped up, went to read the code, and my reader kept telling me "Missing link" (This is not an error code....it just ment it could not connect). I just checked codes last week so I know the OBD port works. Figured whatever, and drove her the 20 miles required to get back home. No problem. Stopped at a friends. Started back up, no problem. Went home. That was yesterday.

Wife needed the car to go to the doctor today, so I went out to make sure she would start. Took a moment to start, and had a TINY sputter...but was fine. Idled high.

Shut her off.
Turned her back on.
Low idle.
Shut off and turned on for a third time. Got a fluctuating idle this time (800-1400). Shut it off again....then she wouldn't start.

Let her sit for about 10 minutes. Attempted to start her up, felt her try to go, feathered the gas pedal, and she started but sputtering and missing horrible.... mashed the gas to about 3k rpm as it sounded like a machine gun....within 20 seconds, sputter stopped, and she idled normal.

Drove her around all day, no issues. Whenever I had to turn her off, I had to wait 15+ minutes before turning her back on, otherwise she wouldn't turn over.

Any clue? This is driving me nuts. Never heard of an issue like this. Brand new battery, all grounds are good. I tried disconnecting the battery to remove the CEL, but it INSTANTLY pops a CEL whenever it starts (even if it starts correctly). CEL started with the start problems yesterday, otherwise I was CEL free.

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Shake_Zulla]

Ok,

Came back about 45 minutes later. Before testing anything, attempted to start her up, and she started, sputtered and shook....then went into normal idle.Check engine light popped up, went to read the code, and my reader kept telling me "Missing link". I just checked codes last week so I know the OBD port works. Figured whatever, and drove her the 20 miles required to get back home. No problem. Stopped at a friends. Started back up, no problem. Went home. That was yesterday.

I don't know what this means? I know that a missing link is used on turboed 420A's so the ECU doesn't cut the fuel when it sees positive pressure but I have never heard of a "missing link engine code". Try this instead.
2GNT.com - PCM_Error_Codes
and let us know. Plus you might want to post in the 420a bolt on section because a lot of us forget to check this area. Good luck

 

[95TalonOwner]

By saying "missing link", I'm assuming you mean your code reader couldn't connect the the ECU.

 

[TheMaverik]

Sorry for the confusion. The "Missing link" wasn't a P code or any read code...it was saying it could not establish a connection.

 

[TheMaverik]

Still having this issue. No new information. It's less frequent, but still ocurring.

 

[luv2rallye]

Sounds like the classic turbo vapor lock problem only you have a NT. Try checking the fuel rail pressure not being maintained after shutdown do to leak (possibly failing fuel pressure regulator).

 

[dboyle23]

Try jiggling the obd2 reader around when you connect it, sometimes they have to be in a sweet spot to connect.

 

[TheMaverik]

Sounds like the classic turbo vapor lock problem only you have a NT. Try checking the fuel rail pressure not being maintained after shutdown do to leak (possibly failing fuel pressure regulator).

If that were the case, wouldn't the problem be reversed? It would start within a quick amount of time....but wouldn't want to start if it sat too long?

As far as jiggling the OBD port: Tried it. Disconnected, blew both ends out with compressed air, wiggled, jiggled, and shook. Nothing.

 

[95TalonOwner]

Check your cigarette lighter fuse. usually the lighter and OBDII ports share the same 12v circuit.

 

[TheMaverik]

All fuses are working and good. Cig lighter works as well.

 

[Cortez117]

I had a problem with my 1996 esi where it would let me start and drive it for a short period of time and then it would stall. I would have to wait 15-20 minutes before i could start again. It ended up being my crank shaft sensor. I guess the sensor would get hot and the contacts or whatever would come apart and once it cooled would go back together. Weird but true. Try checking your Crank sensor.

 

[DOHCTA]

Have you checked all your connections?

- starter + Grounds. The no start sounds like this might be the problem but as for the weird idle. Tps? Or related sensors?

DOHCTA

edit - sorry I missed the last part of your original post. Forget my last post.

 

[luv2rallye]

If that were the case, wouldn't the problem be reversed? It would start within a quick amount of time....but wouldn't want to start if it sat too long?

You're right. I guess I wasn't very awake at 2:39am.

 

[Black-Out]

The last time I had a problem like that on an N/T (which I had before buying my GST) it turned out to be my fuel pump relay coil heating after a good long use, and the heat build up caused the coil field to collapse ........then the relay wouldn't work until it cooled back down..... the condition would come and go like the wind,and once it started there was usually enough field strength in the coil as long as the relay was on it wouldn't leave you with an engine stall.....but if you shut it off you can have a nice day.....cause that thing wasn't gonna start till the relay cooled back down......

 

[TheMaverik]

Bet you had fun trying to track that one down. I finally managed to get the codes read today. Its saying coolant temp fault (high voltage, faulty sensor, or improper wiring) and IAC fault (open loop, faulty sensor, or improper wiring)..

Since they both say improper wire, I'm thinking all these open wires from the previous dipshit owner are finally starting to do harm....so ill be changing out the engine harness when i get a chance. It's been starting every time since those issues... In the morning on the first start of the day it tends to be tempermental (morning dew maybe causing issues?) but after you get it going, she's good all day now.

 

[Shake_Zulla]

Bet you had fun trying to track that one down. I finally managed to get the codes read today. Its saying coolant temp fault (high voltage, faulty sensor, or improper wiring) and IAC fault (open loop, faulty sensor, or improper wiring)..

Since they both say improper wire, I'm thinking all these open wires from the previous dipshit owner are finally starting to do harm....so ill be changing out the engine harness when i get a chance. It's been starting every time since those issues... In the morning on the first start of the day it tends to be tempermental (morning dew maybe causing issues?) but after you get it going, she's good all day now.

Good for you
I like the key dance code better (like on my first post) but its good you got your OBD port working again.

 

[emain879]

Thats why i hate buying stuff from people. they dont know what the heck they are doing and they dont tell you they did anything until the car breaks and you findout they hacked the crap out of it.

 

[ramboman]

Did you get it to work or is it the same problem still if so check fuel pressure regulators cam angle sensor and check all your relays your kicking a code for miss firing since you said t spot and sputtered so its probably miss firing

 

[Black-Out]

Bet you had fun trying to track that one down. I finally managed to get the codes read today. Its saying coolant temp fault (high voltage, faulty sensor, or improper wiring) and IAC fault (open loop, faulty sensor, or improper wiring)..

Since they both say improper wire, I'm thinking all these open wires from the previous dipshit owner are finally starting to do harm....so ill be changing out the engine harness when i get a chance. It's been starting every time since those issues... In the morning on the first start of the day it tends to be tempermental (morning dew maybe causing issues?) but after you get it going, she's good all day now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Yah....certainly concidered blowing it up with C-4 or just plain putting a bullet in my head so I wouldn't be able to think about it .........to make matters worse I didn't have a wiring schematic or a DVOM.....Just a test light and a few instincs....

 

[TheMaverik]

Well I won't be able to change the engine harness until like the 1st week of june (getting ready to move, aint got time).

But something I have noticed: I cleared the codes, and they never came back. I have a CEL but only for the usual (exhaust leak.... still gotta call headman to get a gasket for their header). And now since the codes aint back, it didn't give me ANY problems on a cold start.

Makes me wonder if an ECU does NOT reset electric fault codes automatically...and since it had the codes, it was trying to adjust for something that only had an issue at one time (probably when i was flushing the rad and made everything underneath the hood wet, ) and since i reset the codes, it now isn't trying to compensate.

Will keep posted on what it does in the coming days.