I know there are like a billion start problem threads, but I haven't found any that answer my problem. I am having problmes, starting my car when it is cold. Its only when it sits overnight and has time to completely cool down. At first I kept flodding the engine, tryking to start it. I would get it started sometimes, other times I would have to get it towed home to deflood it. I woud get it started, drive it fine all day, then come out the next day and bam no start. I changed the spark plugs, thinking they weren't getting good spark from the flooding, and it worked. For a couple of days. It would still have trouble starting, and I would have to pump the gas to keep it from dying, and pray that it would idle up. I have all the block off plates installed, and the thermowax removed. I have bought another throttle body with a thermowax because I destroyed mine in the process. I have a PFC and commander, 3in downpipe, and Im non seq. I am on a 90k mile motor, rebuild coming soon, but I would rather not have the same issues after the rebuild. I seem to be making at least decent compression, based on poor man compression test, and Im only boosting my turbos 7 psi, line straight from the wastegate to the vacuum line. Im just at a lost. Right now, I can't get the car started on a full battery, and I end up flooding it trying.

 

i hate this cold weather man, i feel for you. good luck with the problem.

 

So what idle control systems do you have installed on the car right now? Who tuned the car?

 

I heard that this can also happen with a stock car in the winter. Is that true? Is the engines susceptibility to flooding make it a horrible car to try and start in the winter?

 

No its not true.

An FD is just like any other car.

Alot of things can contribute or cause cold starting issues.

Weak battery (which can lead to flooding when you're sitting there cranking)

Seal issues

Low compression

PFC settings (if you have a PFC obviously)

 

Im just using the base map on the power FC. I dont have any idle control systems, just whats built in besides the part that makes the car idle high when cold. I would assume that it is either low compression or my PFC settings. I have it set to non seq, but thats about it.

 

you checked to see if your injectors are leaking? leaking injection will flood the chambers once the car is off, making it hard/impossible to start when it has been sitting for a long time.

 

Do you have:

idle speed control valve?
fast idle cam on the TB?

or have they been removed?

 

I'm betting its with the tune. The temperature correction maps in the base map are less than optimal.

 

im pretty sure i removed the fast idle cam and the double throttle. I followed the rotary ressurection website for emmisions removal and non seq. About the leaking injectors, it seems that if i let it sit for a couple of days after a flooding, its much easier to start. I thin im leaning more toward the tune side. Ill put the throttle body on when I get it and see if that helps. does anyone have a link for a change to the tune i can do through a commander to at least help a little?

 

Check this thread by arghx:

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/how-make-your-untuned-pfc-basemap-safer-idle-better-no-datalogit-needed-841706/

 

What exactly is happening?
Just keeps cranking? then floods?

 

When i crank it it trys to start, i usually have to hold down the pedal. then it doesnt idle higher than 800 rpm then dies. i can flutter the pedal and it keeps it going for a little while, but usually just ends up dying in the end. on the rare chance i get it to start, it idles and drives fine. and it doesnt start only when it is cold.

 

i think i might have figured it out. i did the coolant seal repair on my car a few months ago, and everything has been fine since then. but i finally got it started today and it was blowing out a lot of smoke. i thought it was just to it possibly being slightly flooded, but it kept doing it. when i smelled the exhaust, it smelled sweet like coolant. after a little while, the smoke stopped, so i think its when it is cold, that repair is failing and letting coolant into the combustion chamber making it dificult to start. when it warms up though, the seal expands and stops letting coolant in. does this sound plausible to anyone?

 

Basically correct, except for the underlined reasoning. Coolant usually seeps slowly into the combustion chamber immediately after shutdown, while the cooling system is still pressurized. Normally, when the engine is completely cold, there is no cooling system pressure, and, thus, no driving force.