Thread: No cold start

OK,

I have a NX that sat for a long time after a new engine was put in. (2 years, but gas was drained a few month ago and new put in.)

The other day I started it, drove it to the gas station and then drove it around a bunch to make sure it was going to run for me. The temperature was around 45 degrees. It didn't run like a champ mind you, but it ran (Rough idle until it warmed up).
The next morning (20 degrees) No start. Just keeps truning over like its got no fule or spark.

The entire proccess repeated again yesterday, and here I am at 6 am with a car that wont start again. It caught one time right away, then didnt try again after that.

Please tell me I don't need to wake someone up and get them to my house at 6 am when its 20 degrees outside to diagnose the issue.
It has never had an issue starting when the temp is above 30.

(No EGR)

OK, WTF?

No spark when cold????

EDIT: I checked voltage all the way through the coil to the dist. What do the wires that hook to the dist do as far as maybe killing spark?

how do you know it's spark and not fuel? Step one is to isolate the cause, next step is to work the problem. If you did something to verify it was a spark issue, what it was you did will help alot.

I did Isolate the cause.

I pulled a plug out, noticed it covered in fuel, then leaned the plug against ground while pluged in and watched it while trying to start. I also used a timeing light wanting to be sure.... still nothing.

It eventually started for me yesterday (after the temp rose about 10 degrees). And I drove it 45 miles to work and then all the way back (and several small trips in between) with no issues starting.


Now, here I am again this morning at 6 am and no spark again. :-(

So there is no spark in one cylinder which means, bad spark plug wire, spark plug, cap and rotor or distributor

ALL spark plug wires, and then suddenly, after it warms up, all the plugs, DO have spark. I dont think its a bad wire, unless it was the coil wire, but it seems unlikely that it not work at all for 30 mins while trying to start it and then 20 mins later, just start up on the first crank and not even sputter.

Once it starts (after the weather warms up a little), it runs great all day and doesn't sputter or miss and starts good all day long.

Also when I'm trying to get it started in the morning, its not even trying to fire(obviously with no spark at all), it just turns over and sounds the same as if you unplugged the coil.

I've run on with 1 plug wire un hooked before, and heck, even 2. This is no plugs firing.

but I am kind of leaning twords the dist., but it that something that usually fails only when its cold?

I'm gonna tear it appart and look at it tonight.

Your sure its not a bad coil?
sometimes there can be a crack in the dist cap and it'll let moisture in which won't let it start

Also does it crank over normal or slower?

It's not uncommon to see a little moisture in the cap, even without a crack, up in the NE during the winter. Not sure where he is from, but it's bound to happen sooner or later out here, though generally not enough to cause that much of a problem..

I tested voltage to where the coil wire plugs into the coil. I got about 12 volts, But I do have an extra, so I may just swap it anyways.

Thanks, I'll tear it apart and check for moisture!