Trouble Starting in Cold Weather

[ddkerr2]

My girlfriend has a 1998 Mazda Protege. In the morning after it has been sitting out in the cold, it refuses to start. It will typically only have this problem in the morning after it has been very cold outside. It had this problem last winter, did not do it in the summer, and is now having the same problem again. It tries to start but just wont do it, unless you mess around with it for about 20 minutes, but later in the day it starts right up. I have replaced the spark plugs, the fuel filter, and have had the battery looked at. The air filter is fine, and I am just stumped as to what it could be. If anyone has any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Don

 

[Deadend9009]

check that your wires are good by turning the car on and spraying water on them (with a windex bottle thing). If the idle changes, they're bad. What brand plugs did you buy? Check your rotor and dizzy cap for corosion and wear.

 

[randyscycle]

Sounds like you have one of a couple problems:

The coolant temp sensor (ECT) may not be reading correctly and when the outside temp is really cold, it may not be telling the ECM to richen the fuel mixture enough to compensate for cold operation. This could be verified by having the computer scanned by a reputable shop.

There may be a problem with the fuel system not retaining enough fuel pressure overnight, and then it takes a lot of cranking to get it started the next morning.

It could also be an electrical problem, but I suspect that if it only happens cold and no other time, it may be fuel related....

Hope this is of some help.

 

[Brian MP5T]

Can you put it in a garage over night or plug in the blosck heater?

 

[Kansei]

Can you put it in a garage over night or plug in the blosck heater?

^^ block heater for the win. It was a pain in the butt to install mine but I'm glad I did!