Recently did an engine swap into a 2001 Lanos hatchback for my father.
There is a strange problem that I have yet to figure out. The car is at a garage and the mechanics have also not yet figured it out ... so maybe someone here may have an idea!
Problem: Go out to the car in the morning after the car has been sitting for 8 to 12 hours. Turn the key to start the car. Car turns over, fires a few times but will not actually start. Try to start 2 or 3 more times and the engine turns over and you hear it fire a few times but will not start.
Leave the car alone for about 5 minutes or so, then try to start again and the car starts right up and runs well after that.
That does sound odd, have you tested to make sure the plugs are firing and that there is fuel pressure ?
When you turn the key forward do you hear the fuel pump kick on for 1-2 seconds then shut off?
I was just thinking that perhaps the pump needs to kick on and off a few times to build up enough pressure to fire the injectors.
To me starting comes down to fuel,spark,air.
So fuel pressure is easy enough to check, attach a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail.
Spark is easy, just remove a plug wire put a spark plug on, ground it and crank it a couple of times then move on to the next one.
I'd say check the spark plug wire position, but if it runs fine then that's probably not the issue as mixed up wires will make it hard to start the car ( but still possible ) but it will run very rough and want to stall out after it finally starts idling.
You could also check timing, can't remember off hand but it's probably something like 8 degrees before TDC or something like that.
Lastly is air, you could try holding the throttle plate open just a tiny bit to see if it helps
If the IAC is somehow not resetting it's position that could cause major problems with startup, if it's too far open or too far closed it won't want to start.
Hmmmm.... what else.... how about the EGR, if it's stuck open it will force exhaust into the intake and drown out the engine.
Faulty ground ( corroded or not tight ) can screw things up pretty bad, given you swapped in the engine that is one possibility.
I suppose electrical in general could cause issues, it may be an intermittent problem that just seems to correspond to the timeframe your talking about.
I suppose something as simple as a malfunctioning Intake temp sensor or coolant temp sensor could cause some start up problems ( engine changes startup procedures based upon those temp sensors )
2010 BMW 335D
1994 Opel Calibra 4X4 turbo ( C20LET 2.0L Turbo )
2002 Daewoo lanos
