Trouble starting, too cold or gas problem?

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Ichigo1174

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I have a problem, when I go to start my car up (the engine is cold and well it is fucking freezing outside) It turns over and doesn’t crank.
Its acting like it isn’t getting any fuel but I hear my fuel pump turn on.
I turn it over a second time and it starts to crank but doesn’t, A third time and it cranks for a minute and then dies. A Fourth time and it catches but I try to hit the gas just as hair and it dies (I think its not getting any gas because it is so cold?). Fifth time it catches and every time I hit the gas it tries to die but I let it idle/ tapping the gas playing with it and then it lets the rpms go up (since it is also warming up), after it warms up it is completely fine and has no problem idling or anything.

The only thing that has changed is that I have done a wire tuck, First with the driver side. Drove around and chilled with friends.
Then I started tucking the passenger side and I took my time (about 3 days, I was doing other minor things along the way) and it was freezing as shit on the 3rd day. But it started with a couple of tries (3rd time) and my brother just said the engine was cold.

I did not connect any of the Air conditioning wire harness yet because I don’t have any air conditoning parts such as the compressior and so fourth. I haven’t hooked up the heater core or the blower. The engine harness goes through the firewall so none of it was cut, The fuse box and ECU are side by side on the floorboard for the moment.

Is it just that the engine is cold? I only have one cel code and that is (6 quick flashing beeps) The Engine Coolant Temp sensor. I knew it was fucked up because the wire is fucked up and it was brittle and broke (I fixed it) and it always works at times (like I previously stated in my CRX thread)… But it never threw a cel code before…
Even when I clear it and start the car again while the gauge is working the code is still shown.

My grounds look clear, Could the problem be with the black thing that sits on the firewall and plugs into the intake manifold?
 
I know when I went out to crank my car yesterday it cranked then died and had to crank it again. Sputterd for a little but.stayed running. Sputtered only lasted about ten sec. The temp outside was around 20 deg if even.
 
I didn't know if it was that of if I got the Dashpot lines confused (swap a longer line for a short one, but then I put it back exactly how it was.)
Its similar to this but I need to make sure.

But other than getting it to crank up, it seems fine. ^_^
What is the problem here, like what is getting so cold that isn't letting my engine get the fuel?

Like i get why it dies when I hit the gas, I assume it opens the butterfly in the throttle body making the mixture more air and less gas right?

Is there anything to help track it down because I'm afraid if this keeps up it wouldn't be so healthy for my starter.
 
I'm not really sure what causes it. Not Gunna try and give info that I don't really know. Yours sounds a lot worse then my case. But I am curious to really know.
 
Thanks for the insight, I feel better that it seems more like a (worse) common kind of thing and not necessarily something that I magically fucked up or missed a ground wire somewhere.
 
Yea. If possible try parking it somewhere where it won't get so cold and then try to crank it to see if it.is really the.cold.climate. maybe in a controlled climate garage overnight.
 
Do you have a fast idle thermo valve? (non-OBD2 TB)
It controls idle at cold start up conditions (aka cold coolant flowing through)

Fuel filter need changing?

Main relay....but you said you heard the pump.....listen for the main relay to click too

Or......wire tucks are so fun and there's a problem somewhere
Continuity tests and a Helm's manual
 
Yea. If possible try parking it somewhere where it won't get so cold and then try to crank it to see if it.is really the.cold.climate. maybe in a controlled climate garage overnight.
I have no choice but to park it out in the yard, no garages, no friends who have a garage :(

Do you have a fast idle thermo valve? (non-OBD2 TB)
It controls idle at cold start up conditions (aka cold coolant flowing through)

Fuel filter need changing?

Main relay....but you said you heard the pump.....listen for the main relay to click too

Or......wire tucks are so fun and there's a problem somewhere
Continuity tests and a Helm's manual

and yes I think I do, Its the D16a6 that was in the 88 Si.
I think something is wrong with my FITV(maybe it needs to be cleaned?) because if I drive it hard where I would reach 5k rpms or if I've been driving at 4k (interstate, done it twice) for a good period of time then I come down to a idle, It would surge from 1.5k to 2k (or something similar to that)

I haven't changed the fuel filter since I bought it, but it wouldn't explain why it does it when its cold. If the engine is hot and I cut it off for 10 minutes it starts up just fine, I have a electronic version of the helms manual, When does the main relay click? and wouldn't I have other problems with the dash, lights or the radio.
 
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There are threads about cleaning the FITV. I would clean the IACV while you getting things done.

Do that stuff and well go from there
 
When I get off of work, I'll buy either soem brake cleaner or carb cleaner and clean them out. I have laid under the dash and I do hear the relay "click" when I turn the ignition on so this means it works, right?
 
In terms of the FITV.....Just observe how many turns the white plastic needs when you screw it back in. It's been so long since I did it. But I think you should read this.....Here's a thread

*** How-To*** Clean Your FITV aka Fast Idle Thermo Valve - Honda-Tech

Look at the last picture in step 8 and notice how much of the white plastic is visible before you take it apart. If there is a lot exposed....this may be a problem and you should go looser when you re-install it it may take a few times to get it right.
 
I'm going to clean the IACV for sure but I don't even see the FITV, I don't know if I'm blind or what but I only see just one coolant line plugged into the side of the bottom of the throttle body. Also I was playing with the Evap(?) hoses and while the car was running, like I'd unplug one it would idle high put it back on then its cool. Then I'd unplug another and the car would just die. Not really doing anything significant., just tinkering. LOL

Then last night, I knew it was gonna be a pain to start because I had to go to the store and when I went out there I turned it over and it cranked up and stayed running with just ibe turn over O.O? Thinking it was just a fluke, I went out there this morning and tried again and sure enough I turned it over and fired right up ^_^
I did re-arrange any hoses, just unplugged and plugged back up.

But I still want to find the FITV and clean it, my car has to have it right?
It is a 88 D16A6.
 
In that thread on cleaning the FITV it looks like this
P1010289.jpg


But I don't see any of that on the bottom. I just see the throttle body. My hose looks like it goes into something (but much smaller on the bottom). Sorry for the bad cell phone pics
693837815_2481055221_0.jpg

693837248_2481053237_0.jpg
 
If it helps I found this picture which looks exactly like it. Do I have to take the whole throttle body to clean it? I'm worried about messing up the gasket.
SiTB.jpg
 
Thats a OBD2 Throttle Body. OBD2 got rid of the FITV and had the ECU control it.

You have a ECU that doesn't control cold start ups and no FITV to do the job. Find a OBD0 or OBD1 TB.
 
I also noticed that on my ECU someone written 90 or 91, But it is still the same ECU for 88-91 Si right? I'll look around for the throttle body.
What I don't understand is why did this problem pop up now? It did get cold and I did a wire tuck at the same time. But like I said if the engine is warm it starts up without problem, and I don't have any trouble driving except for a high idle. like 1500 - 2000 rpm.
 
The wire tuck may still be the culprit. But no FITV is definitely not helping cold temp start ups.
 
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