paulhsti

Had a couple of occasions where the old beast is reluctant to fire up in the mornings:
first time -2 and heavy frost - several attempts before she fired up
2nd time this am +1 no frost and again 3 o r 4 times.
any sim experience ? any tricks to try? give it gas or not ?
cheers.

r

no throttle will help!
simon

wrx_sti_my04

I posted similar a few months ago, first start on my MY04 STi is not the best, only just seems to catch and then comes to life, have flooded it a couple of times and then only a good turnover and a bit of pedal is used as a last resort.

Best way for me is to turn the iginition to the first position (dash board lights on etc.) and (with the stereo off) you can hear the fuel pump priming from the rear. Turn the ignition fully to start the car after the pump has primed.

Normally does the trick and touch wood never failed to start yet!

TM

Greeny01

I have experienced exactly the same with my MY02 wrx.

Iain

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Have had this myself with my standard Blobeye Sti 03. I find that pushing in the clutch first as well as waiting for the airbag light to go out and then starting the engine helps also. If you look in the manual it does advise another way of pressing the accelarator slightly which aparrently puts the engine into a cold start mode and thus it ticks over slower to let the engine start. But your best checking the manual for the correct procedure.

bluepolarbear

Don't think there is anything particular wrong my MY04 is just like the previous scoobs - normally starts instantly, occasionly turns over once or twice, very rarely turns over a good few times.

From memory the manual says it is no throttle and turn the key for upto 10secs. 10 seconds is a long time - it may not sound pretty but every car has always started within 10secs.

comic cuts

Try depressing the accelerator pedal once before turning key.......it may help.

Trashman

Out of interest, what fuel do you use? Only noticed a cold start problem on mine if I've filled with BP Ultimate - can take 2 or 3 goes when very cold. Usually use Shell Optimax and very cold mornings it can take a second to get to the normal 1500 rpm tickover, but always starts first time..

sKunk

Always let the fuel system prime. The only time i have failed to start my car is when I have just jumped in and tried to fire up the engine without waiting for the fuel system to prime..

Lemmy

I have had the same problem on my 02STi for most of the time since I bought it in 2002. When the engine is cold and the ambient temp is below ~10 degrees C it usually doesn't start first time or just catches and slowly splutters into life. If it doesn't start first time it always start second try after about 5 seconds turning over. Note that I always wait for the fuel pump to prime the fuel system as well.

Bob Rawle told me the poor starting is due to the cold start mixture being set at stoichimetric (14.7:1) rather than richer in order to meet emissions regs. There is nothing you can do about it because it is not possible to change the cold start mixture even with Ecutek software.

However, I have recently discovered an apparent fix to ensure that it at least starts first time albeit reluctantly at times. Drive the car very hard for about half an hour , as the following experience of mine over the last month illustrate.

I recently had a remap by Bob Rawle. This involves driving very hard on a road (7000rpm in 3rd, 4th and 5th) for about half an hour over an hour period. The next cold start after the remap was much better. Gradually over the following weeks the poor cold starting returned. Over this period most of my driving involved a 10 mile journey to work at about 40 mph with the occasional short burst of acceleration for a few seconds. On Christmas day morning we drove up to my parents place about 180 miles away. If you have ever driven on Christmas day morning you will know that the roads are free of traffic and I was able to give my Scoob a good caning . Since then the cold starting has been fine.

Therefore I conclude that poor cold starting is due to driving too slowly or too many short journeys (causing slight fouling of plugs) and this can be rectified by treating your car to a regular extended caning .

Alan

paulhsti

Sounds like a good excuse for caning the car!! - Interesting roads if you can maintain 7,000 rpm in 5th for 1/2 of an hour.
However although the car does get a lot of slow and short journeys (my wife uses it for her work) I had given it a work out the night before.
I have currently got Shell Optimax in the car although usually runs on Sainsbury super UL.

Wizard

I have the same problem on my classic. I do at least 70 miles each way to work half down the motorway so i dont think that it can be contributed to doing short journeys but having said that when i have given it some , the next day it usually starts within one or two turns of the key. I have spoken to Steve Simpson who mapped my car and he seems to think that when we were mapping the car there wasnt enough fuel put through onto the cold start map, he said it should be easy to remedy just have to make sure that the engine is completely cold.

MARK MORRIS

used to have the same prob on my old 02 sti, was embarrasing in work, trying to start the car a 5 am from standing outside and just putting the key so i could get on with scraping the ice off was a no no, was in the dealer overnite, fine with them, finally cured it by chopping it in for an evo 6
mark