Starting problems

I have recently encountered problems starting the car. It refuses to start off the Cliford remote (although tries very hard) and even when I sit in the car and start it off the key it will not idle but cuts out.

Initially I thought it must be water getting into the induction kit via the TRD bonnet cut outs but alleviated that problem by covering the holes. That didnt cure the starting problem. I then thought that maybe it was a need for new plugs and fitted them, but that didnt work either.

I was then told that maybe it was the cold start valve (I think that was what was said) not working and hence the car not idling when cold but functioning OK when warm. That seemed logical until I jumped in the car tonight (it had not been started since yesterday evening) and started it on the key. The revs then went up to 1100 and it idled perfectly.

So, my question is, does this valve thingy suffer from a "sticky syndrome"? Should I go to Mr. T and have him check it out? Or, what other advice would you offer a complete numpty when it comes to anything remotely mechanical.

Originally posted by CJ

Initially I thought it must be water getting into the induction kit via the TRD bonnet cut outs but alleviated that problem by covering the holes. That didnt cure the starting problem.

sori - not much help i know but i have never had any problems with my bonnet and start-ups ...... w/o rain guards too. hope you get this sorted soon mate.....

Thanks Roy

It is a strange one this! I tried to start it agin this morning on the remote and it fired up first tme and idled as it should do until warm. I can only assume that it was a sticky valve thing?

I would still appreciate anyone else's views though.

Sounds plausible. Take it orf and clean it out, it's a quick enough job.

-Ian

CJ,

Basically the way the car idles is to let air by-pass the throttle body. This is done by a stepper motor, which is controlled by the ecu.

When the engine is cold the ecu tells the stepper motor to let more/less (can never remember which) and also to change injector duration accordingly.

So if the idle control valve (the stepper motor bit) is knackered then you shouldn't get an idle at all, cold or warm, unless the valve itself is being affected by temperature.

My first guess would be the inlet temp probe. If it's mis-reading, then it would be letting in too much/ not enough air through the I.C.V. and causing the engine to stumble. Also the ecu usually gives the injectors an extra squirt of fuel when you turn the ignition on to help get her started, which may not be happening, if the temp probe is up the duff.

I think I've got that right but best to get someone to check as I'm just really getting to grips with engine management stuff.

hope you get it sorted.

Regards

Tony

Hey Tony,

Sounds good to me.

Running an AEM forces you to learn some of this stuff doesn`t it.

lol, tell me about it. I was litereally just reading AEM EFI Basics

Cheers

Tony

The Clifford intellistart and other alarm functions will get borked by any electrical differences in the system which can be say the addition of a Electronic Boost Controller.

This means it goes out of sync and fooks up. Well that's what I was told when I had mine and it started failing. It was fixed and went wrong again after I fitted the Powermeter....

Matt H should be able to confirm or deny this "feature" of the clifford system.

Still it could be a clogged IACV.

Thanks for all the advice guys:

Ian - "Sounds plausible. Take it orf and clean it out, it's a quick enough job."

For you maybe. I would not know where to start and think maybe a visit to Mr. T is on the cards.

Tony - Thanks for the advice. Again i reckon Mr. T should look at it eh?

Alex - I think I confused you. The intellistart is working fine as in trying to start the car. It's the car refusing to fire up thats the problem. It will turn over 3 times and then the intellistart gives in!

Once again chaps, thanks for your patience and advice. Being completely useless on the mechanical side is so frigging frustrating!

Further developments!

Took the car out this afternoon for a breath of fresh stuff and got it thoroughly warmed up (probably 40 miles of driving) only to find that the bloody idle was now sticking at 1100 rpm.

Is this the final proof that the valve thingy (sorry to kep using that term but it's what I understand) is intermittently sticking open or closed

What thinks you clever techy chaps?

It's all got to come apart on Saturday mate, so we'll look at it then.

Originally posted by NWS25

It's all got to come apart on Saturday mate, so we'll look at it then.

Good thinking Batman!

Originally posted by CJ

Good thinking Batman!

PMSL that u forgot it coming apart...u really arent technical are u

Originally posted by whitesupraboy2

PMSL that u forgot it coming apart...u really arent technical are u

I am to techy stuff what Rudolf Nureyev was to Rugby League