Im Fed Up Today

[CraigT]

Okay once again the temperature has dropped really low outside and Im having starting problems again.

I left work tonight at 9:30 and everything was iced over and frozen. As I expected I turned the key only for the car to turn over for ages and ages. All the while Im lightly tapping the throttle hoping for some signes that I actually bought a nice car :(

Eventually it started with a bit of a splutter (probably due to pumping the throttle) and once started runs like the dream that it is.

Thing is everyone likes my car but if I heard it turning over like that I would assume that its a heap of $hit (which its really not).

So my mission begins, can any of you good folk list *point by point* EVERYTHING I need to do to have a car that starts efficiently, even if this involves spending money. Please bear in mind that Im a moron when it comes to cars (Im trying to learn!) so please dont be afraid to go into specific explainations.

I really need help on this one. Surely it cant be too hard to get the car to start well? As I said, once its warmed up it really drives impressively.

Thanks in advance.

[+Steve]

you shouldnt need to pump the throttle. This was only applied to old cars like escorts and stuff.

the car sounds like it needs a service.. perhaps a new dizzy cap and some quality leads and plugs should do the trick.

shouldnt be a fuel problem.. sounds electrical

[Bibbs]

first thing .. give the Battery an over night charge. The Alternator is only a top up - on the MR2 they are not good at charging proper.

Make sure the plugs/leads/dizzy & rotor arm are in good condition .. any retardation in spark is not good.

And when starting, make sure the lights/radio etc are off.

[Jimlad]

get a new Battery mate... it'll sort it. cold weather makes bad batterys even worse... get somewhere to do a load test on it ( it will be free )... that's most probably your problem.

I had the same pros in cold weather. New Battery = instant start !

[CraigT]

you shouldnt need to pump the throttle. This was only applied to old cars like escorts and stuff.

the car sounds like it needs a service.. perhaps a new dizzy cap and some quality leads and plugs should do the trick.

shouldnt be a fuel problem.. sounds electrical

I'll be honest, its really taken the edge of it today for me. I just want it to start like a sports car and not an old banger :(

Whats the cost involved in what you suggest and can any garage do it for me or shall I pay a visit to Mr T?

[Bibbs]

you can do it yourself - it's easy ..

Simple thing is to get a Battery charger from Halfords and connect it up over night one day.

Then if it's still a problem .. have a look at the leads/plugs etc.

[CraigT]

get a new battery mate... it'll sort it. cold weather makes bad batterys even worse... get somewhere to do a load test on it ( it will be free )... that's most probably your problem.

I had the same pros in cold weather. New battery = instant start !

The charge is shown on a little gauge on the dash in a N/A MR2. This is near the top but how reliable is this I wonder :/

[CraigT]

you can do it yourself - it's easy ..

Simple thing is to get a battery charger from Halfords and connect it up over night one day.

Then if it's still a problem .. have a look at the leads/plugs etc.

Thats sounds like something worth a try, how much are the chargers roughly and how much is a new Battery?

I wouldnt mind a new Battery if it would make a good difference.

Also checking the plugs are clean and the dizzy cap etc is something I have no clue about. Id be happy to teach myself if you could give me any kind of pointers :)

[Bibbs]

okay .. A Battery is about £30 - get one that is the right size (both physical and the size of the terminals). The Battery is under the spare tyre.

I think a charger is about £30 as well - but that's a guess.

When you look at the engine bay .. there wil be 4 wires on the head ..

Pull them off one at a time and you'll see the pointy end of a spark plug in the hole and you'll have a HT lead in your hand .. if they are white and fury they need a quick rub down with a brillow pad.

The dizzy cap is a bit more involved.

[+Steve]

plugs , leads and stuff.. buy something decent.. you wont have to change these for ages.. they last a long time

[Bibbs]

Speak to Fensport and get plugs (NKG). About a fiver each - need 4.

Get leads/dizzy cap and rotor arm from Mr T. £50/£50/£25 - at a guess .. be sure you give them the right revision .. the plugs at the dizzy cap end changed on revisions 1/2/3-5

[CraigT]

Speak to Fensport and get plugs (NKG). About a fiver each - need 4.

