Engine Holding Back When Cold

[bubba]

I guess I still haven't explained it properly - I've been driving turbo cars for 9 years now, I'm not trying to drag race people when the engine is cold ... its NOT that its just running a bit off ... there's an evident jerk when i go over 2500 rpm THATS how much its being held back - you can sit here all day and say thats how skylines drive when they're cold but thats NOT what this is. It was driving perfectly fine when it was cold so for everyone who says skylines drive like shyt when they're cold - you need to get it checked out and sorted, because it drove perfectly fine till a few months back.

Apologies if this sounds a bit abrupt - but I can't make it any more clearer then this! Thanks alot for the helpful tips above though, will take it to get tuned first and then look for a solution.

And like I said, what you are describing sounds EXACTLY like cold start in my 32gtst.

If you're so sure there is something wrong then stop fking around with an internet diagnosis, get someone with a Consult cable and Datascan (or equivalent) to plug in and see if there is anything amiss.

Edited March 21, 2011 by bubba

[Psymon]

Yeah the cold start in my 32 gtst was so severe that sometimes when it reached the operating temperature it felt as if I was driving with the handbrake on and all of a sudden it was taken off.

[bubba]

Yeah the cold start in my 32 gtst was so severe that sometimes when it reached the operating temperature it felt as if I was driving with the handbrake on and all of a sudden it was taken off.

I bet it was the same if you tried to push through it too, it would get to 2500rpm and pick up a bunch of power but not really be very happy about it.

[R31Nismoid]

You need to check/do all of the following... in no particular order. Just do/check all

1. Get a tune

2. Check the fuel pump, might need replacing

3. Clean & check the AFM

4. Get a tune

5. Check for leaky injectors, ensure fuel pressure is correct and so on

6. Get a tune

7. Ensure you have no VAC leaks or tiny splits in hoses.

8. Check/replace plugs correctly gap’d if neccesary

9. Get it onto a dyno, see what the AFR's and similar are doing

10. Check base timing is correct, cam belt/gears are correct.

11. Ensure ALL sensors/plugs/looms are connected properly and perhaps give them all a clean

It's all the basic shit you need to check mate, of which so far you've done none.

[agentx]

And like I said, what you are describing sounds EXACTLY like cold start in my 32gtst.

If you're so sure there is something wrong then stop fking around with an internet diagnosis, get someone with a Consult cable and Datascan (or equivalent) to plug in and see if there is anything amiss.

the point of the forum is to get ideas - just chill and let me gather information, I don't expect this to be fixed online but its a start... it will go to dr drift soon.

You need to check/do all of the following... in no particular order. Just do/check all

1. Get a tune

2. Check the fuel pump, might need replacing

3. Clean & check the AFM

4. Get a tune

5. Check for leaky injectors, ensure fuel pressure is correct and so on

6. Get a tune

7. Ensure you have no VAC leaks or tiny splits in hoses.

8. Check/replace plugs correctly gap’d if neccesary

9. Get it onto a dyno, see what the AFR's and similar are doing

10. Check base timing is correct, cam belt/gears are correct.

11. Ensure ALL sensors/plugs/looms are connected properly and perhaps give them all a clean

It's all the basic shit you need to check mate, of which so far you've done none.

Thanks mate - I have checked and cleaned AFM, checked the fuel pump, replaced coil packs and plugs, checked vacuum leaks and cleaned all sensors etc but there's still timing / tune to be done - Dr Drift will do that soon. I'll post results on cold start when I have fixed the issue, and will encourage people to do the same once it is fixed and I have proven its not just what skylines do when they're cold

Once again - thanks for all your help guys

[rob82]

car switches from cold map to hot map @ 60deg water temp

WTF!!!

[XKLABA]

You need to check/do all of the following... in no particular order. Just do/check all

1. Get a tune

2. Check the fuel pump, might need replacing

3. Clean & check the AFM

4. Get a tune

5. Check for leaky injectors, ensure fuel pressure is correct and so on

6. Get a tune

7. Ensure you have no VAC leaks or tiny splits in hoses.

8. Check/replace plugs correctly gap'd if neccesary

9. Get it onto a dyno, see what the AFR's and similar are doing

10. Check base timing is correct, cam belt/gears are correct.

11. Ensure ALL sensors/plugs/looms are connected properly and perhaps give them all a clean

It's all the basic shit you need to check mate, of which so far you've done none.

i think you forgot "get a tune"

if you have changed pump/fpr you'll need a cold start tune mate, as it will be running rich, that is exactly what my 32 is doing

[Rekin]

r32 switches from cold map to normal at 65degrees. During 0 - 64degrees, Ignition timing is at 7degrees~ when driving. Car will feel sluggish. Once 65deg hit, the ignition timing will change to normal operating value.

