Intermittent Starting Issue

[Dezasster]

Hi members

I am having an intermittent issue when starting the car. Usually when the car have been driven for a while and after shutdown and immediately or some hours later it will not start on first start attempt. Engine always crank. It will always start at most on second or third attempt after putting switch back off and start. On morning always start strongly. Note that after starting there is no problem.

1. A mechanic checked the circuit opening relay and it does click when this issue comes and fuel pump comes on. Seems not fueling. I have a sard FPR and its giving good reading on gauge.
2.We changed ECU,new coil,spark plugs,distributor,ignitor,caps. But not spark plug wires yet
3. The mechanic noticed that whenever the issue comes the spark is weak from spark plug coming from distributor. Whereas when we test at coil and was giving strong spark. But we couldnt tell if the issue was being simulated at that time.
4.Battery is brand new.

So does anyone have any idea or pointers where we could check for this ignition issue. Car runs fine when started. Could it be relays?

 

[weeJohn]

It could be the coolant temp sensor, it sends a signal to the ecu that controls fueling conditions dependent on engine temp. If its faulty it can cause warm start issues. Its the only 2 or 3 wire sensor (depending on model) on the thermostat housing.

 

[Dezasster]

Thank you john for the suggested info. I will give this a try and change it to narrow down the possibilities. So i have open up the hood and checked on the water bodies. I see
2 ECT sensors. 1 has only 1 wire (i think this is a sender to the dashboard gauge) and the second one has 3 wires(i guess this is hooked up to ECU and is what i should try to replace). I have an ohmeter, is there a way to test the sensor after its been warmed up and monitor its values? I will be glad to test it if i know which of the 3 pins needed to be tested.

Car model i a glanza V 1996

 

[shishani_racing]

friend what type of spark plugs you are using ? and if they are high rate of iridium ( the number more than like in hks spark plugs 7 ) it will cause hard start when engine is cold

 

[Dezasster]

Mine just replaced with Toyota oem spark plugs. My issue seems to be after car have warmed up to normal temperature only.

NB: This is issue seems not to appear at the moment if i turn key straight to start at all temperature.
But issue appears Normally when i put the the key to ON position and then leave the ABS light to turn off. Then start the car. When i do that after car have warmed up it wont start on first, second attempt unless i switch off the car and turn straight to start the car. I guess you understand my explanation of the issue.

 

[Dezasster]

A little update regarding the issue. Changed the ECT sensor and seems same issue. After a few days now. this morning i started the car and started to get off the garage and sudden the car stalled and did not start again at all. Seems the issue of not started is permanent now. I opened the hood and see the engine cranking and also timing belt rotating and my dashboard shows the lights on acc as usual. Anyone can advice where could i check first. Take note of the things i've changed above. I have a multimeter and advice where i can check first

 

[ep-82]

Could be a contact breaking down or a wire that has split maybe..

 

[Dezasster]

ok we just found out that the issue of not starting was caused by a broken little pin on the camshaft holding the cam gear on timing. This caused no compression and the not starting issue. We will be changing the camshaft tommow and update. Intermittent issue might be a different issue to this. My mechanic told me it's the first time he has seen that pin broken off the camshaft.

 

[weeJohn]

ok we just found out that the issue of not starting was caused by a broken little pin on the camshaft holding the cam gear on timing. This caused no compression and the not starting issue. We will be changing the camshaft tommow and update. Intermittent issue might be a different issue to this. My mechanic told me it's the first time he has seen that pin broken off the camshaft.

Thats one I have never heard off before, well done to the mech there.

 

[Dezasster]

We have opened the rocker cover the other day to found that 1 of my ARP headbolts was lying stuck under my camshaft. 2/3 of the thread was left in the engine block. This caused the little pin to broke off the cam gear. How unfortunate that is.It damaged a bit of the camshaft inside as well but not other things. My engine was built 2 years ago and i'm now thinking if the ARP bolts are faulty ones or It just happen my previous mechanic did wrong torque.

My new mech told me that faulty ones could be the case cause he had this case before. The ones he encoutered before caused overheating but not the whole bolt getting out like mine.I had a second new set of Arp lying around and he told me that the new ones where different as it looks bigger and he reassured me these should be ok. He had also previously contact arp himself and they said there was an occurence of ARP snapping and the new set i got may be the improved ones. I installed it with a new set of Athena racing head gasket. Hopefully these are ok.

Any of you encoutered ARP issues before where it snapped. My intermittent starting issue should still be there. my mech will be looking at the ignition switch for a solution.