So last night for the first time my FD would not start. I've only had the car for three months so I'm still learning it.

After pulling the plugs I could see the car was indeed flooded. First, I turned the car over a bit without the plugs and retried to start it but it still wouldn't. Next I disconnected the EFI (I know should have tried this first and have since read about the wd-40 method) and again turned the car over a few times and after reconnecting the EFI I got it to start. I had massive smoke for a few minutes and after taking the car for a drive the smoke cleared up. I'm not smelling the sweet antifreeze smell in the smoke so I don't think its coolant burning off due to a seal failure.. at least I hope...

So this morning I go to start the car and it starts but takes 3 - 4 times turning it over for it to catch. I get a puff of smoke but then it clears up. Nothing like what burned off before.

Last symptom is the idle bounces a bit around between 600-800 RPMs maybe even less but it is noticeable and the car has cut out twice at idle in the last month.

I think the car flooded out Saturday when I moved to into the driveway and cut it off. I later pulled it back into the garage and it was idling very rough and I was in a hurry so I cut it right off again.

I did not have the flooding problem until yesterday and the only thing I've done to the car is change the plugs and air filter in the last week. I went with Nickel NGK plugs versus Platinum simply because the local NAPA happened to have the plugs and I was too impatient to order online. Is the car so sensitive to plugs it wants the platinums?

The rough idle has been going since I got the car so maybe its not related to the plugs but maybe it is? My thought is something is causing the car to run rich. Its totally stock right now so any thoughts on what to look at? Could a bad vacuum hose create a rich condition or maybe an exhaust leak?

 

I'm hearing a hissing sound when the car is idling right near the intake manifold. Does it sound like I'm in the ballpark. It's pretty tough to say specifically what's leaky. My guess right now is one of the hoses is going bad. All the hoses are the originals.

 

id start with a compression check, or post a video of the sound your hearing that might help faster.