Very Hard to Start Redtop in the Morning

[onecrazyfoo4u]

I have a redtop in my 95 s14 and it'll take almost 2 minutes every morning to get it running. You have to give it gas in order for it to finally start. I know it's probably flooding the engine, but that's the only way it starts. When it finally starts, it sputters and sounds like it's missing and trys to die. You have to keep giving it gas for a few seconds, then it'll finally idle; I'm sure it's just the unburnt gas burning away. Once it warms up, the idle is really speratic and random....it'll idle at 4-500 then go up to 12-1300 then back down, it just doesn't hold constant at all.

Starter and battery are good, I'm thinking it's a fuel problem. I have a walbro pump, 300zx fuel filter, and new spark plugs on the way. Is there anything else that it could possibly be? Like any sensors or parts that I could clean out in the meantime to try and fix it? Also, i've heard of the IACV causing idle problems, where is it at? Thanks.

[I ask good questions]

How about coolant temperature sensor? Its a small sensor to the right of the throttle body. They connector for it is red i think.

[onecrazyfoo4u]

Never heard of the coolant temp sensor causing idle problems. What exactly does it do? Does it just read the coolant and send the signal to the temperature gauge in the car? I'll have to check it out.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

the coolant temp. sensor is not your problem..what that sensor does is send the coolant temp to the ecu..depending on the temperature of the coolant/engine the ecu tells the injectors how much fuel to put in..if the sensor goes bad then what will happen is after you have your engine up to warm/ hot temperature then shut it off and try to restart it while its still hot the car will not start because the ecu is getting a signal that the engine is actually cold therefore telling the injectors to dump more fuel in for a cold start and therefore flooding it..sounds similar to your problem but your engine is cold when this happens and only in the morning..i would check your fuel pump first..is it new?

[onecrazyfoo4u]

I think it's still the stocker in there, i've got a walbro 255 that'll be here friday though. I'm thinking fuel too, so I'll replace the pump and filter, see what that does. Yeah, my car fires up just fine when the engines warm, it's just on cold engines at night after work or in the morning. Anything else it could be besides the pump? Thanks!

[nismo-man2]

I had this happen to me its extremely rare but its worth posting. My car would run like crap in the morning until I changed my coil pack. Apparently the seal on one of the coil packs was allowing the morning dew to get in make the spark plug wet. Once the car warmed up and burned off the condensation it was good fine. Again this is rare but it happened to me.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

did you have a coil pack cover or were your coilpacks out in the open? interesting..how the hell did you figure that one out lol..onecrazy i was thinking a clogged fuel filter or injectors but you have to take into perspective of when the problem occurs..only cold starts..so its not like after the engine is shut off the filter or injectors clog..feel me? I really think its the fuel pump..i am confused..you are on the stock one right now but you are going to put another in and then your walbro which comes soon?

[onecrazyfoo4u]

Yeah, I actually just purchased the car with the swap already installed (got it for a killer deal since it wasn't running right). I'll be putting the walbro in friday when ups finally delivers it. I think it's a combination of the spark plugs (also on order) and the fuel pump. Because the car doesn't run perfect once it warms up, just better then when I have to start it cold.

The idle is constantly messed up, it never stays constant. It has died on me a couple of times, when the engines nice and hot too. And it'll hesitate around 4 or 5k rpm when I full throttle it, just a bit of hesitation though. I'm just hoping it's just the pump and nothing more serious.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

ya well let us know because now that i know there is some hesitation/ bogging while driving that kind of changes the whole game up..because i thought you just had start up problems..now knowing this it is possible it could be a clogged fuel filter or bad fuel injector or maybe even something giving spark..what you should do before you stuff gets to you is check your tps and maf voltage and let us know what you get..you running rich at all?

[onecrazyfoo4u]

Right now I don't have any gauges, so it's hard to tell if I'm rich or not. The car does backfire sometimes, when I let of the gas and coast. I'm guessing it's extra fuel being burnt off in the exhaust, is that correct? I'll be cruising in 3rd at like 3k rpm, then let off the gas and coast, it pops a little bit and backfires really loud sometimes.

[S13FASTBACKSR]

can you tell by smell if you are running really rich or is there black smoke coming from your exhaust pipe? backfiring is more of a detonation/ timing thing..however timing can determine richness or leaness if its not correct so you may be a little on the rich side but probably nothing serious if you arent pouring black smoke out..do you have a volt meter

[onecrazyfoo4u]

The only time I smell gas is in the mornings when I have to pump it a little bit to get it started. Don't smell gas at any other times, and there hasn't been any smoke of any color at all from the exhaust. yeah, I have a buddy with a voltmeter, I'll have to check the tps and maf. I guess it's better to run rich then lean isn't it?

[S13FASTBACKSR]

ya it is...let us know your voltage readings or if your fuel pump fixes the problem..whichever comes first..good luck my friend

[FSUDrifter]

my car idled funny, hesitated at 4-5k. replaced my coilpacks --> no more hesitation.

Does it hesitate when you rev it up not moving? If it only does it under load then you know it's an ignition system problem.

[onecrazyfoo4u]

Sounds like my problem is the exact same as yours was. Yeah, it only hesitates under boost too, around 3500, 4500, and 5500, seems like every 1k rpm it'll hesitate, but not if you rev it sitting still. That's wierd, I've never heard of it being an ignition problem if it's just under load. Did you just replace it with stock coilpacks, or are there some aftermarket ones available? Thanks alot.

[FSUDrifter]

got stock ones from courtesy parts. the aftermarket ones are a lot more and I was told don't do anything unless you have over 400 hp.

Yeah a mechanic told me the thing about load and ignition system, so I think it's a plausible theory.