Hard starting when cold, starts eventually

[scrub50187]

I have a 92 AWD turbo Talon MT and just one day it was rely hard starting. If I let my car sit for 3 hours or more, or even a day it takes forever to start. I have looked and looked through threads, and alot of people have problems with hot starts. When the engine does start and warms up it runs good, but if it is cold I can bump start it a bunch, and it will hit a couple of times and eventually start, if I just keep cranking it and not bump start it, it will just crank with no sign of even hitting at all. Changed fuel pump, didn't help, plugs, wires, timing, curbidle speed, nothing. I have seen some people looking at the fuel pressure regulator, and the Fuel pressure soleniod. I don't know exactly how to bypass that soleniod, and if I do, what will happen. I would have to bump start it for about 15-20 min. before it will finally start. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Scrub50187

 

[importboost]

CEL on? i know if you dont have a good ECT sensor it wont start when its cold outside. and if the motors cool it will take a while.

 

[DSM90AWD]

When you replaced the pump, did you also replace the o-ring to the hood? It's very important to replace this especially on a pump with many years on it. Also did you make sure you put a little oil/vasoline on the o-ring prior to installing the pump back in the hood? If not it can and will twist up causing a bad seal which will cause hard starts when cold (and make the pump run much less efficiently).

It's also possible you fueled up with some crappy gas. If so could have clogged up your fuel filter. May want to drain what gas you have left, change out the filter and fill up elsewhere.

 

[Talesin]

And DON'T bypass the fuel solenoid. It cuts vacuum during cold starts to make starting easier in cold climates. That's its entire purpose. If you live in a warm locale it can be bypassed to remove a possible point of failure and shorten the vac lines (slightly faster FPR response during boost/vac changes... almost unnoticeable unless you're tuned very heavily) with little ill effect.

 

[DSM90AWD]

And DON'T bypass the fuel solenoid. It cuts vacuum during cold starts to make starting easier in cold climates

Hopefully you didn't hear that from me but the FPR solunoid actually boosts fuel pressure at hot starts to help prevent "vaporlock" (e.g. fuel turning to vapor in the rail due to heatsoak from the engine)

 

[scrub50187]

OK this is weird, I can get the car to start alot faster now if I just barley pump the gas realy fast while bump starting it. I also have alot of smoke that comes out when I am shifting from 3rd to fourth to 5th, when the BOV opens. Could this mean it is time for a new turbo???? last time I checked it didn't have any shaft play but still smoked. I am also getting alot of blow-by from somewhere, I already had the cam seals and valve guides done. It is so bad that it spits oil out of the oil cap. When it is cold and I try to start it, it sounds like air puffs out from somewhere as it cranks like there is a vaccum leak somewhere. But it goes away pretty fast and I can't hear it when the car is running. The car runs good when it is warmed up except for the smoke and oil everywhere but other than that it runs good I am also still running stock boost.

 

[importboost]

boost leak and compression checks

 

[femmeDSM]

The car runs good when it is warmed up except for the smoke and oil everywhere

Haha, that made me l-o-l. Ah, the life of a DSMer

But anyway, to help a bit with your problems....
Definitely do a boost leak test to see where the "air puff" noises are coming from.

As for the hard starting, the other posters hit it right on with checking the ECT (coolant temp sensor) and the fuel pump O-Ring. The fact that the car is easier to start when you pump the throttle makes me lean a little more toward the fuel pump o-ring, also. Mine kept crimping and twisting down out of the housing, so I (ghetto) rigged something up that has held up quite well -- I cut a 1/4 inch (maybe smaller) piece of fuel line and made a "spacer" underneath the o-ring to keep it seated in its proper position. The fuel line is a little hard to get up into the housing -- Just spray the whole thing with plenty of WD-40 and it'll do the trick.

 

[Mr4G]

if it has blow by and is smoking when you shift you might have bad rings. what color is the smoke. (if it is blue most likely rings). as for the hard starting that could be because of really bad compression or maybe a really bad boost leak which would explain the smoke if it is not blue.

 

[DSM90AWD]

I also have alot of smoke that comes out when I am shifting from 3rd to fourth to 5th, when the BOV opens. Could this mean it is time for a new turbo????

Or you should reconnect your BOV return line back to the intake.

last time I checked it didn't have any shaft play but still smoked. I am also getting alot of blow-by from somewhere, I already had the cam seals and valve guides done. It is so bad that it spits oil out of the oil cap. When it is cold and I try to start it, it sounds like air puffs out from somewhere as it cranks like there is a vaccum leak somewhere. But it goes away pretty fast and I can't hear it when the car is running. The car runs good when it is warmed up except for the smoke and oil everywhere but other than that it runs good I am also still running stock boost.

Replace PCV valve, replace oil cap gasket, check turbo inlet/outlet for oil accumulation, compression test engine, leak test intake and reconnect that BOV line if "venting". Or just push it off a cliff and start over.. nah.. that would be too easy