Starting Issue

BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
So the DB1 is having starting issues. When you first start it up in the morning(or anytime it's cold) it cranks beatifully, when the motor is warm(also it seems that the atmospheric temp plays a role in this too) it whines and takes a while to crank. It seems that when it feels hot in the cabin the car has to problem. I think there is a correlation there.
It also is idling rather low. It wants to sit around 650-700 at idle for some reason.
Fuel pressure is at 30-35 psi on the gauge right at the time of engine shut down.
If I replace the plugs it starts pretty well for a while. I'm getting roughly 1000-1500 miles per set of plugs(OEM NGK).
It has a new OEM main relay, new OEM coil, OEM NGK wires, and has been running OEM NGK plugs, though I am trying a set of Denso's out this time to see if that helps.
Does anyone have any ideas?
 

jdmjim

nothing from nowhere
have you done a cranking fuel pressure test?
 


BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
jdmjim said:
have you done a cranking fuel pressure test?
Click to expand...
Not since I replaced all those parts. Before I did, it would get around 30 psi cranking. I can do another in a few minutes and let you know. The fuel filter has been on for 15k miles, you think its time to change it out?
 

jdmjim

nothing from nowhere
well, what you should do is to watch and see if the pressure falls off wnen you turn it off.
 

jdmjim

nothing from nowhere
is it still hard to start with the fuel pressure up? if it leaks down over time, it all has to reprime. well i guess the main thing is to figure if it's fuel or ignition
 

BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
So I just replaced the plugs. I also found that the engine ground strap had separated, so I fixed that.
The car seems to be losing water, so I filled it.
I also took a look through the spark tubes to find that my pistons have a wet coating on the top and the spark plugs smell like coolant. I believe I need a new head gasket because there is coolant leaking into the combustion chambers.
With the new plugs she idles at 900rpm and starts up pretty good.
I just don't have the extra money to put a new head gasket on it right now, I don't have the time to do it myself either with the new job. I'm not sure what to do.
 

jdmjim

nothing from nowhere
you can try re-torquing the head. thats exactly whats happening, coolants getting in there.
 

BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
jdmjim said:
you can try re-torquing the head. thats exactly whats happening, coolants getting in there.
Click to expand...
I might try that for shits and giggles just to see if it helps before I replace the head gasket. I'll have to go to ARP's website and find the torque specs and pattern again.
 

BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
So the car is officially dead. I think it's a blown head gasket. The car won't start, there's antifreeze in the combustion chambers now, and there's fuel in the antifreeze. You can smell and see the fuel in the radiator.
I hope a new head gasket will take care of it, otherwise this motor is done for.
 

slacker

Slackin since '88
sounds to me like the starter solenoid isn't working properly, does it whine when the idle is low? It could be that the starters not fully disengaging and its still on your crank, thats the only thing I can think of. And its just barely sitting in there so when the metals hot its expanded and making contact. Just a thought.
 

BrokenTalon27

W.F.O
The starting issue seems to be the coil(even though the one on it's only a month old). The coolant issue may be a cracked head, so the car is either getting a b20 or just a stock b18b. This will become another daily, possibly let me gf drive it, or it'll get sold. Idk yet.
 
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