NX2000 Cold Start Problem Seeking Help

lucifer · Apr 17th, 2004, 05:03 AM

Hello, I am a newbie about cars so experts out there, please help me if possible.

I have a NX Coupe with SR20DE Engine. It has a milleage of about 145,000.

Problem Symptom: Is this called IDLING START PROBLEM?

On a Cold Start(Weather temperature does not seem to affect it), my engine crancks up easily and the REV hits about 1500 rpm. Then the rev goes back down to about 800. This is normal for my car as stated on the car manual that the default neutral rev for my car is about 700-900.

At first, the problems only shows up if i start driving without letting the car to warm up.

Now, as soon as I start it, the engine rev fluctuates down to about 500-200. All my electric devices such as the meter light and the car light dims. Then normally, the rev hits back to the car's default rev. (still in neutral)

Case 1: Then if I leave the car there in neutral, the rev remains normal, and if
I wait for about 5 minutes or so, I can drive off fine. To me it seems like my car is getting old and it need a bit of warm up before it can move.

Case 2: If I start driving straight off, again the engine rev problem will come when I release the clutch and press down the accelerator. From experience, it feels like there are not enough fuel given to the engine or something, so I always had to press down the accelerator more than normal in order to get my engine to rev up. Sometimes, I simply hold the clutch down to prevent my car from stalling. Otherwise, the rev would start to go up and down below 500 and my lights dims too. Neutral is the only condition where my engine would not look as if it is going to die. (the REV needle jumps around elastically)

** Additionally, one thing i also have to mention is something I did once on a cold start. That was the first time I think that the problem outbursted.

It was a on cold night, when I tried to go without realising that my parking brake was still on. So the car stalled when I tried to take off. Then, that problem i mentioned above came and continued for about 5 minutes drive on high speed. During that five minutes, I felt the problem straight away because the engine feels very different from how it normally was before.

I want to take my car to some mechanic but I want to know what might the problem be before hand. Firstly, mechanics are dodgy because they just want to make money, and also some of them don't check your car up properly and still charge you a lot of money.

(Also, I used to have a dub battery and the battery died one day all of a sudden, so I was thinking the battery might have short circuited or burnt or damaged something in my car)

So yeh, anyone who have any idea about my problems please help.

Thank you~!

AWK666 · Apr 22nd, 2004, 08:30 AM

My car also used ot do this, hasnt happened so often recently but everynow and then the idle gets a bit erratic. Its not something that has concerned me as i have been told not to worry about it, just an SR20 trait.

Check out the forums on www.pulsar.org.au and search for cold starts and the infamous "bloddy bogging" thread.

Should help

Pretty White · Feb 28th, 2005, 02:12 AM

Drive without letting the oil circulate in the motor say bye bye to your rod bearings.
Please, do not listen to anyone about the old BS, these newer cars are EFI, they can start right up and go. A crank is still a crank and an oil pump is still an oil pump. Allow time for the car to warm up soon or soon you will be crying that you need a motor.

The reason it is bogging is because the knock sensor is probally retarding trhe timing to save the motor because oil is not circulating. Also, fast idle is to let the catalyatic converter light up.
Dude, be nice to the car. Let it warm up at least 5 minutes.

Creason · Mar 3rd, 2005, 08:45 PM

could also have a bad idle air control solenoid/motor. Recently had a 1.6 in the shop with a very similar problem, we but on a new idle control solenoid, bam problem solved. This was the only thing that solved the problem.

Spelchy · Mar 4th, 2005, 08:18 AM

Keep an eye on your oil level, and invest in a new set of plugs if you haven't in awhile. A compression test might also be in order.