Hard starting after intake refresh
06-15-2018 | 12:08 PM
#1
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Hard starting after intake refresh
I have an 88 S4 auto and just finished an intake refresh. I replaced the spark plug wires, distributor caps and rotors, fuel lines, injectors rebuilt, MAF rebuilt and replaced all vacuum hoses and fittings. When I try to start the car the engine turns over approx. 10 times and stumbles to start up. When it's running it runs better than it ever did. If I shut the car down and start it up immediately it starts up with no hesitation. If the car sits over night it's hard to start. When I shut down the car I can hear a gurgling noise from the fuel pump/filter area for a couple seconds. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
06-15-2018 | 12:58 PM
#3
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Joined: Feb 2016
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From: Gonzales, LA
No help but that gurgling sounds very weird. It's just that you have touched so many things so I guess I'd recheck everything even it meant taking it all apart again to find the problem. In the past 6 months, I have removed the intake 5 times to solve my idle problems.
06-15-2018 | 01:40 PM
#7
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From: Gonzales, LA
That reminds me, I did have to remove the in-tank pump because the short hose had split on mine. Maybe that is something that could cause your problem. Also, there is a check valve on the outer pump that can cause it to lose pressure but I don't think that will cause the gurgling.
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06-15-2018 | 02:25 PM
#8
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I just put in new spark plugs (the old ones looked good, thought I’d give it a try) and swapped the fuel pump relay for the reverser lights relay (same 53 relay). No difference but didn’t hear the gurgling noise. The car sat in a heated garage all winter with half a tank of gas, so I just put some fuel stabilizer in the tank. Weird, when the engine is cold hard to start after that fires up on a dime.
06-16-2018 | 08:20 PM
#13
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06-17-2018 | 11:38 PM
#14
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Problem found
When I was putting the intake back together I had the wiring harness for the temp II sensor on the water bridge a bit too tight (pulling). I loosened the wiring harness and cleaned the contacts on the sensor and the car fired up cold with no hesitation.
06-18-2018 | 03:51 AM
#15
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From: Oman
I have an 88 S4 auto and just finished an intake refresh. I replaced the spark plug wires, distributor caps and rotors, fuel lines, injectors rebuilt, MAF rebuilt and replaced all vacuum hoses and fittings. When I try to start the car the engine turns over approx. 10 times and stumbles to start up. When it's running it runs better than it ever did. If I shut the car down and start it up immediately it starts up with no hesitation. If the car sits over night it's hard to start. When I shut down the car I can hear a gurgling noise from the fuel pump/filter area for a couple seconds. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Whereas you quite reasonably are looking for something that links the problem to your inlet manifold refurb, do not discount other possibilities until your problem is resolved.