Hi guys

Recently i noticed that my engine does not start at once in the cold morning, cold afternoon or cold evening. It takes 2-3 cranks before the engine comes to life.

However, on warmer mornings or afternoons or evenings - the engine starts at once but with initial shaking/vibration of the engine but this disappears in about 3 secs.

This problem, engine refusing to start at once, only happen at first engine start of the day. Every other starts during the day are fine.

Again, Sometimes during driving, at hold ups and at any time of the day, the RPM needle goes below 0.8, like between 0.4 -0.6, and still the engine would not shut off.

Car drives fine, transmission in good shape.

What could be the problem, what is the fix?

Car is camry 2005
2az fe engine

xavuv:
Hi guys

Recently i noticed that my engine does not start at once in the cold morning, cold afternoon or cold evening. It takes 2-3 cranks before the engine comes to life.

However, on warmer mornings or afternoons or evenings - the engine starts at once but with initial shaking/vibration of the engine but this disappears in about 3 secs.

This problem, engine refusing to start at once, only happen at first engine start of the day. Every other starts during the day are fine.

Again, Sometimes during driving, at hold ups and at any time of the day, the RPM needle goes below 0.8, like between 0.4 -0.6, and still the engine would not shut off.

Car drives fine, transmission in good shape.

What could be the problem, what is the fix?

Car is camry 2005
2az fe engine

Post any troubleshooting technical data that u might have retrieved here eg ,scan codes ,data etc etc

I'm suspecting cold start injector/switch, since it only happens on cold situations, get that check also scan to check if there's any trouble code related to that

Thx guys, getting a scanner to scan is not possible in the village im now.

Could it be fuel pump?

kellystech:
I'm suspecting cold start injector/switch, since it only happens on cold situations, get that check also scan to check if there's any trouble code related to that

You are right bro. The cold start sensor is the culprit, o also changed the 3rd ignition coil and the 4 spark plugs .

Kazeem disconnected the cold start sensor plug and did some wiring voodoo and said i should use it like that.

On my way home, like i just drove 2miles, temp guage stays very low,not even up to the middle mark, i noticed that my AC lost it coolness a bit, and my feet was sweating too much, i parked and open up the bonnet.

Lo and behold, coolant is already boiling and has over spilled into the engine bay. How could it be ! Yet the temp guage stays very low.

Right there i removed all the wiring vodoo and connected my cold start sensor plug back to its rightful place. Immediately after i started the engine again, I noticed the temp guage started working as it should, I.E temp guage now in the middle, AC now super cold as before the wiring voodoo and no more absurd coolant boiling till i reached home.

If not due to my alertness i would have lost a good engine.

xavuv:


You are right bro. The cold start sensor is the culprit, o also changed the 3rd ignition coil and the 4 spark plugs .

Kazeem disconnected the cold start sensor plug and did some wiring voodoo and said i should use it like that.

On my way home, like i just drove 2miles, temp guage stays very low,not even up to the middle mark, i noticed that my AC lost it coolness a bit, and my feet was sweating too much, i parked and open up the bonnet.

Lo and behold, coolant is already boiling and has over spilled into the engine bay. How could it be ! Yet the temp guage stays very low.

Right there i removed all the wiring vodoo and connected my cold start sensor plug back to its rightful place. Immediately after i started the engine again, I noticed the temp guage started working as it should, I.E temp guage now in the middle, AC now super cold as before the wiring voodoo and no more absurd coolant boiling till i reached home.

If not due to my alertness i would have lost a good engine.

kellystech:
I'm suspecting cold start injector/switch, since it only happens on cold situations, get that check also scan to check if there's any trouble code related to that

The real name is engine coolant temperature sensor (ECTS) not cold start switch as referred being to by the local illiterate guys .it is a sensor not a switch

xavuv:


You are right bro. The cold start sensor is the culprit, o also changed the 3rd ignition coil and the 4 spark plugs .

Kazeem disconnected the cold start sensor plug and did some wiring voodoo and said i should use it like that.

On my way home, like i just drove 2miles, temp guage stays very low,not even up to the middle mark, i noticed that my AC lost it coolness a bit, and my feet was sweating too much, i parked and open up the bonnet.

Lo and behold, coolant is already boiling and has over spilled into the engine bay. How could it be ! Yet the temp guage stays very low.

Right there i removed all the wiring vodoo and connected my cold start sensor plug back to its rightful place. Immediately after i started the engine again, I noticed the temp guage started working as it should, I.E temp guage now in the middle, AC now super cold as before the wiring voodoo and no more absurd coolant boiling till i reached home.

If not due to my alertness i would have lost a good engine.

You're really lucky. Run away from that mechanic.

xavuv:


You are right bro. The cold start sensor is the culprit, o also changed the 3rd ignition coil and the 4 spark plugs .

Kazeem disconnected the cold start sensor plug and did some wiring voodoo and said i should use it like that.

On my way home, like i just drove 2miles, temp guage stays very low,not even up to the middle mark, i noticed that my AC lost it coolness a bit, and my feet was sweating too much, i parked and open up the bonnet.

Lo and behold, coolant is already boiling and has over spilled into the engine bay. How could it be ! Yet the temp guage stays very low.

Right there i removed all the wiring vodoo and connected my cold start sensor plug back to its rightful place. Immediately after i started the engine again, I noticed the temp guage started working as it should, I.E temp guage now in the middle, AC now super cold as before the wiring voodoo and no more absurd coolant boiling till i reached home.

If not due to my alertness i would have lost a good engine.

Nothing from this episode that suggest you have a bad engine coolant temperature sensor ,it even prove that it is working well since you yourself states it that the temperature reading works wen you connect it back. you have already troubleshoot that one yourself na

autologic:

Nothing from this episode that suggest you have a bad engine coolant temperature sensor ,it even prove that it is working well since you yourself states it that the temperature reading works wen you connect it back. you have already troubleshoot that one yourself na

I used to have a difficult start only in the moring(engine starts at 2nd or 3rd attempt) or at first start of the day or whenever the weather is cold. In the hot afternoon rpm is very very low l, like O.4 (engine running lean), sometimes when i stop in traffic my engine shuts off by itself.

These were the troubles when it was discovered that it's the Cold start sensor

alphaNomega:


You're really lucky. Run away from that mechanic.

I will never set my eyes on him again