cold starts.. puff of smoke. should i change my spark plugs?

androoz · Post by **androoz** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 11:08 pm

usually when i start my car.. it takes some time before she actually turns over.. but only after i give it quite some gas.. as soon as shes on.. a puff of smoke comes out the exhaust.. is this because i gave it too much gas to get it on? or can it be something else..

since i bought it.. i cant remember if it did it on the last tank of LRP.. but now ive switched to premium.. can this be the cause?

what can i do or change that will make my car turn over easier?

logik · Post by **logik** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 11:27 pm

what colour smoke is it?

when i switched fuel on mine, lrp to regular unleaded, it blew a big cloud of black smoke when it FINALLY turned over and then it ran fine.

id say fuel change was the problem..

SpidersWeb · Post by **SpidersWeb** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 1:50 am

My Starion doesn't do the white smoke thing on start, but the Galant does, something chronic. Heaps of white smoke everywhere. But goes away after 30 seconds.

Not sure what causes it, its a white smoke not blue, so I figured moisture on the air intake/filter/air, but not really sure. Also regarding car starting faster I can't really think of one single thing that will improve it, besides the usual plugs/leads.

StarionChef · Post by **StarionChef** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 2:07 am

Try cleaning the PCV ( valve at front of rocker cover) they get clogged up.

evogalant · Post by **evogalant** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 2:35 am

My galant has that starting problem in the morning (but dosn't blow smoke) im thinking its a fuel problem. Will be getting it looked at next week, will post what the mechanics say.

And my old cordia had the puff of white smoke on startup problem (but always started first time). Was told by a couple of mechanics that it looked like the valve stem seals needed to be repalced. Never got it done though as it isn't a major problem.

So yeah couldn't win with either car, one blew smoke on startup and one is a bitch to start.
Hope this helped somehow.

androoz · Post by **androoz** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:18 pm

StarionChef wrote:Try cleaning the PCV ( valve at front of rocker cover) they get clogged up.

how do i go about cleaning it?

ProZac · Post by **ProZac** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:26 pm

It unscrews from the rocker cover, give it a good soak in petrol and a general wash with a stiff brush, once it is totally dry, wash it in hot water to remove the petrol resiude. To test it, blow on the threaded end, you should be able to blow reasonably freely, blow on the other end and it should close off.

PCV = Positive Crankcase Ventilation. It vents positive pressure from the crankcase (due to blowby) back into the inlet manifold.

androoz · Post by **androoz** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:30 pm

thanks prozac, ill give it a go over the weekend.. can i use any petrol to clean it? lawn mower petrol okay?

ProZac · Post by **ProZac** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 1:33 pm

yup, you can use anything you want pretty much, i find petrol is really good at dislodging dirt/oil gunge, kerosene is also popular.

SpidersWeb · Post by **SpidersWeb** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 4:52 pm

Hows does cleaning the PCV help with cold engine starts??

SpidersWeb · Post by **SpidersWeb** » Fri Apr 30, 2004 4:55 pm

For the sake of post number 400:

When your wife or girlfriend wants to buy some of that skin cream that makes their skin peel.

Give them 50c worth of petrol, that stuff is wonders for clearing dead skin, and provides a refreshing after-odour that is bound to attract their mechanic partner.

Petrol is awesome, can clean anything, even girls.

androoz · Post by **androoz** » Sat May 01, 2004 2:23 am

should i change my spark plugs to make my car turn on faster/better?

what type of plugs should i ask for when i go to supercheap auto?

SpidersWeb · Post by **SpidersWeb** » Sat May 01, 2004 4:05 am

NGK Iridium TX P7ES I think is the number. Pretty sure they're listed for the 4G63 DOHC engine, but work in Starion's too. I use them, they is great.

Doubt it will help much unless your old ones are wasted. Im thinking the most important things for cold starts are fuel and compression.

I have one cylinder with reasonable compression, the other three are crap. And when it goes to start, it only does so every few turns, I either have to hit that cylinder, or pump the gas. One or the other. If I miss that cylinder, its two more turns before it will catch again :)

androoz · Post by **androoz** » Sat May 01, 2004 2:45 pm

do you have to get a dyno to measure your cylinders compressions?

ProZac · Post by **ProZac** » Sat May 01, 2004 3:00 pm

nope, you just need a compression tester, a push on one is fine for a starion as their quite low compression engines, you take out all the sparkplugs and test eash cylinder one by one. Local mechanic will be able to do it in 5 mins. Throttle has to be wide open.

Austarion

cold starts.. puff of smoke. should i change my spark plugs?

cold starts.. puff of smoke. should i change my spark plugs?

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