Car won't start when cold

[do2mind]

Good morning, gentlemen (and ladies?)...

My CB7 won't start when cold... anything less than about 37 or so. It just cranks, but doesn't catch... and the check engine light is on after I stop cranking while I'm waiting to try again (i.e. while the key is still in "run").

It's happened about six times on the coldest mornings... so far, after 2-4 minutes of cranking, if I turn it completely off, then try again, the check engine light goes out and it springs right to life. But I'm guessing this will get harder and then won't happen as it gets colder as we head into winter.

Any ideas? I'm thinking the Check Engine Light is the key?

Does the CEL keep it's last code? Is it easy to check myself, or should I take it to the garage?

[close2classic]

That CEL that first comes on then goes off represents your fuel pump priming!
Try troubleshooting your main relay and the search tab is your friend.

[do2mind]

That CEL that first comes on then goes off represents your fuel pump priming!
Try troubleshooting your main relay and the search tab is your friend.

The fuel pump is priming, I can hear it.

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For now, this appears resolved. About a week and a half ago, I put some fuel system cleaner in the tank... since then, I've been able to start every morning. And I'm guessing it's gotten cold enough to cause them problem since then... so at this point, I'm going to wait and see... if the problem doesn't come back, it was a dirty fuel system.

[do2mind]

For now, this appears resolved. About a week and a half ago, I put some fuel system cleaner in the tank... since then, I've been able to start every morning. And I'm guessing it's gotten cold enough to cause them problem since then... so at this point, I'm going to wait and see... if the problem doesn't come back, it was a dirty fuel system.

The problem is back... won't start when it's cold.

There's a workaround I think I read in some other thread... try to start 3 times... 2 seconds each... after the first and second time, let the key fall back to run... after the third time, turn all the way to off, wait a second, and then start again... fires right up.

If I try to go to off after only two times, it won't start... has to be three. So far, this has worked every time.

[do2mind]

it's back...

Well, this one has been an interesting journey...

The failure to start problem came back two weeks ago... and now the three tries, all the way off, and then it fires right up on the fourth try... that doesn't always work now... four out of five times it start up fine, but when it doesn't, it sometimes takes four to seven times now.

And... as of the night of the Carwin-Mir fight, I think there's a new tangent of the problem that's a BIGGER issue... the car will just cut out while driving... the engine will lose all power for between a quarter second to seven or eight seconds... the tachometer will drop like a rock... if it cuts out just a quarter second, it may only drop 500 rpm... if it cuts out for seven or eight seconds it goes all the way to zero and stays there. I can't tell what the engine is doing, but it feels like zero power... it doesn't feel like it's compression braking the car, though... just coasting. Then, when it cuts back in... it may "jerk" four or five times, the tach bouncing up and down... then it will catch again, and run fine.

I'm assuming the two problems are related, because the first problem showing back up coincided with the arrival of the second issue.

So.... because it kinda worked before... I put fuel injector cleaner in... and both issues have been mostly better for the last few days...

Still a mystery, though, because I can tell the issue is still there... just less.

Just for hahas, I got parts for a tuneup at AutoZone, will see if that makes a difference.

[h22sparkle]

check your grounds and change the battery with a good one.

[ExplodingCake]

Check your fuel pressure , fuel filter and spark plugs.

[do2mind]

Check your fuel pressure , fuel filter and spark plugs.

I bought parts for a tuneup, will do it this weekend. Will also check for oil at the spark plug wires. Should probably also replace the fuel filter. Just stuff that should be done anyway.

I'M THINKING IT MAY BE THE IGNITOR. The symtoms match what RustBucket described in the thread
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=10791

And that also matches below... as you may notice, one tangent ties my two problems together, which I think they're related...

The Check Engine Light that comes on when it won't start is #15... I found a troubleshooting flowchart for CEL 15, the troubleshooting steps they recommend are all above my head, and I don't have the recommended test gear, but the possible fixes are:
1) Check for poor connections or loose wires at the distributor connector and C209 (located at right shock tower).
2) Repair open in BLK/YEL wire between the 2P connector and the ignition switch.
3a) Replace the ignitor unit.
3b) Repair open or short YEL/GRN wires between distributor and ECU (A21 or A22).
4) Replace the ECU.

Okay, so obviously I'm hoping it's not the ECU so I'll save that for last... could any of you guru-ish god-like types give me a description what wires or parts I'm looking for (and where they are) to troubleshoot 1, 2, 3a, and 3b?

Since the part I suspect is the trouble is the most expensive fix, I might as well check the cheap stuff at the same time... wouldn't make sense to spend $80 bucks on an ignitor and then find out I still have the problem, and I could have fixed it with 20 cents worth of electrical tape.

As always, you guys are the best. Thanks.

D