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EJ20 very difficult to start after only being run for short time from cold
Hi I have got a 2005 Impreza wagon with a non turbo EJ20 engine. It is fantastic all round but this problem has been there for the 10 years / 100,000 miles we have had it and I wonder if anyone can shed light on it, or anyone else experiences this, I cannot find any reference to this on these forums:
If I start it up cold and have it running for just a minute or so, for example just to move it then shut it off, and then it is many hours before I need to start it again, maybe overnight, it is very very difficult to start, to the point where the battery seems on the verge of giving up. sometimes when it eventually starts it sounds awful briefly like there is no oil in the engine.
At no other time is it difficult to start - all weathers, standing for a long time etc, and it runs very well.
It has done 173000 miles and has regular servicing including spark plugs. It has done this all the time we have had it, from 70000 miles, and is not getting worse, which makes me think it is not something in there that is deteriorating.
The weather or outside temperature does not make it better or worse, it is just if the engine is run for a very short time from cold. I think it is fuel related.
I have never had a car that has behaved this way. I just try and make sure it has a little journey whenever I start it!
Any ideas? Thank you.
Only thing I've had like that was with my RX8, but that's down to the wankel engine, you had to rev too 3,000 rpm before shutting the engine off, as if not it would cause over fuelling.
Wonder if its an over fuelling issue. can't think of anything else it could be.
Hi, All.
It is a R Sport (I think!) (no turbo) and yes it does have a flat spot from time to time at about 2500 rpm under load, when I have put crap petrol in - and I have to re train the ecu from time to time as I have detailed in another post.
To Jaygsi, I agree it is most likely over fuelling, I imagine when cold there would be loads of fuel going in to keep it running - like having the choke out on an older car with carburettor (remember them?!)
Then if the engine is switched off in that condition that fuel stays in there somewhere, 'flooding' it for next start.
What I cannot get my head round is that it can be 24 hrs later and it still acts 'flooded'. I would have thought that after all that time it would have cleared - evaporated.
Other than this, it always starts well in even the coldest weather, and runs really nicely. It is just a nuisance if I have to just start it up and move it a bit if it is in the way. I don't always have time to run round the block which is what it takes to prevent this issue.
Ah right, someone rose said the R sport has a high compression engine, so won't run well on standard unleaded I wouldn't think, specially with now being e10. Might be worth having it mapped. As said above and on another post there is a map update for them I think from Subaru, might be able get it done for free?
Is it a Blobeye or Hawkeye? It's an R or R Sport if the latter but the former would be a GX. They're two very different engines despite both being EJ20's.
My R Sport can be a little more difficult to start if it's been started for only a few seconds like moving it along the drive but never enough to affect the battery. Are you sure your battery is healthy? I always let the car idle for a minute or so and the problem doesn't persist. I also run the car on 99 fuel especially now 95 has that extra ethanol. I've very occasionally discovered this so called flat spot even on 99 but it doesn't take much to get rid of it again by just forcing the car to drive through the flat spot then it goes back to normal pretty quickly. It normally only surfaces when I've been cruising at low revs and using very little throttle for ages so it does seem like the ECU is learning something it shouldn't. I've never bothered even contacting about the recall as it happens so infrequently. I can probably count on one hand how many times it's happened in the last 5 years.
Can't imagine it's the battery. As I'd been like that for 100,000 miles. I'm more inclined to say fuelling issue.
Has your fuel filter been changed at all?
Originally Posted by RockyRoad
Is it a Blobeye or Hawkeye? It's an R or R Sport if the latter but the former would be a GX. They're two very different engines despite both being EJ20's.
My R Sport can be a little more difficult to start if it's been started for only a few seconds like moving it along the drive but never enough to affect the battery. Are you sure your battery is healthy? I always let the car idle for a minute or so and the problem doesn't persist. I also run the car on 99 fuel especially now 95 has that extra ethanol. I've very occasionally discovered this so called flat spot even on 99 but it doesn't take much to get rid of it again by just forcing the car to drive through the flat spot then it goes back to normal pretty quickly. It normally only surfaces when I've been cruising at low revs and using very little throttle for ages so it does seem like the ECU is learning something it shouldn't. I've never bothered even contacting about the recall as it happens so infrequently. I can probably count on one hand how many times it's happened in the last 5 years.
It is a Hawkeye registered December 2005.
I don't think the battery is the source of the problem, it is just that when this happens it takes so long to start that the battery starts to sound tired - after it does start the battery is fine.
It has not had a fuel filter as long as I have had it
(I have got no idea where it is.)
Thanks for your replies All, Interesting that RockyRoad has similar flat spot issues. It has never crossed my mind to get it mapped or in for recall. Probably will not now, at this age & mileage. It is a bit of an old shed but soooo reliable and good fun to drive. I absolutely love it and dread having to replace it.
Early in my ownership, my UK classic did this.
Turned out you SHOULD NOT TOUCH the throttle at all when starting the engine, until it fires.
If you do, it floods.
The remedy is/was to keep cranking it while slowly pressing the throttle to the floor.
So when you say it's been serviced, what are you including?
Originally Posted by JeffP
It is a Hawkeye registered December 2005.
I don't think the battery is the source of the problem, it is just that when this happens it takes so long to start that the battery starts to sound tired - after it does start the battery is fine.
It has not had a fuel filter as long as I have had it
(I have got no idea where it is.)
Thanks for your replies All, Interesting that RockyRoad has similar flat spot issues. It has never crossed my mind to get it mapped or in for recall. Probably will not now, at this age & mileage. It is a bit of an old shed but soooo reliable and good fun to drive. I absolutely love it and dread having to replace it.
Early in my ownership, my UK classic did this.
Turned out you SHOULD NOT TOUCH the throttle at all when starting the engine, until it fires.
If you do, it floods.
The remedy is/was to keep cranking it while slowly pressing the throttle to the floor.
Unless you have a drive by wire throttle where putting the throttle to the floor when cranking cuts the injectors altogether....handy though for priming after an oil change
Unless you have a drive by wire throttle where putting the throttle to the floor when cranking cuts the injectors altogether....handy though for priming after an oil change
And for anybody who doesn't realise, the R/R Sport Hawkeye is drive by wire.
So your saying instead of removing the crank sensor after oil change and cranking, you can just put your foot down and it won't start?
Originally Posted by Gambit
Unless you have a drive by wire throttle where putting the throttle to the floor when cranking cuts the injectors altogether....handy though for priming after an oil change
Ah nice, it sounds familiar, not sure if heard on forum before. But will give it ago, want to replace my turbo and was thinking I would have to disconnect the crank sensor to primer the turbo, but this would make things a lot easier. ?
Originally Posted by RockyRoad
Exactly that. Called clear flood mode or something.
03 April 2022 | 10:21 PM
EJ20 very difficult to start after only being run for short time from cold
