#1, I spent 45 minutes searching before posting...

I recently started having issues with the car starting over the least few days. Not an electrical issue. Starter spins the motor fine without any hesitation. Battery level good, alternator good. After about 3 cranks, there is some type of combustion happening, but usually on the first try it will stall. Second attempt or with assistance of gas pedal it will start. Once it starts it idles fine, drives fine, no issues.

Car is 99.9% stock. Mods are open air filter, mbc, 3" exhaust. None of which are new. I figure it's not the IAC because car idles fine. Same point goes for MAF and CAS. No check engine lights, and I know the check engine light works because i recently changed the bulb when I found out it was burnt out during last inspection. I figure it's not fuel pump since it drives fine once started.

From what I've read two quick things I will check in the am are opening up the BISS a bit to help since weather is colder. Second is to check clutch switch.

In the meantime I wanted to get some input on other things to check if I can't get to the bottom of this.

Cheers!

 

I know mine hesitates too when it's cold. But mine starts with no problems and I just let it idle until its at operating temps.

 

These threads might help you. Some new things are being discovered with the ISCV tables for startup, cranking, post-cranking, etc.

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ec...cv-tables.html

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ec...sassembly.html (You can skip to the last couple of pages if your issue is only immediately after cranking)

 

I know it seems stupid but, have you done a compression test recently? Low compression yeilds slow/ hesitant starts

 

Thank you for the advice but I do not have a tactrix cable, nor has the car been tuned.

I have not done a compression test lately, and that's not a bad idea in general.

Anyway, I didn't get a chance to actually look but I'm pretty sure it's the clutch switch. When I was starting the car it started to stumble after the 2nd or 3rd crank. As soon as I moved the clutch pedal, the motor caught itself and kicked in to life without any hesitation. Time for clutch switch mod!

 

I didn't get to remove the clutch switch, because I realized the safety switch only prevents the starter motor from turning. The starter turns fine without any hesitation. It's the combustion part that stumbles during startup.

I noticed also that on a cold startup I have this issue. If the car is at operating temps, turn it off, wait a few seconds, then try again it starts up fine. If I let it sit around 10 minutes or so it stumbles again on startup. However, this morning when I went to work it started up fine and sat overnight. The only thing I could think of was the weather was a bit warmer today.

Any thoughts?