Get leads/dizzy cap and rotor arm from Mr T. £50/£50/£25 - at a guess .. be sure you give them the right revision .. the plugs at the dizzy cap end changed on revisions 1/2/3-5

Had a look at the plugs today bibbs, easy to find following your advice however I dodnt realise that the plugs were so far down insode the holes. From what I could see of the leads and the top of the plugs they looked clean.

If I do get those plugs from Fensport how the heck do I change them??

Anyway I called into Halfords today and explained the problems and mentioned the dizzy cap etc and they advised me to go to Toyota as "MR2's are very technical" ?!?!?!

So, do I pay a visit to MR T? I dont mind paying a little more if it gets the job done but I also dont want to be raped of a serious wad of cash!

[Bibbs]

The plugs are a fair old way down .. you need a special tool to get them out .. like a very long socket set .. and they need to be torqued to certain standards .. I'd let a garage do it.

The Dizzy cap and Rotor arm are really only Mr T items .. but I'd suggest sticking a volt meter over your Battery first.

Is your Battery a sealed (maintanance free) one? Or is one you can fill up the holes ?

[CraigT]

The plugs are a fair old way down .. you need a special tool to get them out .. like a very long socket set .. and they need to be torqued to certain standards .. I'd let a garage do it.

The Dizzy cap and Rotor arm are really only Mr T items .. but I'd suggest sticking a volt meter over your battery first.

Is your battery a sealed (maintanance free) one? Or is one you can fill up the holes ?

Im not sure what type it is, only had a quick look in the rain this morning.

I'll have a look at it properly after work and find out.

Im also gonna have a word with Mr T about having it checked out asap - otherwise Im going to be sitting stranded in a flash MR2 in the carpark one dark cold night after work

[Bibbs]

heh heh .. if it's a maintanence one .. get some distilled water an top up the levels first .. over time batteries need a topup.

Then leave it for a minimum 12 hour charge. Then go out for a good run ..

I *think* the Battery should read about 11v when the car is off and about 13 when the car is running.

[Jimlad]

the charge on the Battery may be fine... but if you do a load test you may find very poor results... hence poor start in cold weather. When it's cold it puts more of a strain on your Battery.

I would advise doing what Bibbs said, or buying a new Battery from Halfords before you go anywhere near Mr T.

[John R]

If the car is turning over it's more likely to be plugs/dizzy cap/ rotor arm, not the Battery.

[CraigT]

If the car is turning over it's more likely to be plugs/dizzy cap/ rotor arm that the battery.

Thing is, a new Battery is £30. Is it worth spending this before a visit to the expensive Mr T or do I take it down to them and give them the responsibility of sorting it?

BTW will Mr T do a free load test?

[Jimlad]

does it turn over fine ?? Proper speed etc ?.. simply won't start.

[John R]

Have you got a friend with the right sized Battery?

[CraigT]

does it turn over fine ?? Proper speed etc ?.. simply won't start.

well I crank it and it kinda goes "whu, whu, whu, whu, whu" for ages before starting :(

EDIT: Only really does this in the cold, all other times it only turns over a little before starting.

[Jimlad]

I still say the Battery mate... the exact same happened with me.

I may be wrong tho.

[phil3345]

PLease dont laugh

I used to have a porsche with the same problem.

On the injection system there is something called a cold start valve.When the temp is low it puts extra fuel into the manifold richening the mixture much like a choke (flap closes slowing airflow into carb).Changed the cold start valve and everything was fine.

Dont know if its exactly the same but i would imagine its similar.Look in the mr2 manual see if there is one there and check with a meter to see if there is a trigger voltage on it.

Hope that helps :bookworm:

[Jimlad]

there's so much advice going about mate I bet you're wondering what to do.

To rule out the Battery, take your car along to somewhere like ATS etc and ask them to test your Battery. Ask them to do a load test.. it won't cost you anything. That way you could possibly at least rule out 1 potential issue.

[CraigT]

I still say the Battery mate... the exact same happened with me.

I may be wrong tho.

To be honest mate I think for the sake of £30 or £40 its worth giving it a try.

One stupid question though, does the new Battery come charged? In other words can I just slap it in the car and start her up!!

EDIT: I will ask for a load test first though.