trouble starting sometimes

[S14 240SX-Rated]

i have a 96 240sx, and i had the car for about a week. and sometimes the car doesn't start when i turn the key, it just keeps chugging. however, when i gas it a little, it starts to "catch itself" and the engine starts up. Do you think i need new spark plugs?

[Dattebayo]

How about a complete tune up?Im sure you could use it...

[red_240_fastback]

mine was doing the same thing and mine ended up being the coolant temperature sensor

[NISTECH]

it could be either the coolant temp sensor connector, FICD, IAAC. Does your car have a fast idle once it is running on cold start up? should be some where between 1300 to 1800 rpm. If so your FICD is ok. IAAC could have carbon build up on it restricting some of the airflow not allowing enough air for the mixture it gets cold. usually a little adjustment to it compensates for it. The carbon build up could be on the throttle plate as well see if there is a black ring around the throttle plate in the throttle body. If so pick up some carb clean and a nylon brush[ tooth brush works good] and clean the carbon deposits off the chamber and the plate.

[ricebike]

a little late reply, but i had the same symptoms & started to go thru the FSM charts...battery voltage <it's a '99 manufactured date but still strong> ,clean connections, cleaning the coolant temp sensor terminals, then it dawned on me...

my gas filter was cloggin up... i removed the hoses to the filter, put the one end to a catch can...turned on the key w/out starting the car & saw huge gush of gas... soo i changed my gas filter...

whallah! it did the trick... don't wait till after 30K to change it out... i completely forgot about it the purolator gas filter lasted ~44K before cloggin up

[Kiwi_S13]

Are you just refering to the fuel filter? Ive been having similar probs lately, but it only seems to happen when its cold or wet. I put in a new ignition module, ignition coil, wires, rotor cap, dist cap, fuel filter, cts.. Is there a 'gas filter' that is something different from the fuel filter? I know it sounds dumb and everybody has different names for a lot of componets but I'm starting to get really frustrated!

Plugs I havent done yet..

[ricebike]

kiwi-

gas filter=fuel filter

i dunno about your problem, though, have to fumble thru the FSM to find if they have a flow chart for cold/wet hard starting problem