17 replies to this topic

[Milo]

This has been happening for the last three years getting steadily worse. I have tried to take good notes to find out as much as I can. Here is what I got:

1. Hard to start below 40F (the starter hits right away, it cranks about a second then takes)
2. Below 35F (the starter hits right away, it cranks for anywhere from 5 to 10 seconds then takes very rough like only a few cylinders hitting then die, this will happen around eight more times, then it will start actually taking, got to idle at 1200 for about a second then die.)

last year and the year before I just had to stay with it. This year was the first time it would get to idle and then die, once that happened it never seemed to start, so I'd push it into the garage wait several hours until the engine block was the same temperature as the garage, and it'd start right up, no problems.

I have noticed that when she doesn't start and I was walking back into the house I could hear the whining of a motor coming from the under the throttle body cover. I didn't have my torx set with me so I don't know what exactly was making the noise.

Octane numbers make no difference. Tried it with 87 tried it with 91, no difference. It seems to be aggravated by altitude, I was at 9000ft the whole time the hard starting was happening, but the garage was at 9000ft too and when she warmed up she was fine.

1995 850 Turbo Wagon ~240k (new fuel pump)

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

Milo

[shellshock]

It really sounds like a coolant temp sensor. Is the car throwing any codes?

I'm pretty sure the wining noise you are hearing is normal. Is it coming from the throttle spool area? The one with the black cover over it? If so, its just the IAC motor, which is normal

[AlvinL]

Clean the IAC and see if that helps. It's clean when the valve moves freely.

[7 VII 7]

Clean the IAC and see if that helps. It's clean when the valve moves freely.

what causes it to get gunked up?

[Keaton85]

what causes it to get gunked up?

PCV & turbo oil vapor... ever looked inside of the IC hoses?

[7 VII 7]

PCV & turbo oil vapor... ever looked inside of the IC hoses?

if I had one I would

[Keaton85]

Well you have a PCV system that will clog it up with small amounts of oil vapor over time.

Ive NEVER seen one get that bad though, it's rare.

[Milo]

I'll check codes tonight. No dash lights, except for the perpetual SRS warning light (maybe I should get that fixed)

[Milo]

I meant to say that I'll clean the IAC as well. I'm waiting for a throttle body gasket so that I can pull that and clean it at the same time.
milo

[Keaton85]

I meant to say that I'll clean the IAC as well. I'm waiting for a throttle body gasket so that I can pull that and clean it at the same time.
milo

Just do the IAC and worry about the TB later... that wont mess up your cold starts.

[Milo]

I know. I just have a rather small garage, and I don't like pulling out all my projects to work on the car so when I do it I want to get a bunch done. It's warm here in socal right now so I am not too worried, hell maybe Ill just do it tonight.

[Keaton85]

It takes about 2 minutes! only T25? bolt!

[Milo]

So I pulled the IAC and flushed it with carbcleaner. but while I was pulling it off the upper IAC hose broke at the top cable clamp. I have made due with wedging it further onto the VAC tee but I'll need a new hose and I couldn't find one on FCP. Is this a dealer parts only sort of thing?

Also it hasn't changed the initial take off of the starter (although I didn't expect it too). When it's cold it still takes a little bit more cranking to go than normal.

Any ideas? thanks for the help so far!

[Keaton85]

You don't need a clamp, how broken is the hose?

How long are we talking of a delay?

[Milo]

Ill take a picture tonight but the upper hose leaving the IAC and hitting the vac tree had a clamp on the vac tree joint. the hose actually broke into two pieces at that clamp, I pushed it further on to the vac tree and clamped it back on but now the IAC is tilted at about 30 degrees.

Not too long around 1 second of cranking. Warmer weather it hits right away, very cold weather was when it would sit cranking for 5 to 10 seconds. It hasn't got cold enough here to do that again. I am trying to figure out a way to have the car reproduce this problem without driving up to some cold climate and likely getting stuck there.

[jdlc]

Ill take a picture tonight but the upper hose leaving the IAC and hitting the vac tree had a clamp on the vac tree joint. the hose actually broke into two pieces at that clamp, I pushed it further on to the vac tree and clamped it back on but now the IAC is tilted at about 30 degrees.

Not too long around 1 second of cranking. Warmer weather it hits right away, very cold weather was when it would sit cranking for 5 to 10 seconds. It hasn't got cold enough here to do that again. I am trying to figure out a way to have the car reproduce this problem without driving up to some cold climate and likely getting stuck there.

That hose is dealer only, cost about $12 and they usually stock it, but call 1st to make sure.

When was your basic tune up last done (plugs, wires, cap, rotors, fuel filter, air filter)?

[Milo]

(plugs, wires, cap, rotors, fuel filter, air filter)?

Plugs ~50K
Wires (unknown >50K)
Cap ~50K
Rotors? (brake rotors just done )
Rotor (dizzy and cap) ~50K
Fuel Filter ~5k (pump went a month or so ago so I did the filter at the same time)
Air Filter ~10k

I was thinking that it's possible that the fuel filter relay was acting up in cold temperatures so I was going to try pulling it and bringing it in the house and going from that, but I gave up on that when I figured that I wouldn't be getting anything (not even a rough start) if the relay was gone.

Now that I write all that maybe I should do something about it.

[volvohot]

its probably the ECT sensor problem or thermostat
im getting the similar problems. hard start up in cold weather if at all in 20s. 30's no problem.
p0116 errors came up.