Cold Start Issue

Hey guys, ive got a problem with my DC2 vti-r that i haven't been able to solve.

Starting 6 months or so ago, my car took longer to start when it had been sitting overnight. This got progressively worse, so i changed my fuel filter ( which didn't fix it) then the spark plugs, which seemed to improve the issue.

A month or so later, the issue came back, and has been getting worse since then. When its been sitting over night, the car will crank for a fairly long time, fire once or twice then die. When i crank it again, it will start but run on two cylinders for about 5 or so seconds before being perfectly fine after that. If i then kill it, and start it again it starts perfectly fine.

I have been cautious to start changing parts without knowing exactly what the issue is. My fuel is priming, and i have checked for spark however it may be an intermittent spark issue so i haven't completely ruled this out.

I have been having some coolant issues recently, which i put down to a leaking top hose housing however again this may be another separate issue, given i read a thread saying that a leaking head gasket can let water pool on the cylinders and cause bad starts. If this was the case would i then definitely have a smokey exhaust/milky coolant?

Where should i start? there are no CEL codes and the car runs great once it starts.

Thanks!

Have you tried changing the plugs?

My car used to run for a week then foul it's plugs making it unable to start for some reason...

check plug condition/post up pics, they'll give you good indication as to whats going on

I did change them and it did seem to fix it, for a while anyway.

Will take out plugs and post pics

Quote:

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Originally Posted by caljones

I did change them and it did seem to fix it, for a while anyway.

Will take out plugs and post pics

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http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/customa...tar36449_3.gif

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Originally Posted by curtis265

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/customa...tar36449_3.gif

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http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/customa...ar24136_24.gif

Let the car sit overnight and then try cracking the fuel line at the fuel filter, pressurised fuel should spray out, if it does not then the fuel pump or FPR is not holding the pressure in the line so when you first try to start her up you have to wait for the rail to pressurise before the injectors meter correctly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ECU-MAN

Let the car sit overnight and then try cracking the fuel line at the fuel filter, pressurised fuel should spray out, if it does not then the fuel pump or FPR is not holding the pressure in the line so when you first try to start her up you have to wait for the rail to pressurise before the injectors meter correctly.

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i havent tried this yet, however i have tried letting it prime a few times before firing it. This doesnt make a difference. Would this rule out the same issue?

However i have found that if i crank it once at WOT, stop, then crank it again it fires up so i am thinking it has to do with the iacv or something.

Here are the plugs-
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...s/IMG_1172.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...s/IMG_1173.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...s/IMG_1174.jpg
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/b...s/IMG_1175.jpg

Someone's got a leaky tube seal

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Someone's got a leaky tube seal

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Do they ?

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Someone's got a leaky tube seal

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ECU-MAN

Do they ?

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yeah my tube is a little leaky

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/customa...ar37219_26.gif

nomsayin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by caljones

Hey guys, ive got a problem with my DC2 vti-r that i haven't been able to solve.

Starting 6 months or so ago, my car took longer to start when it had been sitting overnight. This got progressively worse, so i changed my fuel filter ( which didn't fix it) then the spark plugs, which seemed to improve the issue.

A month or so later, the issue came back, and has been getting worse since then. When its been sitting over night, the car will crank for a fairly long time, fire once or twice then die. When i crank it again, it will start but run on two cylinders for about 5 or so seconds before being perfectly fine after that. If i then kill it, and start it again it starts perfectly fine.

I have been cautious to start changing parts without knowing exactly what the issue is. My fuel is priming, and i have checked for spark however it may be an intermittent spark issue so i haven't completely ruled this out.

I have been having some coolant issues recently, which i put down to a leaking top hose housing however again this may be another separate issue, given i read a thread saying that a leaking head gasket can let water pool on the cylinders and cause bad starts. If this was the case would i then definitely have a smokey exhaust/milky coolant?

Where should i start? there are no CEL codes and the car runs great once it starts.

Thanks!

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happened to me when the seasons were changing over, ended up being my dizzy cap which i sanded down the corrosion on the terminals, which i had to start on WOT since i had flooded the engine with fuel a bit from it running on 1 or 2 cylinders

Dizzy cap could be issue.. also what about main relay? Hondas are known for having spark, fuel pressure and even with new plugs and leads won't start when atmospheric temperature (not car) is extremely hot or cold...

Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RenzokukenJ

yeah my tube is a little leaky

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/customa...ar37219_26.gif

nomsayin



happened to me when the seasons were changing over, ended up being my dizzy cap which i sanded down the corrosion on the terminals, which i had to start on WOT since i had flooded the engine with fuel a bit from it running on 1 or 2 cylinders

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tried sanding the points back, however might try a new cap to be sure.

I might have found the problem. Took my car to the mechanic after having a few issues with cooling that i couldnt figure out. Long story short, the coolant is being pushed into the rad overflow and not returning. Got a mechanic to perform a block test/chemical head gasket test, The mechanic is fairly certain that there are combustion gasses getting into my cooling system however due to the constant bubbles coming out of the radiator they couldnt get a definitive answer.
Havee been told i either have a head gasket on its way out, or worse a crack in the head.
He said that this could cause my starting issue, with small ammounts of coolant leaking into one or two of the cylinders over night.
Ill be taking the head off and getting it crack tested.

Shit, sounds like the issue has been found