Car does not want to start. Help!
 

Sometimes I try to start my car and all it does is spin over and over, but once I press the gas petal to the floor it will start and sputter then smooth out and run ok.

Also if I have the car running with the AC off the car ides at around 500 RPMs and seems to miss. But with the AC on the car idles at 800 RPMs and seems to run fine

What I've tried

Fuel injector cleaner
Cleaned out the EGR lines
Fuel presser is at 36 PSI with the pump on and 29 PSI with the motor running.
I ran some new ground wires to the motor.
On my MSD ignition controller I can see that sometimes some the coils are not firing with the AC off.
If I remove the vacuum line marked R from the throttle body and blow into it I can hear air coming out some ware near the EGR vale.
Spark plugs were changed about 38,000 miles ago

Does the check engine light ever come on?

Right now I suspect the water temp. sensor, which is a real common failure on Legacys and SVXs (not sure about Imprezas, although I'd assume so)

Well some times it does come on, but not then it will not start.
When I read the codes I get 56 EGR system.

The dealer said that the EGR will not effect start up.

Sounds like what we used to do with a carburator-equipped car when it flooded...any problem with your fuel injectors? I wonder if the TPS might be tied in to things somehow.
-Bill

You might be on to something - the throttle position shouldn't affect startup, should it?

Might it also be a problem with the idle air control valve, I wonder...

How does one test the idle air control valve?

Auxiliary Air Valve (Idle Speed): Testing and Inspection
CHECK FUNCTION
A faulty auxiliary air valve does not set a trouble code.
1. With engine idling, carefully pinch off hose between air intake duct and auxiliary air valve.
2. Check that engine speed changes as follows:
Engine cold: significant drop in engine RPM.
Engine hot: engine speed drop of less than 100 RPM.
3. If engine speed does not change as indicated, check for stuck valve and/or damaged hose. Replace component(s) found to be faulty.
CHECK RESISTANCE AND VOLTAGE
1. Disconnect auxiliary air valve connector.
2. Check resistance between valve terminals. If it is either 0 or infinite, replace auxiliary air valve.
3. With engine running, check voltage across valve connector terminals. It should be above 12V.
4. If voltage is low or 0, check condition of harness and connector; repair as necessary.

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I would search on flooding. It seems to me a flooring then release of the pedal prior to cranking does set some flooding routine.

When I was messing around adjusting the TPS going one way would make the car not start unless I had my foot on the gas pedal. Going the other way it started and then idled very high.

just in case you wanted the other valve, see attached

Well I cleaned my idle air control valve, EGR solenoid, and throttle body.
My car now seems to idle better. Before I cleaned the idle air control valve it felt like it had a spot where it was not moving freely, but now it moves freely.

I also noted that after a hour and a half of sitting my fuel presser had dropped from 35 PSI to 0 PSI, So I’m thinking I mite have a leaking fuel injector. Which I would think could flood one or more cylinder.

Is there any way to test my fuel injectors to see if they are leaking?

The exact same thing happened to my wife's old Legacy. I cleaned that sucker out and (after fixing a dozen or so vacuum leaks) the car ideled normally (finally!).

Car is still not starting some times, but I got a CE light.
When I checked it I go code 21, and 56 for the temp sensor and EGR(still I clean out the egr system to times now).
So I'm going to the dealer to today and getting a new temp sensor.

Okay, temp sensor closes a control loop with the fuel injectors....ECU thinks the engine is hot when it's cold...all kinds of confusion:eek:
-Bill
p.s. have you checked all the vacuum lines?

I've checked all of the vacuum lines that I can see and all of the ones that have anything to do with the EGR system.

I've removed, cleaned and reinstalled the whole EGR system.

Are they the original lines? How did you check them? Might just be easier to replace them with new lines - avoids the possibility that there are pinhole leaks that get worse with heat/vibration.
-Bill