I have a 96 wagon with a v6 engine in it. In have a problem with it starting when cold. It starts ok initially and after about a second it sputters and does and then it won't start. On warmer mornings it will start but until it warms up it will sputter when accelerating. Once this is done, only about 2-3 minutes, the car runs fine the rest of the day. Now that it's cold outside I haven't been able to get it started. I changed both oxygen sensors, MAF sensor, cleaned out the IAC valve and throttle body. Suggestions???. Please help.

 

https://photos.google.com/u/1/photo/...c0K5qQR5cHwHv8

 

Can't access photos.

Check ECT sensor.

 

This is what it does in the morning on cold mornings when it won't start

 

Have you checked the ECT?

 

I haven't checked the ECT yet. Would the ECT be bad if the temperature gauge still reads properly? Also it does idle down when it's warmed up. Still think ECT? I also had 2 times today when it was warm I was trying to accelerate on the expressway and I had some hesitation/sputter.

 

This is the temp gauge for the engine computer. It tells the computer the temperature of the coolant based on its resistance in ohms which changes with temp.

The temp gauge on the dash has its own sensor.

The other area could be a failing fuel pump.

 

Yesterday we changed out the IAC valve, cleaned out the entirety of the throttle body. We also checked the ETC sensor. The engine wasn't freezing cold, but the testing was good. We thought we had it made with the IAC valve, since it didn't appear to be functioning properly, but this morning I am having the same problem.

So, I don't have a problem with it starting as much anymore because I have been parking it in the garage. But was does happen is that I have to let it warm up before it functions properly. What I mean is that it will start up normally (granted while in the garage), and if I try to press on the accelerator and give it gas it sputters. If I continued to give it gas regardless it would stall. Once it goes through it's cycle and idles down/warms up I no longer have this problem. I can go 75 on the expressway and I don't have a problem with gain. Now I didn't test the ETC when it was ice cold, so do you think this could still be the problem? The only other things we can think of is the fuel pump or fuel filter. But it doesn't make sense that it only acts up when it's cold? To give you more information it does get cold when it sits, but I only experience it in the morning, with one exception of last Wednesday. It sat for about 5.5 hours from lunch until when I left and I had to let it warm up before it wouldn't sputter.


Suggestions???

 

What is the air temp outside and inside the garage?

What was the resistance reading of the ETC sensor and at what temp?

Try operating the engine with the ETC sensor disconnected.

To clean the IAC valve. You sprayed cleaner into the rectangle hole in the throttle body located before the throttle. Did you do this engine running?

Check resistance of the IAC electrical plug terminals to IAC valve. Should be 17-25 ohms Cold (14-122F) and 21.5-29.5 above this temp. Check between the center terminal and each outside terminal.

Use a hair dryer to heat items such as crank and cam sensors, TPS, IAC valve, etc to simulate a hot engine.

Clean MAF sensor.

 

I put a new IAC valve on, so that shouldn't need to be cleaned. I already replaced the MAF sensor too.

The temp outside had been below 30a. Temp in,the garage is probably around 55 or so. The resistance yesterday was about 2 and the temp was about 50. We took the entire throttle body off when we replaced the IAC valve and cleaned it thoroughly.

I don't have a CEL on at all. When I had difficulty starting it I got a code for the cam sensor. Cleared it and since it hasn't come back on. The only time I've gotten any code is when it has difficulty starting. The number of times I get that code seems to correlate with the amount of times I try to start it.

It seems to be associated with temperature. Would the cam and crank sensors be affected by temperature?