I am mainly posting this for search help for folks later on. My Evo X would not start so I replaced the starter. It ran for a week and then would crank but not start. So I knew the starter was ok, now I had a new issue. I searched here and the other site and did the following things:
- checked plugs for spark. All had spark.
- cleaned plugs with brake clean and wire brush. No change
- pulled back seat and checked for fuel pump noise. Heard pump. No change in condition.
- pulled fuel pump to make sure gasoline was not diesel. Had recently filled up. Was gas. no change.
- Checked fuses. All good.
- checked relays under hood for "salt shaker". All seemed fine so swapped fuel pump relay with horn. No change.
- redid starter replacement job to make sure I did not forget to plug in det sensor or the other unnamed sensor near the starter cavity. no change.
- Got super frustrated and had a beer and decided to swap all relays with an old set I had. replacing the throttle actuator relay did the trick (I had not swapped that one previously as I did not see any posts about it being a no start culprit). Apparently the ECU needs to know where "off" is on the throttle to even start. So I ordered a new set of relays. The idle is still a little rough with the AC on (and it was not before) I am hoping the new relay fixes that or the ECU re learning the throttle positions.

 

Good to know for future readers. The rough idle with AC is normal, it'll correct itself.