Source: My ecu consult reader

Live with it, once you are around the block it should be warmed up by then

[simpletool]

Almost certainly a cold start timing table issue. The amount of timing retard below 2600rpm is probably a bit too much and it's also running rich when cold (this is normal and gradually gets leaner). There are several stages of warm-up. Sounds like the first stage is a bit too severe in the timing tables - makes it a pain in the winter I bet. Mention this when you get it re-tuned by.............Dr Drift.

These cold start tables may require a little trial and error on non-stock ignition maps. You could lower the temp at which normal timing starts and/or you could also smooth out the progression around 2600 - 3000rpm and/or you could reduce the amount of timing retard, etc.

Edited March 21, 2011 by simpletool

[ohno1]

WTF!!!

Stockie ECU only obviously..

[simpletool]

OK so if didn't coincide with the remap then it isn't the cold start tune (or isn't JUST the tune). I thought it was doing it since the remap.

No idea then...I've never had/looked into this problem. Sorry.

[bunno32gtr]

My R32 does the same cold really holds back and when it gets to temp u can feel it change. Like I take the handbrake off.

[Spark911]

What the f**k? Any car Ive ever driven would be shit house when its cold. Take care of your car. No matter how new age or old school your car is, it still needs to warm up. Just because you run castrol GTX and that old man says you don't have to warm it up, does not make it true. Everything has a peak operating temperature, whether it be mechanical, natural or organic.

Another note to add is that the O2 sensor does not become active until a certain temperature threshold is reached. This is so the car can ignore the O2 readings while its warming up, and it just keeps adding fuel til its warmed up. A good idea is about 3 - 5 mins idle in drive way to get oil moving around then about 3 minutes of easy driving. After that your water temp should be around 50 - 60c and oil pressure should be a smidge under 4 at cruise speed and around 6 under load.

me and my old man run supermarket grade oil in our hektik skylines and thrash them while its cold, burnout out of the driveway FTW!!

settle down mate, you have no idea how i treat/maintain my car.

To the OP - hope you got ur prob sorted!

[updpsi]

man all near stock 32s that i know of are like this for the first 2 minutes of warmup, [ like hand-brake is slightly on ]

[agentx]

This keeps happening till around 6-8 minutes of solid driving ... takes that long for the temp gauge to reach mid way and then BOOM ... problem sorted. I understand mapping issues etc etc - but how is this getting worse and worse daily (and really bad now that its Winter ...) the cars starting to hold back ALOT more now in the cold temps...

[dorifticon]

This keeps happening till around 6-8 minutes of solid driving ... takes that long for the temp gauge to reach mid way and then BOOM ... problem sorted. I understand mapping issues etc etc - but how is this getting worse and worse daily (and really bad now that its Winter ...) the cars starting to hold back ALOT more now in the cold temps...

Just to add fuel to this fire...

THe rb blocks are big, cast iron blocks, and in Canberra the weather gets ridiculously cold.

My situation was an r32 GTR with hks 2530s.

When I was running the OEM tune with upgraded turbos, on my way to work there was a stretch of road I would cruise on at ~2000 rpm or whatever it is, in 4th gear at 60 or 70.

There was a given throttle position that would hold constant speed. Until the car switched into cold map, and then it would suddenly start accellerating.

It was that abrupt, you would wait, wait ... and then it was like someone pulled the handbrake off, as above.

Until it switched it would drive all doughy and crap.

Fixed through installation and tune of Vipec.

IN summary, even rb26's in factory tune (did the bigger turbos have something to do with it? I dunno) run shart when they're cold.

[_x_FiReStOrM_x_]

I'll also throw something out there.. i remember when i first bought my current r32, the car only had ~70,xxxkm on the clock, was 100% stock (down the the airbox and exhaust) and ran brilliantly! When cold it drove great, and the transition into the operating temp map was smooth. Then this very same fault occurred, and for some reason it felt very hesitant when cold, and the transition to op temp map was almost 'switch-like' and very harsh - exactly the way my first r32 felt which was a higher mileage car. I always told myself i was going to investigate as to why this happened, but i ended up with a computer and tuned cold start that way. It's certainly a strange thing though. :s

[eightsixboy]

My old hr31 and my r32 both do it, the 31 was worse when cold but that was still standard ecu, it used to have a flat spot when taking of when cold under 2k would also cough and splutter abit whih was annoying as after diving for about 1 min would have gone completely, even my 32 does it very slightly when cold. After I have let it idle for 30-60 secs its fine, but you can still tell the difference in throttle response between when its cold and when its warm.

I would just replace the plugs and o2 sensor regardless of any issues and go from there.

You have to remember that these engines are getting pretty old, whether its caused by a faulty sensor or leaking inlet gasket it could be anything age related.

[KiwiRS4T]

Check codes or get an ecu talk or similar to see if it tells you anything such as faulty ecu temp sensor. Try pulling the wire off the ecu temp sensor - the ecu has a default warm up map - and see if there is any difference.