Starting Issue

Hi, my 92' SVX starting having this problem a while back, the problem occur when from cold start. I can alway start the engine on the 1st try, but when I put the car into gear when it is not warm up long enough, the car will choke, and shut down. This only happen when I engaged into gear. Usually, after a few more tries, then I can drive away. The gas milage is terrible right now, on a full tank of gas, it will only do around 230mi city. I wonder if this as related to my starting problem. Any suggestion?

[n00b on demand]

i get 160 for city driving. Try that for bad mileage.

Gee!... 160, leaking fuel tank? The gas must be dripping out of the tail pipe

[UberRoo]

I had something similar happen to me. I changed the spark plugs (because it's cheap and easy to do) and also the temperature sensor (because it's also cheap and easy to do and because I had a trouble code for it.) It turns out that my temperature sensor problem is an intermittent connection problem somewhere, but the spark plugs seem to have cured my starting problems. The engine would start, idle too low, miss, and usually die within ten seconds. Usually it would only require one re-start, but sometimes needed two.

This may or may not be your problem, but the 'cheap and easy' part makes it a good place to start.

I did change the spark plug, but no help. As for the temperture sensor, does it affect how fuel is consume?

[Darksied-X]

UberRoo's right on the money. I had the exact same problem year about this time, and the fix was the temp sensor. The part was about $30 from the stealership, and they charged me about an hour to throw it in.

[UberRoo]

Originally posted by LoYPS
I did change the spark plug, but no help. As for the temperture sensor, does it affect how fuel is consume?

YES!

When the engine is cold, it turns on the ECU's "choke." If you've ever tried to start a carbureted engine on a cold day without the choke, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. On a fuel injected vehicle, you don't have a choke, but it still needs extra fuel.

I don't know how the ECU diagnoses a faulty temperature sensor, but I would imagine that it doesn't always register a code when it's gone bad. They cost about $15 from any auto parts shop, and they take five minutes to change. For that kind of investment, it's not worth beating your head about a wall trying to diagnose the problem with speculation.

I have an intermittent connection problem with my temperature sensor wiring. When the problem happens, I get a check engine light, low idle speed, and slightly lethargic performance. On rare occasions the problem occurs when starting the car. When this happens, it'll cough and studder and then die. If it doesn't start on the second try, I have to reset the ECU or it simply won't run without at least a minute of cranking. Not only is the temperature sensor important, the ECU flips out if it doesn't like what it sees.

[Earthworm]

I believe this was the first problem I ever had with my car. (happened about 3 years ago)

It eventually threw a code (21) for the engine temp sensor.

[pavanbabut]

hmm... seems u r gettin better mileage than me... i can say i am gettting hardly around 130mi city+Hwy driving or even less . I usually full the tank for every 2-2 1/2 weeks. I am stuck up in identifying the problem for this bad gas mileage, but no idea from where to start.

Pavan.