Help: Threw a CEL

[Pretzellogic]

I've been having trouble during these recent cold mornings we've been having. Normally, the car will start, and idle like s*** until it warms up, and then she's fine.

The past couple days it's been colder than normal, and the first time I try to start it, the engine turns over but just coughs and dies. When I crank it again, she starts fine, and then settles into her usual lumpy idle.

Today, I come out of work and start it. Same deal, except this time instead of dying, it actually runs for a second, except VERY poorly. I turn it off, and start it again, and it fires up normally, except now I have a CEL.

Juan has told me that the idle problem can be solved by unscrewing the idle bypass screw on the throttle body, but I was unable to find it in the shop manual, and I don't want to start unscrewing random things to see what will happen. Anyone got a pic of it?

Cold starts are definitly a problem. The idle is lumpy, and I think the car misfires. I have also noticed a ticking sound coming from the general vicinity of the exhaust mani when it's very cold (ie: the past two days). It goes away once it's warm.

Anyone know why I threw a CEL, and how to fix the problem? Any help is greatly appreciated, as I'm learning this stuff one ****-up at a time.

 

[Pretzellogic]

Bump.

One more thing: she is still running fine with the CEL

 

[Mr. Win]

its would help if you got the cel read... and haltechs always have had cold start problems. Do what jaun said (ill see if i can snap a pic) or try just give it a lil gas..

 

[Pretzellogic]

its would help if you got the cel read... and haltechs always have had cold start problems. Do what jaun said (ill see if i can snap a pic) or try just give it a lil gas..

Do I have to get the CEL read at a dealer?

 

[Bigg Tim]

Do I have to get the CEL read at a dealer?

Try the local parts store, like autozone or something. Any shop should have the capabilities to read codes.

 

[BlkZoomZoom]

Based on your description of what happened. You have misfire codes stored.

 

[changedman]

every code is flash stored until clear, or the computer clears it out/fixes the problem

 

[Pretzellogic]

Just took the car out. Started no problem and the CEL is gone.

 

[changedman]

sweet

 

[Rubicon]

Pret

I've been having the exact same problem as you with the cold starts. I also throw a CEL when the car almost starts then dies not sure why. But the reason why it goes away the next time you start the car it is because the way the ECU is wired up, it will reset the CEL everytime you start the car up.

 

[HiBoost TS]

Pretz, i have sent a PM with a picture of the by pass screw and you are right, it is phillips, but a flat screwdriver can be used as well. When you start the car and it dies and you re start it again inmediatelly, it will throw a CEL always. If it comes on, shut off the engine, wait 10 or 15 seconds and then try again. The CEL will be gone.

Maybe we need to adjust the cold strat maps a little bit. Last year during the winter we had some issues, but this year the cars al least start in the second try, so we are close to get it perfect.

Do you access to a 98 windows laptop with a 9 pin serial connector?

If so, let me know and I will send you a corrected map to try all these mornings until we get it right.

Here is the picture of the by pass screw. The one with the red loop is the one you should unscrew (counterclockwise) to get a more steady idle. NOT the one with the blue loop.


Juan

 

[Bigg Tim]

Pretz, i have sent a PM with a picture of the by pass screw and you are right, it is phillips, but a flat screwdriver can be used as well. When you start the car and it dies and you re start it again inmediatelly, it will throw a CEL always. If it comes on, shut off the engine, wait 10 or 15 seconds and then try again. The CEL will be gone.

Maybe we need to adjust the cold strat maps a little bit. Last year during the winter we had some issues, but this year the cars al least start in the second try, so we are close to get it perfect.

Do you access to a 98 windows laptop with a 9 pin serial connector?

If so, let me know and I will send you a corrected map to try all these mornings until we get it right.

Here is the picture of the by pass screw. The one with the red loop is the one you should unscrew (counterclockwise) to get a more steady idle. NOT the one with the blue loop.


Juan

How do you adjust your maps to compensate for cold starts, when you do not experience the same cold as the rest of the country? I know it gets cold there, but not as cold as the norhteast of the country.

 

[BiGx5MurF]

I had this same problem during this winter 2x, but both times it eventually just went away on its own. Now that the weather has gotten a little warmer, I get this problem when starting up my car first thing in the morning, and then reversing out of my driveway. It doesn't happen if I put it in drive first, only when I put it in reverse, and for the rest of the day, it doesn't do it. But it does it again, the next morning. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[ne3ek]

what do you have an e6x? Do you tune it yourself? Cold starts are a b****, I spent 3 cold ass mornings getting mine to start and idle. And it was doing it PERFECTLY, but then i lost that map in my 4908230498 maps, so I have to do it again. But it's not difficult, start out lean.. add fuel until it starts, then add a bit more in the coolant map, you may have to remove some if it's really lumpy/backfiring. There is also the post start map that runs for a certain amount of time right when the engine starts. Read over the manual, it really helps a lot. I'm not saying you didn't but cold starts aren't diffuclt, just tedious. Good luck!

oh ya you can PM me if you need more help. I'm not a pro, but i got my car to run mint. I just had the revlimiter too high/redlined it too much. So I payed the price and spun a bearing.

 

[Pretzellogic]

Well, this problem was solved a while ago (check the date on the first post ). IT was a combination of the bad stock battery and plugs that were too cold. Changing both fixed the problem.

 

[ne3ek]

Well, this problem was solved a while ago (check the date on the first post ). IT was a combination of the bad stock battery and plugs that were too cold. Changing both fixed the problem.

(yippy)

 

[Pretzellogic]

(yippy)

You better believe it. You would think that not being able to get to work is a good thing, but it really puts a damper on your future employment prospetcs.

OT: Will you be boosting at the NEPOC dyno? Which engine is going in?

 

[ne3ek]

You better believe it. You would think that not being able to get to work is a good thing, but it really puts a damper on your future employment prospetcs.

OT: Will you be boosting at the NEPOC dyno? Which engine is going in?

im putting in the motor i pulled out, its the same exact motor as the gtx except it has a much better flowing head, and it has 9:1 comp vs the gtx's 8.5:1

the motor has 210k miles as well though lol. I have another motor on an engine stand with 80k but i dun feel like assembling it right now, so this one will do it ran mint, and will continue to. So Im gonna transfer all my turbo stuff over. It should be the same setup with a bit more power.

 

[Dr.Sound]

cool, thanks guys!

 

[Pretzellogic]

Huh?

back from the dead.