OK WTF is this??

[gijonas]

So i have this weird issue that really isn't a problem,just really bothers me as i cant make any logic of it.

Probably once every 2 or 3 months i will go out to start my car and just before it starts i let off on the key a bit too soon and it does the old 2 or 3 chugging fires and stops.It doesn't stall as it never started,just as i said the key is taken off the start position about half a second too soon.We have all done it.

Now the weird thing is that every time I do this,upon restarting the car will only run on 2 cylinders.As it warms and approaches probably 100 degrees another cylinder kicks on,then as it gets near full operating temp the 4th cylinder kicks in and all is back to normal.What is fucked up is that it will do this consistently every time (though i don't do this often) no matter what the temp or weather conditions?

Anyone have any idea what would cause this?,I just cant see any reason for it.

[evolutionmovement]

Momentary richness briefly fouling a couple plugs? IDK.

As an unrelated note that this made me think of, mine always started after a couple cranks and my GLs would start on the first turn over (with a kick of the accelerator as turning the key)—you wouldn't even hear the starter turn, it would just be running. Never seen anything but my Subarus that start so damn easy.

[Apex3]

Mine does the dying thing sometimes, I hate it, makes it look like my car won't start...When really it's my fault.

It doesn't do the two cylinder thing though, I'd say Evo is probably right here, fouling the plugs, or flooding 2 cylinders or something along those lines. Could try regapping or changing the plugs, might fix it, but that's just a shot in the dark.

[gijonas]

Honestly the fouling thing is the only thing i have come up with as well,must be the issue.Just weird how predictable it is,i know that if it doesn't catch the first time that it will do this,and it always does.

[Legacy777]

How do you know it's not running on all four cylinders? I find that it would be rather difficult to really figure that out. If you rev the engine does it rev? If it were a momentary rich thing, revving the engine would help get rid of that.

[gijonas]

Its hard to explain but it is obvious to me.I can literally hear that only 2 are firing,and after that it is obvious to my ears that another cylinder has kicked on.My uppipe leak makes this very evident as well.I can kind of build rpm but it really doesnt help clear it up,just the temp brings it out of it.

Again the car has 0 issues of any kind like this normally.

[Legacy777]

Not saying that's not what is happening, but it is still a subjective test, and is not conclusive. If you were able to pull a spark plug wire boot off and there was no change in engine, that would confirm things. If that's the case, I'd check the corresponding wire/boot on the other side of the engine. There may be an issue with the coil.

Have you tried turning the engine off and then restarting it when this occurs?

[gijonas]

Have you tried turning the engine off and then restarting it when this occurs?

Yes.the only thing that brings it back is letting it idle for 10-15 min.

Im wondering if it is a coil issue why would the failed start trigger it?,and why would operating temp resolve it?

[Legacy777]

Im wondering if it is a coil issue why would the failed start trigger it?,and why would operating temp resolve it?

No idea....

[gijonas]

Honestly thats what i was hoping to hear!

[BC5RSRA]

There are times when a coil has a break and when it's cold it could be internally shorting out to another part inside the coil. However, again, this is a shot in the dark. Personal recommendation, check your COMPLETE ignition system from the igniter/icm forward to the plugs, be detailed and even check for a broken spark plug wire, you may have a wire that is only good when warm. If this is only happening once in a while then you need to realize that this part is just starting to fail...this means easiest things to pop...coil or igniter...after that check wiring.