scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Yea and of corse mine has got worse too with the cold sh** weather

I've not solved the problem still, but have discovered cracks in my coil packs, not that i think that is related to my starting issue. Just something thats not reallyhelping lol.

dj219957

one thing you can check for me please:

remove the light brown magnet off of the idle control valve (2 screws, right hand side of engine bay), (mark the position of the screws on the bracket before removal with paint to make sure you put it back in the right position during assembly) When the magent is removed you will see a cylindrical spiny thing. Is yours spring loaded or does it just rotate freely? Mine is not spring loaded, i thought i had ready somewhere that it should be spring loaded.....

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Hmmm interesting, ok mate will do.

Probably won't check untill friday afternoon though as i expect to have a serious hangover tomorrow.... I'd love it to be something to do with the idle control valve as i actually have a spare one of those lol.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Yea it rotates freely, i can't see a spring in there or feel any resistance when i rotate that cylindrical thing.

It only rotates about a quater of a turn though, but i didn't try and turn it hard just a gentle movement to see how far it went, then i moved it back.

HTH

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

HAve you got the car working normally then, or still playing up?

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Nope still not starting properly, but apart from that its fine 99% of the time.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

If you can be arsed, just relist again all the things you've cleaned/repaired/replaced, etc. (something 'obviously' missing just might rear its head?)...

bmposer

iTrader: (3)

I hope you get it sorted mate, its one of them things that will drive you mad until you find it,

Sorry i cant be any help but i would of said cts as mine had this sort of prob and a new one fixed it.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

lol yea its driving me mad pretty well mate.

Ok, so far i have...

Put new and better spark plugs in, replaced cts, cleaned idle controle valve (for sake of it really), found out my coil packs have cracks in (not yet replaced) and found a throttle position sensor fault on the ecu. But the fault code only appears after you reset the ecu, when you read the ecu for codes normall it does not do it, by normally i mean just connecting the two black connectors.

Thats it so far.. ? any ideas?

dj219957

same as above, i have tried, new plugs, cts and cleaned idle valve. stuck same as 87.

doh!

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

scooby
A couple more things you might want to check:
Are you still running the stock fuel pump, and have you changed the fuel filter lately? An original stocker on a MY96 is going to be well past its best now, and the PP chip is only going to put more demands on it.

Battery and battery terminals. Has it been on the car long, and are the terminals done up good and tight?


A little tip for you if your coil-packs aren't too badly cracked yet:
- clean the ends as good as you can with some meth spirits, and smear a very thin film of good quality RTV silicone over the cracks (on the outside, obviously). Then wrap a couple of thicknesses of plumbers ptfe tape all the way around the end as tight as you can, while the silicone's still a bit tacky. To finish off, put one or two layers of 20mm heat-shrink tubing over the whole thing, and shrink it up. You should get a bit more life out of them after that, and it'll definitely stop the cracks from getting any worse.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Stock fuel pump yes, and no the fuel filter has not been changed by me, and i'm assuming not by the previous owner because of other things i have noticed. Even though i bought it will full service history!

Do you think that could be my problem, it has felt to me before when driving that fueling was not right!

I will try what you have suggested with the coil packs and see if i notice a difference...

slyv12

iTrader: (3)

have you tried adjusting the idle sensor? had to adjust mine because it was hunting up and down on tick over and stalling. I changed the headgaskets , it had'nt been started for 3 weeks and would'nt start up at first.

just a thought.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

I've not changed the position no, only because once it does start the idle is fine and thankfully it never does any hunting. Just doesn't like to start first time

Glowplug

iTrader: (8)

And that statement describes a CTS fault

I know you've changed it, but thats just the symtoms you would have

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

TBH it does seem to run better with the new CTS and drink less fuel... slightly lol.

But this could all just be my imagination, but makes me feel like i have acheived something at least haha.

dj219957

ive just turned mine round 1mm to the right. this had the effect of raising the cold idle but has not effected the warm idle so ill see how it is over the next few days on cold starts.

slyv12

iTrader: (3)

had to turn mine back to where it was as it was idling to fast when warm, the ecu must of re-learnt all the settings, battery was off for 2.5 weeks.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Hmmm i'll give this a go tonight, it will be nice and cold when i get out there later.

I wonder if it will work.......

dj219957

if this doesnt work im going to try a new idle control valve off fleebay

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

An uprated fuel pump wouldn't be a bad investment even if the car was running fine, and it would be one more thing ruled out.

Fuel filter is a must-change item every 24 months or 30K miles, whichever comes first. Check the service log and fit a new one if you've gone past the interval.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

I'll did out the service stuff, it has full service history up to 76k its now on 77k so i'm assuming the fuel filter has been done. But we will see.

Yea fuel pump sounds like a good idea, think i'll order a few bits all at the same time to try and get this fixed!



I tried turning the ICV 1mm and first cold start failed as normal, all that happend was my cold idle was higher as was my warm idle. Annoying! At least i know the ICV is working though.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Hmmmm, with my ICV still 1mm turned to the right i forgot to change it back. Started the car about 3pm... and shockingly it started first time? :S:S:S

dj219957

yes mine is better with it adjusted but i think it is just masking the problem.
dont right off the idle valve. there is a temperature senstive strip in there which reads the coolant temp (thats why theres water pipes to it). When this goes bad with carbon/dirt/age it effects the operation of the flap that opens and closes. I.e it can still work but its performance/sensitivity can drop off.
I have my money on this now.

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

Well don't go and buy a new one just yet, i have a new one to put on.

Will try and put it on tonight, then do a cold start tomorrow evening.

Also i totally agree that increasing the idle as we have done is just masking the problem!

dj219957

ok, please report back after fitting it. easy to fit. no need to remove anything first. no need for a new gasket if the old one is clean.

dj219957

Fault code help - Type-RA.co.uk - Forum for Subaru Impreza WRX Type RA, WRX STi, Spec-C, S202, Type RA-R

post nine says the spindle should be spring loaded? wonder?
can you check your second one to see if that is spring loaded please?

scooby87

iTrader: (5)

How you getting on with yours now dj?

Mine is still the same, except it seems to try harder to start first time now with the new coil packs in.

Anyone shed any new light to this?

dj219957

Could be me been silly or the problem been annoyingly intermittant but yesterday i filled up with v power for the first time in a long time (i have been using tesco super for 6-8months) and since its been perfect and thats included several cold starts where it would normally play up. i,e start for work and start to come home. gonna see how it goes on the rest of this tank.

Treated her to a staright threw centre section and some fresh oil too :-)
sounds sweet.

dj219957

what fuel do you use?