Ridin Dirty

Starting to think of packing her away for the winter slumber months so checking off some punch list items: oil, air filters, clean out intercooler oil film from blow by (shouldn't we have a catch can for these cars?), clean-up ICV a lil, fuel stabilizer....etc...usual storage stuff.

But just over the past month she has been difficult to turn over ONLY when cold and sitting for a few days.

(plugs are okay went through that nightmare couple years ago but only 1k miles on em)

what do you think of order of addressment or anything i'm overlooking?

1. battery
2 bad gas
3. DME
4. fuel filter
5. fuel pump (but she runs fine/very strong)

thanks again

joe

chsu74

Distributor and cap?

bbs993tt

Based on your description, I'm thinking battery is beginning to fail. So strange to think of putting away a car for the winter. With opposite temperature extremes, I put mine away for the summer!

ECU Doctors

Hahahaha

We're from Florida...I know the feeling!

Like Brian says, the battery might be your issue.

OverBoosted28

If you have a trickle charge pigtail connected, just see what your battery voltage is, at the end of the pigtail. If you're not letting it sit and maintain the battery, that may be why. Gotta get some good driving in, to sufficiently charge the battery. Short jaunts won't do it. Easy fix if it's the problem. GL

Mike J

Hard to diagnose without more info - you mean the engine does not turn over very quickly (ie weak battery) when cold starting, or it does not start quickly when turning over, or ? Some people have different interpretations of "turn over".



Cheers,

Mike

Ridin Dirty

"hard" to "turn over" (a few seconds rather than instant).... then sputters, then stalls. Re-start 2nd time and still hard but starts up then stays running. This behavior is ONLY when cold. Charging battery now. Will see later. Voltmeter showed 11.8v.

LexVan

MAF sensor. And Chsu74's post above.

OverBoosted28

11.8 V would be an issue. Get a good charged battery, and keep it maintained. Hope that's all it is.

Ridin Dirty

Has to be the battery put a charger on it all night and it didn't move from 11.8 V

Battery is only two years old

LexVan

You've driven less than 1,000 miles in two years. When not being driven, the car should be on a bettery maintainer, plugged into the cig lighter or directly to the battery. Take your pick.

Buy a new battery at places like Sears, AutoZone, Walmart, Pep Boys. Properly connect the vent tube and polarity.

OverBoosted28

If my car is not on the road, it's plugged into tender, all the time. Last battery lasted 10 years, and I replaced it, before it stranded me. I feel direct pigtail to battery is best route. You eliminate any incidental system loss. Not to mention you can check voltage easier. I also don't drive nearly enough, to get a proper charge, unless I'm going to track.

Mike J

Not sure we should jump right to the battery as the core problem - it is likely, but still not enough info. The voltage is low for sure, but I have also seen cars start find cold with that sort of voltage.

When starting the car the first time when cold, the car cranks and does not start for a few seconds - what is the speed of the cranking like? Is it slow, or rapid? Does the cranking speed seem different when the car has run for a while (ie. is warm and the battery has charged).

Definitely change the battery out and try it again, and if that does not cure it, there are other things that can cause poor cold starting, everything from a degraded fuel pump to head temp sensors.

Also, you should be getting a good 14.7V across the batter or so when the car is idling.

Cheers,

Mike

Ridin Dirty

Thank you Mike. I get batteries from a specialty independent shop. I will have him test it when i get the car back together. Considering a lithium / wonder if that is a solution b/c i have a modest collection of vehicles that my wife drives as well and i really dont like her foolling around with battery tender each time she wants to drive one.

I will perform diligence on these topics and get back.

...in the meantime i've harvested the fuel filter....jeez this thing has got to be the original (poor fuel pump). Blowing air through this was like blowing up a hot water bottle.
for as many times as stealer has had this engine out they never looked at the fuel filter? 50k total miles sure not an emergency but.... 21 years kinda is IMO. and what a bit**h to change out with the engine in; very diff from na

Basal Skull

lithium batteries have less reserve than lead acid in general. Not that good for storage or cold weather. Some come with a auto off switch so that if it drains to a certain voltage, it will turn itself off to avoid further drain. Then would need access to battery to push a button to turn it back on - it turns itself off so that there's enough juice to start the car after turning it back on. Mine seems pretty good, don't recall how long I've had it, but posted about it when I installed it. Mine turns itself off if I leave the car for about 3 weeks.